Why does leadership learning matter in educational leadership? School leaders are responsible for all school operations and the efficient daily running of the building, including all that occurs within it. Learning and ongoing growth matters because school leaders are also the instructional leaders, pedagogical capacity builders and role models for the school community. Education is our core business, and it is imperative that principals and vice-principals are a part of the learning journey in visible and meaningful ways.
Over the last few years, there have been heightened expectations and accountability for organizations to address issues of disparity with more equitable systems and practices (Hill & Curry-Stevens, 2017; Turner, 2019). Leadership that fights for social justice in education requires a firm commitment and understanding of culturally relevant pedagogies (Chunoo et al., 2019). Further, the concept of culture and shifting cultural norms is critically important in its relationship to social justice, and the ability to shift individuals and groups towards human rights and equity goals (Lumby, 2012). A learning focus on moving along the continuum of cultural competence and developing our own critical consciousness may help proactively mitigate some of the challenges leaders are facing in schools.
In a time where principals and vice-principals are inundated with growing challenges including mental health issues, staffing shortages andlimited funding for student supports, leadership learning seems impossible. We live in a world that has drastically changed over the last decade, and the demands and scrutiny on education are greater than ever. What kind of learning is most relevant for school leaders and what does it embody and feel like? How do we as instructional leaders build capacity across educator teams to provide equitable learning opportunities that are culturally relevant and meaningful for supporting the development of children and young adults who will be the future of humanity?
The answers are complex and nuanced with local contexts. We also cannot ignore that schools reproduce the status quo, and how a lack of sociological perspective has perpetuated an inflexible system (Naicker, 2024). What does an education system that provides equitable opportunities for learning and future pathways for each student look like? How do we as leaders come together to transform our education system to be inclusive spaces for belonging, culturally relevant learning and authentic engagement?
This article cannot answer these complex questions and issues, but hopefully it will ignite an invigorated purpose and necessity for leadership learning. Ongoing professional development and growth is foundational to building critical awareness of existing issues, challenging the status quo and engaging with community partners to create inclusive spaces for learning that matter. Learning opportunities exist in many forms of courses, webinars, workshops, podcasts, etc. A key opportunity for leadership learning is within the school day. Without even leaving the building, there is immense learning that comes from intentionally pausing to reflect on how our beliefs, values and mindsets influence our approaches to various situations and decisions.
Across Canada, many organizations have made commitments to work towards Truth and Reconciliation embedded within the 94 Calls to Action (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). How will we engage in an intentional process to dismantle deeply rooted narratives and historic marginalization of those who continue to be pushed to the margins? Carolyn Roberts speaks from the heart about re-storying education by centering relationships and connecting education to humanity and community (Roberts, 2024). One of the ways that we can center the conversation on the human experience is to listen better and more often to those we are serving. Although important, it is less about the topic of learning and more about the reflective stance and critical consciousness we show up with. The opportunities are right in front of us within the daily interactions and decisions we often mechanically make through the school day.
One of the important shifts we need to make is in how we engage and interact with students, families and community members who have been silenced and unheard. Learning how to deeply listen and cultivate awareness of our personal biases and their impact on our leadership is a long-term commitment. This type of learning doesn’t happen in a workshop or webinar, but rather within the intentional critical reflection we bring to our daily practices. Seeking out and valuing diverse voices from within the school and broader community requires us to legitimize qualitative data as a key indicator of impact and engagement within our systems. This type of “street data” is the qualitative and experiential information that offers us a new way to make meaning of school experiences (Safir and Dugan, 2021).
It is the purposeful collection of data at the margins from an asset-based orientation (Safir and Dugan, 2021). To do this effectively, we must center relationships and build trust with disengaged communities by demonstrating integrity through our actions. Intentional reflection and notable changes in how we operate at the ground level of our leadership practices is a clear example of job-embedded learning if we as leaders choose to engage. It takes time, practice and vulnerability as a leader to look inwards and begin to reconsider our own mindsets. An undeniable part of a very complicated answer is learning – with humility.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Susie Lee-Fernandes, Director of Professional Learning and Engagement Ontario Principals’ Council – https://www.principals.ca/en/index.aspx
