THE CONCEPT OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

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Distributed leadership and shared leadership

Elmore (2000) holds the view that distributed leadership is a multiple source of guidance and direction following the contours of expertise in a school, made coherent through a common culture. Andrews and Lewis (2004) expand that distributed leadership is a form of parallel leadership where teacher leaders work with principal leaders in distinctive, yet complementary ways towards goals they all share. Distributed leadership is a form of shared leadership that is distributed to key stakeholders throughout the school. The researcher here refers to The National Quality Schools Framework in Australia (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2003), which proposes that schools with shared leadership as leadership strategy can create and maintain a shared vision and goals for learner development and learning; empower staff to share leadership for school development that responds to and manages the processes that lead to sustained improvement.

Distributed leadership and delegated leadership

Gunter (2005) characterises distributed leadership as authorised distributed leadership where work is distributed from the principal to others within a hierarchical system of relations. This type of leadership can also be clarified as delegated leaders. Harris (2005) is of the opinion that distributed leadership is not delegation. He acknowledges that distributed leadership is a school condition, is promoted not mandated, is inclusive, does not mean everybody leads, and has many school configurations. Harris (2005) expands that it is important to distinguish between distribution of leadership and delegation of leadership tasks. He holds the view that it is a misunderstanding to assume that distributed leadership means to delegate certain tasks.

PREVIOUS STUDY FINDINGS ON DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP

The researcher only includes five previous study findings in this study, which are relevant to the discussed literature and the objectives of this particular study. Harris (2005) points out that the connection between leadership generally and school improvement still has to be made, and that there is still no clear empirical link between distributed leadership and improved learner outcomes in her study. In addition to calling for more study into the connection between distributed leadership and learner educational outcomes, Harris surveys the literature on distributed leadership in order to make the theoretical and empirical connections between it and school improvement more explicit. Her survey finds that there is much evidence in theoretical accounts of leadership and individual agency and their relationship to school change to support claims of the effectiveness of distributed leadership.

THE ROLE OF DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP AS STRATEGY TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP TROUGH COACHING

Hafford-Letchfield, Leonard, Begum and Chick (2007:171) are of the opinion that“coaching and mentoring have strong links with action learning because they are focused on problem solving and the continuous process of learning and reflection. Reflective practice is important because it encourages us to take responsibility for ourselves, our learning and for our own actions. It encourages continuing personal and professional development, discourages blame and encourages creativity, problem solving and continuing aspirations to raise quality and standards”. According to Hafford-Letchfield, Leonard, Begum and Chick (2007:44), “improvements in sharing of practice seem enhanced by a group approach to peer support – since work discussion groups involve several practitioners working together over time, the capacity for peer consultation between colleagues develops not only within the group but also outside of the work discussion groups too”. One characteristic of teacher leadership is to act as a peer coach. Peer coaching provides a structure for leaders to engage in inquiry, reflect on, and modify their teaching practice and collaborate.

MODELS OF COACHING AS DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHIP

STRATEGY Hargrove (2003) is of the opinion that learning is inherent within the coaching process. Numerous coaching texts and studies refer to the implicit nature of learning in coaching, which paves the way for the achievement of goals and manifestation of change. In this particular study, the change is role of coaching as a distributed leadership strategy to assure effective schools in South Africa. The creation of a culture of coaching is significant for school improvement initiatives. Creasy and Paterson (2005:4) explain that “growing out of a business model with a focus on empowering employees to reach more aspirational targets, coaching now stands as an important part of the collaborative learning strategies within many development opportunities in education ranging from initial teacher training to headship preparation and leadership development”

The STRIDE coaching model as distributed leadership strategy

The stride model was developed by Thomas (2009). Table 3.4 will explain the STRIDE model in more detail. Thomas (2009) developed the model based on strengths, targets, real situations, ideas, decisions and evaluations. Leaders can use the STRIDE model as a coaching and leadership strategy to assure distribution of leadership. Table 3.3 will analyse the link between distributed leadership and coaching as a leadership strategy by means of the STRIDE model. This will assure that the researcher also achieves the objective: – “to investigate how distributed leadership can be used as an effective and successful leadership strategy” (par 1.3).

Table of Contents :

• Acknowledgements
• Declarations
• Summary
• CHAPTER 1: ORIENTATION, PROBLEM FORMULATION AND AIMS OF THE STUDY
  • 1.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
    • 1.2.1 Leadership
    • 1.2.2 The nature of distributed leadership
  • 1.3 THE STUDY PROBLEM
  • 1.4 AIMS AND THE OBJECTIVE TO THE STUDY
  • 1.5 STUDY METHODOLODY
    • 1.5.1 Study approach
    • 1.5.2 Study population and sample
    • 1.5.3 Instrumentation and data collection technique
    • 1.5.4 Data analysis and interpretation
  • 1.6 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE STUDY
  • 1.7 PLANNING OF THE STUDY
  • 1.8 DEFINITIONS OF THE MAIN CONCEPTS
    • 1.8.1 Distributed leadership
    • 1.8.2 Leadership strategies
    • 1.8.3 Effective schools
  • 1.9 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 2: THEORECTICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE THEORIES AND PRACTICES OF DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP AS STRATEGY IN SCHOOLS
  • 2.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 2.2 THE CONCEPT OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
    • 2.2.1 Introduction
    • 2.2.2 What is school leadership?
    • 2.2.3 The concept of school leadership in South Africa
    • 2.2.4 Conclusion
  • 2.3 THE THEORIES OF TRADITIONAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
  • 2.4 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP THEORY TO PRACTICE WITH ACTION STUDY
  • 2.5 DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP IN SCHOOLS
    • 2.5.1 Introduction
    • 2.5.2 Distributed leadership and democratic leadership
    • 2.5.3 Distributed leadership and teacher leadership
    • 2.5.4 Distributed leadership and servant leadership
    • 2.5.5 Distributed leadership and collaborative leadership
    • 2.5.6 Distributed leadership and shared leadership
    • 2.5.7 Distributed leadership and delegated leadership
  • 2.6 PREVIOUS STUDY FINDINGS ON DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP
  • 2.7 THE ROLE OF DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP AS STRATEGY TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP THROUGH COACHING
  • 2.8 THE ROLE OF DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP AS STRATEGY TO CHANGE LEADERSHIP THROUGH MENTORING
  • 2.9 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 3: COACHING AS DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHIP STRATEGY, ASSURING EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS
  • 3.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 3.2 THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF COACHING AS A SEVEN-STAGE PATTERN THAT LINKS TO DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
  • 3.3 MODELS OF COACHING AS DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHIP STRATEGY
  • 3.4 COACHING IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS
    • 3.4.1 The GROW coaching model as distributed leadership strategy
    • 3.4.2 The STRIDE coaching model as distributed leadership strategy
    • 3.4.3 The OSCAR coaching model as distributed leadership strategy
    • 3.4.4 The strategic executive coaching model as distributive leadership strategy
    • 3.4.5 The team coaching model as distributive leadership strategy
• 3.5 THE ROLE OF COACHES TO DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP THROUGH COACHING TO ASSURE EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS
  • 3.5.1 The role of coaches to distribute leadership by means of the GROW coaching model
  • 3.5.2 The role of coaches to distribute leadership by means of the STRIDE coaching model
  • 3.5.3 The role of coaches to distribute leadership by means of the OSCAR coaching model
  • 3.5.4 The role of coaches to distribute leadership by means of the strategic executive coaching model
  • 3.5.5 The role of coaches to distribute leadership by means of the team coaching model
• 3.6 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OSCAR COACHING MODEL AS LEADERSHIP STRATEGY TO ASSURE MORE EFFECTIVE MEETINGS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS
• 3.7 PREVIOUS STUDY FINDINGS ON COACHING AS PART OF DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHP STRATEGY
• 3.8 THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL COACHING TO ENHANCE THE DISTRIBUTION OF LEADERSHIP
• 3.9 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 4: STUDY METHODOLOGIES
• CHAPTER 5: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
• CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION

GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
THE ROLE OF DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHIP AS STRATEGY TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY WITHIN SELECTED SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS