Improving student achievement,

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1 Learning-Oriented Leadership: Transforming a School Through a Program of Adult Learning B y : E l l i e D r a g o - S e v e r s o n Improving student achievement, strengthening assessment, and enhancing school-based professional learning for teachers are in the forefront of our educational agenda these days. These challenges place new and complex demands on all educators from first-year teachers to longtime faculty members to heads of school. Essentially, we ve come to understand that good schools those that foster high achievement, moral understanding, and all-around intellectual and emotional engagement are schools that take adult learning as seriously as they do student learning. They are, in short, genuine learning communities or, if you prefer, learning centers places where the adults as well as the children can, and do, grow. As a professor who studies adult learning in schools, I know how wonderful schools can be when they support both child and adult learning. And in my work with school leaders in U.S. public, Catholic, and independent schools across the K 12 spectrum, I ve come to see that most school leaders hunger for a better understanding of adult learning. But I also know how challenging the process can be. It s not easy and it takes conscious effort. But with such an effort on the part of school leaders, any school community can be strengthened so that dynamic engagement and high achievement go hand-in-hand. In my research and work with schools, I ve come to see that there are essentially two elements necessary for supporting faculty growth. First, school leaders need to understand that adults, like children, have distinct learning styles and developmental needs. As with multiple intelligences, it s important not to approach teachers as if they learn in the same way, or interpret ideas in the same way. Second, while acknowledging and accommodating these adult-learning needs, schools should focus on what I call the four pillar practices for growth. In order to develop a dynamic learning community, good learning-oriented leadership a phrase school leaders might consider as their new mantra should focus on these four pillars: supporting the practice of teaming among teachers, providing teachers with leadership roles, engaging the faculty in collegial inquiry, and establishing mentoring relationships. The Three Ways of Knowing All teachers, and all adults for that matter, have a particular developmental perspective, and understanding the varying developmental perspectives of the faculty can help school leaders improve a school s overall educational practices and create contexts in which both adults and children grow. In particular, establishing a developmental framework helps school leaders understand how adults make sense of their experiences, including how they will experience initiatives aimed at supporting growth. Constructive-developmental theory developed by Robert Kegan, a professor of education at Harvard University who focuses on adult learning shows how adults make meaning of their experiences in different ways, with an emphasis on how we know, as opposed to what we know. Kegan s theory is guided by three premises: (a) that we all actively and continually make sense of our experiences in particular ways, (b) that the ways we make meaning of our experiences can become more complex over time, and (c) that holding environments can either enhance or inhibit emotional and intellectual growth. A holding environment is a broad term for the various contexts in which we grow. It can be a relationship, a series of relationships, a particular practice, a series of practices aimed at supporting growth, or even an entire school. The most effective holding environments, just like the most effective learning contexts, provide both high support and high challenge to enable growth. Fortunately, constructive-developmental theory also helps us to understand that there are three developmental orientations (ways of knowing) common in adulthood. We all don t fall precisely into one of these three categories, but we do tend to lean more strongly toward one of them. In terms of teaching, a person s way of knowing refers to how he or she understands his or her role as a teacher, leader, and learner, and how he or she thinks about what makes a good teacher and administrator, what constitutes effective practice, and the types of supports and challenges needed in order to 58 I n d e p e n d e n t S c h o o l

2 grow. According to Kegan, the three different ways of knowing most common in adulthood are the instrumental, socializing, and self-authoring ways of knowing. (There are also four transition stages between each of them but we ll save the discussion of those stages for another day.) When thinking about adult developmental perspectives, it is important to understand that development is not the same as intelligence; a person can be very intelligent and make meaning with any one of the three ways of knowing. Each way of knowing also has developmental strengths and limitations. In addition, the ways of knowing do not describe moral aptitude, though a person s kindness, generosity, and love will be expressed differently depending on his or her way of knowing. And, while this theory is hierarchical, one way is not necessarily better than another. What matters most is the match between a person s way of knowing and the demands or expectations any particular culture places on him or her. For example, if a culture expects an adult to be able to take a stand for what he or she believes, to engage in conflict, and to own his or her work, and the adult does not have the developmental capacity to do this, then the demands outpace capabilities. The good news is that adults can growth to be able to do these things, if they are provided with appropriate supports and challenges. The Instrumental Way of Knowing A teacher with an instrumental way of knowing is highly pragmatic. He or she tends to look to others for useful information and, in return, offers information or knowledge he or she thinks others can use. It s a what do you have that can help me/what do I have that can help you perspective. A strength of this way of knowing is that a person understands that observable events, processes, and situations have a reality separate from his or her own point of view, though he or she understands the world in very concrete terms. In general, an instrumental knower cannot take another s perspective fully. Other people are perceived either as helpers or as obstacles to getting one s own needs met. Instrumental knowers are generally very rule based. They feel most supported in situations in which there are clear goals and expectations for them and their work. They feel supported when they are provided with step-by-step procedures to accomplish goals. Sharing examples of rules and guidelines or protocols for engaging in dialogue will help these adults participate effectively in meetings, conversations, and teamwork. Providing specific advice, skills, and information about various practices and procedures will also support their learning. For example, instrumental knowers conceive knowledge as an accumulation of facts. The more knowledge one has the better one is and knowledge is something one gets from others. So what does this mean in terms of mentoring relationships, for example? If I m an instrumental knower and I have a mentor, my mentor can be most supportive by letting me know what the right goals are for me to pursue. In addition, I need to know the steps for achieving these goals. And, if I am able to complete those steps, I expect that I will attain my goals and be rewarded in some concrete way. In my mind, my behaviors are directly related to consequences. On the other hand, instrumental knowers often need help in growing to be able to understand and consider multiple perspectives. Working with instrumental knowers, school leaders should help them better understand the value of multiple perspectives. School leaders can also create tasks that demand abstract thinking and scaffolding them (helping in steps or stages) through the process. The goal is to encourage movement beyond the person s own perspective and concrete solutions and toward considering and understanding other people s perspectives. When introduced to alternative views, over time, an instrumental knower can grow to think abstractly and to consider multiple perspectives on his or her own. Thus, he or she will develop a better appreciation of such perspectives and consider their value when solving problems or working in a team. The Socializing Way of Knowing A person who makes meaning with a socializing way of knowing has an enhanced capacity for reflection. Unlike instrumental knowers, socializing knowers have the developmental capacity to think abstractly and to subordinate their own needs and desires to those of others. Socializing knowers orient strongly to other people s perspectives and feelings. In fact, the expectations that authorities hold for them often become their own expectations. Gaining and maintaining approval and acceptance from authorities and valued others are of utmost importance to socializing knowers. They feel responsible for other people s feelings and, in turn, hold other people responsible for their feelings. From such a perspective, interpersonal conflict is almost always experienced as a threat to the self. Because the socializing knower needs to be known and accepted by colleagues, and looks to leaders to acknowledge and confirm the knower s own beliefs, such adults need to be brought slowly into discussions and debates about school policies, curriculum, etc., primarily by letting them share their perspectives in small groups, or with just one other colleague, before sharing with larger groups. Differences of opinion are OK as long as relationships with other adults are not jeopardized. For school leaders working with socializing knowers, it s vital to help these colleagues to voice, develop, and clarify their own beliefs, and also encourage them to be less dependent on the views and approval of valued others. In order to develop as successful educators in a community of educators, socializing knowers have to be supported in constructing their own values and standards, in learning how to accept (and consider the validity of) other points of view without feeling personally threatened by them. They S u m m e r

3 need to separate their own feelings and responsibilities from the feelings and responsibilities of others, and to separate their professional perspective from their need to be accepted. In other words, socializing knowers, in order to develop their teaching skills, need to be encouraged to look inward and then to express their own perspective in a supportive, collegial atmosphere rather than adopt authorities solutions and perspectives. The Self-Authoring Way of Knowing Adults with a self-authoring way of knowing have the capacity to generate their own value system and to take responsibility for their own internal authority. They can identify (and are identified with) abstract values, principles, and longer-term purposes and are able to prioritize and integrate competing values. Self-authoring knowers feel supported in situations where they can demonstrate their analytic abilities and engage in dialogue that offers an opportunity to learn from multiple perspectives. They can synthesize diverse viewpoints, critique ideas, and explore and develop their own goals. They focus strongly on their competencies and invite demonstration of these competencies. On the other hand, self-authoring knowers need to be encouraged, on occasion, to let go of their own perspectives and embrace points of view that are in opposition to their own. When it comes to group problem solving, they tend to prefer their own approach. Because of this, they need to learn to be open to other approaches, and supported in this effort. They also need to learn to be comfortable setting aside their values in order to understand the values and perspectives of others. In short, school leaders need to help these adults become less invested in their own perspectives and more open to opposing views. Developmental Differences in Action When school leaders are mindful of developmental differences among teachers, they can offer teachers the sort of support they need and, thus, help teachers flourish at any stage in their careers. The goal is to facilitate adult learning transformational learning that will essentially lead to constant improvement in teaching at the highest level, handling the myriad complexities of their work. A simple example of how this can work is in the realm of goal setting. What types of feedback from school heads and division heads during joint goal setting will best support teacher learning? Since teachers bring developmental needs to the goal-setting process, we need to attend closely to their understanding of feedback. A teacher with an instrumental way of knowing will likely experience a supervisor s feedback as indication that the teacher is either right or wrong. He or she needs to be given the right goals and a step-by-step process to achieve them. Teachers with a socializing way of knowing view heads of school as authorities who know the goals that the teachers should pursue. While socializing knowers will have an internal sense of their own goals, they need their head of school or division head to acknowledge that these are the appropriate goals. On the other hand, teachers with a self-authoring way of knowing will weigh their school leader s perspective against their own internal authority to decide how to improve their practice. They need to see themselves and others as knowledge generators, and to understand that there are multiple ways to proceed in problem solving or goal setting. Learning-Oriented Leadership: Four Pillar-Practices-for- Growth Once school leaders have a good handle on the three developmental orientations among adults, they are better able to offer teachers the kind of support the teachers need and to challenge teachers to improve their skills. But it also helps if school leaders can develop practices and create school contexts that can serve as robust holding environments in order to facilitate adult transformational learning, or facilitate changes in their capacity to handle the complexities of their work. The most effective holding environments, as noted, provide individuals with developmentally appropriate forms of high support and high challenge. Any one of the following four pillar-practices for growth can serve as a holding environment. (For a more detailed description of these practices, see my book, Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development (Corwin Press, 2004)). Supporting the Practice of Teaming Teaming is a practice that promotes personal and organizational learning through adult collaboration. Inviting adults to work in teams can open communication, decrease isolation, enable communities to share leadership, and enhance implementation of change. Teaming aligns with developmental theory. It promote s the sharing of perspectives, providing opportunities for individuals to understand their own and other people s thinking and assumptions. Working in teams creates a safe place for adults to challenge each other s thinking and provides a context within which to experiment with one s own thinking and to grow. In other words, working in teams enables adults to question their own and other people s philosophies of teaching and learning, consider the meaning of the ways they implement a school s core values in the curriculum and school context, reflect on their school s mission, and make decisions collaboratively. This practice creates a context in which teachers can grow from new and diverse perspectives. Providing Leadership Roles By assuming leadership roles, teachers share power and decision-making authority. A leadership role is an opportunity to raise not only one s own consciousness, but also a group s consciousness. These roles are a way for school heads to benefit from teach- 60 I n d e p e n d e n t S c h o o l

4 ers expertise and knowledge. I use the term providing leadership roles rather than the commonly used term distributive leadership because of the intention behind these roles. In contrast to assigning tasks, providing leadership roles offers teachers supports and challenges so that they can develop. Leadership roles offer teachers (and other school leaders) opportunities for transformational learning, or learning that improves one s capacity to handle the complexities of work and life. Working with others in a leadership role helps adults to uncover their assumptions and test out new ways of thinking and acting. The roles invite teachers to share authority and expertise as they work toward building community, enhancing practice, and promoting change. Providing teaches with leadership roles illuminates how leaders can tailor forms of support and challenge to individual needs. Engaging in Collegial Inquiry Collegial inquiry is an example of a larger developmental concept known as reflective practice, which can occur individually or in groups. I define collegial inquiry as a shared dialogue that involves reflecting on one s assumptions and values as part of the learning process. It is a practice that creates a context for adults to reflect on their practice, proposals for change, and schoolwide issues (e.g., developing a school mission). Collegial inquiry provides opportunities to listen to and learn from others develop and, thus, develop more complex perspectives. Creating situations for adults to regularly think, write, and talk about practice in the context of supportive relationships encourages self-analysis and development and, thus, improve an individual s and a school s practice. Through private reflection and public discussion, collegial inquiry facilitates adult learning and institutional growth. This form of adult collaboration can be employed to help teachers engage in decision-making, learning about key developmental issues (e.g., diversity), and conflict resolution. Mentoring Mentoring is arguably the oldest form of supporting adult learning and development. It is a relational practice that usually offers a less public and more private way of supporting development. However, many schools are now using a group or team approach to mentoring. Mentoring can help school leaders shape cultures that facilitate teachers learning. Program purposes, depending on your context and needs, can vary from mission spreading to exchanging information to providing emotional support to new and experienced teachers and staff. One essential element in structuring mentoring programs is to consider the fit between the mentor and mentee and the fit between the school leader s expectations for teachers and teachers developmental capacities to engage in this practice. Mentoring creates an opportunity for broadening perspectives, examining assumptions, and sharing expertise and leadership. It takes many forms, including pairing experienced teachers with new teachers or university interns, pairing teachers who have deep knowledge of school mission with other teachers, and group mentoring. Mentoring enables adults to explore their own thinking and contradictions, and, in doing so, enhance self-development. Implications for Leadership that Considers Developmental Diversity Learning-oriented school leadership assists adults in developing capacities to manage the complexities of their teaching; this is directly tied to improving the quality of teaching in service to children s growth and achievement (Drago-Severson, 2004b). It points to an important distinction between initiatives that aim to inform and those that aim to transform. Transformative practices consider how a person makes meaning of the experience in order to grow from participation and helps us to see how differences in behaviors and thinking are often related to differences in how a person constructs his or her experience. At the end of a recent professional development institute, I asked how, if at all, participants might use some of the ideas we discussed to strengthen their leadership. In addition to wanting more time for learning together, they agreed that having an understanding of adults ways of knowing and the four pillar practices has enabled them to gain perspective on how they work with others. It s that simple and that complex. Implementing professional learning opportunities that can rekindle adults excitement in learning, growing, and teaching is essential to student success and meeting the challenges of 21st century leadership. Learning-oriented leadership holds promise for helping us to achieve these goals. Ellie Drago-Severson is a professor of education, specializing in adult learning, at Teachers College, Columbia University, and author of Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development (Corwin Press, 2004) was awarded the National Staff Development Council s 2004 Book of the Year award. The research discussed herein was, in part, supported by a Spencer research grant. References Drago-Severson, E. (2004a). Becoming adult learners: Principles and practices for effective development. New York: Teachers College Press. Drago-Severson, E. (2004b). Helping teachers learn: Principal leadership for adult growth and development. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, Inc. Kegan, R. (1982). The evolving self: Problems and process in human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: The mental demands of modern life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. S u m m e r

5 Characteristics of Ways of Knowing Most Common in Adulthood Way of Knowing Underlying Thought Structure Subject (S): what a person is identified with Object (O): what the self can reflect on and take a perspective on How the self defines itself Orienting concerns Guiding questions and concerns for self Instrumental (Rule Based) S: Needs, interests, wishes O: Impulses, perceptions Orients to self-interests, purposes, wants, desires, and concrete needs. Dependence on rules and the right way to do things. Decisions are based on what the self will acquire. Others are experienced as helpers or obstacles to getting one s own concrete needs met. A person does not yet have the capacity for abstract thinking or for making generalizations. Will I get punished? What s in it for me? Socializing S: The interpersonal, mutuality O: Needs, interests, wishes Orients to valued others (external authority) expectations, values and opinions. Dependence on external authority, acceptance and affiliation are crucial. Self is defined by important others expectations and judgments. Self orients to inner states. Self feels responsible for other s feelings; holds others responsible for own feelings. Criticism and conflict are threats to the self. Will you (a valued other/authority) still like/love/value me? Will you (a valued other/authority) still think I am a good person? Self-Authoring (Reflective Self) S: Authorship, identity, psychic administration, ideology O: The interpersonal, mutuality Orients to self s values, internal authority. Self generates and replies on internal values and standards. Criticism is evaluated and used according to internal standards. Concern with one s own competence and performance is ultimate. Self can hold contradictory feelings simultaneously. Conflict is a natural part of work and life and can enhance one s own perspective and help to achieve larger organizational/team goals. Am I maintaining my own standards and values? Am I competent? Am I living, working, and loving to the best of my ability? Am I achieving my goals and being guided by my ideals? SOURCE: Adapted from Drago-Severson, E. (2004b). Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin Press. Underlying Thought Structure, Row 1 of Table 1, is from Kegan (1982) The Evolving Self (pp ). 64 I n d e p e n d e n t S c h o o l