The practices of school middle leadership. Leading professional learning

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Practices of Middle School Leadership presents a strong theoretical work weaving theory and practice together creating new ground to explore the practices of middle school leaders. This text investigates the work of middle leaders not as a hierarchical step toward being a principal but rather as a key position in the school, leading learning from classrooms and providing a link between the demands of the system and the learning needs of students and staff. Little research has been conducted on the work of middle leaders and this text explores the leading practices and processes of middle leaders rather than focusing on abstract personal qualities or characteristics of leaders. This text draws on The Theory of Practice Architectures as a paradigm to investigate the practices of middle leaders enacted in learning spaces. The diverse demands placed on middle leaders are explored through five research studies conducted across Australia and New Zealand.