The Department of Education Studies within the Faculty of Education is pleased to announce the launching of a new Master's degree in educational leadership.
As the education authorities have embarked on various initiatives for all children to succeed, the people that are critical and responsible for progress are the leaders of our schools, our networks and the leaders in the envisaged directorates. They play a critical and important role in developing a vision for a high-quality education for every student and in implementing and supporting a learning environment that is developed and shared by key stakeholders.
Educational reform initiatives put enormous pressure on these leaders to increase student achievement and close the achievement gap. We at the Faculty of Education want to ensure that such leaders are provided with the background, tools and training they need to succeed in this endeavour. However, most importantly we want to identify and nurture those principles and values we deem essential for educational leaders in general and school leaders in particular to have and to manifest in their day-to-day practices.
We believe that, when all is said and done, leadership comes down to performance. You do not, for example, become an excellent principal simply by talking about it, although the gift of the gab would be an asset.
Principals and heads demonstrate their prowess through high profile activities such as vision setting, strategic planning and curriculum design and development. But, there is a world of difference between the efficient manager and the effective leader.
For me, principals become leaders by the way they behave in defining moments, those critical occasions when they have to deal with people. Such times may shape the way people see you. Leadership is about treating people with dignity and respect, with common decency and humanity. These are often areas that are rarely covered in courses, in management textbooks, or ever hit the headlines.
Often we take these aspects for granted. Often these aspects are even neglected and far from nurtured. These are however, in my opinion, the things that really matter. In a time when everything is subject to substantial analysis and has to be capable of being taught, defining moments expose the real you. Processes and procedures may denote you as a manager, but your behaviour with people will reveal your leadership qualities. The newly drafted Education Act highlights the importance that is being given to such issues like empowerment, responsibility and accountability. The way we view people, the way we view relationships in our endeavour to improve our achievements and standards will play a determining role in whether we will succeed or fail.
The course focuses on developing strategic leadership and management skills in various areas including: self-management and developing individual leadership competences, strategic planning, leading change in schools and regions, nurturing the caring and inclusive learning community, and global educational leadership and management perspectives.
We will entrust those who embark on this journey with various challenges that are at the heart of effective leadership and school leadership. It is our intention to support prospective students throughout the two-year programme so as to expose them to the knowledge-base in the field of educational management and leadership, to provide them with varied learning opportunities to develop the skills needed by leaders to lead our schools, to create opportunities for them to share the varied experiences gained through various fora, and to develop management analysis, reporting skills, self-confidence and excellent communication skills, and a set of standards that all school leaders could aim for.
The main intention is to help develop, support and nurture the current and succeeding generations of educational leaders. It is also our intention to develop a mentoring programme that will link us even once the students graduate through a system of CPD opportunities.
The first cohort of graduates will serve as a beacon to this new initiative. It is therefore our intention to go beyond offering a one-off academic programme. We want to retain links even once they have graduated. We will support them even when they face the challenges of everyday life, or other challenges that they may face in other institutional settings through a system of regular meetings, CPD sessions, talks and online communication.
The course brings together a group of educators qualified at doctorate and/or master's level in the field of management, leadership and human resource development. They have a varied profile which brings together an accumulation of experiences. Furthermore, we will expose programme participants with various developments in the field of leadership abroad through the various visiting professors that are being enrolled to form part of the team.
A number of standards are being proposed as our targets. The standards that we will focus on and aim to develop are:
1. Leaders know and understand what it means and what it takes to be a leader.
Leadership is the act of identifying important goals and then motivating and enabling others to devote themselves and all necessary resources to achievement. It includes summoning one's self and others to learn and adapt to the new situation represented by the goal.
2. Leaders have a vision for schools that they constantly share and promote.
Leaders have a vision of the ideal, can articulate this vision to any audience, and work diligently to make it a reality. Leaders also know how to build upon and sustain a vision that preceded them.
3. Leaders communicate clearly and effectively.
Leaders possess effective writing and presentation skills. They express themselves clearly, and are confident and capable of responding to the hard questions in a public forum. They are also direct and precise questioners, always seeking understanding.
4. Leaders collaborate and cooperate with others.
Leaders communicate high expectations and provide accurate information to foster understanding and to maintain trust and confidence. Leaders reach out to others for support and assistance, build partnerships, secure resources, and share credit for success and accomplishments. School leaders manage change through effective relationships with school boards and other key stakeholders.
5. Leaders persevere and take the 'long view'.
Leaders build institutions that endure. They 'stay the course', maintain focus, anticipate and work to overcome resistance. They create capacity within the organisation to achieve and sustain its vision.
6. Leaders support, develop and nurture staff.
Leaders set a standard for ethical behaviour. They seek diverse perspectives and alternative points of view. They encourage initiative, creativity, innovation, collaboration and a strong work ethic. Leaders expect and provide opportunities for staff to engage in continuing professional development. They recognise individual talents and assign responsibility and authority for specific tasks. Leaders celebrate accomplishments. They identify, mentor and promote potential leaders.
7. Leaders hold themselves and others responsible and accountable.
Leaders embrace and adhere to comprehensive planning that improves the organisation. They use data to determine the present state of the organisation, identify root cause problems, propose solutions and validate accomplishments. Leaders accept responsibility and accountability and manage resources effectively and efficiently. They require staff to establish and meet clear indicators of success.
Leaders in education also know and understand good pedagogy and effective classroom practices and support sustained professional development. They recognise the importance of learning standards and significance of assessments.
8. Leaders never stop learning and developing their skills.
Leaders are introspective and reflective. Leaders ask questions and seek answers. Leaders in education are familiar with current research and best practice, not only in education, but also in other related fields. They maintain a personal plan for self- improvement and continuous learning, and balance their professional and personal lives, making time for other interests.
9. Leaders have the courage to take informed risks.
Leaders embrace informed, planned change and recognise that everyone may not support change. Leaders work to win support and are willing to take action in support of their vision even in the face of opposition.
10. Leaders develop caring and inclusive communities.
Leaders, through their day- to-day practices, provide the theory and the framework for schools to strengthen their commitment and efforts towards improving connections, coherence, capacity, commitment and collaboration among students, teachers and the community.
I have a particular commitment to, and enthusiasm for, the long-term development of educational management and leadership provision in the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta and in particular to improving the quality of our courses as we respond to the national and diverse needs for high quality support for those professionals engaged in the leadership and management of our children's education. We will do our utmost to make this new and exciting initiative one that will truly serve as a 'leading edge' course for those seeking to prepare their schools for the challenges of the next ten years.
Christopher Bezzina is the M.Ed Leadership course coordinator, Department of Education Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Malta. He may be contacted on christopher.bezzina@um.edu.mt