This book uses practice theory to examine the role of ‘middle-leadership’. In particular, it investigates the practices of ‘leading in the middle’ in the cultural-discursive, material-economic, and social-political domains – i.e., the sayings, doings and relatings of middle leading. This perspective acknowledges the ecological arrangement of leading practices in schools, and the necessity of considering the unavoidable reality of the site. The analysis is used to promote the need to view leading in the middle as a form of praxis – a morally and ethically informed practice that requires thoughtful decision-making and action in situations where the outcomes are not always clear. This book focuses on the practice of leading for those in ‘middle management’ positions in primary and secondary schools, such as those responsible for curriculum leadership, including senior teachers, assistant principals, and curriculum leaders. In their positions that bridge ‘management’ and ‘the classroom’ they are significant leaders in promoting and sustaining effective pedagogy for good learning outcomes, and they have to continue to provide high-quality teaching in their own classrooms, while simultaneously being a mentor, coach, supporter and evaluator for their colleagues.

Middle leading refers to those teachers that both teach and have leadership roles, and thus can bridge the gap between the practices of learning and the managemant of schooling. Focusing on the practices of middle leaders, this book addresses the current lack of support and professional development for middle leaders in educational settings. Middle Leadership in Schools positions middle leaders as professional leaders, and an integral part of educational and professional development in schools and other educational institutions. Drawing on empirical research spanning four countries, this book provides readers with a conceptual framework to understand middle leading and shows how middle leading practices unfold in real educational contexts. This is a valuable resource that goes beyond a theoretical conversation about middle leaders to provide readers with practical applications based on extensive research undertaken by the authors. The book is divided into seven chapters, each of which include reflective discussion questions and recommended readings to promote collaborative engagement with the text. Chapters cover topics such as how middle leading is shaped in practice, its role in professional development and its impact on schools. Illustrating to middle leaders how they can develop their leadership skills, the book will also be of interest to school principals and other senior leaders as a guide to supporting their middle leaders.

Improve teacher collaboration and improve student learning by capacity building grade level leaders, heads of faculty, coordinators, deputy principals and every other middle leader in your school to build and lead teams that our mission driven.

To make the best decisions possible, middle leaders need to have a nuanced understanding of the consequences of their actions. In this pragmatic book, Adam Robbins aims to boost their role-specific expertise to help them achieve that goal - and offers them a preferable alternative to learning from their mistakes. Instead of relying on generic leadership theories, Middle Leadership Mastery collates perspectives from psychology and cognitive science to share evidence-informed guidance on a wide range of topics - from supporting staff and students in crisis and managing wellbeing, to quality-assuring teaching and curriculum design. Adam Robbins draws on his sixteen years' experience of teaching in a deprived area to illustrate his points with stories and anecdotes from the front line, demonstrating how middle leaders can better understand their context and deliver the best outcomes from a variety of starting points.

Curriculum Leadership by Middle Leaders focusses on major issues relating to the continuing national and international discourse on curriculum leadership, and highlights the vital role of middle leaders in schools. School leadership has focused primarily on first-order change involving school leaders or principals. This book seeks to put the spotlight on second-order change that involves curriculum leadership and professional development support on the part of middle leaders for more sustainable and long-term change in teaching and learning that will influence what happens in classrooms. With timely and thought-provoking contribution from authors who pursue a range of scholarly interests in multiple educational settings, the book is guided by several underlying questions: How might we re-envision curriculum leadership so that it addresses both local and global concerns and aspirations? How might we better grasp how middle leaders understand and respond to the pressures of educational reform initiatives? How might middle leaders transform pressures into possibilities? This book will appeal to current teachers, those currently undertaking teacher training and students or academics carrying out research in the field of educational leadership.

In the face of a global pandemic, catastrophic weather events, war, racism, and attacks on democracy, how should educational leaders respond? How can leaders enable their schools and districts to be agile, safe, and effective places of learning that help young people develop the knowledge and character that will empower them to shape their futures? While some schools and districts have taken top-down or bottom-up approaches, renowned education scholar Andy Hargreaves explores a new type of leadership - "leadership from the middle" - which becomes a driver of transformational change. Drawing from research with educational leaders across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, Hargreaves discusses a type of leadership that regards obstacles as opportunities, embraces leadership paradox, and is collaborative, inspiring, and inclusive. This ground-breaking book unpacks not only what this type of leadership looks like, but also how it is most effective in addressing complex problems and in educating young people to develop diverse global competencies to prepare them for their futures.

With so much now expected of middle leaders in schools, this book aims to help those in middle leadership positions to become more confident and effective in their roles. It systematically considers every aspect of the role including team building, raising standards, holding others to account and managing change. With a wealth of practical guidance, the book covers the essential skills needed by middle leaders such as managing meetings, conducting difficult conversations and development planning while also offering insights into why some middle leaders are so much more effective than others. Covering all aspects of middle leadership, features include: an analysis of different leadership styles case studies written by current middle leaders in schools reflection and action points throughout This book is essential reading for secondary school teachers who are about to become middle leaders and need guidance on how to get to grips with the role. It will also be of value to existing middle leaders who want to improve their performance and effectiveness.

All children deserve a good education, where barriers to learning are addressed and teachers have the knowledge and support to raise their aspirations and achievement. The Achievement for All programme is a tried-and-tested whole-school strategy for raising the aspirations and attainment of the most vulnerable learners in any school setting (0-19), including those with special educational needs, disabilities and English as an additional language. A two-year pilot demonstrated unprecedented impact for pupils with SEND, who progressed faster on average than all pupils nationally in English and M.

When schools are being hit with staff turnover, budget cuts, and changing priorities, how do you ensure that improvements stick, educators keep learning, and student performance continues to advance? In this follow-up to her ASCD best-seller Building Leadership Capacity in Schools, Linda Lambert answers that question and explains how to sustain a learning community where everyone takes ownership of improvement efforts and acts with a shared sense of purpose. Use the charts and action steps to analyze your school's leadership capacity, spot the participation patterns in your community, and identify new professional development opportunities for building leadership. Real-life examples from schools with high leadership capacities offer tips on how to overcome the resistance to change, find time for teacher collaboration, and encourage parents to take on leadership responsibilities. Handy rubrics and surveys help you assess and guide the leadership capacity of any school. Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book.

'The New Middle Leader's Handbook' is the definitive go-to guide for all educators looking to take the leap into middle leadership, those wanting to become better middle leaders, or senior leaders seeking an authoritative manual for their school's middle leadership. Innovatively organised into chapters around the school year, taking readers from August to July and covering the full range of problems, challenges and opportunities they face in one of the most important roles in the school, and providing them with a framework to strategically plan and shape their year. Readers can use the book to structure their work into manageable portions while tailoring its content to their own personal school context, and its many activities and resources will provide opportunities for reflection, analysis and creative thinking.Operating as a practical manual and designed for easy reference, the book proposes methods, systems and procedures for: developing a personal leadership style; managing and driving dynamic change; building a successful team and challenging resistance; challenging underperformance of staff and students; using performance management to drive improvement; monitoring the quality of teaching and learning; tracking and measuring progress; preparing for inspection or internal review, including the self-evaluation process; organising meetings and leading professional development, including the use of the coaching model; prioritising workload and maintaining a work/life balance; developing a strategic learning and development plan; creating a culture of positive behaviour, aspiration and high expectations; innovating in teaching and learning; and designing a creative curriculum and curriculum enrichment. In addition, the book will guide those wishing to step up to middle leadership through the application and interview process, providing common-sense advice on the experience and skills required to become a successful middle leader. At its core, the book will be a source of stability for middle leaders that helps them to establish working principles that transcend changes to examinations, inspection criteria or DfE guidance. It offers inspiration and enable a reflective approach to the role. The book is comprehensive and knowledgeable, but crucially, accessible, written in a style that will eschew overly academic theorising, trendy soundbites or patronising waffle. In its final chapters, it looks beyond the first year to provide guidance on long-term strategic planning, career development and bridging the gap between middle and senior leadership. In short, 'The New Middle Leader's Handbook' will be the only book that an aspiring or current middle leader will ever need.