Friday, May 20, 2016

System Focus: Distributive Leadership

Schools today need to prepare students for the knowledge age we live in.

In this knowledge age workers are expected to work with greater autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Many old structures that exist in schools model top-down factory models rather than distributive leadership models.

It may be time for states to begin promoting new ways to think about decision making, leadership, and structure in schools in order for teachers to have what they need to teach well.

I am realizing more and more that until structures in schools change, schools will remain mostly the same.

If educators are not given greater voice and choice, their hands will be tied with regard to updating, uplifting, and developing their work in ways that really make a difference. This is true mostly with regard to long held problems such as meeting the needs of our most challenged students, teacher turnover, welcoming school environments, and engaging teaching.

How are your systems changing to flatten the hierarchy, promote distributive leadership, build trust, and grow transparency? These are important elements when it comes to developing better schools.