My Leadership Role –
In Improving Student
Achievement
through
“Theory of Action”
Toronto Regional SIM
Session
Oct 16-17, 2012
Welcome to this Break-Out Session
Agenda:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
What is LSA? Quick overview
Viewing of LSA video (Ken Leithwood)
Let’s investigate the 4 paths
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(iv)
(v)
Rational
Emotional
Organizational
Family
What is a THEORY OF ACTION
Connecting our SIM Work to:
* a Theory of Action
* a LSA path
Your Reflection Template
 On
your table you
will find a
template
 Please use it to
record your
thinking during the
session.
Overview of the LSA Project
 Goal:
to improve student learning by
building the instructional leadership
capacities of principals
 WHO:
OPC, CPCO, ADFO in partnership
with and funded by LNS and CSC
 WHAT:
guided by an evolving theory of
action about what the LSA project needs
to do to improve instructional leadership
of principals
Leadership and Student Learning
After teaching,
the second most
influential factor on
student learning is
leadership
(shared; formal and
informal).
Ken Leithwood
5
The Principal’s Role
LSA THEORY OF ACTION
Theory of Action Overview
Video available
https://www.box.com/s/l4fpz9vn0u1x2glvraov
LSA Theory of Action Paper
How the Leading Student Achievement
Project Improves Student Learning: An
Evolving Theory of Action
February 2010
Kenneth Leithwood
Let’s Investigate 4 Paths…
 Number




off at your table 1,2,3,4…
1’s – gather at Table 1 – Rational Path
2’s – gather at Table 2 – Emotional Path
3’s – gather at Table 3 – Organizational Path
4’s – gather at Table 4 – Family Path
* Read your section of the article
* Discuss what that path is all about
* Return to your “home table”
* Each person shares the path with which they
are now more familiar
Let’s uncover the meaning of
“Theory of Action” ?
Algorithm for “Theory of Action”
GOAL ( intended outcome )
+ Problem of practice (inquiry)
Theory of Action
(If… Then…)
Destination =
improved student
achievement
car =
vehicle
travelling down
the roadway =
the theory of
action
Road
conditions
=our daily
reality of the
world of
education
Roadway =
Leithwood’s 4
pathways
Our Analogy…
We ride
our theory of action
down one of the 4 pathways / roadways
towards our destination
of improved student learning.
Our GPS guides our journey
= our data and other evidence
(e.g., student learning, conditions for learning,
Cause


IF
&
Effect
What teachers are
going to do/have
students do…
THEN
What students are
going to learn
and/or demonstrate
IF... THEN…
 IF
descriptive
feedback is provided
that is specific to
individual student
work and highlights
next steps, THEN
students will be able
to improve the
content and clarity of
their written work.
4 Corners
 Think
about your SIM plan
 Connect
To which path might your
learning need / inquiry/ theory of action
be most tightly connected?
 Discuss
A theory of action and an associated path
 Determine
How might school/system leaders
influence positive student learning?
Reality Check
 Is
our inquiry question focused?
 Is
our inquiry tied to regular classroom practice?
 Is
our inquiry realistic
in terms of time & opportunity?
 How
will we measure what we treasure?
GUIDING QUESTIONS…
IN MY ROLE AS A LEADER IN MY BOARD:
 What might my theory of action be?
 How might it be worded?
 How might I implement?
 What evidence might I gather to support my
theory?
 How will I track and receive feedback on
the Path upon which i have selected to
work? (Monitoring)
In closing…
If you want to go fast
go alone
If you want to go far
go together…
African Proverb
Questions/Answers/Feedback
 Are
there any outstanding questions?
 Was
this session helpful in framing your
work within your school/board?