Practice 2 Essay 6: Reflect on how you have changed your practice during your post graduate DCL journey
Significant change is hard work if there is to be any
long lasting benefits. Over my journey, I have found
great satisfaction, insights, improved self-awareness
and a renewed self agency and improvement to my
practice. Osterman & Kottkamp (2015) discuss that
reflective practice can overcome habit and help individuals
to facilitate significant change in their practice. They
also make the point that it is a challenging process.
Priestley, Biest, & Robinson (2015) (as cited in Bolstad, & Macdonald 2016, p.2)
also suggests that through a teacher agency lense,
worthwhile practice change won’t happen unless teachers
are prepared for personal transformation by challenging and
identifying their current thinking and practice.
The main driving force for change was my need for students
to use more digital technology integration in their learning. Initially,
I believed this was caused by what I perceived to be a lack of
digital tool knowledge. Whenever I tried to introduce a new piece
of technology, it didn’t really take off nor seem meaningful to their
learning. However, after a few weeks, at The Mindlab, I had improved
these skills without too much mental rigor. From taking a step back
and critiquing my classroom leadership behaviour, I realised that
my real problem has been a lack of leadership around leading change.
My approach in the past, had been too transactional. Through
my Leadership 1 assignment I was able to critique and reflect
upon the leadership of others, being able to identify and analyse
the leadership styles and theories I was learning about at
The Mindlab. I realised that leaders do not need to adhere to
one particular style of leadership, as I discovered from my
Digital 2 and Leadership 2 assignment.
During this time, I saw a shift in student engagement for
the first time, when introducing a new change initiative, where
I used a combination of transformational and situational leadership
combined with Roger’s (1962) Diffusion of Innovation theory,
(as cited in Robinson 2009). I was able to inspire a group
of identified early adopters around a new writing innovation.
I began the change initiative with a transformational style
which Franciosi (2012) states as leadership which has a
focus and concern on the identified needs of the followers,
to develop autonomy, which can advance a shared goal.
It is the act of integrating theories and practice that act to
create change. As I used Roger’s Diffusion of innovation
theory, its success reiterated the importance of integrating
my theories as well as adapting my leadership to the different
phases of the initiative. Shermerhorn (1979) states that
“situational leaders need to alter their leadership to suit the
situation and readiness of their followership...and adapt their
task behavior and socio-emotional behavior to suit the more
experienced and less experienced.” (p.33).
I have also found far reaching implications of this internal
integration of theories. Firstly, it helps me as an educator
to meet the diverse needs of my learners, which upholds
the code and teaching standards set out by the Education
Council (2017), which states, as teachers we can show a
commitment to learners by “respecting the diversity of the
heritage, language, identity and culture of all learners” (p.10).
Leadership also gave new perspectives towards research
and using the spiral of inquiry to lead action research in the
classroom during the “taking action” phase of the inquiry,
which Kaser & Halbert (2017) state is a “time to put new
ideas into informed, focused and team-led action” (p.33).
However, the last part of this quote is what I have found
most difficult in my journey. It has been isolating, as I have
been the only teacher doing The Mindlab postgrad at my school.
In the future, I have suggested to senior management, that
there needs to be support systems in place that when teachers
take up further study, particularly when continuing to work full
time, something like a critical friend could be one support mechanism.
This year, I have a new role in leading science, where I am utilising
my leadership skills to create effective change. Finally, the spiral
and my journey has not ended, it is continuing to evolve, by staying
curious, challenging myself, and being inspired by informed and
continual innovation. Timperley, Kaser & Halbert (2014)
“Innovation floats on a sea of inquiry, and curiosity
is a driver for change” (p.4).
References
Bolstad, R. & MacDonald,J.(2016). An analysis of participant blogs supplemented by teacher interviews. Wellington:New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Education Council - Matatu Aotearoa. (2017). Our Code, Our Standards Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession. Retrieved from https://teachingcouncil.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf
Franciosi, S.J. (2012). Transformational leadership for education in a digital culture. Digital Culture & Education, 4(2), 235-247
Kaser, L. & J. Halbert. (2017). The Spiral Playbook: Leading with an inquiring mindset in school systems and schools. C21 Canada. Retrieved from http://c21canada.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Spiral-Playbook.pdf
Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (2015). Reflective practice for educators : professional development to improve student learning.(2nd ed.) New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
Robinson, L. (2009). A summary of Diffusion of Innovations. Changeology. Retrieved from http://www.enablingchange.com.au/Summary_Diffusion…
Schermerhorn, J.R. (1979). Situational Leadership - Conversations with Paul Hersey. Mid-American Journal of Business, 12(2), 5-12.
Timperley, H., Kaser, L. & Halbert, J. ( 2014) A framework for transforming Learning in Schools: Innovation and the spiral of inquiry Victoria Australia Centre for Strategic Education
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