Práct ica ment al

As the course facilitator, I employed different methodologies in delivering the content of the scenarios and the ethical questions and dilemmas that were under consideration. On some occasions, I designed the professional learning scenarios around a common theme and employed a PowerPoint presentation to unravel the ‘messy thick story’ (Fauske, 2000; Murphy, 2007; Cranston, 2008) one frame at a time, so the participants could be fully immersed in a complex scenario as it developed. On other occasions, as course facilitator, I posed an ethical question and sought to elicit from the course participants a range of

different ways of considering and responding to the ethical issues which were involved. An example of this approach can be found in the scenario I developed dealing with

bullying behavior by a student and the questions that I posed for course participants which related to intervention and reporting by teaching staff.49

One of the key drivers of my pedagogical approach is to have participants realise the complexity of the situations, dilemmas, and ethical options which school leaders face in making their decisions. My pedagogical understanding endorses an approach outlined by Dempster et al. (2002). In their research, they comment that school principals can be better prepared ‘to respond to the challenges of contemporary school leadership through

professional development approaches that take account of the ethical complexity of school-based management’ (2002, pp. 427–428). Buskey (2013) employs the term

‘courageous leadership’ to explain the processes where school leaders learn through these new experiences and acquisition of knowledge. For Dempster et al., a significant challenge for principals occurs when they are ‘confronted with decisions that are influenced by macro political, social and market driven forces’ (2004, p. 163). For this reason, Dempster et al. call for a rethink on the nature of induction for newly-appointed principals so that these novice principals may be more alert to the impact of a ‘range of macro-contextual influences’ on their decision making (2004b, p. 172). They also note the situation has become even more complicated as ‘school-based management has expanded the constituency of people with an influence on the principal’s work’ (2004b, p. 173).

For Malcolm, the scenarios ‘allowed us to be more proactive rather than going into reactive decision making’ (Transcript, WS750066, p. 11). For this reason, throughout the course I continuously used complex ethical questions and explored areas of contestable decision making for school leaders. I used a wide range of authentic scenarios to probe and generate discussion about areas of policy implementation and management practice in

schools. The comprehensive list is a guide to the range of dilemmas which were posed to course participants for reflection and discussion throughout the course.50 The list is based on authentic situations encountered by principals with whom I have worked as a senior departmental officer. A separate list arose following a discussion at an afternoon workshop session during the Ethical Decision Making Course as to the appropriateness of setting scenario questions in a formal interview for a leadership position in a school.51

In working through these possible scenarios, I provided guidance, as a facilitator, to the framing of some of the discourses by asking workshop groups to consider in their

deliberations key aspects of policy and policy implementation. This guidance covered key operational issues for school leaders including roles and responsibilities, record keeping, transparency and availability of school policies, the nature of the school professional learning cycle and calendar, disputation and conflict-resolution procedures. Another area discussed at length was the role and form that a school communication policy document could serve in warding off potential areas of conflict.52

The Ethical Decision Making Course for School Leaders– insights from field work

One of the significant moments I experienced in my field work was during a focus-group interview involving an entire school leadership team who had participated in the Ethical Decision Making Course. The moment was profound, as comments from two participants made me sharply rethink some of my key assumptions about the course, and the future professional use and direction of the resources I had developed. The comments from Mary and Malcolm come from a passage of dialogue where all the participants, members of the

50 _{The list can be viewed in Appendix 4.}

51 _{This list of scenario-based questions for merit selection interviews for principal and executive positions is}

found in Appendix 5.

52 _{This area is explored in more detail in Professional Practice Initiative 3 that focuses on practitioner}

school executive team, were encouraged to make final comments in relation to the professional learning experiences of which they had been a part.

Mary commented as follows.

I think the process we went through … increased individual and team

knowledge. It allowed for personal growth as well as team growth. I thought all of those aspects made us become better leaders, better workers in the – in our school and in the system in general (Transcript, WS 750066, pp. 31–32).

Malcolm added to the commentary.

I think it’s already been covered … but the ability to basically be able to come back and reflect about what we do and reflect personally and reflect as a team … significant at this time with all of the changes that are coming through … I think if those opportunities are provided … where we have, maybe, your team groups and your aspiring leaders. What it actually does is it allows your staff to actually become engaged in their profession (Transcript, WS 750066, pp. 31– 32).

Teaching is a collaborative and collegial profession by its very nature. In creating and developing the professional learning resources, I positioned the learning for leaders and aspiring leaders in isolation. As a result, I failed to understand the value of the resources as professional learning for the leadership group as a team – as an element of collaborative practice that facilitated sharing, discussion and both individual and group reflection. In the focus group interview, both Mary and Malcolm responded to the power of team learning, knowledge and shared reflection. They allude to their personal growth, but they also recognise clearly the increased knowledge and engagement that comes from sharing

professional practice and rich conversations with peers. Malcolm commented on the value of this process and reflection at a time of significant educational change within the

profession. Mary acknowledged the value of the learning and reflection for her as a leader, a member of her school professional learning community, and as a public school teacher working in the NSW Department of Education.

The last response in the focus growth interview came from Aida, the school principal who requested that her entire leadership team be part of the professional learning course. Her comments following on from the earlier comments by two of her executive on team knowledge and team growth are illuminating.

My plan in taking the executive was for a team-building exercise, but it actually surpassed what I was hoping for. It engaged each one of them; it developed a camaraderie between them in a different sense to what we had before … these whole discussions brought out each of their expertises and I think they saw each other in a very different way professionally. It allowed them to support each other in a different way personally. That’s where a lot of that resilience and where a lot of that cooperation and where a lot of that confidentiality and team work was actually enhanced by doing this process for my team.

(Transcript, WS750066, p. 33).

I find Aida’s use of the word ‘process’ illuminating as it suggests the growth of

participants individually and as team members. The principal’s initial intention of using the course as a ‘team-building exercise’ overlapped with the intention of one other principal who commented in an individual interview that she had viewed the course as ‘a really good team-building process for us to do it together’ (Transcript, WS750062, p. 1).

For Aida, the principal of this large, complex primary school, the benefits went beyond team building. Her comments include a range of benefits that relate to her executive at both an individual and team level, including increased camaraderie, development and recognition of individual expertise, increased professional support for each other, resilience, cooperation, confidentiality and enhanced team work.

The attributes she described centre on empowerment that celebrates the power of the team. These attributes will be needed by all leaders in the future to build workplaces which illustrate and promote ethical practice for all constituent members of the team including students, staff, parents and the community. The comments by Aida also echo the responses of two participants from the whole-school workshop which I facilitated in a special needs school in December 2012 to which I refer in extensive detail in my first Professional Practice Initiative.

Zarina, one of the classroom teacher participants, commented in an evaluation on the value of a group discussion in relation to school policy: ‘Have had policies but reviewing and discussing as a group clears the mind’. This response was also echoed in a longer comment made in an evaluation by Mika, another classroom teacher participant, who noted in part that the ‘many thoughts and ideas which were opened up were good to think about. We deal with many of them day to day but other people’s responses were very helpful’.