Leadership in Education

An education professional is often particularly interested in improving their own professional practice. In addition to describing the practical problem and explaining its causes, the development of possible solutions is also considered. Practical questions such as: 'How do we improve our language teaching?', 'How do we reduce the attrition?', 'How do I stimulate more cooperation in the team?' are central to this. Demonstrating (statistically proven) causal relationships between cause and effect is therefore usually not his goal. However, by working in a thorough and investigative manner, the plausibility of the findings can be considerably increased. For example, it is advisable to use as complete, valid and up-to-date knowledge as possible, but you can also work with a chain of reasoning approach, the CIMO logic for example. The reasoning chain of the CIMO logic is as follows: For this problem-in- Context it is useful to apply this Intervention , which through

Triple loop learning is learning on three levels. In addition to the 'how' question (how can it be improved?) and the 'why' question (why did I do things the way I did? What was the intention?). In single loop learning, knowledge and behavior are expanded by input from the environment. More profound change also requires 'meta-learning', or double loop learning, in which the frame of reference for the knowledge itself is revised. That frame of reference consists of the presuppositions, assumptions and attitudes on which our thinking and construction are based. Through reflection we gain more insight into this frame of reference, which is usually only implicit, and we can step out of normal ways of thinking and become aware of our mental model. Triple loop learning means that reflection takes place on the level of action, the level of insights and the 'level of being'. This can lead to a change in doing, thinking or being but it doesn't h

  Action research (meaning the research-based improvement of one's own professional practice) takes place in an iterative process of observing one's own context, the emergence of a research question, problem exploration, planning, acting, analyzing and evaluating. This is shown schematically in the image below (derived from Kiewiet-Kester, 2014). Source: Loo, J. v., Lieskamp, ​​M., & Zwart, C. (2015). Investigative leadership. Houses: Pica education management.     Zuber-Skeritt and Perry (2002) also refer to this cycle as the 'core action research cycle'. In addition to this cycle, there is a second important cycle; the reflection cycle, also referred to as the 'thesis action research cycle' by Zuber-Skeritt and Perry. In other words: at the same time as carrying out the research cycle, the researcher reflects at each step in the process on how the research process itself is proceeding and what he learns from it with regard to the implementation o

Origin of culture Schein (1984) characterizes the concept of organizational culture as follows:   “Organizational culture is the pattern of basic assumptions that a given group has invented, discovered, or developed in learning to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and that have worked well enough to be considered valid, and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.” (Schein, 1984) According to Schein (1984) three levels can be distinguished with regard to the culture of an organization, which interact with each other (basic assumptions, values ​​and artifacts & creations). “Organizational culture can be analyzed at several different levels, starting with the visible artifacts — the constructed environment of the organization, its architecture, technology, office layout, manner of dress, visible or audible behavior patterns, and public documents such as cha

Lately there has been a lot of talk about the professional space of the teacher. But what space are we actually talking about? Paul Schnabel introduced his '4R model' in 2001. The 4 R's stand for Direction, Space, Result and Accountability. We can also apply this 4R model well in education (Schnabel, 2001). Direction : the school management, in consultation with the team and the other stakeholders, indicates the direction by formulating and adopting policy. For example, we are talking about the mission (what we stand for), vision (what we are going for) and the associated organizational goals. The organizational goals are sometimes also described as the 'what'. What must be achieved when? Weggeman (2015) speaks in this context, among other things, about the importance of working from a collective ambition . He indicates that one of the ways to focus more consciously on the intrinsic motivation of employees and the mental models required for this is to

  Plan-Do-Trust A collective ambition ensures that employees can experience passion in their work, it inspires and gives meaning and direction. If the collective ambition in an organization is leading for the majority of employees, then according to Weggeman the well-known 'Plan-Do-Check-Action thing' can be thrown out and replaced by Plan-Do-Trust (Weggeman, 2007). By this he means that in the presence of a collective ambition, instead of planning and control, it is possible to work more from a culture of cooperation and trust. With the underlying basis of trust in each other's involvement and professional expertise. Something that is also strongly advocated by authors such as Lieskamp and Vink (Lieskamp & Vink, 2015) and Biesta (Biesta, 2012). Focus on the solution or on the problem? Giving assignments. Swieringa and Jansen (2005) indicate that leaders often tend to focus on the solution (read 'their solution') of a problem or challenge, often unintentionally

  Formulating concrete and achievable goals in time Once the mission and vision of the organization are known, the translation of the vision into concrete goals that can be achieved in time and the description of the working method used to achieve these goals can be made (strategic policy). One of the instruments that can be used for this is the Vision Deployment Matrix by Daniel Kim (1995). The Vision Deployment Matrix based on Daniel Kim (1995) The Vision Deployment Matrix works from five perspectives. This increases employee involvement. Despite the fact that people think and work from different perspectives, everyone can still make a contribution in this way. For example, an intervention can focus on adjusting existing mental models or more on making new work arrangements. Naturally, a combination of different perspectives can also be used in a particular intervention. The five perspectives from the Vision Deployment Matrix have been used by Shibley (2006) in his 'Learning Acti