What do school leaders need to be autonomous? by EUN Partnership aisbl

Leticia Gil from Toledo, Spain

l_pilargil — 2021-06-22 16:08:48 UTC

Promote teamwork among teachers is essential to develop important skills in teachers. It will allow a sense of cooperation and teachers will try harder and harder.

Sami Kaisko, Finland

2021-06-23 17:15:16 UTC

I agree with most points in the list, and it’s difficult to pick one over the others, but I think It is important that school leaders have possibility to influence teacher recruitment. This way, it becomes possible to pick suitable and motivated persons, who can effectively contribute to school’s vision and mission.

I would also like to add one point from the perspective of Finnish school system: Trust.

In Finland most school leaders and teachers enjoy a high level of autonomy in their work. I think this practice comes very much down to trust: Heads of local education departments trust school leaders and principles to do their job, who, in turn, trust their teachers. Most teachers even place high amount of trust in their students (especially in high school –level). There is very little top-down monitoring and testing in our school system.

Carlos Sousa, Vila Nova de Gaia.

carlosdsousa28 — 2021-06-24 15:32:09 UTC

Leadership based on strategic action for change and innovation needs all the aforementioned characteristics.

It would add the ability to communicate. School leadership is a process that is (re)constructed in communication and in the relationship with the other, in a critical, interpellative, dialogic way and in function of a certain space, time and place. In a leadership based on the coordination of actions, for equity and learning in a process of coordination of actions, capable of expressing the senses, meanings and singularities of its actors in a given context and for the good of the community, promoting learning and the exercise of citizenship , developing trusting relationships through transparent, honest, fair, sensitive and empathetic communication, which allows recognizing and valuing everyone who lives (n) the school.

In summary, leadership is not an isolated act, it implies relationship, communication, interdependence between people.

Helene, Myanmar

2021-06-25 05:32:43 UTC

I agree that school leaders should be granted autonomy, but is it freedom FROM or freedom FOR something? As was concluded in last section, the team work and co-operation is highly valued, so I would add to the 4th and 5th point (allow discretion in setting strategic direction; develop school plans and goals and monitor progress, using data to improve practice) that leaders should not do this alone, but include teachers and advisably students and parents and why not the closest community in setting goals, creating vision and formulating mission statements. Leader is the one guiding and organising the process.

2021-06-25 11:21:08 UTC

Wesam yousef
I agree with all the points mentioned
The leader must act in the spirit of law and have the right to choose teachers who are capable of accomplishing. And also to work hard to motivate others

Yes i agree all of them

2021-06-25 16:06:34 UTC

Benedetta, Italy

2021-06-27 11:26:20 UTC

I agree with all the points mentioned. I would link to add Mentorship and Continuous Profession Development. I believe that staff training is always an opportunity for school leaders to be autonomous because it's a chance to improve the vision and the mission and to create the group of informal leaders.

Celeste Simões, Portugal

celestesimoes67 — 2021-06-27 15:40:33 UTC

I agree with almost all the points mentioned in the list, except one, as it wouldn’t work in our Portuguese society. If schools were allowed to choose their own candidates this would lead to even more corruption and I don’t believe the best candidates would be chosen. Having said this, I think that should this be well implemented (without bribes, for example), then it would contribute to have excellent professionals in the job, as only the best would be selected, leaving no room for mediocracy. As some colleagues also mentioned, communication and empathy are also characteristics of a good and autonomous leader.

Daiva Liumparienė

2021-06-28 12:28:37 UTC

All the points mentioned are very important. For me, autonomous leadership, first of all, is about a leader's self-determination, creativity and self-respect in defining a challenging strategic direction of the school, t.i., flexible alignment of national priorities with regional (local) needs and possibilities free of outside controle and supervision. Autonomous leaders need good organizational, communication, multitasking skills, courage, discipline and ability to compromise. Their role is to be commited to manage and lead initiatives of the school community. Besides, autonomy and accountability always go together.

Jorge Dias, Portugal

2021-06-28 13:16:24 UTC

I agree with the conditions that allow a school leader to be autonomous.
All of them, associated with a sense of responsibility and the provision of a quality public service, would allow the development of innovative educational projects suited to the social and economic realities of schools.

Caterina Fantini - Italy

caterina_fantini1 — 2021-06-28 14:27:45 UTC

I agree that school leaders need to be autonomous. Important for me is above all to be able to adapt teaching programs to local needs. Every school and every city are diferent and need specific goals.

Rebeca Vázquez, Spain

2021-06-28 17:03:40 UTC

All the points mentioned are important, although there are some that do not depend on the Center. For example, the hiring of teachers to improve the correspondence between candidates and the needs of their school is not usually possible, since you cannot choose the teachers who will teach at the Center, which can be done and I consider It is important that teachers know the goals of the Center and promote participation and motivation in them.

Nicolas Elsäßer

nicolaselsaesser — 2021-06-28 20:03:08 UTC

I can agree with all of the previous points, as it is about leadership for change and innovation. However, like Helene, I also think that change and innovation should not be managed by the leader alone, but rather emerge from and be supported by the school community.

Ana - Maria Ene- Romania

dinka_ana1 — 2021-06-28 20:16:50 UTC

I agree al l the mentioned points. They are all very important to be a good leader.

Liuba, Moldova

2021-06-28 21:46:17 UTC

For our school, perfect, at the moment, would be the first two, namely:

be able to adapt teaching programs to local needs.
promote teamwork among teachers, because effective leadership is based on an efficient team that collaborates and supports each other in everything

Sinem KUTLU Turkey

sinemkutlu671 — 2021-06-28 22:52:08 UTC

Sinem Kutlu Turkey

sinemkutlu671 — 2021-06-28 22:58:37 UTC

Autonomy creates free will. The educational leader needs autonomy in the field of production. I care about being autonomous in my school. Autonomy is absolute for a creative, original and productive education.

Carlos Gomes de Sá

2021-06-29 08:48:56 UTC

I agree with most of the conditions, adding, albeit presupposed, financial autonomy and total freedom to manage human resources.
Increasingly, the ability to adjust national programs to local needs will be an aspect to be valued

Drago Mihaljevic, Croatia

2021-06-29 17:27:40 UTC

I agree with mentioned points and I think that autonomy is key one. From all points the first one, be able to adapt teaching programs to local needs is very imporatnt for me.
I live in small community and we need to keep our students and jobs, which we will achieve the easiest cooperation with the local community.

Donal O Reilly - IRELAND

donaloreilly — 2021-06-29 19:49:44 UTC

Yes, I agree with most of these but this list is not exhaustive. I think that creating a culture where leadership is encourage, developed and facilitated is essential and critical for succession planning and sustainability. Creating active networks and clusters of schools where this is happening and where shared learning can occur can increase the rate of positive change within schools.

Erdal BALCI, Turkey

ErdalBALCI — 2021-06-30 17:40:45 UTC

develop school plans and goals and monitor progress, using data to improve practice is the most important for me. I use other points for increasing success of my most important point. In addition the system (government) permit to be autonomous of school leaders..

Kyriaki Katsirou-Greece

kkatsirou27 — 2021-06-30 20:29:12 UTC

All of them are important points, but mostly i would say
- develop school plans and goals and monitor progress, using data to improve practice, and
- promote teamwork among teachers.

Sara, Italy

aimatchalnd — 2021-07-02 16:17:16 UTC

Leader autonomy can be essential in school innovation. A leader knows the community of teacher and assistants, the users of school and the resources. On the other hand, a leader who is not capable can make bad choices.

Rosalia Italy

licatarosalia775 — 2021-07-03 10:38:39 UTC

I agree with all points in the kist. I think also that promoting teamwork among teachers is essential for developing important skills in teachers. This will grow a sense of belonging and
motivation to engage more and better.

Cristina Martins, Portugal

cristina_martins — 2021-07-05 07:13:48 UTC

I agree with almost every point but mainly I choose Student-centered school, Promoting Teamwork among teachers and leaders that develop school plans and goals and monitor progress, using data to improve practice.

Mihaela Ciocan, Romania

mihaelaciocan_2014 — 2021-07-05 12:04:22 UTC

The leaders need to all points in the list.
I believe that the autonomy of a leader is essential in the process of developing a school. Unfortunately, in Romania, in public schools, there is no possibility to select your human resources according to needs, which often leads to unwanted institutional slippage.

Angelina RIVERA-ROCABADO,Romania

angi1601 — 2021-07-05 18:21:08 UTC

be able to adapt teaching programs to local needs.
promote teamwork among teachers.
engage in teacher monitoring, evaluation, and professional development.
allow discretion in setting strategic direction.
develop school plans and goals and monitor progress, using data to improve practice.
influence teacher recruitment to improve the match between candidates and their school’s needs.
ensure that leadership preparation and training are central and build networks of schools to stimulate and spread innovation, to develop diverse curricula, extended services and professional support that can bring about substantial benefits.
They are all really important, but if I have to chose one, I will go with the fact that a leader should have the autonomy to adapt his school to the community needs. In Romania there are legal ways to achieve autonomy, if you apply for experimental school status.