NSW Department of Education and Training
Leadership Fellowship 2005
PRINCIPLES FOR PRINCIPAL LEARNING
An examination of “what works” in professional
development for secondary principals in New South
Wales
Ms Lindy Taylor
Principal (1997 – 2005)
South Sydney High School
New South Wales, Australia
2006
NSW Department of Education and Training
Leadership Fellowship 2005
PRINCIPLES FOR PRINCIPALS
CONTENTS
Page
Executive Summary
3
Overview of the research study
4
Background information
4
Research methodology
5
Key research questions
6
The research findings
6
1. Preparation for the Principal Role
6
2. Meaningful Professional Development
7
Implications of the findings for the practice of leadership
9
Recommendations
11
Bibliography
12
Appendix 1
13
Appendix 2
16
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Principles for Principal Learning
Executive Summary
This study examines what types of professional learning may be most effective in
supporting secondary principals over the next decade, as increasing numbers of
existing principals in NSW approach retirement.
A literature search found that there is considerable agreement between
researchers and principals about what types of activity constitute effective
professional development (workplace-relevant, self-directed and involving
ongoing peer support). To test these findings, twenty principals (an experienced
and inexperienced principal from every region in NSW) were interviewed about
what they perceived as effective in their own professional development, in
preparation for the principalship and support within the role.
All had taken responsibility to direct their own professional learning, though some
of the inexperienced principals had been encouraged by their supervisors to
continue their development. The experienced principals cited extensive periods
of relieving in the principal role as most important in their preparation for the
principalship, while for the less experienced referred to participation in whole
school decision-making at executive level was more common. Structured
shadowing programs and real-life scenarios could provide similar experiential
learning to principal aspirants.
Mentoring experiences for both groups had been limited, and generally informal
in nature, formal programs clouded by issues such as lack of clarity of the mentor
role and mismatches of mentor and mentee. The most valued professional
support was the collegial support of fellow-principals, particularly when a principal
was facing challenging circumstances. Because the issue of trust was so
important to the principals surveyed, almost all had sought out their own
professional colleagues/mentors, rather than relying on one appointed by the
DET or part of their local principals council network. Detailed guidelines for
mentoring programs, and careful matching of mentors with mentees could make
formal mentoring more successful. A register of trained coaches with principal
experience might be valuable as a source from which a new principal might
identify a trusted professional colleague.
All the principals stated a belief in the value of research, many using the internet
to access information when needed, and almost universally condemned “one-off”
presentations as being of little use. All emphasised the challenge of trying to
maintain professional learning at the same time as managing an increasingly
complex role in their schools. Redesign of the DET websites to provide easy
access to “just-in-time” learning and précis of recent research could be very
valuable.
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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PRINCIPLES FOR PRINCIPAL LEARNING
An examination of “what works” in professional development for secondary
principals in New South Wales (NSW)
Overview of the research study
This work was produced by Lindy Taylor, a recipient of a Leadership Fellowship
2005, awarded by the NSW Minister for Education and Training.
The study identifies those modes of professional development which have been
identified by principals as having been most effective in informing their
professional practice.
Initial findings from a literature search were tested through a series of in-depth
interviews with a range of principals across NSW about their professional
learning. An analysis of responses was used to develop a set of principles for the
effective professional development of school leaders, which were used to inform
research into mentoring and coaching undertaken by Pam Wellham and Greg
Dickinson, co-recipients of two further Leadership Fellowships – 2005.
Background information
NSW faces a similar challenge to most countries belonging to the Organisation
for Economic co-operation and Development (OECD) – decreasing applicants for
the principalship, at a time when the “baby boomer” generation is beginning to
retire (Blackmore et al, 2005; Williams, 2003; Gronn & Rawlings-Sanaei, 2003;
Hargreaves, 2005, Hedgecoe, 2005). The majority of successors to current NSW
principals are unlikely to come from the ranks of existing deputy principals or
even head teachers, since their average age is only slightly younger than
principals. They will have had significantly less “learning on the job” than current
principals, yet will be expected to fill an extremely challenging role.
In Learning Principals (Scott, 2003), research commissioned by the NSW
Department of Education and Training (DET), extensive surveying of 322
effective principals across the state identified the challenges of the role of
principal, and what they felt had been important to their professional
development. The most significant finding was that in meeting challenging
circumstances, effective principals called on their emotional intelligence
(Goleman, 2002); what the NSW DET School Leadership Capability Framework
(SLCF) identifies as skills in the Personal and Interpersonal Domains. They also
stated that hardly any of the formal professional development they had
undertaken had developed them in that area. In fact, they considered very little
formal training and development (or, indeed, research) had been relevant to the
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
Page 4 of 20
job – what was far more important to developing the skills to perform their role
was the collegial support of their peers, and their experience.
However, over the next five to ten years, principals will no longer have the luxury
of a network of experienced colleagues, nor a strong experiential base in school
leadership. Learning Principals made a number of recommendations for types of
programs which might provide relevant professional learning for aspirant, new
and experienced principals. This study attempts to further explore what has been
effective and relevant for existing principals, to develop a set of principles and
recommendations to inform DET and the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council
(NSWSPC) in their development of programs to support current and emergent
school leaders over the next decade.
Research methodology
A literature search was undertaken, to identify:
1. What types of professional development principals perceived were
effective in preparing them for and supporting them in their roles
2. What research demonstrated was effective in developing aspirant and
incumbent school leaders
The literature search was used to develop a survey instrument (Appendix 1) to
guide structured interviews of 20 principals from all NSW DET regions about their
professional learning, to test the findings of the literature search. The principals
surveyed were identified by both regional Directors and NSWSPC
representatives as being “effective”. An experienced and a “beginning” (in first
two years of principalship) principal were interviewed from each region.
While the initial plan was to conduct the interviews at the principals’ schools, it
was more time and cost-effective to conduct them by telephone at a time
convenient to the researcher and interviewee, often outside school hours.
The responses to this survey were collated and analysed through extracting
repeated themes, which were developed into a set of principles, linked to the
School Leadership Capability Framework (Appendix 2). These principles were
used to inform the research of the two Fellowship co-recipients into mentoring
and coaching.
The findings were also developed into a set of Recommendations (see below)
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Key research questions
1. What professional learning activities are perceived by principals as most
effective in preparing aspirants for the principalship?
2. What aspects of existing DET and NSWSPC professional development
activities are considered meaningful and relevant by principals?
3. How might DET and NSWSPC improve their support for beginning and
experienced principals?
The research findings
Research over the last decade into what secondary principals perceive as
valuable professional development is at some variance with what researchers
have identified as effective professional development for school leaders.
Both principals and researchers agree on the importance of professional learning
being workplace-relevant, self-directed, active and involving ongoing peer
support (Bezzina, 1994; Scott, 2003; APAPDC, 2002). However, while
researchers have emphasised the value of a sound research base for
professional development activities, and the incorporation of a significant
reflective component (Evans and Mohr,1999; Robertson, 2003; Fink and
Resnick, 2001), principals have identified the support of experienced practitioners
(Scott, 2003; Normore, 2004) and training directly connected to their current
workplace as their most important types of learning and are often suspicious of
academic research (Rogers, 2003; Walker et al, 1999).
1. Preparation for the principal role
All the principals interviewed, both experienced and beginning, were adamant
that they had directed their own professional learning throughout their career.
They took opportunities to take on new roles and sought professional
development activities which they thought might be worthwhile. Almost half the
beginning principals stated that they had been encouraged by their supervisors to
continue their development, but this was not the case with the more experienced
principals (though three did say they had been inspired by the example of a
principal with whom they had worked). Almost all said something like the
following:
“…the direction of professional development has to come from within you.
You have to be that sort of person in the first place – to want to do it
better……” –
Country, beginning principal
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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All but one of the experienced principals interviewed cited long periods relieving
or acting in the role of the principal as the most important preparation for the
principalship:
” (Relieving)…knocked the edges off me; allowed me to make
mistakes…you make a decision, you live with the consequences”
Country, experienced principal
This was followed by far fewer mentions of opportunities for whole school
leadership as deputy principals. Involvement in professional associations was
seen as more significant, with almost half of the experienced interviewees stating
that this involvement had prepared them to lead. Few mentioned formal courses,
run by DET or postgraduate courses in educational leadership, as being
important in their preparation.
Beginning principals referred far less to periods of relieving as significant in their
development, referring instead to a range of programs including the Targeted
Principal Preparation Program (TPPP); Principal Induction Program (PIP) and
shadowing programs, as well as experience in district roles, from which two
interviewees had been able to observe a number of leadership styles in action.
A third of the total beginning group referred to having been involved, as deputy
principal or head teacher, in whole-school decision-making, being walked by their
principal through all aspects of a significant issue, and participating in making a
final decision. These principals felt this experience was invaluable preparation for
their current role, particularly in developing emotional intelligence (Interpersonal
Domain of SCLF).
2. Meaningful professional development
The interviews of both groups revealed that principals’ mentoring experiences
have, in the past, been limited, generally informal in nature; the few formal
mentoring arrangements which had been set up were often unsatisfactory, for a
number of reasons, echoed in the literature (Hansford, et al, 2003). Issues
repeatedly raised included problems with mismatch of mentors and mentees,
concern about the time commitment for mentors and mentees managing a new
and challenging position, and, perhaps most significantly for this research, an
apparent lack of understanding of details of the mentor role by mentors in such
programs as the TPPP and the PIP:
“I was a mentor in the TPPP ….I asked participants what they wanted out
of a mentor, since it was not clear what I should do…got on well with one
mentee – he had specific things he needed …the other one thought she
knew it all”
Metropolitan, experienced principal
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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The collegial support of fellow-principals was identified by all the principals in this
and other studies as one of the most significant aspects of their professional
development (Scott, 2003). This collegial support incorporated elements of “justin-time” learning, mentoring, coaching as well as the support repeatedly
mentioned in research into principal welfare. Although only one of the principals
interviewed had been formally coached, many described the support of
colleagues at particular times in ways that made it appear that their colleague
had coached them in developing their own response to a challenging situation.
This guided reflection was viewed by most of the respondents (and researchers)
as extremely significant to their professional learning and their performance in the
role.
A universal theme was the issue of trust. Almost all the principals, in both groups,
emphasised that they would have to trust, implicitly, a mentor/colleague before
they would be prepared to be open about professional issues they faced. Most
said that they had identified for themselves the principal colleague/s that they
used for professional support, though in some country areas, local principals
have set up welfare networks which have developed into strong collegial support
bases. Only two of the principals felt strongly supported by the mentors
appointed for them when they took up the principalship, and only two of the
twenty stated that they would trust their School Education Director (SED) as a
mentor/coach. Interestingly, both these SEDs had been principals themselves –
the “respected practitioner” mentioned in the literature.
Research does play a part in the everyday work of the principals surveyed – all
these principals believed that some of the research they had come in contact with
had given them a way of understanding and explaining their work to others. This
is in contrast to earlier findings about principals’ attitudes to academic research
(Rogers, 2003; Scott, 2003). However, all interviewees referred to the workload
demands on principals, and how difficult it was to find time for professional
reading and formal professional learning activities.
While almost universally condemning the “one-off” presentation at state or
regional level, sponsored by DET or NSWSPC, interviewees did refer to
occasional inspirational speakers (for example, the Michael Fullan presentation
at the Australian Secondary Principals’ Conference in Darling Harbour in 2003,
and the practical value of the material in such publications as The Australian
Educational Leader.
A significant number used the internet for research purposes, and cited sites
such as www.leadspace.gov.nz and www.ncsl.org.uk as being particularly useful.
A number mentioned the usefulness of the NSW Primary Principals’ Association
website, www.nswppa.org.au. They stated that the DET websites were becoming
more user-friendly, though at the time of research, the Professional Learning and
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
Page 8 of 20
Leadership Development Directorate website was being re-developed. However,
interviewees were under-impressed by their experiences with on-line
conferences and professional discussions, due to problems with technology
and/or the time-factor.
One of the areas this researcher was particularly interested in was what gave
principals the knowledge and skills to become transformational leaders. In his
theoretical framework for principal professional development, Dempster (2001)
pointed out that much professional development provided by systems for
principals has focused on maintaining or restructuring needs of that system. He
categorises as “professional sustenance”, those types of activities identified by
Scott (2003) as most valued by principals – self-directed and providing collegial
support. Dempster argues that little professional development programs for
principals to date have ventured into the development of transformational
leadership.
In 2005, there was a DET attempt to develop principals as transformational
leaders through a series of one-day workshops by Michael Fullan on tri-level
reform. The principals interviewed found these workshops of little use. Not only
had the NSWSPC already used Fullan as a presenter on a number of occasions,
the “workshops” were virtually compulsory “one-offs”, involving neither collegial
support nor practitioners as leaders. On the other hand, the Steven Covey:
Highly Effective Leaders Program was identified by all the interviewees who had
participated in it, as participants or leaders, as a transforming experience.
The majority of the effective principals interviewed would be described as
transformational leaders in their schools. Yet, apart from the Covey training and
360 degree appraisals mentioned by two of the beginning principals, none of the
principals could identify one particular factor which contributed to their
development as transformational leaders. Their responses indicated that their
development had been gradual, through many years in a range of positions, and
a wide range of formal and informal learning experiences.
Implications of the findings for the practice of leadership
The next 5 -10 years will see a dramatic increase in the numbers of relatively
inexperienced principals. If these future principals are to be prepared for their
role, it will be necessary to replace the “relieving” experience which most current
principals have had, with structured, relevant learning, linked to the workplace.
This could be provided through ongoing shadowing programs, school-based
action learning projects and the provision of real-life examples of leadership
dilemmas (with real solutions) to be used as the basis for facilitated discussion
with an experienced principal. It will also be necessary to provide “just-in-time”
training for new principals in specific tasks.
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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The role of the principal is extremely complex and demanding. Principals have
limited time to devote to their own, or their staff’s professional development on an
ongoing basis. This may be the reason behind the limited perceived effectiveness
of mentoring in the past. Yet, if principals make the commitment to identify and
involve potential leaders in school-based leadership decision-making, they will
develop leadership density within their schools and throughout the system.
Mentoring and coaching, while identified in the research as having great potential
for leadership development, have not been formally evaluated within the
Department. It appears that mentors in such programs as the TPPP and PIP,
have not been sure about the specific expectations of their role – and in some
cases unclear of the commitment they were making by taking on the role. There
is also the issue of matching mentors with mentees: if the match is not made
well, then the mentoring program is guaranteed to fail.
The issue of trust is very significant in relation to coaching, mentoring and
collegial support. This is especially the case between principals and SEDs, who
are perceived as having a different agenda to principals, and between some
principals, especially if their schools compete for numbers. In some country
towns, local principals have made agreements not to enrol students from other
public schools, but this is not the case in most city schools. It may be worthwhile,
at least in formal programs, if mentors are matched with mentees from different
areas.
There is little understanding of coaching as a professional development strategy,
despite the use of the term within DET, and the coaching trial and training run by
the NSWSPC in 2003 and 2004. However, it does seem that coaching has great
potential as a learning tool for principals, because it involves a coach assisting
the coachee to reflect on his/her leadership – something that many principals do
not have the time (or skills) to do on their own. It appears that coaching, more
than any other learning activity, has the potential to ensure the reflective practice
that the academic research (Evans and Mohr, 1999; Robertson, 2003; Fink and
Resnick, 2001) identifies as essential for effective professional development.
The high rating given to collegiality by interviewed principals (in this work and in
the Scott, 2003 research) may well be based on the importance of colleagues for
the welfare of individual principals. Managing a serious incident with the support
of a colleague is an experience from which a principal can learn a great deal; but
it may be that because this support is so significant in a time of crisis, it might be
over-emphasised in the minds of principals.
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Recommendations
The following recommendations are made as a result of this study:
That the DET Professional Learning and Leadership Directorate develop:
1. structured shadowing programs, incorporating a significant
reflection/feedback component, to be run for potential leaders at regional
level;
2. a series of leadership scenarios, based on real-life situations, with actual
solutions available, to be used in leadership development programs at
regional, network or school level;
3. self-paced learning modules on specific principal tasks (eg financial
management; staffing) to be posted on the Directorate website at an easily
accessed address;
4. detailed guidelines for mentors in DET programs, incorporating a list of
expectations available to both mentors and mentees;
5. a set of guidelines for matching mentors to mentees; and protocols to be
observed if the mentoring relationship needs to be altered;
6. a register of recently retired, experienced principals to be used as mentors
or coaches in DET programs;
7. summaries of research relevant to the principal role which is published
either on Directorate website or InPrincipal, with links to full paper/source.
That the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council:
1. sponsor and develop guidelines for the establishment of local principal
welfare networks such as those operating in Wagga Wagga and the
Tweed Coast areas;
2. develop a list of principals with expertise in specific areas for distribution to
all members as contacts when necessary (this might be a formalisation of
the role of leader of Reference Groups);
3. develop a list of recently retired principals who are prepared to assist excolleagues with specific tasks in which they have expertise;
4. develop a coach training program to skill principals in coaching staff
members:
5. upgrade the NSWSPC website to incorporate a Question and Answer
section, similar to that on the NSWPPA website, to assist principals with
“just-in-time” learning.
That principals:
1. identify those members of their staff who have the potential for leadership
(at all levels) and involve them in the thinking behind specific whole-school
planning and decision making.
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Bibliography
Australian Principals Associations Professional Development Council (APAPDC)
(2002) Leaders and Their Learning,
www.apapdc.edu.au/2002/resources/content/principal-competencies.html
Australian Principals Centre: www.apcentre.edu.au, Australian Council for
Educational Research
Bezzina, Michael (1994): Empowering the Principal through Professional
Development, paper presented at Australian Teacher Education Association
Annual Conference, July 3-6
Blackmore, Jill; Thompson, Pat; Sachs, Judyth and Barty, Karyn (2005) An
Investigation of the Declining Supply of Principals in Australia, ARC Discovery
Project, Deakin University
Collard, John (2004): Leaders, Initiators, Servants: The Self-Images of Victorian
Principals in the 1990s. The Australian Educational Researcher, Vol 31 No 1
Dempster, Neil (2001): The Professional Development of School Principals: a
fine balance, Griffith University Public Lecture Series, May 24, 2001
Earley, Peter and Evans, Jennifer (2004) Making a Difference? Leadership
Development for Headteachers and deputies – Ascertaining the impact of the
National College for School Leadership, Educational Management,
Administration and Leadership, Vol 32, No 3
e-lead: Principal Professional Development: Goals, Processes, Content and
Design, www.e-lead.org/principles/principal.asp
Evans, P and Mohr, N (1999): Professional development for Principals: Seven
Core Beliefs, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol 80, N0 7
Fink, E and Resnick, L (2001): Developing Principals as Instructional Leaders,
Phi Delta Kappan, Vol 82
Goleman, D, Boyatzis, R and McKee, A (2002): Primal Leadership Harvard
Business School Press
Gronn, Peter (2003): A Matter of Principals, Australian Journal of Education, Vol
47, No. 2
Gronn, P. and Rawlings-Sanaei, F. (2003): Principal Recruitment in a time of
leadership disengagement, Australian Journal of Education, Vol 47, No. 2
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Hansford, Brian, Tennet, Lee and Ehrich, Lisa C (2003): Educational Mentoring:
Is it worth the effort? Education Research and Perspectives, Vol 30, No 1
Hargreaves, Andy (2005): Leadership Succession, The Educational Forum, Vol
69, Winter, 2005
Hedgecoe, Susan (2005): Promoting the Role of Women in Educational
Leadership, Leadership Fellowship 2003 Report
Hoffman, F James and Johnson, J Howard (2005): Professional Development for
Principals by Principals, Leadership, May-June, 2005
Hooley, Neil (2005): Participatory Action Research and the Struggle for
Legitimism, The Australian Educational Researcher, Vol 32, No 1
Huber, Gunter L and Kiegelmann, Mechthild (2002): How do School Principals
Acquire Leadership Skills? Paper presented at Annual Convention of the
American Psychological Association, Chicago, Aug 22-28
Leadspace: www.leadspace.govt.nz.leadership/index.php - New Zealand
government
Matters, Pamela N (2005): Step Ahead Mentors, Perspectives on Educational
Leadership, ACEL, No 6, September 2005
McCoy, Jennifer (2005): Coaching for Leadership in Schools, The Australian
Educational Leader, Vol 27, No 4
Normore, Anthony H: Leadership Success in Schools: Planning, Recruitment and
Socialisation (2004), International Journal for Leadership in Learning, Vol 8, No
10
O’Mahoney, G and Matthews, R (2003): Learning the Role: Through the Eyes of
Beginning Principals, paper presented by Professor Bruce Barnet for AERA,
April, 2003
Robertson, Martin J: The Inductions of First Time Principals in New Zealand – A
Program Design (2003), International Electronic Journal for Leadership in
Learning, Vol 7, No 2
Rogers, Bev (2003) Education Research for Professional Practice: More than
providing evidence for doing ‘x rather than y’ or finding the size of the effect of A
on B (2003) The Australian Educational Researcher, Vol 30, No 2
Scott, G (2003): Learning Principals, NSW Department of Education and Training
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Walker, Elaine M; Mitchell, Charles P and Turner, Wayne (1999): Professional
Development and Urban Leadership: A Study of Urban Administrators’
Perceptions of what matters most in their Professional Development, paper
presented at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, April
19-23, 1999
Williams, T.T. (2003): Ontario’s Principal Scarcity: Yesterday’s abdicated policy
responsibility – today’s unrecognised challenge, Australian Journal of Education,
Vol 47, No. 2
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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APPENDIX 1
Survey Questions – Professional Development of Principals
Leadership Fellowship, 2005
The purpose of the study is to identify and test what is effective in the
professional development of principals, in the context of a significant turn-over in
secondary principals over the next five years.
Examples of formal programs:


University courses - eg Masters; Ed D
DET programs
- eg PSDP; TPPP; shadowing
Examples of informal learning:



Fellow principal/s
Relieving experience
Professional Reading
Definitions used in this study:
Mentoring:
“A form of collegial supervision….those being mentored are dependent on
mentors to help them, protect them, show them the way and develop more fully
their skills and insights.” Sergiovanni and Starrett (1998)
Coaching:
“Coaching aims to enhance the performance and learning ability of
others…Overall the coach is aiming for the coachee to help her or himself. And it
is dynamic interaction – it does not rely on a one-way flow of telling or
instruction.”
Landsberg (2003)
Interview Questions:
1. Over the years, what has directed your professional development? Have
you set goals, worked with a learning partner, supervisor or mentor to
identify your learning needs and planned learning experiences? Is there a
role for DET/NSWSPC in assisting principals to plan for their professional
learning?
2. What were the most effective professional learning experiences which
prepared you for the principalship? How might DET/NSWSPC build on
what was successful for you to prepare others for the role?
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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3. Many principals have identified “learning on the job” as the most important
aspect of their professional learning. Describe an experiential learning
which was significant for your professional development, why and how it
was so. How might DET/NSWSPC facilitate such learning for principals
who have had fewer opportunities to gain such experiences?
4. Have you been formally or informally mentored as an educational leader?
What were the best and worst features of your mentoring experiences?
What suggestions could you make to guide DET/NSWPC in developing
best practice mentor programs?
5. Would you consider the support of colleague principals to be a form of
professional learning? If so, does it differ from mentoring, and are there
ways in which this sort of peer supported learning could be formalised
through DET/NSWSPC programs?
6. Have you been involved in any formal coaching programs? If so, what
comment would you make about coaching as a professional development
process? What place, if any, do you think they could/should have in DET
or NSWSPC programs?
7. Have there been times as principal when you have needed/wanted to
learn something (process, skill, way of doing something; research in a field
of learning) which was important to you at that time? How did you go
about developing yourself in this area? Is there a place for “at need”
learning activities to be provided by DET/NSWSPC? How would you
suggest they best be provided (eg CD; kit; link through Leadership
website)?
8. Given the complexity and time demands inherent in the principal role, how
would you suggest that professional development activities be scheduled
and structured?
9. Has research or theory informed your practice as an educational leader –
if so, how have you been exposed to this research or theory? How might
DET/NSWSPC provide principals with the latest research findings in
education and assist them to adapt them to their own schools?
10. Has any particular professional development experience (or group of
experiences or type of experience) taken you outside your comfort zone
and enabled/justified/empowered you to become a transformational leader
in you school? How/why? Could DET/NSWSPC build on this for other
principals?
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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APPENDIX 2
Principles for Effective Professional Development for Aspiring and
Incumbent Principals
Should be/involve:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
self-directed – to meet the needs of the individual
experience – on-site or in simulations of real issues
collegial support – non-judgemental and confidential
structured mentoring – clear role for mentors, mentors matched with
mentees
at need – must be easy and timely to access
reflection – self-guided or facilitated by a learning partner/coach
time provided for learning – relief or incentive
respected practitioners as leaders
research – relevant and easily accessible
Relationship to School Leadership Capability Framework
1. self-directed – to meet the needs of the individual
(Personal domain)
2. experience – on-site or in simulations of real issues
(Interpersonal, Educational, Strategic domains)
3. collegial support – non-judgemental and confidential
(Interpersonal, Strategic domains)
4. structured mentoring – clear role for mentors, mentors matched with
mentees
(Personal, Interpersonal, Strategic domains)
5. at need – must be easy and timely to access
(Educational, Organisational domains)
6. reflection – self-guided or facilitated by a learning partner/coach
(Personal, Interpersonal, Strategic domains)
7. time provided for learning – relief or incentive
8. respected practitioners as leaders
(Personal, Interpersonal domains)
9. research – relevant and easily accessible
(Educational, Strategic domains)
Principles for Principals – Lindy Taylor
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Suggestions for realising Principles for Principal Learning
1. self-directed – to meet the needs of the individual
 Local leadership programs developed on basis of potential
participants’ expressed needs.
 Formal preparation programs for all senior executive positions
 Interview aspirants (through focus groups?) to principalship as
basis of review of TPPP
 Small groups of beginning principals in an area, facilitated by
experienced/retired principal, setting own agenda based on needs,
supported by material developed in Leadership Unit
2. experience – on-site or in simulations of real issues
 Structured, ongoing shadowing programs (in a range of schools)
incorporating debriefing sessions for potential principals
 Real-life case studies (with solutions) used as scenarios for group
discussion
 Exchange programs for deputies with different schools
 Regions run EOI for all vacant leadership positions, rather than only
when a position is difficult to fill
3. collegial support – non-judgemental and confidential
 Time in local NSWSPC meetings allocated to informal collegial
discussion of emergent issues
 Agreements between neighbouring principals not to “poach” each
other’s students
 Formal 2-3 principal network of mentoring and collegial links
following PIP
 locally created and maintained collegial groups, sponsored by SPC
or SED
 SEDs develop regional contact list of principals with specific
expertise
4. structured mentoring – clear role for mentors, mentors matched with
mentees
 Allow some choice of mentor by mentee
 Match mentor with mentee based on type of school; experience;
360 degree
 Mentor relationship for beginning principals lasts 2-3 years. If initial
relationship is not working after 12 months, mentor is changed
 Mentors trained in specific expectations of role
 Mentors prepared/provided with relief to commit regular time to
mentees
 Retired principals as mentors
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
Match mentees with mentors who have recently been at the same
professional stage
Identify new principals who are likely to need a close mentor at PIP
and provide them with additional support
5. at need – must be easy and timely to access
 Short articles by practitioners on Leadership Directorate or
NSWSPC websites with names of contacts for follow-up
 Links on InPrincipal to modules on (eg) Staffing; Finance, at
relevant times of the school year
 Set of jointly produced DET/NSWSPC protocols for handover of
school to new principal
 Easily accesses materials for principals and executives to use in
school or locally based leadership programs
 DET keeps PIP course book current; accessible by all aspiring and
incumbent principals, with hot links to additional information
 Use SMART data to develop lists of like schools, with contact
names of relevant personnel;
 NSWSPC set up Q&A section on website, similar to that on PPA
site
 Date base of real situations and possible solutions
6. reflection – self-guided or facilitated by a learning partner/coach
 360 degree questionnaires based on SCLF available to all teaching
personnel
 Coaching by trained coaches available to all executives
 Academic colleague
 SEDs trained in negotiation and coaching skills
 Develop/provide a structured reflection framework which individuals
can use to guide self-reflection
7. time provided for learning – relief or incentive
 Courses over 2 days – if in holidays, participants able to use relief
funds at another time
 Web-based learning modules which can be accessed at any time
and venue (ie NOT real-time)
8. respected practitioners as leaders
 Current/recent school leaders with sound understanding of related
research as presenters in all leadership courses
 DET/NSWSPC help principals who are struggling, using more
experienced principals/ recently retired principals
 Universities use experienced principals as presenters in
postgraduate educational leadership courses
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9. research – relevant and easily accessible
 Précis of articles on Leadership or NSWSPC website (or through
InPrincipal) with links to whole article
 Interactive video clips, accessible out of school hours
 Ground all courses in research, but courses must take research into
practice
 A “What’s New” section on the Leadership website (as on the Board
of Studies website), identifying new research
 Training for executives on the use of DET and SPC websites
 Action Learning projects
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