Create: Middle Leaders

Feel confident and capable in your role as a middle leader.

The Create: Middle Leaders program equips you with the confidence and capabilities necessary to influence and lead improvement in classroom and pedagogical practices in your school.

You will explore the complexity of the middle leader’s role and start unpacking data that supports the goals set out in your school’s annual implementation plan (AIP).

You will develop the skills to effectively lead teams to support improved student achievement, engagement and wellbeing. 

Audience

Roles

Designed for experienced teacher leaders looking to improve their leadership and demonstrate evidence of an impact on student achievement, engagement and wellbeing, including: 

• teacher leaders
• leading teachers
• learning specialists
• middle years literacy and numeracy specialists
• literacy and numeracy leaders
• curriculum coordinators.

School sectors 

This program is available to the following school sectors:

• Victorian government
• Catholic
• independent.

Some content may contain information aligned with Department of Education priorities or initiatives.
 

Facilitators

Facilitated by Education Changemakers.

Structure of program

Over 6 months, you are expected to engage in and contribute to:

• workshops (5 full days)
• weekly self-directed learning (16 hours)
• a peer learning group (8 hours)
• a school improvement project.

Workshops

You will engage in a variety of synchronous learning activities alongside the whole group and in smaller groups. The goal of all workshops is to grow your capacity as a middle leader with explicit leadership training and support, in addition to developing your understanding and application of change leadership through the implementation of a school-based improvement initiative.

Self-directed learning

Self-directed learning activities in your own time include:

• engaging with readings and other online material to build your leadership capacity
• sharing insights and ideas with colleagues on discussion boards
• meeting with your in-school colleague for structured and supported meetings regarding the implementation of your change initiative
• a priority improvement project
• reviewing the learning from synchronous workshops.

Peer learning group

You will be placed in a group with participants from different schools to expand your professional network and support each other’s learning and implementation of initiatives. After each workshop, you will meet with your peer learning group to discuss and complete tasks related to the workshop content.

School improvement project

You will create a school improvement plan, with a strong emphasis on utilising evidence-informed strategies to drive positive changes and enhance outcomes in teaching, learning and wellbeing. You will align your efforts with your school's annual implementation plan (AIP), ensuring that your actions are in line with the overarching strategic goals. Throughout the program, you will develop the skills needed to effectively lead a team in support of this improvement plan.
 

Attendance requirements

To successfully complete this program, you are required to : 

•    attend all workshops and actively engage   
•    engage in a peer learning group on at least 3 occasions
•    complete and submit a presentation.

Learning outcomes

You will develop the knowledge and understanding to:

• reflect on your leadership approach and role to identify dispositions, strategies and resources that can help you be more impactful
• increase your capacity to strategically support colleagues and teams to work more effectively and extend your ability to cultivate relational trust
• participate in the development of a professional learning community to sustain and extend your practice and wellbeing
• identify and critically engage with emerging research, professional networks, resources and strategies to improve your leadership practice
• further your capacity to lead a school-based change endeavour through analysis, research, planning, assessment, improvement and reflection.

Fees and financial support

Program fees are significantly subsidised by the Department of Education for Victorian government schools.

See Fees and financial support for more information.

Application process

To participate in Create: Middle Leaders, you must have the full support and approval of your principal and commit to the significant time and effort required.

Find out more about the application process.