Ready to take the lead in curriculum implementation?

Amidst these changes, what leadership opportunities await you? Our colleague and leading expert on educational leadership, Viviane Robinson, suggests that "by treating policy as a lever for accomplishing goals to which they and their staff are already committed, leaders use external accountability for improvement as an opportunity to strengthen the collective internal culture of their school" (2023, p. 112).

With this in mind, we thought we would outline what this might look like in practice, with a central focus on quality teaching and guidance on where you might begin.

Curriculum implementation: What does it look like in practice?

As leaders, it is vital that you feel clear and confident in articulating the achievement problem for your learners, and then how implementation of these national curriculum changes can be applied by teachers with fidelity in ways that will impact learners’ achievement. This includes understanding the shifts in skills and knowledge that may be required of your teachers, to inquire into and implement the curriculum consistently and in ways that engage learners.

The goals you set for change reflecting the updated curriculum, need to align with what is important to your school. This is an opportunity to build on the strengths already present in your community and identify the aspirational goals you now wish to achieve for your learners.

For example, a primary school principal focused on improving literacy for Years 0-3 might recognise that strengthened curriculum guidance on structured literacy, including the teaching sequence, helps teachers monitor progress more clearly. Alternatively, the team may find that this change alone does not lead to improvement and that other factors need to be explored. Either way, it is important to seek out and understand what lies behind learners’ experiences in your school as part of leading improvement.

Quality teaching: The most powerful influence on learners’ achievement (and it is the leader’s job to ensure that the teaching ‘is’ quality) 

Implementing a new curriculum demands far more from schools than what is reflected at policy level - and it is more complex than simply unpacking the new material. Many principals and their senior leadership teams are leading this kind of instructional implementation for the first time in their careers. Having a clear process and working collaboratively with your teachers as they adapt teaching through effective assessment will strongly support the implementation process in the years ahead. For example, this may be a time to review programmes to ensure learners are effectively guided. An updated curriculum provides an opportunity to refine your school’s instructional framework where needed. We know that within-school disparity is a concern in Aotearoa New Zealand; the new curriculum offers a framework for building collective professional knowledge across your school, ensuring that every learner engages in quality learning experiences, regardless of their classroom.

Changes in curriculum concepts, skills, and strategies - including an emphasis on underpinning science of learning practices - means that leaders must develop a strong understanding of the updated curriculum alongside their staff, to provide instructional leadership with confidence. The closer leaders are to the required changes, the more likely they are to understand the challenges their teachers may face and address them collaboratively.

Where might you begin?

This level of change requires significant resources, skills, and an understanding of how to manage relationships during improvement efforts. Two key considerations provide useful starting points - the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of implementation leadership.

Identify and agree on the problems to address

In terms of the ‘what’, you will want to identify the problem you aim to solve together. Collaboratively assessing and agreeing on the gap between your learners’ current achievement and your aspirations for them, will help establish the context in which the updated curriculum is likely to take effect.

You will need to clearly distinguish between the progress you want your learners to achieve within the context of the new curriculum, and the current practices your teachers use. Curriculum implementation is a long-term process that requires clarity and structure. When leaders adopt an evidence-based approach to planning and implementation, improvement is more likely to be sustained over time.

Collaborate with your team through change

The ‘how’ of your improvement efforts calls for a collaborative approach to engaging with your teachers and community. The quality and rigour of your professional conversations can significantly impact the likelihood of reaching your improvement goals. Leaders need confidence, skills, and a willingness to learn from others, engaging effectively and collaboratively with teachers, students, parents, and other leaders.

We know that discussions of ‘resistance to change’ can alienate teachers from the process – teachers who are the very people you need to make the greatest impact on your learners! Instead, consider how curriculum changes might differ from the current theories teachers use when making decisions. Then, engage with (rather than bypass (Robinson, 2011)) your teachers – discuss why they do what they do and how it might differ from the approaches outlined in the updated curriculum. Identify recurring opportunities for collective inquiry through regular decision-making to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and build coherence in instruction across the school.

Engage the right professional support

The scale of new learning means that leaders are likely to benefit from external expertise to provide new perspectives and assist in challenging prevailing beliefs and discourse. With the right support, leaders can approach the implementation processes associated with the updated curriculum with confidence, reducing inequity and improving learner outcomes. Our experienced team offers rich and robust facilitation support in leadership, curriculum and assessment. We would work in partnership with you as you establish a foundation that will sustain your curriculum implementation for the years ahead.

References

Robinson, V. M. (2023). Virtuous educational leadership: Doing the right work the right way. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press

Robinson, V. M. (2011). Student-centred leadership. San Franscisco: Jossey-Bass

If you're a leader looking to take a strategic approach to the updated curriculum, or eager to support your team in collaborating on improvement, book a consultation here.

To learn more get in touch with Karen today

Contact Karen Spencer