Leading with intent: cultivating community conversation to create shared understanding

ABSTRACT

School improvement is a central focus for school leaders. Whilst measures such as high-stakes testing and other government accountability agendas have at times marred the discourse of school improvement, how schools develop their capacity to ultimately improve the core business of student learning remains important. As an extensive area of scholarship, much has been written to support leaders in improving learning and teaching in their school. Indeed, studies demonstrate the value of establishing schoolwide goals and expectations and the importance of using evidence to improve teaching practice. This article presents qualitative data from 4 independent schools in the state of New South Wales (NSW) Australia which suggest that whilst the concept of school improvement is not new, the capacity of schools to embrace some key concepts found in this area of study is limited. The article proposes that through cultivating conversations within their communities, schools can foster shared understanding and enhance their capacity for improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• School improvement
• school effectiveness
• evidence-based practice
• leadership for learning

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott Marsh

Dr Scott Marsh has been working in schools for more than twenty years. Email: [email protected]. He is presently Deputy Headmaster at a large independent school in the North Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Scott’s research interest is predominantly concerned with the influence of school leadership on improving student learning. He is particularly interested in the role of language as either a barrier or resource for improving organisational goals.

Manjula Waniganayake

Dr Manjula Waniganayake is a professor in the Institute of Early Childhood Education at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Email: [email protected]. Her current research interests are concerned with exploring early childhood workforce issues including staff qualifications, mentoring, and leadership. Her latest book co-authored with Sandra Cheeseman, Marianne Fenech, Fay Hadley, and Wendy Shepherd is titled Leadership: Contexts and Complexities in Early Childhood Education (Oxford, 2012).

John J. De Nobile

Dr John J. De Nobile is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at Macquarie University. Email: [email protected]. His broad research interests include organisational psychology, school development processes, and leadership. John has written extensively in the area of communication in organisations.

Together, these three authors have been investigating the notion of leadership for learning and the impact of leadership as a resource for improving learning in schools.