What’s the point of reading these days when all we need do is follow the governmental dictates? For one former headteacher it has meant achieving Outstanding outcomes in two schools she has led, the most recent report stating, “The headteacher has created a culture in which learning flourishes” (Mar 2015).
Why Read
There is so much information for leadership teams to digest, currently from two main sources, the DFE and Ofsted to whom schools are ultimately accountable. We can often lose sight of where our real accountabilities lie, our pupils, and be distracted from our core purpose of developing our pedagogy to better meet their needs. There is a wealth of high quality research available which, if used as an intrinsic part of school improvement, can really make a difference to practice and provision for learners.
Lead Learners
Headteachers are responsible for modelling the learning process. Demonstrating the notion that you are always learning, permits staff and pupils to feel comfortable to be open to learning, make mistakes and enjoy the pursuit of making sense. Take, for example, the learning around growth mindset which as become very familiar to most practitioners in the last two to three years. Dweck’s work stems from the late 80’s the first major book being in 2006; yet most will have only become familiar with her work in the last few years when it was put in a more public arena, promoted by those who have recognised its significance, converting it into smaller soundbites for general consumption. Those that realise the deepest impact in their schools are those who truly engage with the theory and incorporate the learning into their practice through long term strategic planning.
Going about reading
It can be hard to know where to start but your personal philosophy of learning will draw us to certain theories against others. Often an article or a talk at an event can sow seeds of interest that can be pursued. A bibliography should be seen as a treasure trove of threads to follow, be it to an article, a research paper or a book.
As you read it is wise to make notes, highlight or notate in the margins (if the reading belongs to you). If you intend sharing the book with others you might need to keep notation/highlight free as they can be off- putting. The notes are best when considering the reading in relation to your setting/practice rather than general statements.
Finding others and sharing the load
The idea that you can learn with, for and on behalf of others is one that every head should keep in mind. Everyone has different gifts and talents and identifying those readers and researchers within your school and wider professional community can naturally build collaborative learning. A teacher who regular reads the education pages of the educational press can begin to forward links to others, another headteacher with a particular pedagogical interest can provide a summary of a journal article, a member of your leadership team might attend a conference and so forth.