Irish National Teachers’ Organisation on Collaborative Leadership
Published:
The international event organised by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) in collaboration with ETUCE under the webinar series of the Educational Leadership Network Europe aimed at presenting INTO’s role in supporting school principals and to discuss conditions of collaborative leadership.
Speakers included: Maeve McCafferty, INTO senior expert; Ultan Mac Mathuna, Director Dublin West education Centre; David O Sullivan, INTO Assistant General Secretary; Annraoi Cheevers, Chair INTO PDP National Committee; Frances Mullin, INTO Principal Deputy; Anna Mai Rooney from Oide Leadership, Kathryn Corbett from WILL Network, and Agnes Roman, ETUCE senior policy coordinator.
The speakers underlined that distributed leadership is most effective when embedded in a supportive school culture, structure, and an environment that fosters open communication, joint learning, camaraderie, and a safe space for collaboration. Well-trained principals are key to achieve this.
Gender equality in school leadership remains an area of concern. While 84% of primary school teachers in Ireland are female, only 1 in 15 female teachers advance to school leadership positions, compared to 1 in 6 male teachers. The main barriers for female teachers to take leadership positions include family responsibilities, the cost and time investment in training, and a lack of confidence.
Currently, there is no mandatory training for teachers before stepping into school leadership roles, and many new principals start their roles without prior formal education or experience in school leadership. As a result, several novice school principals choose to enrol in Master's programs in leadership and management or pursue training through providers such as INTO.
INTO supports school leaders by providing information and guidance to principals and deputy principals through dedicated newsletters, regional elected trade union representatives, and regular training opportunities. The INTO Principals and Vice-Principals Committee meets regularly to discuss school leadership issues and to campaign on matters affecting school leadership.
Education centres play a key role in collaborating with education stakeholders, including INTO, to support school leaders and enhance their success. These centres assess the needs of school leaders and address them through local or online initiatives, partnering with relevant organisations to deliver targeted support aimed at improving the quality of education. Newly appointed school principals, in particular, benefit greatly from the assistance provided by education centres.
Collaborative leadership at the school level involves regular meetings between principals and deputy principals. Each school has its own structure to engage additional staff, such as teachers, in these discussions. However, Irish school leaders face several ongoing challenges, including underfunding in education, the need for better training in special educational needs, excessive workload for principals, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers. Greater cooperation between practitioners and policymakers is essential to address these challenges.
Please find the recorded webinar here
Please find other related webinars here:
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