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Leadership Strategies and

Social Justice Perspectives


from South Africa and the USA:
The Courageous Conversations
Project
Project Leaders
Dr. Berte Van Wyk, Stellenbosch University
bwyk@sun.ac.za
Dr. Arnold Dodge, LIU-Post arnold.dodge@liu.edu

Objectives of the project


Participants will . . .
Demonstrate the ability to think systematically and critically

about leadership and understand and present multiple solutions


to leadership issues;
Demonstrate an understanding of schools as social systems and

the impact of historic and current developments (especially


regarding race, poverty and equity) on organizational change;
Enhance leadership skills in culture-building, motivation,

communication, decision-making and use of technology;

Objectives of the project


Participants will . . .
Develop an awareness of ones personal leadership

style(s), identifying strengths as well as areas for


improvement;
Become more conscious of ones own values, beliefs,

and assumptions in relation to leadership issues;


Use systems thinking (i.e., personal mastery, mental

models, shared vision, team learning) to approach


leadership challenges

Models to inform the work


Control theory based on The Quality School (Glasser, 1990): survival,

love, power, fun, freedom are the tenets of success in organizations and
therefore necessary concepts for leaders to understand
Organizing for professional learning communities (Hargreaves and

Fullan, 2012)
Advocacy leadership focused on leadership that shifts the paradigm,

reframes the questions, empowers the participants to go beyond


traditional reform agendas (Anderson, 2009)
Equity-oriented change model (Skrla, McKenzie & Scheurich, 2009)

focused on leadership that addresses issues of race, culture, and levels


of privilege as they impact access to resources

Models to inform the work


Scaffolding learning so that each participant feels empowered to take

risks in a safe learning environment - following the work of Vygotsky


(Berk & Winsler, 1995)
Meeting the needs of the adult learner/leader (Knowles, Holton, &

Swanson)
Intrinsic motivation as a source of energy and cohesion for group work

(Pink, 2009)
Systems thinking approach, understanding interrelationships in

organizational learning environments (Senge, 2006)


Socratic seminars to guide group discussion based on the Paideia

Program (Adler, 1984)

Participants
School administrators, teachers and students

in New York and the greater Cape Town area in


South Africa.
Faculty from LIU-Post and University of

Stellenbosch

Events/Activities
Anchor events: Summer institutes/conferences at the

University of Stellenbosch and LIU-Post. These sessions


will host guest speakers, offer workshops, and make
available forums for exchange of ideas in both countries.
Electronic community activities: live webcasts, Skype

sessions, social media will be used for regular updates and


communications regarding developments in all locations
Attendance at various workshops/conferences by

participants offered by partner groups, etc.

Events/Activities
Symposia on various topics to be scheduled in both

universities throughout the year


Performance workshops scheduled in each country by

artists, musicians, dancers, etc. to build community and


share the importance of the aesthetic sensibility in
developing leadership goals
Graduate and undergraduate class sessions in leadership,

organizational behavior, educational psychology and


education policy to be simulcast between universities via
collaborations among university faculty in both countries

Outreach to partner groups


The Center for Educational Leadership and

Management at the University of Stellenbosch


(CELEMUS) a center for South African principals to
discuss leadership issues
Narrative4 a group which facilitates story exchanges

between groups from all over the world


Young Peoples Leadership Group oversees travel

group of students from around the world who run


leadership forums

Outreach to partner groups


SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environment) Project

Participants Sugata Mitra is founder


SoL (Society for Organizational Learning) building on

the work of Peter Senge this organization is seeking an


expansion of their reach to countries around the world
to promote the principles of the learning organization
Pencils of Promise dedicated to opening schools in

countries most in need of improved education


resources

Project discussion topics


theoretical approaches to leadership
paradigm analysis
personal definitions of leadership/metaphors for

leadership
culture building theory and practice
dominant discourse phenomenon as it relates to
evaluating schools
ensuring creativity in an era of standardization
technology and student learning

Project discussions topics


leadership impact on motivation
empowerment for decision making
effective styles of communication
the dynamics of organizational change
stakeholder inclusion
equity audits
understanding systems thinking

References
Adler, M. 1984 The Paideia Program, New York; Institute for

Philosophical Research
Anderson, G.L.2009 Advocacy Leadership: Toward a Post-Reform

Agenda in Education NewYork:Routledge


Berk, L.E., & Winsler,A. 1995 Scaffolding children's learning:

Vygotsky and early childhood education Washington, DC: National


Association for the Education of Young Children
Glasser, W. 1990 The Quality School: Managing Students Without

Coercion New York: HarperCollins

References
Hargreaves, A. and Fullan, M. 2012 Professional Capital: Transforming

Teaching in Every School. New York: Teachers College Press


Knowles, M.S., & Holton, E.F., & Swanson, R.A. (2005). The Adult

Learner. MA: Elsevier


Pink, D. 2009 Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

New York: Riverhead Trade


Senge, P.M. 2006 The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the

Learning Organization New York: Doubelday


Skrla, L., McKenzie, K.B.& Scheurich, J.J. , 2009 Using Equity Audits to

Create Equitable and Excellent Schools CA: Corwin

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