Part of the disadvantage in selecting former principals from other schools is the fact that these individuals were not professionally developed under the SUIS design and therefore have little experience in mandatory procedures such as creating effective learning programs with the local Shanghai departments. A leader unaccustomed to unusual tasks will usually have difficulty meeting objectives during the first couple of years on the job (Earley and Weindling 75). However, a senior teacher at SUIS, particularly one who has accumulated an outstanding record of achievement, has years of first-hand experience and knowledge of the company’s procedures in detail. Is it worthwhile to peg these star teachers for a possible leadership position in the future?
As previously mentioned, most principals begin their careers in education as teachers ('The High Wire Job' 6), so it is important to acknowledge the ambitious and confident senior teachers who will eventually want more out of their careers (Borba 53). The drive to suddenly want to transition from teacher to leader often comes after years of successful results in the classroom followed by a desire to bring such results to scale within a school (Ripley 3). If companies such as SUIS want to increase their chances of finding strong leaders, then it would be wise of them to not overlook the leader candidates from among their own teaching staff; however, the company must find means of detecting teachers with large aspirations before a leadership position becomes vacant as it would require time and resources to develop the required skills.
One of the criteria established so far in this practicum is that school leaders must be skilled instructional leaders. The first important indicator that a teacher may one day aspire to become a great leader is if he or she excels in teaching and raising student achievement in the classroom (Borba 53). Such teachers can easily be detected through reputation, but it would require regularly and thoroughly conducted evaluations to ensure that the quality is earnest.
Ideally, the purpose of teacher evaluations is to “bring about improvement by focusing on specified goals and objectives” (Sorenson 34). In the case of seeking potential leader candidates among the teaching staff, evaluations would have to be revised so that they could allow the company to identify those teachers who would one day make exceptional leaders as well. This would likely involve a secondary set of measures including involvement from the human resources department. SUIS already utilizes a separate department for evaluations and assessments, which allows for more objective evaluations as school leaders often are not impartial enough to accurately assess the quality of their own teachers (Kimball and Milanowski 39).
Teachers identified as potential leader candidates due to their skills in the classroom, should be given additional duties that would develop and assess their organizational management abilities. Recalling the SUIS staff organization structure and the principal’s job description, school leaders are required to spread out certain tasks among their staff as a means to “phase out support” and “make collaboration [with teachers] more effective” (Hansen 34). Exceptional teachers identified through years of evaluation should be assigned certain responsibilities that would allow them to develop managerial skills such as training new teachers, conducting assessments, and taking part in strategic management projects including areas that involve financial matters. Phillip Hallinger and Kamontip Snidvongs write that "Project management provides a more systematic method of identifying and developing the leadership skills of people who are not in formal leadership roles. It is clear that schools must develop the leadership capacities of more than just the school head and deputies." (23). It would be the responsibility of SUIS to ensure that such outlets are available when required because the level of performance in such areas is likely to determine whether or not a senior teacher is capable of one day leading a school.
However, under the obvious advantages in selecting senior teachers for potential leader positions are some equally obvious disadvantages as well. For every senior teacher promoted to a school leader position, a teaching vacancy is left open, and depending on how much preparation was done in advance, time and resources will be needed to find a new teacher. Schools also must be cautious when two or more senior teachers are eligible for a leader position. One teacher being promoted over others may result in a loss of stability because the new leader is not considered “legitimate” in the eyes of other teachers (Gold 209). Lastly, should a senior teacher who aspires to be a school leader suddenly not get the position or wait too long for the position to become available, he or she is likely to seek the position elsewhere at another school thereby depriving the company of both a charismatic teacher and an eligible leader candidate.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
III. Potential Candidates: Former Principals
As discussed in section II, the highest criterion for school leadership is adequate instructional training, which not only helps set the standards for academic goals, but more importantly earns the commitment of teachers for reaching said goals. SUIS certainly recognizes the importance of instructional leadership which is why one of its criteria for a school leader position is ten or more years experience running a public or private school.
Selecting former public or private school principals for a leader position is discussed briefly in Steven F. Wilson’s book about running public schools as businesses. Public school principals, Wilson discloses, rarely meet the requirements for such leadership positions because their main tasks were “given over to attending parent issues, community-related tasks, discipline, and facilities management, and not to instructional leadership.” (250).
Furthermore such principals have trouble with the uncompromising mission-driven objectives of a for-profit education company. Wilson writes that although there are occasionally “dynamic principals who despite overwhelming odds had raised student performance, […] they were successful precisely because they broke the district’s rules and gamed its systems to get what they needed for students.” (250).
Finally it is suggested that public school principals often have trouble adjusting to a new fast-paced competitive environment because it is in stark contrast to the securities and comforts offered by school districts (Wilson 251).
On private school principals, Wilson shows more optimism. He says that private school heads are accustomed to the “twin demands of academic quality and financial discipline,” (251) making their experience more corresponding to the tasks companies such as SUIS require. On the other hand, private school heads tend to lack the entrepreneurial drive to raise and improve student achievement, which is a large part of the company’s mission. According to a SABIS director, private schools rarely experience the need to improve academic achievement because most of their students are high-achievers to begin with (Wilson 252). So while these candidates may possess an acceptable background in instruction and finance, it is not certain whether they possess the motivation to raise standards and competitiveness.
Wilson’s brief experience with identifying potential candidates is revealing but offers little help in deducing ways to improve recruitment strategy. According to him, former public school principals have a poor track record in for-profit education companies, yet it is very likely that these are the types who make up a majority of the candidates SUIS has to choose from. Therefore to achieve some level of effective scalability, SUIS may have to disregard a large number of its applicants and subject more qualified ones to a rigorous set of screening procedures followed by a probationary period which tests for adequacy of academic instruction.
Wilson’s account also reveals that the quality of candidates could potentially improve should SUIS develop methods to attract more former private school principals who have a better background in the financial aspect of leading schools than public school principals. This view is likewise supported by an article about charter school leaders published anonymously in Education Week which emphasizes the importance of being confident in both financial and instructional matters ('The High Wire Job' 8). If we recall what was learned from the SUIS principal job description, this matter is not to be downplayed.
Lastly, a few articles suggest that the required ten years minimum experience is more than necessary. The anonymous article published in Education Week claims that a minimum of three years experience is enough ('The High Wire Job' 7), while a study on school leaders and “shelf life” finds that peak experience is reached after seven (Earley and Weindling 76). These affirmations, although not much, are worth considering should SUIS be seeking methods to widen its search for potential candidates.
Selecting former public or private school principals for a leader position is discussed briefly in Steven F. Wilson’s book about running public schools as businesses. Public school principals, Wilson discloses, rarely meet the requirements for such leadership positions because their main tasks were “given over to attending parent issues, community-related tasks, discipline, and facilities management, and not to instructional leadership.” (250).
Furthermore such principals have trouble with the uncompromising mission-driven objectives of a for-profit education company. Wilson writes that although there are occasionally “dynamic principals who despite overwhelming odds had raised student performance, […] they were successful precisely because they broke the district’s rules and gamed its systems to get what they needed for students.” (250).
Finally it is suggested that public school principals often have trouble adjusting to a new fast-paced competitive environment because it is in stark contrast to the securities and comforts offered by school districts (Wilson 251).
On private school principals, Wilson shows more optimism. He says that private school heads are accustomed to the “twin demands of academic quality and financial discipline,” (251) making their experience more corresponding to the tasks companies such as SUIS require. On the other hand, private school heads tend to lack the entrepreneurial drive to raise and improve student achievement, which is a large part of the company’s mission. According to a SABIS director, private schools rarely experience the need to improve academic achievement because most of their students are high-achievers to begin with (Wilson 252). So while these candidates may possess an acceptable background in instruction and finance, it is not certain whether they possess the motivation to raise standards and competitiveness.
Wilson’s brief experience with identifying potential candidates is revealing but offers little help in deducing ways to improve recruitment strategy. According to him, former public school principals have a poor track record in for-profit education companies, yet it is very likely that these are the types who make up a majority of the candidates SUIS has to choose from. Therefore to achieve some level of effective scalability, SUIS may have to disregard a large number of its applicants and subject more qualified ones to a rigorous set of screening procedures followed by a probationary period which tests for adequacy of academic instruction.
Wilson’s account also reveals that the quality of candidates could potentially improve should SUIS develop methods to attract more former private school principals who have a better background in the financial aspect of leading schools than public school principals. This view is likewise supported by an article about charter school leaders published anonymously in Education Week which emphasizes the importance of being confident in both financial and instructional matters ('The High Wire Job' 8). If we recall what was learned from the SUIS principal job description, this matter is not to be downplayed.
Lastly, a few articles suggest that the required ten years minimum experience is more than necessary. The anonymous article published in Education Week claims that a minimum of three years experience is enough ('The High Wire Job' 7), while a study on school leaders and “shelf life” finds that peak experience is reached after seven (Earley and Weindling 76). These affirmations, although not much, are worth considering should SUIS be seeking methods to widen its search for potential candidates.
III. Recruitment
Recall once again that SUIS is a network of schools sharing one name and central management. The ultimate goal of the company is to make quality education scalable so that each new school can operate as successfully as the previous one.
And yet over and over, ambitious education companies have demonstrated that even with a systemized set of procedures, a rewarding curriculum, and updated facilities, a school cannot succeed without the foresight of a strong and capable leader. That is why education companies everywhere have trouble consistently replicating the desired results of their first schools. Charismatic leaders, crucial to success, are uncommon and difficult to find. This dilemma seems to refute the possibility of bringing scalability to a school design.
However this has not stopped SUIS and others from trying. Knowing how to select the right people for the right job is crucial to the success of any enterprise and since its inception, SUIS has had detailed recruitment procedures and human resource strategies in place. Additionally, the company follows the interview and selection guidelines established by The Academy for International School Heads (AISH). Taken together, the entire process from CV screening to salary negotiation is very thorough and seemingly durable to consistent application.
The purpose of this section is to further explore the idea of bringing scalability to a school design by seeking methods that would help companies such as SUIS locate strong leaders more effectively. In the previous section I defined the type of leader that would best suit a SUIS school environment. Now I will discuss where such leaders can be found and how SUIS can make smart decisions about recruitment.
And yet over and over, ambitious education companies have demonstrated that even with a systemized set of procedures, a rewarding curriculum, and updated facilities, a school cannot succeed without the foresight of a strong and capable leader. That is why education companies everywhere have trouble consistently replicating the desired results of their first schools. Charismatic leaders, crucial to success, are uncommon and difficult to find. This dilemma seems to refute the possibility of bringing scalability to a school design.
However this has not stopped SUIS and others from trying. Knowing how to select the right people for the right job is crucial to the success of any enterprise and since its inception, SUIS has had detailed recruitment procedures and human resource strategies in place. Additionally, the company follows the interview and selection guidelines established by The Academy for International School Heads (AISH). Taken together, the entire process from CV screening to salary negotiation is very thorough and seemingly durable to consistent application.
The purpose of this section is to further explore the idea of bringing scalability to a school design by seeking methods that would help companies such as SUIS locate strong leaders more effectively. In the previous section I defined the type of leader that would best suit a SUIS school environment. Now I will discuss where such leaders can be found and how SUIS can make smart decisions about recruitment.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
II. Conclusion
The specific requirements for a school leader will no doubt vary from school to school. Along with the necessary qualifications, SUIS also prefers those who have experience working under an international atmosphere in Asia. However, the point of this section was to shed light on the question of the kind of leader SUIS schools need to ensure success. I feel that without going too deeply into the day-by-day routines, an adequate enough answer has been developed.
As each leader will possess a unique background, experience, and personality, SUIS should aim for qualities that are more general, but aligned with the school’s priorities. First of all, the company should choose enterprising over loyalty, however in order to avoid renegade leaders or too much deviation from the requirements, its design must hold up to harsh scrutiny. SUIS wants smart candidates who are loyal not for the sake of it, but because they see value in their employers’ mission.
Second, SUIS should seek leaders who have ample experience in instructional leadership and school administration and yet are business-minded and enjoy the challenge of working under profit motives. The SUIS professional culture requires a school leader who can work with the competitive outlook and communication skills of a businessman, but is an educator at heart.
Once again, these are qualities that cannot readily be found, but at the very least are realistic. The question now is whether or not such qualities are recognizable during the recruitment stages, and if not, can they be developed after the fact? Whatever the answer is, SUIS must make careful decisions in how it identifies suitable candidates and develops them into successful leadership positions. SUIS selection and recruitment methods will be discussed in the next section.
As each leader will possess a unique background, experience, and personality, SUIS should aim for qualities that are more general, but aligned with the school’s priorities. First of all, the company should choose enterprising over loyalty, however in order to avoid renegade leaders or too much deviation from the requirements, its design must hold up to harsh scrutiny. SUIS wants smart candidates who are loyal not for the sake of it, but because they see value in their employers’ mission.
Second, SUIS should seek leaders who have ample experience in instructional leadership and school administration and yet are business-minded and enjoy the challenge of working under profit motives. The SUIS professional culture requires a school leader who can work with the competitive outlook and communication skills of a businessman, but is an educator at heart.
Once again, these are qualities that cannot readily be found, but at the very least are realistic. The question now is whether or not such qualities are recognizable during the recruitment stages, and if not, can they be developed after the fact? Whatever the answer is, SUIS must make careful decisions in how it identifies suitable candidates and develops them into successful leadership positions. SUIS selection and recruitment methods will be discussed in the next section.
II. Analysis: Instructional Leadership
Something quite obvious about the SUIS principal job description is that it reads more like the job requirements for the supervisor of a large company rather than that of a traditional school principal. For instance, strategic management is a term rarely used in school terminology, but common in office settings. Additionally the leader’s accountability areas list responsibilities in quantitative, objective terms indicating a drive to produce better outputs and qualities of service like a business. Could this imply that SUIS wants school leaders to view themselves primarily as businessmen rather than as educators? Given that SUIS is ultimately a for-profit company this would make sense, but at what point does business management come at the expense of instructional leadership? This is a question worth exploring because the literature on school leadership shows a remarkable record of principals reaping consequences due to a lack of instructional knowledge.
In their essay on educating leaders, Philip Hallinger and Kamontip Snidvongs note that “the hallmark of successful school leadership lies in the ability to blend managerial and leadership roles in the service of student learning.” (10). The distinction between “management” and “leadership” is important. Management involves running non-academic areas of the school such as scheduling, facilities maintenance, enrollment, and accounting, while “leadership” are the actions that lead to credibility in the eyes of the teachers. For school leaders, the former role is apparent, but the latter can be easily overlooked.
In her essay about the importance of school administration, Mary F. Borba writes that by being able to recognize effective and ineffective instruction, principals are better able to “support, mentor, coach, and instruct teachers to improve their competencies.” (53). In other words, without proper knowledge of instruction, leaders will have difficulty communicating with teachers – something that could eventually lead to “intragroup conflict” (Gold 208). In a study on the sustainability of reform implementations in fifteen public schools, Mclaughlin and Mitra noted that principals who were strong in administrative support but lacking in instructional leadership were unable to earn the commitment of their staff (311).
A lack of proper communication channels also puts school standards at risk. In a study on teacher evaluations, Kimball and Milanowski noted that principals who lack the knowledge to give “constructive criticisms or recommendations on specific instructional strategies,” fail to induce teachers into improving their methods (61). Furthermore in a study on teacher professional development, the researchers found that leaders who could not integrate hands-on, content specific training into the daily life of the school, are less likely to produce “enhanced knowledge and skills.” (Garet et al. 935).
The above quotes come from researchers working in public school settings, so it is possible that the emphasis on instructional leadership is not held to the same standards in for-profit education organizations. However, in the few articles that could be found on school leadership in such institutes, the emphasis is the same if not more. In an article about charter school leaders published in Education Week, the anonymous author quotes the results of a survey that indicates “most charter school leaders are professional educators [whereby] the vast majority (74 percent) earned their highest degrees in traditional educational training from colleges of education [and] almost 60 percent are or have been state-certified school principals.”('The High Wire Job' 7). And Steven F. Wilson in his very thorough study on running schools as businesses concludes,
The last sentence of Wilson’s quote is worth emphasizing. The concern should not be whether management comes at the expense of leadership, but how the two can be effectively combined. As a private school’s survival depends almost entirely on enrollment numbers and parental satisfaction (profit), it makes sense that successful schools are constantly driven to improve curriculum and other outputs in a business-like fashion. As Wilson notes, leaders should be “consumed with instructional quality and data” much like the way a large firm is consumed with data on market shares and competitive pricing. “Leaders must be able to use information as a currency [because] many decisions about student learning must be made with supporting data.” (Hallinger and Snidvongs 13).
At the very least, schools want leaders who are competent enough to meet specific requirements and keep things running, but for organizations such as SUIS, this is not enough. These companies are mission driven to provide quality education and high levels of achievement. For a school leader, such a task begins with earning the trust and respect of teachers, who are the main agents of curriculum delivery (Clandinin and Connelly 363). The SUIS school leaders’ main responsibilities do happen to be steeped in instruction and learning but it is not readily apparent how these goals are to be aligned with the company’s overall “corporate” agenda. The fact of the matter is sufficient knowledge of schooling and instruction is absolutely critical and should be among one of the top criteria when selecting new leaders. But getting more to the point, an ideal school leader is not someone who begins his career as a skilled businessman and then changes focus to education, but rather someone well-trained in instructional methods and yet convinced by the efficacy of business.
In their essay on educating leaders, Philip Hallinger and Kamontip Snidvongs note that “the hallmark of successful school leadership lies in the ability to blend managerial and leadership roles in the service of student learning.” (10). The distinction between “management” and “leadership” is important. Management involves running non-academic areas of the school such as scheduling, facilities maintenance, enrollment, and accounting, while “leadership” are the actions that lead to credibility in the eyes of the teachers. For school leaders, the former role is apparent, but the latter can be easily overlooked.
In her essay about the importance of school administration, Mary F. Borba writes that by being able to recognize effective and ineffective instruction, principals are better able to “support, mentor, coach, and instruct teachers to improve their competencies.” (53). In other words, without proper knowledge of instruction, leaders will have difficulty communicating with teachers – something that could eventually lead to “intragroup conflict” (Gold 208). In a study on the sustainability of reform implementations in fifteen public schools, Mclaughlin and Mitra noted that principals who were strong in administrative support but lacking in instructional leadership were unable to earn the commitment of their staff (311).
A lack of proper communication channels also puts school standards at risk. In a study on teacher evaluations, Kimball and Milanowski noted that principals who lack the knowledge to give “constructive criticisms or recommendations on specific instructional strategies,” fail to induce teachers into improving their methods (61). Furthermore in a study on teacher professional development, the researchers found that leaders who could not integrate hands-on, content specific training into the daily life of the school, are less likely to produce “enhanced knowledge and skills.” (Garet et al. 935).
The above quotes come from researchers working in public school settings, so it is possible that the emphasis on instructional leadership is not held to the same standards in for-profit education organizations. However, in the few articles that could be found on school leadership in such institutes, the emphasis is the same if not more. In an article about charter school leaders published in Education Week, the anonymous author quotes the results of a survey that indicates “most charter school leaders are professional educators [whereby] the vast majority (74 percent) earned their highest degrees in traditional educational training from colleges of education [and] almost 60 percent are or have been state-certified school principals.”('The High Wire Job' 7). And Steven F. Wilson in his very thorough study on running schools as businesses concludes,
I found few principals of managed schools who were effective instructional leaders. Few were fluent in the instructional programs on which they relied. Very few could coherently cite test results in support of their claims, let along real-time data that revealed which classrooms and grades had gained traction with an instructional program and which others were as yet languishing. If the next [educational management organizations] are to make good on their claims to academic excellence, they must deploy school leaders who are consumed with instructional quality and the data by which to manage it. (350). (my bolds)
The last sentence of Wilson’s quote is worth emphasizing. The concern should not be whether management comes at the expense of leadership, but how the two can be effectively combined. As a private school’s survival depends almost entirely on enrollment numbers and parental satisfaction (profit), it makes sense that successful schools are constantly driven to improve curriculum and other outputs in a business-like fashion. As Wilson notes, leaders should be “consumed with instructional quality and data” much like the way a large firm is consumed with data on market shares and competitive pricing. “Leaders must be able to use information as a currency [because] many decisions about student learning must be made with supporting data.” (Hallinger and Snidvongs 13).
At the very least, schools want leaders who are competent enough to meet specific requirements and keep things running, but for organizations such as SUIS, this is not enough. These companies are mission driven to provide quality education and high levels of achievement. For a school leader, such a task begins with earning the trust and respect of teachers, who are the main agents of curriculum delivery (Clandinin and Connelly 363). The SUIS school leaders’ main responsibilities do happen to be steeped in instruction and learning but it is not readily apparent how these goals are to be aligned with the company’s overall “corporate” agenda. The fact of the matter is sufficient knowledge of schooling and instruction is absolutely critical and should be among one of the top criteria when selecting new leaders. But getting more to the point, an ideal school leader is not someone who begins his career as a skilled businessman and then changes focus to education, but rather someone well-trained in instructional methods and yet convinced by the efficacy of business.
II. Analysis: Flexibility
Studying the SUIS school design and the principal’s job description verifies precisely why it is precarious yet necessary that schools rely on the leadership of extraordinary individuals. While certain sections of the school are designed for standardization, many others are not, requiring the need for someone to “fill in the blanks” on a daily basis. Just look at how SUIS attempts to balance between a rigid, non-negotiable structure (East Meets West, core subjects), with an environment that provides the school leader with enough flexibility to maneuver strategies and set goals without constraint (hiring and firing staff, choosing programs, creating head positions).
For most principals, particularly in public schools, a flexible environment is often considered a necessity in order to get the job done. In their study on the “shelf life” of school principals, Peter Earley and Dick Weindling found that job flexibility is an inseparable aspect of the principal position due to unforeseeable variables and shifting goals. They write that today’s school leaders must “manage major multiple initiatives which originate externally, while at the same time, attempt to integrate themselves and shape the culture of the school.” (76). Similarly, in a study on linking leadership to student learning, Kenneth Leithwood and Doris Jantzi found that leaders with high levels of belief in how malleable their working environments are, have much effect in mandating higher learning standards within their schools (502).
Although SUIS does provide some degree of malleability in the school design, mandatory directives such as the “East Meets West” occupancy agreement and the goal of scalability means there must be limits to how much flexibility school leaders are permitted. This balancing act is not an unexplored issue but a dilemma faced by practically all for-profit institutions. Steven F. Wilson, former CEO of the now defunct Advantage schools writes about seeking out potential school leaders.
Like many privately run schools, the obvious consequences of working under a design that is both rigid and flexible is that it requires school leaders to balance characteristics that often run against one another, making scalability even less plausible. In order to maintain a systematized method of school leadership, SUIS must draw a line in the sand somewhere.
The principal’s job description demonstrates an attempt to convert these inherent contradictions into something more coherent. By listing several tasks and requirements but providing no details about how to accomplish them (something that would be difficult and inefficient for SUIS to do), job flexibility is neutralized by an ample amount of job description. In other words the school relies on the leader to carry out tasks using one's own resourcefulness but it specifies exactly what it wants achieved leaving little room for deviation. How well this strategy works is an entirely different issue, but at the very least it illuminates part of the answer to the question I am asking which (in case you forgot) is what kind of leader do SUIS schools need to ensure success?
SUIS needs leaders who are cleverly resourceful and yet respect and believe enough in the validity of the school design to want to follow it as outlined, a characteristic no more easier to find than anything originally hypothesized. But pessimism aside, such a quality is realistic and SUIS could implement procedures that would better seek out these types of leaders. For instance, the pressure is now on for SUIS to sell a convincing and credible design that would attract this caliber of leader to the school – a topic that will be discussed in a later section.
For most principals, particularly in public schools, a flexible environment is often considered a necessity in order to get the job done. In their study on the “shelf life” of school principals, Peter Earley and Dick Weindling found that job flexibility is an inseparable aspect of the principal position due to unforeseeable variables and shifting goals. They write that today’s school leaders must “manage major multiple initiatives which originate externally, while at the same time, attempt to integrate themselves and shape the culture of the school.” (76). Similarly, in a study on linking leadership to student learning, Kenneth Leithwood and Doris Jantzi found that leaders with high levels of belief in how malleable their working environments are, have much effect in mandating higher learning standards within their schools (502).
Although SUIS does provide some degree of malleability in the school design, mandatory directives such as the “East Meets West” occupancy agreement and the goal of scalability means there must be limits to how much flexibility school leaders are permitted. This balancing act is not an unexplored issue but a dilemma faced by practically all for-profit institutions. Steven F. Wilson, former CEO of the now defunct Advantage schools writes about seeking out potential school leaders.
One set of requirements argues for hiring “self-starters” – enterprising leaders who are confident in their judgment and accustomed to exercising it. […] Principals must function like entrepreneurs, rapidly hiring dozens of staff members, […] appeasing impatient parents, and generally lurching from one crisis to the next. The other set of requirements calls for loyal, diligent managers who take pride in the care with which they implement the company’s school design and protocols. The first type of candidate might bristle at being told what to do or how to do it; the second might flounder in an unstructured environment where each day brings new problems for which there are no ready solutions. (241)
Like many privately run schools, the obvious consequences of working under a design that is both rigid and flexible is that it requires school leaders to balance characteristics that often run against one another, making scalability even less plausible. In order to maintain a systematized method of school leadership, SUIS must draw a line in the sand somewhere.
The principal’s job description demonstrates an attempt to convert these inherent contradictions into something more coherent. By listing several tasks and requirements but providing no details about how to accomplish them (something that would be difficult and inefficient for SUIS to do), job flexibility is neutralized by an ample amount of job description. In other words the school relies on the leader to carry out tasks using one's own resourcefulness but it specifies exactly what it wants achieved leaving little room for deviation. How well this strategy works is an entirely different issue, but at the very least it illuminates part of the answer to the question I am asking which (in case you forgot) is what kind of leader do SUIS schools need to ensure success?
SUIS needs leaders who are cleverly resourceful and yet respect and believe enough in the validity of the school design to want to follow it as outlined, a characteristic no more easier to find than anything originally hypothesized. But pessimism aside, such a quality is realistic and SUIS could implement procedures that would better seek out these types of leaders. For instance, the pressure is now on for SUIS to sell a convincing and credible design that would attract this caliber of leader to the school – a topic that will be discussed in a later section.
Monday, January 4, 2010
II. SUIS: The Principal's Job Description
When SUIS hires new principals, the company provides a list of job requirements. I will quickly summarize what it states.
The school leader position is divided into specific sections each with its own set of focuses. They are strategic management, accountability areas, line management of colleagues, school-based additional focuses, personnel management, and additional focuses.
Strategic management
This is the process by which company leaders consolidate to formulate long-term objectives and the types of strategies required to meet them. For SUIS school leaders, strategic management is an all-encompassing responsibility that involves improving the functioning and output of the international stream within their own school as well as input for improving the international stream across all SUIS schools. This division also requires leaders to pay particular attention to areas where cross-stream collaboration can be improved upon. It is also implied that leaders from each school must consolidate regularly to discuss strategies with the director of the international stream and the head of marketing. This is important as setting key meetings is "vital to the long-range effectiveness of the school" (Marshall 18).
Accountability areas
These are the specific areas of operation (primary focuses) the school leader is held responsible for and must plan and execute with little to no intervention from SUIS.
International program accreditation
Standards and Total Quality Management (TQM)
Teaching & learning, homework, and assessment
Classroom evaluation
International school environment & standards
Admissions
Student recruitment strategies
Transition from primary school to secondary
Communication strategies (in-school, XieHe, parents, community)
Line management of colleagues
This lists the chain of command that the school leader is responsible for. It will include any assistant heads as well as admissions staffs. Interestingly, teachers are not listed implying that the school leader can choose to manage them directly or through the head of curriculum.
School-based additional focuses
As the heading implies, the leader is responsible for maintaining the overall mission, ethos, and culture of the school. This includes any kind of advertising, displays, extra curricular activities, and parent liaisons.
Personnel management
This is an offshoot of some of the contents in accountability areas particularly communication strategies. Here the leader is reminded to staff the curriculum, manage western colleagues, maintain contact with HR, handle contracts and job descriptions, and conduct teacher training and appraisals.
Administrative focuses
This is an offshoot of school-based additional focuses and entails more aspects of maintaining the culture of the international stream. Listed are the monthly newsletter, the yearbook, editing and proofreading, admissions-interviewing, student recruitment strategies, and liaisons with the Western community.
The school leader position is divided into specific sections each with its own set of focuses. They are strategic management, accountability areas, line management of colleagues, school-based additional focuses, personnel management, and additional focuses.
Strategic management
This is the process by which company leaders consolidate to formulate long-term objectives and the types of strategies required to meet them. For SUIS school leaders, strategic management is an all-encompassing responsibility that involves improving the functioning and output of the international stream within their own school as well as input for improving the international stream across all SUIS schools. This division also requires leaders to pay particular attention to areas where cross-stream collaboration can be improved upon. It is also implied that leaders from each school must consolidate regularly to discuss strategies with the director of the international stream and the head of marketing. This is important as setting key meetings is "vital to the long-range effectiveness of the school" (Marshall 18).
Accountability areas
These are the specific areas of operation (primary focuses) the school leader is held responsible for and must plan and execute with little to no intervention from SUIS.
International program accreditation
Standards and Total Quality Management (TQM)
Teaching & learning, homework, and assessment
Classroom evaluation
International school environment & standards
Admissions
Student recruitment strategies
Transition from primary school to secondary
Communication strategies (in-school, XieHe, parents, community)
Line management of colleagues
This lists the chain of command that the school leader is responsible for. It will include any assistant heads as well as admissions staffs. Interestingly, teachers are not listed implying that the school leader can choose to manage them directly or through the head of curriculum.
School-based additional focuses
As the heading implies, the leader is responsible for maintaining the overall mission, ethos, and culture of the school. This includes any kind of advertising, displays, extra curricular activities, and parent liaisons.
Personnel management
This is an offshoot of some of the contents in accountability areas particularly communication strategies. Here the leader is reminded to staff the curriculum, manage western colleagues, maintain contact with HR, handle contracts and job descriptions, and conduct teacher training and appraisals.
Administrative focuses
This is an offshoot of school-based additional focuses and entails more aspects of maintaining the culture of the international stream. Listed are the monthly newsletter, the yearbook, editing and proofreading, admissions-interviewing, student recruitment strategies, and liaisons with the Western community.
II. SUIS: Staff Organization
As a private organization, SUIS highly regards the use of business practices to operate and develop its schools. A look at the SUIS management structure reveals it is hierarchical and multilayered like a corporation as opposed to “flat” like an ordinary public school (see Figure 1). Keeping in mind that a single SUIS school can enroll well over a thousand students, it would be difficult for a single leader to effectively manage instruction and administration without some assistance. Like most privately run schools, SUIS devised alternative leadership structures and reporting lines to divide large tasks into manageable sections, thereby refraining from micromanagement (Marshal 20).
Figure 1 SUIS Staff Organizational Structure
Source: Shanghai United International Schools. Sept 2009.
The school leader’s span of control is limited to instruction and administration only, while areas such as school evaluation, marketing, and human resources are handled by the SUIS head office. The school leader reports directly to the company’s director of international education, who in turn reports to the organization’s chief executive. Below the school leader, management is further divided up between a “head of curriculum” and a “head of administration.” These two positions are middle management positions and the school leader is authorized to open as many as deemed necessary (for instance, some schools have opened head positions specifically for the implementation and training of the adopted international program). The head of curriculum’s job is to oversee the school’s instructional programs and implementations, including the ongoing development of the teaching staff. The head of administration’s job is to supervise non-academic portions of the school such as transportation, lunches, custodial services, enrollment, student services, and spending. The heads are required to meet regularly with the school leader whereby ultimate decisions in both curriculum and administration are made after careful consideration.
With responsibility centered entirely on instruction and administration, SUIS school leaders are less likely to be overwhelmed by several unrelated tasks at once. In turn, they are held highly accountable for meeting specific academic and financial objectives such as drafting and adhering to budgets and implementing instructional programs. In order to handle such responsibilities, school leaders are granted requisite authority similar to the chief executive of a corporation, that is to recruit, manage, promote, and retain staff members who are subscribing to school policies and performing at its standards, and to terminate the employment of those who are not (a liberty rarely experienced by public school leaders in the west).
Figure 1 SUIS Staff Organizational Structure
Source: Shanghai United International Schools. Sept 2009.
The school leader’s span of control is limited to instruction and administration only, while areas such as school evaluation, marketing, and human resources are handled by the SUIS head office. The school leader reports directly to the company’s director of international education, who in turn reports to the organization’s chief executive. Below the school leader, management is further divided up between a “head of curriculum” and a “head of administration.” These two positions are middle management positions and the school leader is authorized to open as many as deemed necessary (for instance, some schools have opened head positions specifically for the implementation and training of the adopted international program). The head of curriculum’s job is to oversee the school’s instructional programs and implementations, including the ongoing development of the teaching staff. The head of administration’s job is to supervise non-academic portions of the school such as transportation, lunches, custodial services, enrollment, student services, and spending. The heads are required to meet regularly with the school leader whereby ultimate decisions in both curriculum and administration are made after careful consideration.
With responsibility centered entirely on instruction and administration, SUIS school leaders are less likely to be overwhelmed by several unrelated tasks at once. In turn, they are held highly accountable for meeting specific academic and financial objectives such as drafting and adhering to budgets and implementing instructional programs. In order to handle such responsibilities, school leaders are granted requisite authority similar to the chief executive of a corporation, that is to recruit, manage, promote, and retain staff members who are subscribing to school policies and performing at its standards, and to terminate the employment of those who are not (a liberty rarely experienced by public school leaders in the west).
II. SUIS: Instructional Programs
SUIS has critical choices to make about what will be taught and by what methods. The school’s customer base is mainly expatriates conducting business in China who along with an adequate understanding of the Chinese language, want their children prepared for success in college. This requires instructional programs that can meet the school’s educational standards and be carefully monitored for improvement.
Class sizes are about 25 students each – neither small nor large. Students spend between seven and eight hours a day in school Monday to Friday. The school year is ten months long.
The SUIS curriculum is divided between core academic subjects and non-core subjects. Core academic subjects are those which must adhere strictly to SUIS policy: English, Chinese, math, music, and international curriculum. Non-core subjects such as PE, art, and extra activities are given considerable leeway by the school’s leader.
Click here to see a sample timetable
English and Chinese are taught as straightforward language courses with particular emphasis on reading and speaking. The Chinese language curriculum is mostly handled by the local stream while also taking into careful consideration input from the international stream. Therefore, school leaders who are weak in Chinese will have little to no influence in this area. However, they have much more control over the English curriculum including considerable say in which programs are selected so long as SUIS objectives are met.
Math and music highlight some of the more unique aspects of the “East Meets West” curriculum. These subjects are shared between international and local stream teachers using different methods to obtain different results. Since Chinese teachers are accustomed to teaching large classes, they use whole class methods and rote memorization. When students switch to their English teachers, they will be instructed more individually and through progressive methods such as inquiry learning. School leaders will be required to monitor student progress from one stream to the next.
International curriculum (not to be confused with the SUIS international stream curriculum which embodies everything) is any renowned instructional program designed for an international perspective deployed by the school. These programs include an array of subjects such as history, geography, science, and social science. The first program to be adopted by SUIS is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) for its global reputation. However, since a number of renowned international curriculums are available, SUIS permits school leaders to select the one they feel best suited to their school (other programs currently in use are The International Curriculum of England (ICE) and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC)). Because international curriculum is solely executed within the SUIS stream, school leaders are held entirely accountable for the program’s rate of success. This also includes proper staff training and mandated accreditation.
Finally, the SUIS non-core subjects - art, PE, and other activities are bound by less policy making them more malleable to the school leader’s desires. PE is also available in the local stream, so some SUIS schools divide it between Chinese and English as done in math and music. Sections called “other activities” are blank slots that the school leader may fill with programs of his or her choosing that will advance the school’s mission. For instance, the SUIS Shang Yin School has implemented a "Third Language Program" which offers native tongue instruction to students whose first language is not English or Chinese. This program has been so successful among Japanese and Korean students that it may soon elevate to being a part of SUIS’s core curriculum.
The SUIS international curriculum is both rigid and flexible. Rigid in the sense that the entire curriculum is bound by the “East Meets West” mission which includes mandatory cross-collaboration with the local stream, and certain core subjects with stated objectives and accreditation. Flexible in the sense that many programs can be drafted and executed as the school leader sees fit including the creation of new programs. Highlighted are the facts that the school leader must be highly sensitive to the school’s instructional methods, yet also enterprising as the job requires innovation, resource management, and staff loyalty.
Staffing the curriculum is a large part of the school leader’s job. With the added complexity of local stream collaboration, school leaders must have finely tuned communication skills in order to ensure that all staff are following the school design and performing at its standards. Reporting lines are therefore a fundamental aspect of how well a SUIS school is operating.
Class sizes are about 25 students each – neither small nor large. Students spend between seven and eight hours a day in school Monday to Friday. The school year is ten months long.
The SUIS curriculum is divided between core academic subjects and non-core subjects. Core academic subjects are those which must adhere strictly to SUIS policy: English, Chinese, math, music, and international curriculum. Non-core subjects such as PE, art, and extra activities are given considerable leeway by the school’s leader.
English and Chinese are taught as straightforward language courses with particular emphasis on reading and speaking. The Chinese language curriculum is mostly handled by the local stream while also taking into careful consideration input from the international stream. Therefore, school leaders who are weak in Chinese will have little to no influence in this area. However, they have much more control over the English curriculum including considerable say in which programs are selected so long as SUIS objectives are met.
Math and music highlight some of the more unique aspects of the “East Meets West” curriculum. These subjects are shared between international and local stream teachers using different methods to obtain different results. Since Chinese teachers are accustomed to teaching large classes, they use whole class methods and rote memorization. When students switch to their English teachers, they will be instructed more individually and through progressive methods such as inquiry learning. School leaders will be required to monitor student progress from one stream to the next.
International curriculum (not to be confused with the SUIS international stream curriculum which embodies everything) is any renowned instructional program designed for an international perspective deployed by the school. These programs include an array of subjects such as history, geography, science, and social science. The first program to be adopted by SUIS is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP) for its global reputation. However, since a number of renowned international curriculums are available, SUIS permits school leaders to select the one they feel best suited to their school (other programs currently in use are The International Curriculum of England (ICE) and the International Primary Curriculum (IPC)). Because international curriculum is solely executed within the SUIS stream, school leaders are held entirely accountable for the program’s rate of success. This also includes proper staff training and mandated accreditation.
Finally, the SUIS non-core subjects - art, PE, and other activities are bound by less policy making them more malleable to the school leader’s desires. PE is also available in the local stream, so some SUIS schools divide it between Chinese and English as done in math and music. Sections called “other activities” are blank slots that the school leader may fill with programs of his or her choosing that will advance the school’s mission. For instance, the SUIS Shang Yin School has implemented a "Third Language Program" which offers native tongue instruction to students whose first language is not English or Chinese. This program has been so successful among Japanese and Korean students that it may soon elevate to being a part of SUIS’s core curriculum.
The SUIS international curriculum is both rigid and flexible. Rigid in the sense that the entire curriculum is bound by the “East Meets West” mission which includes mandatory cross-collaboration with the local stream, and certain core subjects with stated objectives and accreditation. Flexible in the sense that many programs can be drafted and executed as the school leader sees fit including the creation of new programs. Highlighted are the facts that the school leader must be highly sensitive to the school’s instructional methods, yet also enterprising as the job requires innovation, resource management, and staff loyalty.
Staffing the curriculum is a large part of the school leader’s job. With the added complexity of local stream collaboration, school leaders must have finely tuned communication skills in order to ensure that all staff are following the school design and performing at its standards. Reporting lines are therefore a fundamental aspect of how well a SUIS school is operating.
II. SUIS: Mission
Like most international schools operating in Shanghai, curriculum is delivered mostly in English and partly in Mandarin Chinese, aiming its appeal towards parents who feel multi-lingualism will be a valuable asset to their children’s future careers. The school however takes this approach much further by emphasizing a strong cultural component. In addition to mandatory Chinese-language classes, international students also share a certain number of classes with local Shanghai students as well as take instruction from Shanghai teachers for other courses. SUIS calls this its “East Meets West” philosophy, an unfortunately cliché-sounding motto that is much more than what it implies on the surface.
For SUIS, “East Meets West” was not concocted as a marketable facet, but a feature embedded in the school’s occupancy agreement with the Chinese-run Xiehe Education Group. Under this partnership, SUIS is given permission to operate its international curriculum within locally-run facilities. This comes with many advantages. Drastically reduced are the hefty construction and maintenance costs for a suitable facility. Building taxes, fees, bureaucratic red tape, and other inhibitors to a school’s expansion are also minimized. However, for the sake of practicality and lowering costs, SUIS must share resources, including teachers, with the Xiehe local stream without compromising the quality and aim of its international curriculum.
Under these circumstances, the SUIS founders, composed of both local and foreign professionals, designed a curriculum which would attempt to exploit the advantages of learning under two different systems. For instance, they found that students fared better in mathematics when instructed under the Chinese system than under the western system while the reverse was true in subjects such as language arts and science. In the end, both systems were dissected for their strengths over the other and compiled as a chart for what would be the underlying blueprint for the SUIS school design.
Click here to see the charts for the SUIS school design
Unlike most other international schools whereby students take some Chinese-language courses interspersed throughout an otherwise western curriculum, SUIS international students must take part (and learn) in both international and local Chinese curricula. While mostly instructed in English, some classes are lead entirely in Chinese using strictly local methods. The goal of course is to be able to deliver a quality international curriculum along with an understanding of the Chinese language and culture superior to those offered by other international schools. However, the resulting cross-cultural learning environment is one that requires careful maintenance and monitoring as current international curricula often employ progressive methods such as child-centered learning which can be at odds with the traditional Chinese practice of rote learning.
Great leadership is necessary to sustain the balance between two different school cultures. Not only are international students required to attend and flourish in a certain number of local Chinese classes, but the SUIS international stream is required to collaborate and exchange ideas frequently with the Xiehe local stream in order to maximize the effectiveness of "East Meets West". Considering the cultural and ethnic makeup of the school staffs, language and cultural differences can make collaboration difficult to manage. Nevertheless, school leaders must find a way to support and encourage this important characteristic.
For SUIS, “East Meets West” was not concocted as a marketable facet, but a feature embedded in the school’s occupancy agreement with the Chinese-run Xiehe Education Group. Under this partnership, SUIS is given permission to operate its international curriculum within locally-run facilities. This comes with many advantages. Drastically reduced are the hefty construction and maintenance costs for a suitable facility. Building taxes, fees, bureaucratic red tape, and other inhibitors to a school’s expansion are also minimized. However, for the sake of practicality and lowering costs, SUIS must share resources, including teachers, with the Xiehe local stream without compromising the quality and aim of its international curriculum.
Under these circumstances, the SUIS founders, composed of both local and foreign professionals, designed a curriculum which would attempt to exploit the advantages of learning under two different systems. For instance, they found that students fared better in mathematics when instructed under the Chinese system than under the western system while the reverse was true in subjects such as language arts and science. In the end, both systems were dissected for their strengths over the other and compiled as a chart for what would be the underlying blueprint for the SUIS school design.
Unlike most other international schools whereby students take some Chinese-language courses interspersed throughout an otherwise western curriculum, SUIS international students must take part (and learn) in both international and local Chinese curricula. While mostly instructed in English, some classes are lead entirely in Chinese using strictly local methods. The goal of course is to be able to deliver a quality international curriculum along with an understanding of the Chinese language and culture superior to those offered by other international schools. However, the resulting cross-cultural learning environment is one that requires careful maintenance and monitoring as current international curricula often employ progressive methods such as child-centered learning which can be at odds with the traditional Chinese practice of rote learning.
Great leadership is necessary to sustain the balance between two different school cultures. Not only are international students required to attend and flourish in a certain number of local Chinese classes, but the SUIS international stream is required to collaborate and exchange ideas frequently with the Xiehe local stream in order to maximize the effectiveness of "East Meets West". Considering the cultural and ethnic makeup of the school staffs, language and cultural differences can make collaboration difficult to manage. Nevertheless, school leaders must find a way to support and encourage this important characteristic.
II. SUIS: A Quick Background
As one of the largest and most active metropolitan hubs in the world for international trade, Shanghai is home to thousands of expatriates and their families who demand quality international education for their children. Shanghai United International School (SUIS) is one of several institutions formed specifically to serve this need. The first primary school was launched in 2005, followed by a secondary school the following year. In 2007, two more primary schools were opened bringing the total of SUIS schools to four.
II. Establishing a Leader Profile
If the aim of a for-profit education organization such as SUIS is to find means to significantly increase the quantity of strong leaders then it would need to begin with some very clear objectives in mind. Before asking what kind of leader will suit the needs of the organization best, we need to know what the needs of the organization actually are. A thorough introduction and study of the company's school design is necessary, after which the information can be used to develop a strong but realistic leader profile that SUIS can target its recruitment procedures towards.
This section will begin with a thorough introduction of Shanghai United International Schools including the company’s mission, instructional programs, staff organization, and the principal’s job description.
This section will begin with a thorough introduction of Shanghai United International Schools including the company’s mission, instructional programs, staff organization, and the principal’s job description.
I. Leadership and Success
There is no mystery as to why effective leadership is difficult to mass produce. Given the human-oriented complexity of a school environment, it takes more than standardized methods and practices to lead a school to success. Leaders must rely heavily on their wits and communication skills if they are to announce ambitions goals for student achievement and inspire the deep commitment of staff to realize them. During my years working as an education director for a moderately sized chain of cram schools in Taiwan, I observed numerous times how it is strong leadership and not quality teachers or a rewarding curriculum that brings a school from average to exceptional.
The ability to lead a school to success is a rare and valuable character trait that is uncommon even among public schools, but for institutes dependent on bringing the business to scale, relying on finding such extraordinary individuals for the success of each school would be seriously difficult. To make matters even more challenging, leaders must come with instructional training and to an extent, business management experience so that they can adhere to the organization’s school design and accept responsibility for meeting its academic and financial goals. If schools depend to a large extent on great leadership for success, then what plausible mechanisms are available to increase the supply of these dynamic individuals?
This is the question I attempt to answer by studying the methods of a for-profit education institute in Shanghai China called Shanghai International School (SUIS). Although I have had close contact with SUIS for years by assisting them with some editing work, this is my first time studying their school design and procedures up close.
My aim is to seek ways for SUIS to increase the quantity of quality leadership. This will begin with some context about how leadership affects schooling. With the help of a literature review and a book about running schools as businesses I have broken down what needs to be studied.
- What is the profile of a strong school leader?
- How can such leaders be recruited?
- How can the company cultivate strong leaders after recruitment?
These questions while directed towards SUIS specifically are also answered with all for-profit private education organizations in mind. SUIS will act as a practical and real-world foundation for studying these questions, and my responses will be accompanied by thoughts and ideas derived from the literature.
The ability to lead a school to success is a rare and valuable character trait that is uncommon even among public schools, but for institutes dependent on bringing the business to scale, relying on finding such extraordinary individuals for the success of each school would be seriously difficult. To make matters even more challenging, leaders must come with instructional training and to an extent, business management experience so that they can adhere to the organization’s school design and accept responsibility for meeting its academic and financial goals. If schools depend to a large extent on great leadership for success, then what plausible mechanisms are available to increase the supply of these dynamic individuals?
This is the question I attempt to answer by studying the methods of a for-profit education institute in Shanghai China called Shanghai International School (SUIS). Although I have had close contact with SUIS for years by assisting them with some editing work, this is my first time studying their school design and procedures up close.
My aim is to seek ways for SUIS to increase the quantity of quality leadership. This will begin with some context about how leadership affects schooling. With the help of a literature review and a book about running schools as businesses I have broken down what needs to be studied.
- What is the profile of a strong school leader?
- How can such leaders be recruited?
- How can the company cultivate strong leaders after recruitment?
These questions while directed towards SUIS specifically are also answered with all for-profit private education organizations in mind. SUIS will act as a practical and real-world foundation for studying these questions, and my responses will be accompanied by thoughts and ideas derived from the literature.
I. Bringing the Business to Scale
Most for-profit education organizations are created out of a demand for an alternative to existing public schools. The venture will often begin as an investment opportunity to open one or two mission-driven schools dependent on enrollment numbers and parent satisfaction. If after several years of positive response from parents and students, the school’s founders will entice investors to launch an additional school with the promise of the same level of success as the previous one. Due to the enormous expenses involved in renovating facilities and training staff, education institutes rarely break even until about a dozen or so schools have been launched and many can go without making a profit for almost a decade of operation (Wilson 317).
For each new school launched, the institute’s reputation and financial shareholders are put on the line. A successful launch will advance the company’s name and attract more private investment, thereby keeping the schools alive. On the other hand, a mediocre launch can almost immediately discredit the company’s name despite previous achievements. Therefore the pressure to ensure a successful and stable launch is enormous. The organization’s founders spend a vast amount of resources on creating a robust school design that could be applied similarly across different locations. Strict procedures are put in vital areas of activity such as instructional methods, disciplinary procedures, staff training, and testing. But of the many factors that affect the success of a school, strong leadership is one of the most critical and yet the most difficult to rely on for availability. It is not an uncommon experience that schools opening with a weak leader become locked in mediocrity even if the existing leadership is replaced by someone more competent down the road (Wilson 203).
For each new school launched, the institute’s reputation and financial shareholders are put on the line. A successful launch will advance the company’s name and attract more private investment, thereby keeping the schools alive. On the other hand, a mediocre launch can almost immediately discredit the company’s name despite previous achievements. Therefore the pressure to ensure a successful and stable launch is enormous. The organization’s founders spend a vast amount of resources on creating a robust school design that could be applied similarly across different locations. Strict procedures are put in vital areas of activity such as instructional methods, disciplinary procedures, staff training, and testing. But of the many factors that affect the success of a school, strong leadership is one of the most critical and yet the most difficult to rely on for availability. It is not an uncommon experience that schools opening with a weak leader become locked in mediocrity even if the existing leadership is replaced by someone more competent down the road (Wilson 203).
I. Education Organization vs. School
Throughout this practicum I use the term 'education organization' or 'company' as opposed to 'school' because I am not dealing with a single facility, but a network of schools sharing one name and central management ("cookie-cutter schools" if you will). Furthermore, the organization is for-profit meaning financial prosperity is an important motivating factor.
Now I am well aware of the political and academic climate in regards to "cookie-cutter schools" – particularly ones that are for-profit. In my three years studying at OISE, I have seen little support among noted education theorists towards standardized schooling let alone profiting from them. The overall attitude can be adequately summarized by John Covaleskie's expression that schools seeking the fastest way to cut costs end up providing "educational junk food to a mass market, trading quality against cost containment." Such criticisms are hardly surprising when overenthusiastic companies such as Edison Schools have left so many debacles behind for us to study.
Although the focus of this practicum is not the morality behind these companies, I do find fault with the claim that financial efficiency and profit motives will inevitably lead to "educational junk food". Part of this criticism stems from the belief that schools should be "business-free zones" insulated from profit motives and crass commercialism, and yet public schools have long purchased goods and services from private companies – building contractors, architects, food service providers, custodial companies, textbook publishers, special education providers, and professional development consultants – that make a profit from schools (Wilson 266). And while critics like John Covaleskie invoke images of low quality "McSchools" producing junk education for a mass market, these same theorists almost never acknowledge the high quality products and services at low cost that other companies motivated by profit produce in almost every other walk of life.
The second criticism, that schools are unique and complex environments that should not be scaled and replicated like a retail chain is often misrepresented as something more ominous than it really is. Bringing things to scale, whether they be small tasks or larger procedures, is nothing new in the world of schooling as public school districts practice scaling each time they initiate a new reform (McLaughlin and Mitra 314). Attempting to replicate the success of one school onto others is a natural and regularly practiced process. The major difference between public schools and education institutes is that the latter spend significant resources trying to systematize the process, which to critics sounds mechanical and apathetic.
However, apathy and profit-motives can rarely coexist and I believe this is where the criticisms against these organizations fall apart. Several successful for-profit education institutes have flourished and continue to grow all around the world, in particular Kunskapsskolan in Sweden, SABIS in the Middle East, and National Heritage Academies in the U.S. These companies are highly regarded for their practices in raising educational quality and standards and I have no doubt that other institutes will develop and gain popularity as proven models are copied and mistakes learned from failed predecessors. I address these issues not because I feel the need to defend for-profit organizations from criticism (some of it is certainly warranted and they definitely do not need my help), but because I acknowledge their influence in schooling and find many of their practices worth our attention, even respect.
Now I am well aware of the political and academic climate in regards to "cookie-cutter schools" – particularly ones that are for-profit. In my three years studying at OISE, I have seen little support among noted education theorists towards standardized schooling let alone profiting from them. The overall attitude can be adequately summarized by John Covaleskie's expression that schools seeking the fastest way to cut costs end up providing "educational junk food to a mass market, trading quality against cost containment." Such criticisms are hardly surprising when overenthusiastic companies such as Edison Schools have left so many debacles behind for us to study.
Although the focus of this practicum is not the morality behind these companies, I do find fault with the claim that financial efficiency and profit motives will inevitably lead to "educational junk food". Part of this criticism stems from the belief that schools should be "business-free zones" insulated from profit motives and crass commercialism, and yet public schools have long purchased goods and services from private companies – building contractors, architects, food service providers, custodial companies, textbook publishers, special education providers, and professional development consultants – that make a profit from schools (Wilson 266). And while critics like John Covaleskie invoke images of low quality "McSchools" producing junk education for a mass market, these same theorists almost never acknowledge the high quality products and services at low cost that other companies motivated by profit produce in almost every other walk of life.
The second criticism, that schools are unique and complex environments that should not be scaled and replicated like a retail chain is often misrepresented as something more ominous than it really is. Bringing things to scale, whether they be small tasks or larger procedures, is nothing new in the world of schooling as public school districts practice scaling each time they initiate a new reform (McLaughlin and Mitra 314). Attempting to replicate the success of one school onto others is a natural and regularly practiced process. The major difference between public schools and education institutes is that the latter spend significant resources trying to systematize the process, which to critics sounds mechanical and apathetic.
However, apathy and profit-motives can rarely coexist and I believe this is where the criticisms against these organizations fall apart. Several successful for-profit education institutes have flourished and continue to grow all around the world, in particular Kunskapsskolan in Sweden, SABIS in the Middle East, and National Heritage Academies in the U.S. These companies are highly regarded for their practices in raising educational quality and standards and I have no doubt that other institutes will develop and gain popularity as proven models are copied and mistakes learned from failed predecessors. I address these issues not because I feel the need to defend for-profit organizations from criticism (some of it is certainly warranted and they definitely do not need my help), but because I acknowledge their influence in schooling and find many of their practices worth our attention, even respect.
I. Introduction
This practicum is about school leadership and its massive influence on the success of a school design. My aim is to seek out methods that would increase the quantity of strong leaders within a for-profit education organization in Shanghai, China called Shanghai United International Schools (SUIS). If strong leadership were to become easier to find or develop, it would lead SUIS towards successful continuous development.
A strong leader is one that is charismatic and able to rally students and teachers to their plans. For an international private school such as SUIS, strong leaders must possess the requisite blend of education and operational practice; adhere to the organization’s school design; and accept responsibility for meeting academic and financial goals. Such leaders are difficult to find and develop.
This practicum will therefore study how SUIS finds and develops its principals, and how these processes can be improved. To be included in the research are how the school identifies and recruits potential candidates for school leader positions, how principals are trained and developed, and how principals are evaluated and appraised.
By the end of this practicum, it is hoped that some new insight can be developed and applied to SUIS’s leadership recruitment, training, and evaluation methods.
A strong leader is one that is charismatic and able to rally students and teachers to their plans. For an international private school such as SUIS, strong leaders must possess the requisite blend of education and operational practice; adhere to the organization’s school design; and accept responsibility for meeting academic and financial goals. Such leaders are difficult to find and develop.
This practicum will therefore study how SUIS finds and develops its principals, and how these processes can be improved. To be included in the research are how the school identifies and recruits potential candidates for school leader positions, how principals are trained and developed, and how principals are evaluated and appraised.
By the end of this practicum, it is hoped that some new insight can be developed and applied to SUIS’s leadership recruitment, training, and evaluation methods.
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