Leadership and teamwork in a new school : developing a professional learning community

Preparing for learning in a new school: The principal’s priorities and selection of staff Developing a school is a complex process which involves building skills that will increase student learning. Teaching and learning are at the core of all school development but many undefined factors are influential. In schools which are thought to have achieved a measure of success in meeting the needs of students and confronting change, and thereby increasing student achievement, strong co-operation and shared responsibility are found as well as the active participation of all those in the school, learning at all levels and a united vision. Much is expected of the teachers and students. The vision and management style of school leaders 55 Að undirbúa nám í nýjum skóla Tímarit um menntarannsóknir, 7. árgangur 2010 Tímarit um menntarannsóknir_Layout 1 1/4/11 1:28 PM Page 55 Leadership and teamwork in a new school 184 and the human resources in the schools play a large part in development. Here research in a new compulsory school in an urban area is described. Three years before the school was established a working group of representatives from the community and the employment sector developed a proposal on the characteristics of the new school. It was stressed that the school would be an example of a learning community which would emphasise diversity, cooperation and consultation that would meet the varying needs of students. The principal was employed about a year before the opening of the new school in order to make preparations and employ staff. The main goal of this research was to understand and illuminate the attitude of the principal towards his leadership role and the issues which need to be addressed in building a learning community. This article on the first stage of the study presents an understanding of what was upper most in the principal ́s mind when he set about employing teachers and a department head for the new school. In its first year of activity there were 150 students in the school, a principal, a head of department, 11 teachers and other staff, making a total of 25. Data was gathered through interviews and field visits. Interviews were taken with the principal himself, the department head and five teachers, constituting a purpose sample. A lot of effort was put into preparing the groundwork of the school. The working group prepared goals and standards for success which the principal used in developing a school policy in co-operation with the newly formed parent committee. The principal also had the time to read up on developments and trends in schools and to acquaint himself with the work of other schools. In addition he saw to employing staff and practical matters in relation to organisat ional affairs and the building of the school. The principal said that he wanted to be visible, a professional participant in the work of the school and to use consultation as a weapon for achieving solutions. There were many applicat ions for the positions of teachers and the department head. The principal said that he was looking for interested people with a broad range of competence who could identify with the school policy and could work with others in open spaces, with the needs of students as a guiding principle. The importance of finding the right people to build up the school community with an emphasis on learning, teamwork and well-being was stressed. The choice of staff was carried out very carefully with many interviews with applicants, the majority of who did not have much experience. The school principal considers professional internal school work to be the most important aspect of his job. He is an active participant in the life of the school and works with his staff within the school to find solutions with con sultation and co-operation as guiding principles. He emphasises learning, the support of indi viduals and the engagement of all, thus showing leadership for learning and learning at all levels within the school. He has clear expectations and a vision and he invites discussion with teachers and works with them. The school year started well but at first not everything worked out as hoped. Construction was delayed, causing chaos and delays in the beginning, and there have been some complications in achieving teacher teamwork. There are however indications that the conditions for developing a learning comm unity and co-operation are present. 56 Birna María Svanbjörnsdóttir, Allyson Macdonald og Guðmundur Heiðar Frímannsson Tímarit um menntarannsóknir, 7. árgangur 2010 Heimildaskrá Anna Kristín Sigurðardóttir. (2006). Studying and enhancing the professional learning community for school effectiveness in Ice land. Óbirt doktorsritgerð: The Uni versity of Exeter, UK. Birna María Svanbjörnsdóttir. (2006). Undir bún ingur að hönnun Naustaskóla. Niður stöður vinnuhóps. Akureyri: Háskólinn á Akureyri. Broadley, G. og Broadley, K. M. (2004). The employment styles of school principals recruiting beginning teachers. Educational Research, 46(3), 259-268. Bruner, J. (1996). The culture of education. Tímarit um menntarannsóknir_Layout 1 1/4/11 1:28 PM Page 56 Leadership and teamwork in a new school