Ethical Leadership: How do Ethical Leadership: How do we make a difference?we make a difference?

Ethical LeadershipEthical Leadership

– Association of Independent Schools, Executive Association of Independent Schools, Executive Conference.Conference.

– 1515thth, May 2007, May 2007

– Novotel, Brighton-le-Sands, NSWNovotel, Brighton-le-Sands, NSW

– Associate Professor Charles BurfordAssociate Professor Charles Burford

Ethical?Ethical?

Ethics, Morals and Virtues: Ethics, Morals and Virtues: What Are TheyWhat Are They

• ““Ethos”(Greek)Meaning: Custom,Usage,or Ethos”(Greek)Meaning: Custom,Usage,or CharacterCharacter

• ““The Science of the Ideal Human Character”The Science of the Ideal Human Character”• ““Moral” (Latin) Meaning:Manner, Good and Right, Moral” (Latin) Meaning:Manner, Good and Right,

Virtue, Value, Worth.Virtue, Value, Worth.• ““Describes What Is Good or Right or Proper.Describes What Is Good or Right or Proper.• ““Virtues”: Focuses on attitudes, dispositions, Virtues”: Focuses on attitudes, dispositions,

values, or character traits that enable us to be and values, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop our human potential. to act in ways that develop our human potential.

• ““It is about the good of the person performing the It is about the good of the person performing the act as they value its consequences”.act as they value its consequences”.

Ethics: What are they?Ethics: What are they?

• Ethics are the norms and virtues by which Ethics are the norms and virtues by which members of a community bind themselves members of a community bind themselves to a moral way of living. Starratt (2004) to a moral way of living. Starratt (2004) suggests that they are maps that we suggests that they are maps that we consult only when the familiar terrain we consult only when the familiar terrain we are traversing becomes a tangle of are traversing becomes a tangle of underbrush. Duignan et al (2003) found underbrush. Duignan et al (2003) found that for leaders of service organisations, the that for leaders of service organisations, the choice was often between two “goods” choice was often between two “goods” rather than a “good” and a “bad”.rather than a “good” and a “bad”.

Competing Dilemmas And Competing Dilemmas And Tensions in Ethical Decision Tensions in Ethical Decision Making in Educational Making in Educational LeadershipLeadership

• Honesty Both/And/Or LoyaltyHonesty Both/And/Or Loyalty

• Individual Rights Both/And/ Common GoodIndividual Rights Both/And/ Common Good

• Deontology Both/And/Or UtilitarianismDeontology Both/And/Or Utilitarianism

• Mercy Both/And/Or JusticeMercy Both/And/Or Justice

• Care Both/ and/ Or RulesCare Both/ and/ Or Rules

• Rhetoric Both/ and/ Or RealityRhetoric Both/ and/ Or Reality

Hodgkinson on Educational Hodgkinson on Educational LeadershipLeadership• ““Simply put what changes is context, Simply put what changes is context,

what doesn’t change is human what doesn’t change is human nature…..but human nature just nature…..but human nature just happens to be the essential raw material happens to be the essential raw material of education. More, it is also the essence of education. More, it is also the essence of administration and leadership. (Think of administration and leadership. (Think character rather than characteristics)” character rather than characteristics)” 2004.2004.

• Trust above all else! (Burford 2004)Trust above all else! (Burford 2004)

Moral LeadershipMoral Leadership

• Leadership is the art of calling others Leadership is the art of calling others to seek the truth as to what it means to seek the truth as to what it means to be human; to explore the essence to be human; to explore the essence of the being; to discover the spiritual of the being; to discover the spiritual chemistry of relationships; to make chemistry of relationships; to make judgments about significance, judgments about significance, rightness, wrongness.rightness, wrongness.

Accepting ComplexityAccepting Complexity

• Education by its definition is a highly complex activity Education by its definition is a highly complex activity that is part science, part craft and part art.that is part science, part craft and part art.

• Humanity is richly diverse and our students must thrive Humanity is richly diverse and our students must thrive in that kind of complexity in that kind of complexity

• Our systems are equally complex since they are Our systems are equally complex since they are comprised of multiple forces including a wide range of comprised of multiple forces including a wide range of people with their personal needs and aspirations.people with their personal needs and aspirations.

• Complexity does not have to mean confusion, if we look Complexity does not have to mean confusion, if we look at it with the same curiosity we give to looking skyward at it with the same curiosity we give to looking skyward on a clear evening.on a clear evening.

• Sadly, we sometimes fall into the habit of bureaucratic, Sadly, we sometimes fall into the habit of bureaucratic, simplified actions that turn our schools into mere simplified actions that turn our schools into mere factories.factories.

Profession

PTe

Leadership and Learning as Leadership and Learning as EngagementEngagement

• If Learning is about engagement,If Learning is about engagement,

• How do we engage: teachers, How do we engage: teachers, students, parents?students, parents?

• How are we engaged ourselves?How are we engaged ourselves?

• Burford and Gross (2006)Burford and Gross (2006)

Student Engagement Research Student Engagement Research (Burford and Gross 2005): (Burford and Gross 2005): Best LearningBest Learning• 1. Experiential and relevant 1. Experiential and relevant • 2. Teacher relationships2. Teacher relationships• 3. Extracurricular and informal education3. Extracurricular and informal education• 4. Teacher passion and knowledge4. Teacher passion and knowledge• 5. Boredom: Old vs new teaching 5. Boredom: Old vs new teaching

methods methods • 6. Choice, career, independence and 6. Choice, career, independence and

maturitymaturity• 7. Final exam, tertiary entrance, scaling 7. Final exam, tertiary entrance, scaling

and alienationand alienation

Student Engagement: Student Engagement: Connected and an Individual Connected and an Individual (Burford and Gross, 2005)(Burford and Gross, 2005)

– Community identity and Community identity and acknowledgementacknowledgement

– Respectful relationshipsRespectful relationships– Teacher as connection to schoolTeacher as connection to school– Exams, competition, choice and life-skillsExams, competition, choice and life-skills– Group dominance, stereotyping and Group dominance, stereotyping and

acceptanceacceptance– Controlling culturesControlling cultures– School and class sizeSchool and class size

•

Adults and The Teenager Adults and The Teenager Student Engagement Student Engagement Research, Burford and Research, Burford and Gross,2005)Gross,2005)• Acknowledge their right to live their own Acknowledge their right to live their own

life with independence and responsibility.life with independence and responsibility.• Don’t relive your life through the child’s Don’t relive your life through the child’s

life.life.• Show compassion, respect and trust for Show compassion, respect and trust for

their lives in transition, from child to their lives in transition, from child to adult.adult.

• Respect the differences in ‘lifeworlds’ of Respect the differences in ‘lifeworlds’ of adults and adolescents.adults and adolescents.

• Pressure of career, exams and the need Pressure of career, exams and the need for a social life.for a social life.

Democratically-Ethical Democratically-Ethical SchoolsSchools• Working with students and giving them a voice in Working with students and giving them a voice in

crafting a responsive instructional model that both crafting a responsive instructional model that both challenges and supports their learning ie hands-on challenges and supports their learning ie hands-on learning. Ignoring student voice seems inconsistent learning. Ignoring student voice seems inconsistent in a society that espouses the value of social justice.in a society that espouses the value of social justice.

• Remember the core values of our society: the Remember the core values of our society: the fundamental equality of all.fundamental equality of all.

• Remember that we are leaders beyond the school Remember that we are leaders beyond the school walls too.walls too.

• We fall short of this goal when we follow conventions We fall short of this goal when we follow conventions blindly without asking why. This will cause tensions blindly without asking why. This will cause tensions and dilemmas in our leadership but …didn’t we and dilemmas in our leadership but …didn’t we come into education because we care for children come into education because we care for children and their future.and their future.

Where do we start?Where do we start?

• In the Life World of the ChildIn the Life World of the Child

Levels of Relational Levels of Relational LearningLearning

• InformationalInformational

• FormationalFormational

• TransformationalTransformational

Dualistic View Of EducationDualistic View Of Education

• InformationalInformational

• Education in Education in Secular Subjects: Secular Subjects: Maths, Language, Maths, Language, Religion, Art and Religion, Art and Craft, Social Craft, Social Studies, Health and Studies, Health and Physical EducationPhysical Education

• FormationalFormational

• Pedagogy, Pedagogy, Assessment, Assessment, Organisation,Organisation,

• Excursions, Excursions, Ceremonies, Ceremonies, Camps, Community Camps, Community Service, Co-Service, Co-Curricular Activities, Curricular Activities, Pastoral Care, Pastoral Care, Community Life.Community Life.

TransformationalTransformational

• Begins with personal meaning:Begins with personal meaning:– The learner must connect the subject/object of The learner must connect the subject/object of

the lesson/unit to his/her life experience.the lesson/unit to his/her life experience.– How is this subject/object like something How is this subject/object like something

familiar in his/her experience.familiar in his/her experience.– Imagine a situation in his her life where it Imagine a situation in his her life where it

might be important to know, like, refer to the might be important to know, like, refer to the subject/object of the lessonsubject/object of the lesson

– How is the subject/object connected to his/her How is the subject/object connected to his/her family, neighborhood, life at home, to friends.family, neighborhood, life at home, to friends.

– How is the subject/object connected to How is the subject/object connected to something that recently appeared in the mediasomething that recently appeared in the media

VALUES

Catholicity

Excellence

Justice

Transformation

Relationship

Common Good

ETHICS

Authenticity

Presence

Responsibility

LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES

Distributed

responsibility

Evidence based practice

Professional

learning

Sustainability

Community and Culture

Change

management

External networking

LEARNING PROCESSES

Curriculum standards and

targets

School and class

organisation

Pedagogy

Intervention programs

Monitoring, assessment

and reporting

Transformed Learner

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP FOR TRANSFORMING LEARNING IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

CatholicityCatholicity

• The defining characteristic of our schools is The defining characteristic of our schools is that they are Catholic – a work of love, for that they are Catholic – a work of love, for the full human development of our the full human development of our students, grounded in the teachings of students, grounded in the teachings of Christ and at the service of society.  They Christ and at the service of society.  They are a key element of the evangelising are a key element of the evangelising mission of the Church as they strive to bring mission of the Church as they strive to bring culture and faith into harmony in the school culture and faith into harmony in the school community.  The Catholic school takes its community.  The Catholic school takes its stand within the organic pastoral work of stand within the organic pastoral work of the Christian community.the Christian community.

ExcellenceExcellence

Schools must be good schools.  That is, they Schools must be good schools.  That is, they must seek the very best outcomes for their must seek the very best outcomes for their students.  This comes down to ensuring the students.  This comes down to ensuring the highest quality of teaching and learning both highest quality of teaching and learning both for staff and students. for staff and students.

• All improvement is set within a framework of:All improvement is set within a framework of:– values about the nature of the moral purpose of values about the nature of the moral purpose of

schools schools – teacher professionalismteacher professionalism– the capacity of every student to learn given the capacity of every student to learn given

support in an appropriate learning environment.support in an appropriate learning environment.

THE COMMON GOOD APPROACH

•Presents a vision of society as a community whose members are joined in a shared pursuit of values and goals they hold in common.

•The community is comprised of individuals whose own good is inextricably bound to the good of the whole.

•The principle states: “What is ethical is what advances the common good. We are not justified in taking actions that directly harm others.”

•But it is not always clear in practice

THE JUSTICE APPROACH•Focuses on how fairly or unfairly our actions distribute benefits and burdens among among the members of a group.

•Justice requires consistency in the way people are treated.

•The principle states:”Treat people the same unless there are morally relevant differences between them.”

Problems exist on the issue of disadvantage and what should be done about it.

TransformationTransformation

• Teaching has often been described as sowing the seeds of the Teaching has often been described as sowing the seeds of the future.  It is a vocation of hope, in which teachers constantly future.  It is a vocation of hope, in which teachers constantly stretch the limits of learning – both their own and that of our stretch the limits of learning – both their own and that of our students".students".

• Schools must go beyond the informational and even the Schools must go beyond the informational and even the formational to the transformational.  As Jerry Starratt says, formational to the transformational.  As Jerry Starratt says, through transformative learning, the learner becomes a fuller, through transformative learning, the learner becomes a fuller, richer, deeper human being.richer, deeper human being.

• Schools should be vibrant learning communities which make a Schools should be vibrant learning communities which make a fundamental contribution to society by working to bring culture fundamental contribution to society by working to bring culture and faith into harmony.  They should be places within which and faith into harmony.  They should be places within which students gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes to critically students gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes to critically engage with their society as they become effective global engage with their society as they become effective global citizens.citizens.

Ethic 1: AuthenticityEthic 1: Authenticity

The ethic of authenticity challenges The ethic of authenticity challenges us to act in truth and integrity in all us to act in truth and integrity in all our interactions as humans, citizens, our interactions as humans, citizens, teachers and leaders.teachers and leaders.

Ethic 2: PresenceEthic 2: Presence

The ethic of presence challenges us The ethic of presence challenges us to relate to ourselves and to others in to relate to ourselves and to others in ways are truly open and truly ways are truly open and truly engaging.engaging.

Ethic 3: ResponsibilityEthic 3: Responsibility

The ethic of responsibility challenges us to The ethic of responsibility challenges us to act in ways that acknowledge our personal act in ways that acknowledge our personal accountability for our actions, for shaping accountability for our actions, for shaping learning and for providing growth promoting learning and for providing growth promoting environments of relationship and learning. environments of relationship and learning. We are responsible as human beings, as We are responsible as human beings, as educators and as citizens to all stakeholders educators and as citizens to all stakeholders in our schools: students, parents, teachers, in our schools: students, parents, teachers, support staff, government agencies and the support staff, government agencies and the Church.Church.

Consider Other Approaches to Consider Other Approaches to Ethics: Shapiro and Stefkovich Ethics: Shapiro and Stefkovich 20012001• JusticeJustice

• CritiqueCritique

• CareCare

• ProfessionProfession

• Community (Gail Furman, 2005)Community (Gail Furman, 2005)

Some frequently mentioned Some frequently mentioned Leadership issues: LTLL Leadership issues: LTLL ResearchResearch• A conceptual model was seen as useful as it made explicit A conceptual model was seen as useful as it made explicit

the key domains in building towards improved learning the key domains in building towards improved learning outcomes and the place of shared moral purposes of outcomes and the place of shared moral purposes of learning and more concrete behaviours of leadership and learning and more concrete behaviours of leadership and learning.learning.

• Strength in developing and implementing practices for Strength in developing and implementing practices for collecting and interpreting available data and linking to best collecting and interpreting available data and linking to best practice elsewhere.practice elsewhere.

• Having processes in place for enhancing staff skills in the Having processes in place for enhancing staff skills in the area of evidence based practice.area of evidence based practice.

• Embed teacher team learning in professional practice and Embed teacher team learning in professional practice and utilise it as a driving force in school innovation and utilise it as a driving force in school innovation and development.development.

• Articulate understandings of contemporary theories on Articulate understandings of contemporary theories on student learning and teaching practicesstudent learning and teaching practices

Issues Cont.Issues Cont.

• Leadership needs to be seen as socially justLeadership needs to be seen as socially just• Utilise teacher appraisal processes to identify and Utilise teacher appraisal processes to identify and

support the specific learning needs of individual support the specific learning needs of individual teachers*teachers*

• Facilitate opportunities for parents to undertake Facilitate opportunities for parents to undertake training and share their experience of strategies for training and share their experience of strategies for supporting their child’s learningsupporting their child’s learning

• Report regularly to parents in a language that is Report regularly to parents in a language that is readily understood and that provides interpretive readily understood and that provides interpretive comments etccomments etc

• Develop a sense of shared responsibility and Develop a sense of shared responsibility and ownership with students and parents for social, ownership with students and parents for social, emotional and academic learning underpinned by emotional and academic learning underpinned by common understandings of educational goalscommon understandings of educational goals

* Most frequently * Most frequently mentionedmentioned

• There appear to be two strong recurring themes: There appear to be two strong recurring themes: • developing a strong sense of being a learning developing a strong sense of being a learning

community among staff – focussed on skill needs community among staff – focussed on skill needs (particularly evidence based practice) and shared (particularly evidence based practice) and shared understandings and language especially about the understandings and language especially about the values and ethics of educational processes. This values and ethics of educational processes. This calls for strong articulation among processes. Andcalls for strong articulation among processes. And

• building links with parents and giving voice to building links with parents and giving voice to students to engage them as real partners in students to engage them as real partners in learning.learning.

Building a Culture Of Moral Building a Culture Of Moral Leadership In Education:Leadership In Education:• There is a crucial need for individuals to take There is a crucial need for individuals to take

responsibility for leadership at all levels and responsibility for leadership at all levels and for organizations to involve people more in for organizations to involve people more in the policies/decisions they have to the policies/decisions they have to implement.implement.

• Contemporary leaders require frames of Contemporary leaders require frames of reference that can assist them to manage reference that can assist them to manage situations of uncertainty, ambiguity and situations of uncertainty, ambiguity and paradox.paradox.

• Need frameworks for making choices that Need frameworks for making choices that can encompass seeming polar opposite can encompass seeming polar opposite considerations, values and ethical positions.considerations, values and ethical positions.

Platforms For Leading Platforms For Leading Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

•What Does the Wizard of Oz What Does the Wizard of Oz Have To Offer Me?Have To Offer Me?

•Charlie’s Chance to Mentor Charlie’s Chance to Mentor YouYou

Ethical ModelEthical Model

Intangible Elements

Values

Beliefs

Ideology

Tangible Elements

Verbal Manifestation

•Aims

•Goals

•Myths

•Fables

•Metaphors

•Saga

•Legends

•Traditions

Visual Manifestation

•Crests

•Mottos

•Icons

•Uniforms

•Resources

•Facilities

•Symbols

Behavioral Manifestation

•Rituals

•Ceremonies

•Language

•Structures

•Procedures

•Rules

•Regulations

•Rewards

•Sanctions

Doing the Right Thing throughout the Organisation

Congruity

Profession

Care

Sacred

Justice

Critique

Burford’s Belief ModelBurford’s Belief ModelLeadership Value : XLeadership Value : X

• BeliefBelief– My belief about My belief about

this valuethis value

– Full sentencesFull sentences

– Don’t use the Don’t use the value termvalue term

– Agreed meaningAgreed meaning

• IdeologyIdeology– OughtOught

– Ought NOTOught NOT

– See/Hear/DoSee/Hear/Do

– Evidence - What Evidence - What would we accept?would we accept?

Walt Whitman on Education Walt Whitman on Education and Lifeand Life• This is what you shall do: love the earth and This is what you shall do: love the earth and

sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid to everyone that asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income and labour to and crazy, devote your income and labour to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence towards God, have patience and indulgence towards the people, take off your hat to nothing known the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unknownor unknown

• or to any man or number of men, go freely or to any man or number of men, go freely with powerful undereducated persons and with with powerful undereducated persons and with the young and with the mothers of families,the young and with the mothers of families,

Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman

• Read these leaves in the open air every Read these leaves in the open air every season of every year of your life, re-season of every year of your life, re-examine all you have been told at school or examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book, dismiss what ever church or in any book, dismiss what ever insults your own soul, and your very flesh insults your own soul, and your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face and between the lines of its lips and face and between the lashes of your eyes and in every motion and lashes of your eyes and in every motion and joint of your body……..joint of your body……..