alala Yousafzai’s clarion call, "one child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world,” celebrates individual action while conveying the potential for collective impact—the value of a spark capable of breaking into a wildfire. Too often, the domino effect of small efforts by actors at all levels of the education ecosystem—from students and parents to government officials and other policy influencers—is overlooked. In a complex world of interconnected challenges, effective leadership in education requires an innovative, collaborative approach, rather than the traditional top–down decision–making typically done by a single expert. Collective leadership starts in the classroom and can lead to collaborative efforts capable of tackling societal issues.
Collective leadership in the classroom redefines educational success, shifting from a focus on individual achievement to a culture of shared growth and collaboration. This approach distributes leadership roles among all classroom participants—students, teachers, and administrators—creating a learning environment where everyone contributes to decision–making and problem–solving. Through projects that require teamwork, students from diverse backgrounds come together, sharing their unique insights and skills to tackle complex challenges. This not only enhances academic understanding but also nurtures life skills such as empathy, active listening, and teamwork, preparing students to be adaptable and compassionate leaders in an interconnected world.
Furthermore, it encourages a shift from traditional, hierarchical models to inclusive, participatory practices. This ensures that students are not only academically proficient but also adept at leading with empathy and collaboration, fostering an environment where success is a collective achievement. This significant change in educational methodology is crucial for the development of future leaders who are ready to embrace inclusivity, empathy, and a profound dedication to the collective good, reshaping the very fabric of leadership within our communities and beyond.
Despite mounting evidence from research and practice that collective leadership is essential for sustainable development, driving outcomes across key universal goals like education equality, well–being and sustainability, more investment in collective leadership development is needed. While the frequency of interventions grows and increases impact on global education and development, often public policy and philanthropic organizations focus on data–driven returns on investments in existing leaders, technical practices such as teacher training, or targeted funding towards areas such as digitalization.
Efforts should focus on intentionally cultivating individual agency and competency among community–based leaders. This will enable them to lead the improvement of their operating systems, expand networks, and empower others in this collaborative endeavor. Investments in this area could include creating opportunities for dialogue and knowledge–sharing, fellowship programs, or networking dedicated to tackling specific issues of policy and practice, as well as investment in the assessment and analysis of collective leadership development.
Examples of such initiatives include Enseña Perú’s work with the Cajamarca School District in Peru to implement a student leadership and civic engagement strategy, based on input from students, faculty, parents, and administrators. Outcomes include student–led mentoring and activities, conferences, and curriculum change. Others, like U.S.–based non–profit Mountaintop Fellows, organizes fellowships for individuals to become transformational leaders in their home communities by partnering with NGOs, government agencies and social ventures in low–income communities worldwide.
Lastly, STiR Education, operating in Uganda, India and Indonesia, impacts the motivation and shared goals of the actors at every level of the education system. Their Teacher Development Coordinator (TDC) program in Delhi assigns a coordinator at all government schools, and a mentor covering four–six schools, to act as collaborative leaders for other staff at the school and across schools, sharing best practices and guiding teachers across the system.
STiR and others have created space for collective leadership, collective system feedback, knowledge–sharing, continuous dialogue, mutual understanding, and building trust, and has enabled a shared vision for improved teacher training and student learning. All of which plays a vital role in moving towards a sustainable future, alignment of values and creating solutions that benefit all. The results go beyond personal skills development to ensure ecosystems have a shared purpose and the collective leadership to drive it. When given opportunity, leadership does not just trickle down from the top, but also blossoms from the bottom, up.
Academic success alone is no longer the end game, nurturing and harnessing the brightest minds and broadest hearts for a harmonious global future should be the goal. This can only attain fruition via a global education vision, where every stakeholder, from teachers and parents to community leaders, plays their part. The power of collective leadership is unfathomable and a necessary revolution waiting to happen. We might have stumbled into a world riding on flames, but we can help build phoenixes that rise from the ashes— through every voice empowered, every act of kindness, and the collective spirit of our communities.
a global affairs media network
Collective leadership starts with a collaborative approach to education
Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash.
February 9, 2024
In a complex world of interconnected challenges, effective leadership in education requires an innovative, collaborative approach, rather than the traditional top–down decision–making typically done by a single expert, write Vikram Ghandeeswaran Narayanan and Cassandra Morley
M
alala Yousafzai’s clarion call, "one child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world,” celebrates individual action while conveying the potential for collective impact—the value of a spark capable of breaking into a wildfire. Too often, the domino effect of small efforts by actors at all levels of the education ecosystem—from students and parents to government officials and other policy influencers—is overlooked. In a complex world of interconnected challenges, effective leadership in education requires an innovative, collaborative approach, rather than the traditional top–down decision–making typically done by a single expert. Collective leadership starts in the classroom and can lead to collaborative efforts capable of tackling societal issues.
Collective leadership in the classroom redefines educational success, shifting from a focus on individual achievement to a culture of shared growth and collaboration. This approach distributes leadership roles among all classroom participants—students, teachers, and administrators—creating a learning environment where everyone contributes to decision–making and problem–solving. Through projects that require teamwork, students from diverse backgrounds come together, sharing their unique insights and skills to tackle complex challenges. This not only enhances academic understanding but also nurtures life skills such as empathy, active listening, and teamwork, preparing students to be adaptable and compassionate leaders in an interconnected world.
Furthermore, it encourages a shift from traditional, hierarchical models to inclusive, participatory practices. This ensures that students are not only academically proficient but also adept at leading with empathy and collaboration, fostering an environment where success is a collective achievement. This significant change in educational methodology is crucial for the development of future leaders who are ready to embrace inclusivity, empathy, and a profound dedication to the collective good, reshaping the very fabric of leadership within our communities and beyond.
Despite mounting evidence from research and practice that collective leadership is essential for sustainable development, driving outcomes across key universal goals like education equality, well–being and sustainability, more investment in collective leadership development is needed. While the frequency of interventions grows and increases impact on global education and development, often public policy and philanthropic organizations focus on data–driven returns on investments in existing leaders, technical practices such as teacher training, or targeted funding towards areas such as digitalization.
Efforts should focus on intentionally cultivating individual agency and competency among community–based leaders. This will enable them to lead the improvement of their operating systems, expand networks, and empower others in this collaborative endeavor. Investments in this area could include creating opportunities for dialogue and knowledge–sharing, fellowship programs, or networking dedicated to tackling specific issues of policy and practice, as well as investment in the assessment and analysis of collective leadership development.
Examples of such initiatives include Enseña Perú’s work with the Cajamarca School District in Peru to implement a student leadership and civic engagement strategy, based on input from students, faculty, parents, and administrators. Outcomes include student–led mentoring and activities, conferences, and curriculum change. Others, like U.S.–based non–profit Mountaintop Fellows, organizes fellowships for individuals to become transformational leaders in their home communities by partnering with NGOs, government agencies and social ventures in low–income communities worldwide.
Lastly, STiR Education, operating in Uganda, India and Indonesia, impacts the motivation and shared goals of the actors at every level of the education system. Their Teacher Development Coordinator (TDC) program in Delhi assigns a coordinator at all government schools, and a mentor covering four–six schools, to act as collaborative leaders for other staff at the school and across schools, sharing best practices and guiding teachers across the system.
STiR and others have created space for collective leadership, collective system feedback, knowledge–sharing, continuous dialogue, mutual understanding, and building trust, and has enabled a shared vision for improved teacher training and student learning. All of which plays a vital role in moving towards a sustainable future, alignment of values and creating solutions that benefit all. The results go beyond personal skills development to ensure ecosystems have a shared purpose and the collective leadership to drive it. When given opportunity, leadership does not just trickle down from the top, but also blossoms from the bottom, up.
Academic success alone is no longer the end game, nurturing and harnessing the brightest minds and broadest hearts for a harmonious global future should be the goal. This can only attain fruition via a global education vision, where every stakeholder, from teachers and parents to community leaders, plays their part. The power of collective leadership is unfathomable and a necessary revolution waiting to happen. We might have stumbled into a world riding on flames, but we can help build phoenixes that rise from the ashes— through every voice empowered, every act of kindness, and the collective spirit of our communities.
