School Leadership: The Journey to the Dark Side.

As Professional Learning Communities get under way here at North Berwick, I can see how a school leader might be drawn to the dark side.  It goes something like this:

Start teaching

.

.

.

"School leaders are idiots.  They think that top-down direction will improve schools, but what teachers really need is the space and time to collaborate and enquire into their own practice.  Teachers are not the problem - teachers are the solution"

.

.

.

Get promoted

.

.

.

Implement a programme in school that sets aside time for teachers to collaborate and enquire into their own practice

.

.

.

Some teachers think the programme is a waste of time.  They think that another idiot leader is trying to change the school through a top-down intervention

.

.

.

"What is wrong with these teachers? They are a real problem."

I will strive to avoid falling into this trap!