THE IMPACT OF A LEAD LEARNER IN A LEARNING ORGANIZATION
Across six rigorous studies estimating principals’ effects using panel data, principals’ contributions to student achievement were nearly as large as the average effects of teachers identified in similar studies. Principals’ effects, however, are larger in scope because they are averaged over all students in a school, rather than a classroom.” - Wallace Foundation
Culture of Reflection and Growth
The adults with the greatest impact on students are those who balance high expectations for learning with authentic relationships with students. A principal’s role as the lead learner in a learning organization is to create an environment where all adults are striving for and holding each other accountable for high expectations and quality relationships. A highly effective principal creates the conditions for learning for all.
Context Caution
Context always matters, but matters even more when pressing on the learning environment. Before jumping into the Learning Domain, principals and assistant principals must carefully assess both the individual contexts of every adult in the school and how those diverse contexts influence the school’s context as a whole.
Assessing Your Contexts
(Individual/School/Community/Political)
• What experience and work has prepared you to become a learning leader?
• How experienced/effective is your teaching staff?
• As a learning environment, how united are all of the staff?
• How do teachers and other staff promote positive relationships with students? What is working well? What needs to work better?
• What is the trust level between administrators and other staff?
• What barriers influence your ability to be an effective learning leader?
• How do highly-effective teachers have a positive school impact? How do you support teachers to become more effective?
• Do you have a full “understanding” of your instructional framework? Why or why not? Do you feel it is being effectively supported, implemented, and employed by your teacher staff? Why or why not?
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ADULTS IN THE SYSTEM
Quadrant B
High expectations, low environment
Description: Holds high standards for student learning and is very competent with instruction. Doesn’t prioritize developing relationships with students. Supports independent students more easily than dependent students.
Quadrant D
Low environment, low expectations
Does not focus on building relationships with students. Does not have high expectations for student learning. Provides little scaffolding and may allow some students to disengage from learning and engage in off-task behavior.
Expectations
Quadrant A
High environment, high expectations
Builds relationships with students that demonstrate respect and trust. Individual identities are understood and honored. A dedication to growth and mastery is evident through student engagement with rich, authentic, and relevant learning experiences that are appropriately scaffolded. High expectations for all students are clearly communicated.
Environment
Quadrant C
High environment, low expectations
Focuses on building relationships with students. Shows concern and care for student well-being. May make excuses for students’ lack of academic performance or protect students from failure. Has lower expectations for learning.
ADULT
Focused on content/ academic success
STUDENT
Seeking relationship/ connection
ADULT
100% belief in all students. Focused on both academic success and relationships.
STUDENT
Sense of belonging, hope and success
ADULT
Not focused on academic success or relationship/ connection
STUDENT
Seeking relationship/ connection and in need of content/academic success
ADULT
Focused on relationship/ connection
STUDENT
In need of content/ academic success
Every single adult plays a role in creating hope, building relationships, setting expectations, and fostering the ongoing conditions for learning. How are adults impacting hope in your school?
Use the space below to reflect, assess, and identify the staffulty in your school and how you’d classify their impact on the learning organization. Suggestion: Use different colors to differentiate between grade levels, content specialists, certificated vs. classified, etc.
ACTIONS TO INFLUENCE LEARNING
What We Know About....
Quadrant B
Supervisor decides which coaching moves would be most beneficial to each situation. Consider inquiry-based and data-centered, structured conversations.
Quadrant A
Supervisor knows that staffulty has the data, resources, and ability needed to engage in self-reflection. Use an inquiry process to enhance and guide professional conversations.
Quadrant D
Supervisor directs staffulty to define teaching standards and expectations for creating a positive, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. Use data to help guide the conversation.
Reflection into Action
Quadrant C
Supervisor decides which coaching moves would be most beneficial to each situation. Consider inquiry-based and data-centered, structured conversations.