Pedagogical Leadership

Pedagogical Leadership

To understand ‘Pedagogical Leadership’ we must first understand the term ‘pedagogy’ and its role in the classroom. So what is ‘Pedagogy?’ “Derived from the Greek word ‘paidagogos’ meaning teacher of children, the concept of pedagogy broadly refers to the ‘art and science’ of teaching, especially as it has been informed by understandings of how students ‘best learn’” (White, 2008).
For educators this means not just delivering a ‘one size fits all’ curriculum but looking more deeply at the specific needs of the individual.
“as a concept, it draws attention to the process through which knowledge is produced” (Lusted, 1986).
“even greater focus has been placed on the fundamental goal of learning: the generation of personal meaning and deep conceptual understanding” (White, 2008).
“have the autonomy to design, implement and assess educational activities that meet the needs” of all students (MacNeill, Cavanagh, & Silcox, 2005).
What does ‘Good’ Pedagogical Leadership look like?
“The teacher’s ongoing concerns are less with institutional problems than with personal problems, less with school productivity than with success of their own students, less with the system infra-structure than with personal relational concerns, less with political educational issues than with emotional and moral issues, less with the corporate efficacies of their practices than with the interpersonal dimensions of their actions” (Van Manen, 2002). Good pedagogy is teaching to how students’ best learn. This does take more effort, care and dedication for the teacher who may normally have taken the blanket approach, teaching to a group, not individual learners.
What are the key aspects of ‘Pedagogical Leadership’? “Pedagogic leadership takes into account the ‘why?’ ‘how?’ and ‘when?’ of learning, not just the ‘what?’” (MacNeill, Cavanagh, & Silcox, Pedagogic Principal Leadership, 2003)
RELATIONSHIPS- Building stronger, understanding relationships with students, parents, other staff and the wider community to bring about positive changes.
EDUCATIONAL- Understanding and teaching to the strengths of individual students
PROFESSIONALISM- leading ‘pedagogically’, continued learning and self-reflective improvement PASTORAL CARE- Inclusive and supportive environment for students, staff and parents
SOCIAL JUSTICE- Focus on running schools for students not for teachers. Avoiding the ‘Neo Liberalism’ agenda.
Importance of ‘Good’ Pedagogical Leadership:
“Individuals and communities acquire knowledge, skills and concepts that empower them to remake, and if necessary reorder, the world in which they live” (Smyth, 1989)
“an act that motivates others, thus facilitating culturally and morally aware learning in second party” (Lusted, 1986)
“it enables us to question the validity of separating these activities so easily by asking under what conditions and through what means we ‘come to know’.” (Lusted, 1986)
Good pedagogy is teaching to how best students learn. This does take more effort, care and dedication for the teacher that may normally have taken the blanket approach, teaching to a group, not individual learners.

References
Lusted, D. (1986). Why Pedagogy? Retrieved from http://screen.oxfordjournals.org/
MacNeill, N., Cavanagh, R. F., & Silcox, S. (2003). Pedagogic Principal Leadership. Management In Education, 17(14).
MacNeill, N., Cavanagh, R. F., & Silcox, S. (2005). Pedagogical Leadership: Refocussing on Learning and Teaching. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, 9(2). Retrieved May 14th, 2014, from http://iejll.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/iejll/index.php/ijll/article/download/402/64.
Smyth, J. (1989). A 'Pedagogical ' and 'Educative ' View of Leadership. In J. Smyth, Critical Perspectives on Educational Leadership (pp. 121-136). Falmer Press.
Van Manen, M. (2002). The pedagogical task of teaching- Guest Editorial. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 135-138.
White, D. (2008). Pedagogical leadership : under the microscope? Australian Educational Leader, 30(3), 17-20.

References: Lusted, D. (1986). Why Pedagogy? Retrieved from http://screen.oxfordjournals.org/ MacNeill, N., Cavanagh, R. F., & Silcox, S. (2003). Pedagogic Principal Leadership. Management In Education, 17(14). MacNeill, N., Cavanagh, R. F., & Silcox, S. (2005). Pedagogical Leadership: Refocussing on Learning and Teaching. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, 9(2). Retrieved May 14th, 2014, from http://iejll.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/iejll/index.php/ijll/article/download/402/64. Smyth, J. (1989). A 'Pedagogical ' and 'Educative ' View of Leadership. In J. Smyth, Critical Perspectives on Educational Leadership (pp. 121-136). Falmer Press. Van Manen, M. (2002). The pedagogical task of teaching- Guest Editorial. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 135-138. White, D. (2008). Pedagogical leadership : under the microscope? Australian Educational Leader, 30(3), 17-20.