IMPROVING

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
VOLUME 2:
CASE STUDIES ON SYSTEM LEADERSHIP
EDITED BY BEATRIZ PONT, DEBORAH NUSCHE, DAVID HOPKINS
OECD, 2008
 ACCOUNTABILITY VIEW

• IN OUR WORK ON ACCOUNTABILITY, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS USEFUL TO

THINK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AS A PROBLEM OF INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE,
RATHER THAN IMPLEMENTATION, COMPLIANCE OR FIDELITY. …
• SCHOOLS DON’T SUDDENLY “GET” ACCOUNTABILITY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF A
POLICY BEING FORMED AT SOME REMOTE PLACE AND IMPLEMENTED AT
ANOTHER; SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY. ALL SCHOOLS,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR TYPE, STATUS OR INSTITUTIONAL BASIS, HAVE A
SOLUTION TO THE ACCOUNTABILITY PROBLEM EMBEDDED IN THEIR EXISTING
ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT AND CULTURE
• MENJADI SEKOLAH YG AKUNTABEL ITU ADA DASARNYA NGGAK BISA SERTA
MERTA BUUUM
 NO IMPLEMENT BUT RESPOND

• SO THE EFFECT OF AN EXTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY POLICY DEPENDS NOT ON

WHETHER, OR HOW WELL, SCHOOLS OR SCHOOL SYSTEMS “IMPLEMENT” THAT
POLICY, BUT ON HOW THEY RESPOND TO THE INCENTIVES THE POLICY PUTS IN
PLACE IN THEIR EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT…
• FURTHERMORE, MOST SCHOOLS OPERATE IN MULTIPLE ACCOUNTABILITY
SYSTEMS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH ONES TO FAVOUR IN
ANY GIVEN INSTANCE. …..
• (KASEK PUYENG DITUNTUT INI ITU SAMA DIKNAS SAMA YYS… HARUS SAABAR,
SATU-SATU LAYANI SESUAI PRIORITAS)
 RESPOND DEPENDS ON CAPACITY
• THE FIRST, MOST OBVIOUS, FINDING FROM OUR RESEARCH IS THAT SCHOOLS
AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS RESPOND DIFFERENTLY, DEPENDING ON THEIR
CAPACITY AND THEIR INTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY. …
• WE SPEAK OF “HIGH CAPACITY” ORGANISATIONS AS THOSE THAT HAVE, OR HAVE
ACCESS TO, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL THAT CAN BE PUT TO USE IN RESPONDING
TO EXTERNAL PRESSURES, AND “LOW CAPACITY” ORGANISATIONS AS THOSE
THAT DO NOT (COHEN AND LOWENBURG BALL, 1999; COHEN ET AL., 2006). ..
• NOT SURPRISINGLY, IN OUR STUDIES, MOST SCHOOLS LIE AT THE LOW CAPACITY,
LOW INTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• (NAH SEKOLAH KITA MASUK YANG MANA YA, LOW ATAU HIGH CAPACITY)
 ACCOUNTABLE LEADERS

• IN OUR WORK ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, ACCOUNTABLE LEADERS ARE

NOT PASSIVE OR REACTIVE LEADERS. THAT IS, THEY DON’T DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO.
THEY DON’T EVEN SPEND MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND “GAME” THE
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS THEY OPERATE IN. THEY OPERATE IN A MORE STRATEGIC FRAME.
• ACCOUNTABLE LEADERS KNOW THAT SUCCESS IN A PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE SYSTEM
DOES NOT STEM FROM COMPLIANCE, BUT RATHER FROM THE STRATEGIC USE OF RESOURCES TO
IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, WHICH IN TURN ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD CAPACITY.
• (NAH SERU INI, KASEK YG HEBAT ITU BUKAN YG SUKA NURUT LHO, TP YG BERPIKIR DAN
BERTINDAK STRATEGIS) WOOW KEREN KAN, NGGAK NURUT SAMA KADIV BOLEH LHO
 EFFECTIVE PRACTICE
• LEADERSHIP PRACTICE IS WHAT CONNECTS POLICY TO PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLS. IT
IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS PROPOSITION MEANS IN ORDER TO GRASP
WHAT EFFECTIVE PRACTICE LOOKS LIKE.
• FIRST, PRACTICE IS NOT A PERSONAL ATTRIBUTE OR CHARACTERISTIC OF LEADERS; IT
IS A COLLECTION OF PATTERNED ACTIONS, BASED ON A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILL,
AND HABITS OF MIND THAT CAN BE OBJECTIVELY DEFINED, TAUGHT, AND LEARNED.
• SECOND, PRACTICE MUST BE BASED ON A THEORY OF ACTION, A CAUSAL MODEL
THAT CAN BE FALSIFIED WITH EVIDENCE OF ITS CONSEQUENCES. A THEORY OF
ACTION IS A SET OF LOGICALLY CONNECTED STATEMENTS
• THIRD, PRACTICE IS EMBEDDED IN THE PARTICULAR INCENTIVE STRUCTURES AND
PARTICULAR INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS IN WHICH IT IS USED
• SUSAHNYA JADI KASEK, EEHHH SUSAH APA ENAK YA
 STUCK SCHOOLS

• A SCHOOL IN WHICH DECISIONS AROUND CONTENT AND PEDAGOGY ARE

DELEGATED TO THE CLASSROOM LEVEL, IN WHICH TEACHERS HAVE NO
RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AROUND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE, IN
WHICH THERE ARE NO DISCUSSIONS AMONG TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS
ABOUT EVIDENCE OF STUDENT LEARNING, IS A SCHOOL WITH EXTREMELY LOW
INTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
• SUCH SCHOOLS ARE RELATIVELY IMMUNE TO EXTERNAL INFLUENCES OF ANY
KIND BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO RECEPTORS FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL
AND NO WAY OF USING IT WHEN IT IS PRESENT.
 MOVING SCHOOLS

• MOVING A SCHOOL LIKE THIS THROUGH AN IMPROVEMENT PROCESS REQUIRES A

FOCUS ON CREATING OCCASIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF INSTRUCTIONAL
PRACTICE, CREATING A DEMAND FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL, MANAGING TIME
AND MONEY IN A WAY THAT PROMOTES OCCASIONS FOR LEARNING, AND OPENING UP
CLASSROOM PRACTICE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES ON CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY.
• MOVING A SCHOOL LIKE THIS REQUIRES SKILL IN USING THE EXISTING INTERNAL
INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN FOCUS AND MOTIVATE TEACHERS TO
TACKLE PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE.
 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

• SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS HIGH PERFORMANCE AND

QUALITY ARE NOT A STATE BUT A POINT ALONG A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTINUUM.
MOVING A SCHOOL THROUGH THESE STAGES REQUIRES,
• FIRST, AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS GOING ON;
AND
• SECOND, AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DISTINGUISHES SCHOOLS AT ONE STAGE OF
DEVELOPMENT FROM ANOTHER
• SEKOLAH MAJU ITU BUTUH PROSES, ADA TAHAPANNYA, JGN BURU2 BIARPUN
LAMBAATTT KITA HARUS SABAARRR, YANG PENTING AYO MAJU YA MAJU
 LACK ORGANIZATION CAPACITY

• MOST SYSTEMS HAVE NO CAPACITY TO LEARN FROM THESE PRACTITIONERS.

SYSTEMS USUALLY LACK THE KIND OF DETAILED KNOWLEDGE OF PRACTICE AT
THE SCHOOL LEVEL THAT IS REQUIRED TO SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT.
• SCHOOL ORGANISATION REINFORCES THIS ATOMISATION BY MINIMISING
OCCASIONS FOR COLLECTIVE WORK ON COMMON PROBLEMS, SO THE SCHOOL
LACKS THE BASIC ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY TO USE ANY KIND OF EXTERNAL
KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL TO IMPROVE PRACTICE.
• ORANG PINTER DARI DALAM SEKOLAH DAN DARI LUAR SEKOLAH ITU ADA LHO,
BISA DIGUNAKAN UNTUK KEMAJUAN SEKOLAH, JANGANLAH KAU SIA-SIAKAN
 THE PRACTICE OF IMPROVEMENT

• SCHOOLS DON’T IMPROVE BY FOLLOWING A SET OF RULES; THEY IMPROVE BY ENGAGING IN

PRACTICES THAT LEAD THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH SPECIFIC STUDENTS IN A SPECIFIC
CONTEXT. HENCE, SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT DEPENDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
DIAGNOSTIC CAPACITY AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NORMS OF FLEXIBILITY IN PRACTICE.
• THE PRACTICE OF IMPROVEMENT IS THE MANAGEMENT OF LEARNING FOR COLLECTIVE
PURPOSES; HENCE, KNOWLEDGE OF DEVELOPMENT IS CENTRAL TO THE PRACTICE OF
LEADERSHIP.
• IMPROVEMENT OCCURS ACROSS AT LEAST THREE DOMAINS: THE TECHNICAL, THE SOCIAL-
EMOTIONAL, AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL.
• SEKOLAH ITU HEBAT BILA … PENGETAHUAN DAN SKILL NYA DALAM MENDAMPINGI ANAK
DIDIK TERUS TUMBUH … TERUUUUUSSSS TUMBUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 FOCUS

• WE WORK WITH LEADERS ON THE CENTRAL CULTURAL ARTEFACTS OF THEIR

ORGANISATIONS: THE SCHEDULE, THE ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHERS TO GRADE LEVELS
AND CLASSES, THE USE OF PREPARATION TIME, THE USE OF MEETINGS, THE
MANAGEMENT OF TIME AND MONEY, THE CONSULTATION AND PLANNING PROCESSES,
ETC.
• WITH EACH OF THESE ARTEFACTS WE TRY TO GET LEADERS TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY
MIGHT BE USED TO FOCUS INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE, TO CREATE CHALLENGE AND
SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ENHANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL.
• KALAU KASEK SIBUK BANGET NGURUSIN PEMBELAJARAN, MENANTANG DAN
MENDORONG GURU DAN SISWA UNTUK TERUS MAJU ITU OKE BANGET, BUKAN SIBUK
YANG LAINNN LHO
 LEADERS UNDERESTIMATED

• .. THE MOST COMMON IS THAT POSITIONAL LEADERS UNDERESTIMATE THE

LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY AND THE DEMANDS OF THE WORK AS THE
ORGANISATION BEGINS TO IMPROVE, AND
• THEY DON’T ADAPT THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANISATION TO THE TASKS IT
HAS TO PERFORM.
• MASALAH SEKOLAH ITU KOMPLEKS BANGET, AH INI SIH KITA SDH PADA TAU,
BANYAK KASEK TDK MELAKUKAN ADAPTASI ORGANISASI UNTUK MENGHADAPI
ITU NAHH INI KITA BARU TAU
 ORGANISATION IS NOT FLEXIBLE

• TEACHERS WHO ARE HIGHLY ENTHUSIASTIC AND COMMITTED TO PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT IN THE EARLY STAGES OF IMPROVEMENT TO BECOME INCREASINGLY
FRUSTRATED AS THE PROCESS ADVANCES BECAUSE THE LEVEL OF THE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AND THE WORK DOESN’T INCREASE AS THEIR EXPERTISE INCREASES…...
• THE ORGANISATION IS NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ADAPT TO CHANGES IN THEIR EXPERTISE, OR
TO USE THAT EXPERTISE AS A RESOURCE IN THE ORGANISATION. OFTEN PEOPLE WITH
POSITIONAL AUTHORITY ARE THREATENED BY THE IDEA THAT OTHERS MIGHT KNOW MORE
THAN THEY DO ABOUT KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANISATION.
• SERING KITA SENSI DENGAN IDE2 BAWAHAN KITA, HEHEHE BAWAHAN KITA SEDANG FRUSTASI
DENGAN KITA, NAAHHH ATASAN DAN BAWAHAN SAMA2 PUNYA PERSOALAN
TREAT PEOPLE AS SUBORDINATES OR AGENTS

• ANOTHER COMMON WAY THE PROCESS OF DIFFERENTIATION GOES AWRY IS THAT LEADERS
CHANGE THE FORM OF THE ORGANISATION WITHOUT CHANGING THE NATURE OF THE WORK….
• THEY DELIBERATELY DESIGN THE ORGANISATION SO THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERTISE ARE
TREATED AS SPECIALISTS AND NOT AS LEADERS – THEY NARROW RESPONSIBILITIES AND
TREAT PEOPLE AS SUBORDINATES RATHER THAN AS ACTIVE AGENTS OF IMPROVEMENT.
• HENCE, THEY LOSE MOST OF THE ADVANTAGES OF EXPERTISE, AND THEY NARROW THE RANGE
OF LEARNING AVAILABLE TO OTHERS IN THE ORGANISATION.
• WASPADA BRO AND SIS, HOBBY BIKIN ANAK BUAH KITA JADI YES MAN, HANYA AKAN
MEMBUAT SEKOLAH KITA RUGIIIIII BANGEEEEETTTTTTTT
 DEVELOP LEADERSHIP

• MY SENSE IS, FROM OBSERVING IMPROVING SCHOOLS, THAT THEY DON’T JUST
DISTRIBUTE LEADERSHIP – THAT IS, PUT MORE INFLUENCE IN THE HANDS OF
PEOPLE WITH EXPERTISE – THEY ALSO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP.
• THAT IS, THEY ACTIVELY CREATE A COMMON BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL
ASSOCIATED WITH LEADERSHIP PRACTICE AND PUT PEOPLE IN THE WAY OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN IT.
• CARI CALON KASEK KOK SUSAAH, LHA KITA NGGAK PERNAH BIKIN KASEK SIIHH
 QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL JUDMENT

• PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY ARE IMPERFECT PROXIES FOR EACH OTHER –

IMPROVEMENT REQUIRES ATTENTION TO BOTH. .. QUALITY IS A MATTER OF
PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT. PERFORMANCE IS A MATTER OF EXTERNAL
MEASUREMENT. BOTH ARE CENTRAL TO LARGE-SCALE IMPROVEMENT. …
• THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN, AS INEVITABLY HAPPENS, THERE ARE
DISCONNECTS BETWEEN QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE.
• KUALITAS SEKOLAH DAN NILAI OBSC ITU KADANG BEDA LHO…
 INSTRUCTIONAL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL

• MY EXPERIENCE – HOWEVER LIMITED – WORKING WITH HIGH PERFORMING

SCHOOLS IS THAT IT IS AN EXTREMELY BI-MODAL POPULATION.
• SOME HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS ACTUALLY DO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY
TO STUDENTS’ LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH INSTRUCTIONAL
PRACTICE.
• MANY HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS ARE STUNNINGLY MEDIOCRE IN THEIR
PRACTICE, AND PRODUCE MOST OF WHAT THEY DO WITH SOCIAL CAPITAL.
• NAH INI PENTING BANGET, JGN LUPA SOAL SOSIAL CAPITAL, CAPITAL ITU
MODAL, SOCIAL ITU YA SOCIAL, ARTINYA MODAL SOCIAL , KALAU BINGUNG
TANYA PAK KADIH DEH
 ROLES LEADER

• IMPROVEMENTS IN PERFORMANCE USUALLY LAG BEHIND IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY

• FIRST, LEADERS HAVE TO KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE PRACTICE ITSELF TO KNOW WHAT THE
COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL OBSTACLES ARE TO ACQUIRING IT AND DOING IT FLUENTLY.
• SECOND, LEADERS HAVE TO HAVE SOME SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS
WAYS DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESSES WORK IN ORDER TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING.
• THIRD, LEADERS HAVE TO BE PATIENT AND TO EXPECT A POSSIBLE SEESAW RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE, WATCHING FOR EVIDENCE OF CHANGES IN STUDENT
LEARNING BEFORE THEY BECOME EVIDENT IN EXTERNAL MEASURES OF PERFORMANCE
• SINGKATNYA KASEK ITU HARUS PINTER, PUNYA BANYAK CARA , SABAAR DAN UTAMAKAN
SISWA DARIPADA NGELAYANI MAUNYA BPK KADIV YG KADANG NGGAK JELAS
HAHAHAHAHAHA