Download School Leaders achieving greater equity through ethical leadership

ACEL DISABILITY REFORM:
Leading & Sustaining
Exceptional Practice
Showcase: School Leaders achieving
greater equity through ethical
leadership
7-8th May, 2015
Professor Suzanne Carrington
Head of Cultural & Professional Learning
Faculty of Education
Queensland University of Technology
Michael Small
Head of Campus
Junior Secondary Campus
Noosa District State High School
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Queensland University of Technology
This Showcase will assist you to:
LEARN
•  Understand the ethics of leadership
•  Understand a theory of practice of ethical leadership
REFLECT
•  Reflect on how a school leader can implement a theory
of ethical leadership to
–  work collaboratively with teachers, parents, students and
community to build equity and quality in teaching and learning for
all students, including students who have disabilities
APPLY
•  Consider ethical issues in inclusive culture, policy and
practice for students with disabilities.
•  Identify different ethical dilemmas faced by school
principals and teachers
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LEARN
•  Understand the ethics of leadership
•  Understand a theory of practice of ethical
leadership
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Leaders who develop an ethical
organisational culture
“Ethical leaders create ethical
organisations” (Hester, 2003, p. 9)
Creating Inclusive
Culture, Policy and Practice
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Ethical Leadership
A collaborative investigation of
equity-driven evidence-based school reform
Data Use
& Accountability
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ARC Linkage Research Aims
Ethical Leadership: A Collaborative Investigation of Equity-Driven Evidence-Based School Reform.
An Australian Research Council Linkage Project (2012-2015)
•  To investigate how school leaders and classroom teachers can
engage in critical inquiry and evidence-based practice.
•  To improve student learning and equity in contexts of high-stakes
accountability.
•  To find ways to achieve greater equity through ethical school
leadership.
•  To develop a sustainable school-systems-university partnership.
•  To build capacity at the school level through ongoing professional
development.
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Ethical Leadership
•  Leadership is a human centered practice that involves
questions about what is right and wrong, good or bad
and just or unjust (Freakley & Burgh, 2000).
•  A social, relational practice concerned with the moral
purpose of education (Angus, 2006).
•  Ethical leaders are those who are engaged in making
decisions based on values and value judgments that are
fair, just and professional and that uphold the moral
purpose of education.
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Policy Context
•  “… residualisation of public education … privilege selfish
individualism rather than promote community-minded
citizens” (Reid, 2013).
•  Context of competing demands and opposing
educational priorities it is important for school leaders
and teachers to be aware of policy effects.
•  Too often considerable attention is given to specific
policy effects but the general effects formed by
‘ensembles of policy’ are rarely considered (Ball, 1994).
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Common Tensions
•  The common good versus the individual good.
•  Support a group or cohort of students or support the
rights of the individual.
•  When decisions affect equality of opportunity for
students around access, resources and experience.
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Making Ethical Choices
•  School leaders will sometimes be faced with a
dilemma and have to make a choice between
options that have a mix of both good and bad
consequences
•  Examples from Australia
- Streaming, student pathways in the Senior
school, behaviour management policy and
practice and exclusion/suspension, enrolment,
curriculum and assessment adjustments
- Any other examples?
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Difficult Decisions
•  In making a decision to meet the educational
needs of a student or group the School Principal
may be aware that the needs of another student
or group are ignored
•  Choices about the best thing to do in schools
draw upon facts, past experiences, emotions,
analysis and instinct about what feels right
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The Ethical Foundation
•  the aspirations and experiences of staff, students and
families are important in creating ethical, inclusive
practices
•  organisational culture (eg. is it supportive, inclusive or
otherwise)
•  To act ethically and inclusively, leaders need to include
staff, students and families in the decision making
process
•  What does this mean? How can we do this?
•  How does previous experience (empathy and understanding);
leader’s communication skills, attitude, values, influence decision
making?
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Towards an understanding of
Ethical Dilemmas Faced by
School Leaders
Cranston, N., Ehrich, L. & Kimber, M.
•  As a result of any decision there are certain
implications for the:
•  individual
•  organisation
•  community
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Starrat’s (1996) Model of Ethical Practice for Moral Education
3 schools of thought which complement each other:
A standpoint of
absolute regard
•  Honours dignity.
•  Honours individuality.
•  Honours human
relationships.
An
Ethic of
Critique
An
Ethic of
Care
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An
Ethic of
Justice
Critical theory
•  Who defines what is
valued?
•  Who benefits from the
arrangement?
Good of the group
and good of the
individual/
• Individuals choice
to act justly.
• Community’s
choice to direct its
actions justly.
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REFLECT
•  Reflect on how a school leader can implement a
theory of ethical leadership to
–  work collaboratively with teachers, parents, students and
community to build equity and quality in teaching and
learning for all students, including students who have
disabilities
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Our school - Noosa District SHS
• 
NDSHS is a large secondary school with two
separate campuses on the northern end of
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and services
1350 students in years 7-12 from a broad
geographical area from a diverse range of
backgrounds from 15 unique feeder primary
schools.
• 
The Cooroy Campus celebrated its 50th year in
2013 and is home to our year 9 – 12 students,
while the newly refurbished Junior Secondary
Campus at Pomona has 400 year 7 and 8
students enrolled.
• 
Principal, Head of Campus, 4 Deputy Principals,
HOSES, 13 HOD’s, 88 Teachers
• 
100 students with a verified disability/
impairment
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Our philosophy –
Junior Secondary Themed Classes
• 
Noosa District SHS Junior Secondary is a distinct
phase of education that specifically caters to the
learning and emotional needs of young adolescents
(Years 7 – 9).
Our aim is to ensure that every student can thrive as
life-long, resilient learners and be successful and
valuable citizens.
Noosa High uses a ‘Themed Class’ approach to
maximise engagement and outcomes for all students.
Junior Secondary students are based in one of the
following themed classes for their “Core Subjects’ of
English. Maths, Science & History: General, Cultural,
Learning Support, Support, Summit or Focus.
Each class is carefully matched with teachers that
share an understanding of the way in which each
group of students prefer to learn and uses targeted
teaching strategies to get the best outcomes for each
individual within the group.
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Our challenge – creating a culture
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Parents and our school community strongly believe
that students should have the opportunity to build on
their strengths but also address their weaknesses.
Students are placed into their themed class based
first and foremost on their parents/students request
which is supported by a significant transition
program involving the students’ primary school,
teachers and administration.
Many students with disabilities have an ICP and
study an adjusted curriculum (that is the National
Curriculum content) with significant scaffolding and
support.
Themed classes are disbanded for specialisation
classes where all students study Art, BIT, Design,
Drama, Home Ec, ITD, LOTE and Music together
with their specialist teachers and the support
teacher aides.
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Our practice –
pedagogy making a difference
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There is an emphasis on student wellbeing in
each of our themed classes but especially in
the Learning Support area.
• 
Our special education staff (teachers/teacher
aides) work collaboratively with each Head of
Department and their teaching colleagues to
develop an ICP and also consider
adjustments for students with disabilities.
• 
Students in the Learning Support and
Support Themed classes are engaged in
real-life learning opportunities to complement
their ICP’s.
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Our practice – pedagogy making a difference
• 
The timetable structure allows flexibility for
both teachers and students.
• 
Students have the opportunity to engage in
the establishment and operation of business
ventures such as Coffee Shops, Juice Bars,
Market Stalls within the school and broader
community.
• 
Specialist teachers use their own expertise as
well as the students talents and interests to
identify as many opportunities for students to
showcase their strengths.
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APPLY
•  Consider ethical issues in Inclusive Culture,
Policy and Practice for students with disabilities.
•  Identify different ethical dilemmas faced by
school principals and teachers
a university for the
real
R
world
CRICOS No. 00213J
a university for the
real
R
world
CRICOS No. 00213J