Making the Leap E-Book

Dr Jill Berry

• Herausgeber: Crown House Publishing
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Jill believes that the qualities that make you a good teacher are closely related to those which will serve you well in leadership. Every teacher is, in fact, a leader of learning within their own classroom. As your career progresses and you move from one leadership role to another, your sphere of influence gradually grows. You will have the chance to learn, to grow, to prove yourself. You will make mistakes and survive them. Headship is demanding, but it is also extremely rewarding: this book will encourage you to be clear-sighted about the challenges and responsibilities that lie ahead. Managing the transition from deputy to first-time headship successfully will ensure that you are on the most positive trajectory as you continue your leadership journey. In Jill's experience, new heads often ask themselves similar questions. How can I balance the two roles as I begin to hand over my senior leader responsibilities and, at the same time, begin to assume the mantle of the head? How can I establish the most positive and productive relationship with the outgoing head, so that confidence is maintained and the school is energised, rather than threatened, by the change of school leader? How can I ensure the early months and years of headship are as successful as possible, so that the school develops and grows even stronger under my leadership? This book will answer all those questions and more. Suitable for teachers, middle leaders and senior leaders who are considering school headship. Making the Leap was a finalist in the 2017 Education Resources Awards in the Educational Book Award category.

Leseprobe

Praise for Making the Leap

As a recently appointed head teacher, this is the book I wish I had read before I took up the post – or even before I started applying! It is rooted in extensive research from Jill’s doctorate and the chapters are packed with real-life examples of the challenges, opportunities and unexpected twists and turns of the transition to headship. Even better, it shows how others have responded to these, providing ready-made solutions! Each chapter also has really helpful reflection points; the questions are invaluable in helping you apply the experience of others to your own context. In short, this is a must-read for anyone, at any stage of their career, who might be considering headship in the future. It should convince you, in Dr Berry’s words, that it is a journey well worth taking.

Chris Hildrew, Head Teacher, Churchill Academy and Sixth Form

Jill has shared helpful personal experience, professional insight and imparted pragmatic advice that helped me, as an aspiring head teacher, before, during and after the application process. Being able to articulate my motivation for leading a school and ensuring I am prepared for this career transition have enabled me to make the leap. On my third interview I secured a headship role in a brand new school which opens next year. Jill is right when she says, ‘when you begin to apply for headships you do so with careful thought and discrimination’. With Jill’s help I now know myself and know the kind of head that I want to be and I am delighted to have found my best fit.

Hannah Wilson, co-founder of #WomenEd, Head-elect, Aureus School 

I’m not yet ready to be a head teacher, but, having read Making the Leap, I feel that the leap itself may not only be possible, but, for all its challenges, with wise choices and careful preparation, could also be a genuinely joyful experience. In addition, this book gives me the feeling that the kinds of heads inspired by the Berry school of thought will be the kinds of leaders who give us genuine reason to be optimistic for our children and our students.

Emma Kell, Head of Communications, Northumberland Park Community School

A must-read for deputies on the journey to headship, those considering making the leap or supporting others to do so. This book offers principled and pragmatic advice that demystifies and makes sense of significant school leadership transition. I have benefited enormously from Jill’s wisdom and support in my career and am pleased that she has captured her knowledge and research in such a helpful and accessible way.

Helena Marsh, Executive Principal, Linton Village College

Jill writes for leaders and future leaders everywhere. I love the way that she uses the best research to analyse the journey to headship and beyond. Jill’s research conversations with new heads provide useful insights. She reflects on these conversations alongside practical suggestions to help school leaders and – most importantly – poses challenging questions to consider, inspiring us to think deeply for ourselves. As a new head teacher who has just completed ‘stage zero’ of headship, it has been invaluable for me to read Jill’s book before I embark on ‘stage one’ next term.

Judith Enright, Head Teacher, Queens Park Community School

Making the Leap by Dr Jill Berry is the most impressive and useful book I have read about preparing for headship and how best to make the transition from deputy to leader of a school. A book of this nature is long overdue as until now there has been nothing comparable or as comprehensive – this addresses the experience of applying for, preparing for, and becoming a head.

The book is most impressive and original on the topic of role identity, of how there are necessary compromises and recalibrations as a head-elect is changed by their new school and by occupying a new professional persona. These sections were absolutely fascinating, and I have not read anything as well developed or expressed on this topic as is articulated by Dr Berry. Making the Leap is a superb text for giving a sense of the range and variety of the job. For many years to come it will be the text that prospective heads, heads-elect and serving heads take down from their shelves to refer to and reread.

Kevin Carson, Senior Deputy Head, The Grammar School at Leeds

Making the decision to apply for headship was by far the most difficult decision I have faced in my career to date.

As I began reading Making the Leap, I found myself wishing I had had the erudite advice of Jill Berry to guide my thinking and help give me some perspective on these issues a year ago when I was making my decision. Jill’s narrative shows enormous empathy and understanding, and reflects absolutely what I was going through during this time in my career transition. The questions for reflection provide just the sort of focus I needed when making the decision to apply for headship.

Jill’s intelligent reflection, advice, recommendations and counsel, all grounded in research as well as extensive experience, have served as an enormous boon to me at a point when I really need it! I would recommend this as a very helpful read to anyone who is even remotely considering the next step in their career.

Thank you, Jill!

Ngaire Telford, Head Teacher, Herne Hill School

At last, everyone can access Jill Berry’s wisdom, wealth of knowledge and experience from the bookshelf! If you have not had the pleasure of connecting with Dr Jill Berry prior to reading this book I assure you that after reading it you will want to.

Making the Leap is a must-read for any senior leader who aspires to headship. Jill has balanced research from her doctoral findings alongside her own personal career journey to create this incredibly practical, informative, thought-provoking and inspiring book.

Shirley Drummond, Head Teacher, St Helen’s College

Making the Leap provides insight and understanding into the transition from deputy to head teacher. The book draws not only on Jill’s extensive leadership experiences but also those of six deputy head teachers and their leadership journeys. Skilfully written, engaging, thought-provoking and underpinned by high quality academic research: in whatever leadership capacity you are currently working within, there is something in this book for everyone. The book will certainly inspire you to make the leap in leadership.

Stephen T. Logan, Deputy Head Teacher, Malet Lambert School

Dr Jill Berry

Making the leap

Moving from deputy to head

To the memory of Mr R. G. Malyan, with thanks.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to my six research participants who were prepared to give time to supporting my doctoral study at a very busy period in their professional lives, and to my supervisors at the University of Nottingham, Andy Noyes and Andy Townsend.

Thanks are also due to the team at Crown House who have guided me through the publishing process, and to the huge community of educators with whom I interact on Twitter and through the world of blogging from whom I have learnt so much.

Finally, thank you to my mother, Iris Barker, and my husband, John Berry, whose faith in me has been hugely encouraging and motivating in this, as in all my other endeavours.

Contents

Title PageDedicationAcknowledgementsPreface: my story1. Introduction: making the leap – why would you want to?Spheres of influence and what is distinctive about headshipMy own experienceMy research2. Applying for headship: key principles of making a successful applicationDeciding what to apply forMaking a strong written applicationPreparing for and performing well at interview3. Managing the lead-in period: the challenges of finding the balance in the period between appointment and formally taking up the roleThe developing relationship with your predecessorThe opportunities of the lead-in periodThe challenges of the lead-in period, and sources of support and strategies4. The early months in post: ‘inheriting’ the role versus ‘inhabiting’ the roleLearning to lead in a new contextNavigating the differences between deputy headship and headshipContinuing to build the bridge as you walk on it5. Established headship and beyond: moving beyond being the ‘new head’Making the most of the joy of headshipBalance and sustainabilityNext steps? References and recommended readingAbout the authorCopyright

Preface: my story

I taught for thirty years between 1980 and 2010, carrying out seven different jobs across six different schools after beginning my teaching career as a secondary English specialist. I loved my time in the classroom (and during my years as a head I continued to teach) but also very much enjoyed the additional challenge of working with and through other staff to reach more students. I was promoted to a pastoral role in my first school (as assistant head of house in a school where the pastoral structure was house based) and then moved to my second school to be second in the English department, then head of English in my third school, head of sixth form in my fourth, deputy head in my fifth and head, for ten years, in my sixth and final school.