by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Feb 28, 2015 | Leadership, Student Voice, Teacher Effectiveness
We need leaderpreneurs and teacherpreneurs who innovate learning in partnership with students. – Manoj Chandra Handa Michael Fullan is Professor Emeritus of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Canada. Professor Fullan is recognised as a worldwide authority on educational reform. During his Australia tour conducting a series of workshops on “Maximising Leadership for Change”, Professor Fullan generously conversed with me (formerly, I served as Chief Education Officer, New South Wales Department of Education and Communities) about maximising school and system leadership. Engaging with the thought leader was a great learning experience for me. Here are some excerpts with Professor Fullan’s insights: Key drivers of system reform MCH: Based on your rich experience with successful systems around the world, what do you believe are the key drivers of meaningful whole system reform? Fullan: The work we’ve been doing around the world with different systems is all embedded in the system trying to improve itself. It’s not us just observing it. It’s us participating in the improvement process and the key drivers. When you put them together as a cluster, in addition to focusing on a small number of ambitious goals, the drivers themselves are capacity building, i.e., how you build up the skills and competencies of teachers and principals. A second driver is social capital. We call it so because you don’t just depend on individuals being strong. You want the entire group to be strong. Pedagogy, as the third driver in deep and structural practice, is tied to assessment of learning and improvement of learning. And the fourth driver is something we call “systemness”....
by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Nov 23, 2014 | Leadership
“We must be the changewe wish to see in the world.”– Mahatma Gandhi Leadership, at its core, is about leading change. The question is how we can attain sustainable, quality change in schools. The following change equation presents a framework for leading institutional reforms that endure. Sustainable Change = Big picture x Buy-in x Skills & tools x Manage risks x Action Equation variable Actions to take in this area 1. Big picture Develop a shared vision that you can explain in five minutes or less. Always communicate the change in a wider context. Answer the question “Why?” and address the fit with the organisational direction. Use metaphors, stories, and examples to illustrate; people need a good illustration to understand the change. Prepare an interdependency analysis; often, change has many interlinking systems, which can disrupt change. Find and tap synergies with other initiatives in the school. 2. Buy-in The best way to gain the acceptance of others is by involving them early and often. Communicate, communicate: Why? What? and How? Use multiple channels of communication: formal and informal; and ask for feedback. Prepare a stakeholder map, as each group sees it. Ensure people understand the effects and benefits of the proposed change. Build and organise allies early; often, support is only asked at the action phase. Recognise and thank people for their support when you get it. 3. Skills and tools Always build collective capacity of the whole staff team in the school. Understand that productivity often initially drops just when you want gains. Ensure that your change is user-friendly. Do not overlook the skills that...
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