Another way to lead schools

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ara that a school works, students must be at the center of any teaching plan. The number 1 authority in education in the world says so: the IOE of UCL, a London institute pioneering in research not only for the studies it publishes, but because it puts them into educational practice, while taking into account the invaluable experience of teachers. "It's not about telling the teacher or principal 'This is what you have to do,' but 'Look at the evidence. Which do you think would work best in your context?', to end up making a tailor-made suit," explains Karen Spence-Thomas, leader of the Program of the center for leadership for learning at the IOE (UCL).

And if students are at the center of everything, why does the Leadership for Learning program focus on educational leaders? "Because they influence how that learning ends up happening. They are key in educational transformation. They are responsible for fostering a school culture and conditions conducive to improving the quality of teaching and learning," assures the expert. "However, these leaders must direct their main work, the learning of students, and support their team to learn new things, improve their practice in the classrooms and enjoy their work at the same time."

But how to achieve this empowerment of leaders? Professor Louise Stoll recommends following five principles: one, show interest in what your team does and make decisions based on contrasted realities; two, create a physical and temporal space so that teachers, generally very isolated in their classes, can plan, reflect, set challenges and work together, and increase their self-efficacy and build a sense of community based on respect and trust; three, share what has been achieved and celebrate the worth of others; four, stimulate creativity among colleagues by, for example, allowing a teacher to explain an idea to the principal and for the latter to trust and support them to carry it out; and five, detect and support catalysts for change, that is, staff with energy and vision to change both academics and opportunities for young people. "Normally, orders come from management. They go from top to bottom. We try to change that direction with initiatives that go from bottom to top," illustrates Spence-Thomas.

These days, a team from the Institute of Education in London is in Spain, visiting schools in Madrid and Barcelona and speaking with their principals and education experts. "It's very exciting to be here. We have seen very enthusiastic, talented, and creative leaders who have welcomed us with open arms. The fantastic thing about this work is learning about other educational systems, connecting them, and exchanging knowledge," she comments excitedly. "Schools in Spain are very different from each other — semi-private, private, public… — but in general, they are very oriented towards innovation and seem to have a very well-developed plan for the coming years. Other virtues are that teachers stay in this profession for a long time, which means they get involved in the schools, and that principals change, which gives others the opportunity to develop as leaders."

"In July, we will start the pilot program with leaders from 50 educational centers across Spain," Spence-Thomas continues. "If it works, next year we want to involve more schools." The idea is to train and empower teachers and to create collaborative learning groups and networks of leaders throughout the territory. We are delighted to work with EduCaixa because they are as interested as we are in connecting people."

According to this education expert, among the challenges for schools in the coming years, two stand out: making them an attractive place for teachers to learn and grow, and weaving networks between schools that support each other. "In Spain, you have many networks, and that is a very good sign of your educational quality. We must share instead of competing so that schools can increasingly enrich our society."

Text: Ana Portolés

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