Running Head: LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Leading an Inclusive Learning Community

by

Shelly T. R. Treleaven

A Paper

Presented to the Gordon Albright School of Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Master of Education in Leadership

EEA 650 Leadership Study

June 2019
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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Leading an Inclusive Learning Community

APPROVED:

__________________________________________________ Dr. Gloria Antifaiff, Faculty Advisor

___________________________________________________ Dr. Heather Henderson, Director

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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Acknowledgements

Our lives are a series of learning adventures; continuing my education has allowed me to

experience the support and kindness that has gratefully been afforded to me by my champions.

Many people have supported me, both when I did not know I needed it and when I did, but did

not know how to ask.

To my life companion, husband, and champion, Kelly Treleaven: You have been more

supportive than I ever thought imaginable. I am grateful for your inspiration and perspectives; I

even appreciate the not-so-gentle nagging that got me motivated when I needed to get my work

completed. You also took on many new roles while I was preoccupied with my coursework, and

I recognize you were often stretched well outside of your comfort zone. I am not only grateful

for your love and support, but I am certain I could not have done this without you.

To my amazing daughter and champion, Lisa Ducharme: While I have always tried to

model quality character traits, your character has exceeded all my dreams for you, beyond my

wildest imagination. Your love and support has guided me through challenging times, and when

I struggled with perspective or priorities you knew just the right words to kick me in the butt.

Thank you.

To my teaching partner, Katelyn Dalton: Thank you for understanding and allowing me

to back away from some things so I could lean in to this challenge.

To my parents and champions, Terry and Carol Susut: These past two years have taxed

my ability to stay connected, but your consistent support and high regard for my abilities never

failed me. I have always felt like you were my two greatest fans and for that I am eternally

grateful.
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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

To my cohort members, Vanessa Lebrasseur, Rolanda Eadie, Jonathan Bolton, Melissa

Leonard, Terry Hoganson, Janice MacDonald, and Gwen Baxter: Thank you for being a part of

this learning adventure with me. Through the laughter, tears, conversations and time together we

have grown to be a strong group. I am grateful we shared this journey together.

To Gloria Antifaiff: You have been such a strong anchor for my enthusiasm. I appreciate

how you were able to take my scattered thoughts and ideas to helped me form a clear vision

while modelling grace and patience. You have been more than just an instructor or advisor; you

have been a great friend. Thank you.

And last but not least, to the many Wolf Creek leaders who offered their time, guidance

and support when I had questions: Robin Irvine, Darin Ratzlaff, Marica McWhinnie, Karen

Weidner, Corinne Thorsteinson, Alda Lovell, and Danica Martin. Thank you.
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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Abstract

Leading a learning community, where the instructional leader’s role is to nurture and

sustain a culture that supports an inclusive learning community, requires a deep understanding of

structures and strategies that support inclusion. If leadership is to be truly inclusive, it must

promote the ideals of inclusion, democracy, and social justice more generally (Ryan, 2006). The

concept of inclusion in an educational setting expects that all people, regardless of their abilities,

have the right to access social, economic, political, or cultural systems. Society assumes

everyone deserves to be included fairly in all systems and practices not only in society but in

school as well (Ryan, 2006). As Ryan (2006) stated, “inclusive leadership is a process, an array

of practices, procedures, understandings, and values that persist over time” (p. 17). Many

practices and procedures are available through a variety of sources, however developing

common understandings based on shared values can be difficult.

One of the greatest challenges faced by classroom teachers involves how they support a

student who is differently abled. These students may require differentiation, modified

expectations, academic or environment accommodations, support for consistent atypical

behaviour, or additional one-on-one time to learn. Added to this challenge is the expectation to

provide quality instruction for all students in the class.

This study explored a variety of strategies and promising practices for instructional

leaders to develop and maintain a culture that both nurtures and supports all types of inclusion in

the modern school and classroom. Teachers require support as students are no longer removed

from a typical public school classroom to be provided support from someone other than the

primary teacher. Sometimes when a student with significant needs required support, the

teacher’s first request was for an educational assistant. Educational support in the form of an
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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

additional adult in the classroom while at times is necessary, it is not always possible. Even if

the teacher has the desire to be inclusive, in the absence of an inclusive culture along with

support structures, a teacher will struggle. What then is a teacher to do? The focus of this study

was to advocate for inclusion and to support leaders with structures and strategies to employ as

an educational team. Supporting teachers and other educators through developing common

values and beliefs on inclusion will allow an instructional leader to help sustain actions that

support the culture of an inclusive learning community.

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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………….ii

Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………..…...…… iv

Chapter One: Introduction …………………………………………………………………..…… 1

Background Information ……………………………………………………………..……….. 2

Statement of the Issue …………………………………………………………………..…….. 3

Purpose of the Study ……………………………………………………………………..…… 4

Statement of Research Question ……………………………………………………..……….. 4

Significance of the Study …………………………………………………………………..…. 4

Outline of the Remainder of the Paper ………………………………………………….……. 5

Chapter Two: Literature Review ………………………………………………………..……….. 7

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………..….. 7

Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………………………….... 8

Why Inclusion? ………..………………………………...……………………………………. 8

Building a Culture that Assumes Inclusion …………………………………………………… 9

Authentic leadership. …………………………………………………………………….. 10

Created urgency. …………………………………………………………………………. 13

Shared vision and distributed leadership. …………………………………………………. 15

Trusting relationships. …………………………………………………………………….. 17

Safe and caring community..………………………………………………………………. 18

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LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY

Collaboration. ………………………………………………………………………………20

Chapter Three: Summary, Recommendations and Conclusions ………………………………. 22

Summary of Findings ………………………………………………………………………... 22

Recommendations …………………………………………………………………………… 24

Suggestion …………………………………………………………………………………… 21

Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………… 27

References ……………………………………………………………………………………… 29
LEADING A LEARNING COMMUNITY 1

Chapter One: Introduction

Alberta Education has stated that inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that

demonstrates universal acceptance of, and belonging for, all children and students (Alberta

Education, 2018). Within the context of school leadership, the expectation of instructional

leaders is that they will promote success for all learners. Achieving this success is complex and

requires significant consideration of the barriers that are faced both by the student whose needs

are to be addressed and by those in the building who are supporting the needs of each student. It

is important to recognize that a student’s need could be anything including differentiation,

modified expectations, academic, physical, or environment accommodations, support for

consistent atypical behaviour, or more one-on-one time to learn.

Designing an inclusive community requires that everyone work toward collaborative

goals with the same understanding. Knowing that one must embrace diversity and promote

equal opportunity for every student is essential. One of the six principles of inclusion outlined

by Alberta Education is shared responsibility (Alberta 2018). DuFour and Mattos (2013)

indicated that collaborative cultures, where there is collective responsibility for students’

achievement, have a profound positive impact on students’ learning. If there is an expectation

that staff are to work together to build understanding for the pursuit of success for all learners,

then the instructional leader needs to facilitate this. School budgets are tight and money to

provide time for teachers to collaborate during the typical school day is largely out of the

question, but given the opportunity to create learning teams around strategies to support each

other for the purpose of student success is a goal that all teachers can understand and work

toward.
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An understanding of the needs of diverse learners and working collaboratively to

establish strategies for inclusion requires a shared vision. Together the team would develop

classroom structures in that differentiation is not only possible, but natural to facilitate. How

these structures are developed will require instructional leaders to communicate celebrations and

share successes of the team, as well as the struggles, in order to support everyone and to ensure a

culture of inclusion that works at multiple grade levels. Through a collaborative framework it

will be expected that all educators understand how to be inclusive.

Background Information

Historically, any person with any sort of handicap or disability was “excluded from

general society and largely ignored” (Brown & Andrews, 2014). Then in the early twentieth

century, persons with a handicap or disability were seen as having undesirable genetics. Having

a child with an impairment was a source of embarrassment which led to the institutionalization

of these individuals, and they were often medically altered to prevent them from procreating

(Forced Sterilization, 2018). This was not only an expensive strategy but had moral and human

rights implications as well (Leighton, 2012). From about the 1950s to the 1980s, students were

moved from being separated in different buildings to segregated within regular schools. This

started to look like special education classrooms where students with developmental disabilities

were grouped and segregated from the general population within a typical school (Chen, Lin,

Justice, & Sawyer, 2017). Students were technically a part of the school but still stigmatized and

separated. This was still an expensive program and required additional classroom space as well

as continued to have moral implications (Leighton, 2012). In the 1970s and 1980s, there was

progress made in understanding the human brain and how people learn; educators started to

advocate for a more inclusive model of education (Green & Giannola, 2011). At this time,
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 3

special education started to follow a medical model whereby students were coded or labeled with

their disability or deficit and funding was attached to these codes (Dalkilic & Vadeboncoeur,

2016). Students with a code, depending on the severity, would typically be provided with a set

level of support. There were still some special classrooms for coded children but more and

more, the teacher had specialized training. The instructional leader’s philosophy of education

and inclusion was often the determinant to the way support for students was managed. In 2009,

the Alberta Education Minister set a new direction for special education. The new direction has

since been reformed and updated which includes the Inclusive Education Policy (Government of

Alberta, 2018) as part of the Guide to Education (Alberta Education, 2018).

Statement of the Issue

As the concept of inclusive education evolves, it is imperative that instructional leaders

are able to support the evolving role of teachers. Pre-service teachers typically graduate with

minimal training related to exceptional students, including how to best support them in the

classroom, unless they have prior experience or have taken specialized courses. Even with

significant experience and abundant courses on inclusion, there may be components of teaching

in an inclusive learning community that still may need to be addressed. Educators need to

understand how best to identify a student’s needs, be able to collaborate and consult with a

multidisciplinary team, create and maintain an individualized learning plan if needed, create a

multi-modal and multifaceted learning community, in addition to “being flexible and responsive

to the strengths and needs of individual students … [to] ensure all students are successful”

(Alberta Education, 2018). Teachers need their instructional leader to have the skill to support

them. Instructional leaders need to create a culture in which the principles of inclusive education

are at the forefront for all the educators. It is not always possible to add an educational assistant
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 4

to a classroom; therefore, teachers need specific guidance and ongoing support on how to do

their job without them. It is understood that teaching requires an understanding of a plethora of

strategies where a host of dynamic interconnected elements create the modern classroom, and it

is essential that an instructional leader understands how to nurture and support both the teachers

and the students with a culture of inclusion.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to identify structures, strategies, experiences, activities,

and/or patterns of behaviour which can be attributed to building a culture which will positively

support inclusive learning communities. Instructional leaders are expected, as outlined in the

Leadership Quality Standard, to nurture and sustain a culture that supports evidence-informed

teaching and learning (Alberta Education, 2018). Under this heading it is explicitly stated that

leaders are to create an inclusive learning community. While these are important and necessary

expectations, the way one does this is not clear as expectations for defining success requires

fluidity and needs to be established by teachers for every individual student and class. Through

research, a variety of structures, strategies, activities, and/or patterns of behaviour specific to this

goal will be identified and made available to instructional leaders looking for support in this area.

Statement of Research Question

The focus of the research was on understanding the diversity of inclusion and this study

was on understanding and compiling resources to answer the following question: How does an

instructional leader create a culture that supports an inclusive learning community?

Significance of the Study

Why does this study even matter? This is the first time in Alberta history where

instructional leaders have separate standards from teachers and are being held accountable for
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 5

supporting a culture where inclusion is the expectation of all staff. The significance of this study

is to provide support and guidance so instructional leaders are provided tools to allow for success

in both understanding inclusion and understanding strategies for developing an inclusive learning

community. With the implementation of the Leadership Quality Standard it is clear that as

instructional leaders, inclusive learning communities are no longer only the responsibility of the

teachers or the specialists in schools. The instructional leaders will need to support or develop

understanding for the role of educators, as stated by Alberta Education, is to “[accept]

responsibility for all children and students” (Alberta Education, 2018). As it does not delineate

only those students who are assigned to a teacher; the responsibility includes every student.

Teachers will need to understand the needs of all students and how to support them. This will

require school personnel to adapt and evolve in order to create functional, inclusive learning

communities.

Outline of the Remainder of the Paper

Chapter One of this study provided the reader with an introduction to inclusive education.

In providing the purpose and significance of the study one saw the expectation to respond to the

Leadership Quality Standards competencies. Information regarding the challenges of inclusive

education and the way this impacts the classroom was shared, as well as how inclusion has

changed over time.

Chapter Two will provide a review of the literature as it pertains to developing an

inclusive learning community. The literature review focus is on strategies, structures and

behaviours of an instructional leader. Ideas will be provided on how they can incorporate the

Principles of Inclusive Education (Alberta Education, 2018) to achieve success in creating,

nurturing, and sustaining a culture that supports an inclusive learning community.

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Chapter Three will provide a summary of the challenges pertaining to inclusive learning

communities and offer the recommendations for instructional leaders on the behaviours,

structures and actions necessary for the creation of an inclusive culture that nurtures, develops,

and supports the teachers they lead.

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Chapter Two: Literature Review

Introduction

Historically the formal leaders in the building were teachers who were willing to take on

the role of ‘Principal Teacher’; over time this responsibility has continued to change and has

included financial manager and human resource officer, to name a few of the additional roles.

The new Alberta Leadership Quality Standard that will become official in September of 2019,

contains nine competencies along with indicators. The newest competencies include supporting

the application of foundational knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit, and embodying

visionary leadership. Meeting the competencies might pose some challenges as the document

offers indicators that may demonstrate competency, but it is not an exhaustive list.

As the Leadership Quality Standard is implemented in Alberta, educators are entering a

time when it is formally acknowledged and expected that formal leaders will support teaching

and learning. There are many examples of the strategies that leaders may employ to develop

competency, but the focus must remain on the overarching goal of the Alberta education system -

which is to ensure the success of all learners. A person’s role in an educational setting may have

been either a learner or a teacher. The new Teacher Quality Standard, that will also be

implemented in September 2019, states that teachers are to remain career-long learners. This

implies that while the leader is to lead the learning community, there is a combined responsibility

for the development and implementation of appropriate strategies while ideally holding each

other accountable for supporting the learning community. When it is stated that the goal is to

ensure the success of all learners, one ought to assume this implies the teachers as learners as

well. Teachers are naturally supportive and inclusive, but may lack strategies or knowledge of

inclusion and/or may be reluctant to admit their struggle with some learners. If the culture is not
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 8

inclusive, then it is likely to become one of exclusion. Inclusion is a challenge if the perception

is that those who are differently abled or those requiring support are perceived as though they are

a problem requiring fixing or an issue needing to be dealt with or managed. In the fourth

competency of the Leadership Quality Standard a leader is to nurture and sustain a culture that

creates an inclusive learning community. The question remains, how does one create the

changes necessary to accomplish this?

Definition of Terms

• Distributed Leadership – A system of leadership that is shared, collective and extended to

build capacity for change and improvement (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2017).

• Inclusion - A way of thinking and acting that demonstrates universal acceptance of, and

belonging for, all people (Alberta Education, 2018).

• Instructional Leader – The person/people who inform and support the instruction and

development of educational strategies. This may, or may not be formal leaders within the

school setting such as principals or coaches.

• Leadership – Anyone who holds themselves accountable for finding the potential in

people, situations and experiences (Sharma, 2010).

• Principal – The title for the lead teacher in a school setting.

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Why Inclusion?

One must start with a genuine understanding of inclusion. Historically the concept of

inclusion was ubiquitous in reference to programming for students with diagnosed medical

disabilities and other ‘exceptionalities’ (Gilham & Williamson, 2014). This view of inclusion no

longer fits. In order to understand inclusion one must recognize exclusion. Ryan (2006) stated

the following:

All of us have been excluded at one time or another. We may have been excluded by not

being asked out as adolescents or by not being regarded as cool because we were

overweight, shy, or studious. We may have been excluded when we were newcomers to

a school or a neighborhood and people talked about us among themselves. People are

excluded when they are bullied or silenced or ignored. These kinds of exclusions can

arise as the result of personal cruelty or, often, mere thoughtlessness. (p. 9)

Inclusion must recognize the needs of everyone in the educational field. As Ryan (2006)

suggested, when thinking about inclusion one ought to consider the type of access people get to

societal systems: “To what extent do men, women, and children participate in decision-making

and political processes, to employment, and material resources, and to common cultural

processes like education?” (Ryan, 2006). This question is not only for the differently abled; but

rather, the entire population. As educators and leaders there is a moral imperative to develop an

understanding and awareness of the culture of inclusive learning environments no only as it is

mandated by the government but so that it becomes a cultural norm.

Building a Culture that Assumes Inclusion

As an instructional leader there are a number of structures and strategies one can employ

to create an inclusive culture. Creating a culture that assumes everyone is included requires the
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 10

leader to focus “one’s actual efforts in making all people feel that they are included and part of a

team” (Richter, 2013). Having an understanding of how people feel excluded, will provide

insight on methods to ensure this does not happen. Richter shared how “a substantial challenge

with regard to inclusion [is] the challenge of how to create an organizational culture that is

sensitive and open …[and] treats everyone fairly” (p. 510). A key component to achieving this

would require people to engage with those who are different. “Engagement requires a

commitment to move out of one’s comfort zone and create genuine relationships with others

across differences” (Richter, 2013). Building relationships can create a culture of collaboration

which develops commitment to common goals that can be set as a team and achieved.

DeMatthews and Mawhinney (2014) identified that in order for a leader to implement

inclusive practices there are three areas that need to be the focus: school culture building,

resource allocation, and ongoing professional development. For the purpose of this study, it will

be assumed that without a strong school culture, the other elements are unlikely to develop

strong, sustainable inclusive strategies. This chapter will demonstrate strategies and practices, as

identified in the research, that will lead to supporting or creating culture within a school. In

order to create a culture of inclusion the literature provides some behaviours and structures that

are necessary; they include; authentic leadership, a sense of urgency, shared vision and

leadership, safe and caring community, collaboration, trusting relationships, and professional

learning groups.

Authentic leadership.

Being a leader takes courage. Courage to be willing to lean in when things get difficult

and stay active in the process of tackling issues. In order to truly influence people, a leader

needs to understand what inspires people to follow them, and likely the most difficult notion for
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 11

leaders to face is that they must be authentic. Brown (2013) defined being authentic as

cultivating the courage to be emotionally honest, to set boundaries, and to allow oneself to be

vulnerable. Vulnerability without boundaries can be uncomfortable and awkward. Lencioni

(2002) recognized that vulnerability is not sharing inappropriately with team members, but rather

being honest about how one feels about the work that they are doing. Brown (2018) stated that

fake vulnerability is not only ineffective, but it breeds distrust. People may feel manipulated in

this case. Combining the ability to be honest with themselves and others, models the type of

authenticity that engenders people to value one’s opinion. Feedback is a necessary component to

growth and when one is receiving the feedback, they need to trust they are receiving honest or

genuine information. If the leader is not sharing authentic feedback, there is no incentive to

improve or change (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). Goffee and Jones (2017) explained authentic

feedback as tough empathy; giving people what they need, not what they want. Some of the

hardest information to receive may also be the most impactful on a person’s practice, and one

only hears it as constructive when it is told honestly from a leader that is trusted.

Strategies on becoming more authentic begins with knowing who you are and what you

believe. Leaders need to be themselves, no matter the situation. According to Quy (2012) the

five ways to be more authentic are:

• Discover your strengths:

o Look inside yourself and identify your strongest threads.

o Reinforce them with practice and learning.

o Carve out a role that draws upon your strengths every day.

o Recognize that your greatest room for growth is in the areas of your

greatest strengths.
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 12

• Manage your weaknesses:

o Spend time in identifying your weaknesses.

o Do not ignore them.

o Acknowledge that you cannot be talented in all areas.

o Find ways to manage your weaknesses so you can free up time to hone

your strengths.

• Identify your personal values:

o Rank the following values in order of importance: integrity, patience,

honesty, gratitude, humility, forgiveness, compassion, perseverance,

spirituality, joy, and discipline.

o Expand the list by adding other personal values that are important to you.

o Articulate the importance of each value to your life.

• Develop a strong connection between your values and your behaviour:

o Commit yourself to your personal values.

o Stay the course regardless of obstacles.

o Find ways to go over, under, or through the obstacles.

o Do not go around them – instead, overcome them.

o Remember that your behaviour reflects your values.

• Build relationships with a diverse group of friends and associates:

o Create genuine relationships by being authentic.

o Authenticity builds trust and makes us more compelling and attractive

leaders.
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 13

o Be prepared for the adversaries that will be created because you have

remained true to your values and beliefs.

o Remember leadership is not about being popular. (para. 12–16)

Being an authentic leader takes courage and willingness to delve deep into who you are as a

person in order to deeply understand what motivates and drives your leadership style. While this

list is not exhaustive, in the search for personal and professional development these strategies

offer a platform to begin the exploration.

Create urgency.

“Jumpstarting a sense of urgency is vital, whether you want to initiate change or weather

it” (Soto, 2012). Ryan (2009) indicated that the “dark side of urgency” was panic. Setting one’s

focus on short-term survival rather than long-term success placed the focus on survival rather

than improvement (Ryan, 2009). Kotter (2014) also indicated that without a sense of urgency

people will not give extra effort that is often essential. The concept that Ryan (2009) and Kotter

(2014) agreed upon is that complacency replaced the urge to change when there was a feeling

that the change was not necessary. Kotter (2008) defines complacency as “a feeling that a

person has about his or her own behaviour, about what he or she needs to do or not do” (Chapter

2, para. 2). Kotter (2014) explained how complacency could be developed. He stated that if

there had been too much past success, a lack of visible crises, low performance standards, or

insufficient feedback among other factors, they resulted in complacent behaviours. Ryan (2009)

explained the natural tendency for people to relax or slow down after achieving a goal. While

each of these authors confirmed these are natural reactions to success, preserving a sense of

urgency was the only way to maintain continuous progress and growth.
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 14

While Kotter (2014) stated that there was an eight-stage process to developing urgency,

Ryan (2009) had only five factors and Soto (2012) stated them even more succinctly with only

four factors. While each of these articles indicated a step-by-step process to develop urgency,

many of the factors they shared used common principles.

The first common factor was to create a higher purpose for the goal. People need to

understand the ‘why’ of change. Once the leader is clear about where and why there is a need

for change, everyone is able to face the challenge with purpose and direction. The second

common factor for creating urgency was to get the right people activated, then empower them.

What this really means is every organization, group, or staff must have a few key members

identified as having the ability to inspire, influence, or drive change. Once the leader involved

these people the next step was to allow these people to guide or lead the others. This creates

group momentum and will inspire and motivate others. The third common factor was to shed the

distractions. In an educational setting this can happen as teachers can get stuck focusing solely

on their classroom and lose sight of the ‘big picture.’ Soto (2012) stated that the only thing

worse than a lack of urgency was false urgency: “People often confuse being busy with having a

sense of urgency, yet they are busy doing the wrong things” (para. 4). An example may be the

teacher who states there is no time to try anything new, they may be so caught up in the day-to-

day activities they have lost sight of the purpose of professional development; to improve their

practice. The final step to building a strong sense of urgency was to communicate relentlessly.

Communication is key as complacency happens when people are not reminded of the outside

factors that drive the need for change and this is the enemy of urgency. Ryan (2009) stated

“when someone in your organization – regardless of their level – moves quickly to make

something happen, thank them and make sure everyone knows about it. Small acts of urgency
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 15

have the power to inspire larger ones” (para. 11). Kotter (2008) added to the concerns when

describing the ‘NoNos’, these are people who are not skeptics but rather relentless urgency-

killers. The ‘NoNos’ would have a group remain complacent and would sabotage the group

through creating panic or destructive urgency. An example of this in education would be

teachers who either cannot or will not make changes to their practice stating that if the current

strategies are working, why change. Developing strategies and support for those in the school

prepared to resist complacency and be active in the changes is essential for cultural growth. The

more information and clarity the instructional leader can offer, the stronger the commitment and

urgency.

Of the four factors in creating a sense of urgency the two that may be the most significant

are being clear about where and why there is a need for change, and communication. People

typically internalize and respond more positively to change when they are clear about the

purpose and understand why there is a need for the change. According to Soto (2012), the more

clarity around the topic of change one is able to articulate, the greater likelihood of success at

achieving sustained persistence towards the desired goal.

Shared vision and distributed leadership.

Kouzes and Posner (2012) stated that leaders tend to assume their responsibility is to

create the vision and to lead the team. While this may seem intuitively correct, Kouzes and

Posner (2012) cautioned that people want to be part of the vision development process as nobody

likes to be told what to do or where to go. When educators are not involved in developing the

approach to inclusive learning, the leader is likely to find the progress extremely challenging and

are likely to experience strong push-back from those under their leadership. Kotter (2014) stated

that without a vision to guide decision making, each and every choice that is made can result in
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 16

an interminable debate. A leader cannot make people do things they see no purpose in;

therefore, it is critical to include them and allow them to aid in developing the vision for

inclusion.

Hoppey and McLeskey (2013) stated that principals need to not only engage in fostering

a shared vision but they also needed to develop teachers as leaders within the school through

distributed or shared leadership. They stated that through distributed decision making and a

shared approach to leadership one can build a strong sense of community and this will develop

ownership of the team goals. In other words, one needs to allow the educators the responsibility

to make meaningful decisions about how their work will be accomplished (Kouzes & Posner,

2012). Once the collaborative work has been completed that creates a shared vision, utilizing

distributed leadership will drive change in a positive direction.

In order for distributed leadership to be effective it will include not only the leadership

team, but will be fully representational of the larger school community (Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation, 2017). The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (2017) on their website, lists tasks

that ought to be shared by this more representational group:

• Supporting the development of high-quality teaching by leading content-

specific, grade-level collaborative time;

• Engaging teachers in cycles of observation, feedback, and reflection to adapt

and refine their instruction to meet their students’ needs;

• Teaching and modeling how to apply a continuous improvement mindset to

teaching, learning, and leading;

• Tracking and monitoring student level data to ensure school-wide student

progress;
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 17

• Providing other relevant job-embedded professional learning supports.

It is important to note that distributed leadership is not about dividing the tasks among a variety

of individuals, but rather purposeful and guided collaboration to incorporate a growth mindset to

develop high-quality teaching as well as accentuate the culture so that the forefront of the focus

remains on success for all students.

Trusting relationships.

Creating a climate of trust is of utmost importance. Kouzes and Posner (2012) indicated

that trust is the central issue in human relationships and without trust a person cannot lead.

Individuals who are unable to trust are not able to lead because they are unable to be dependent

on the words and work of others. Their lack of trust is obvious and results in others not trusting

them. Kouzes and Posner (2012) stated that “trust is a strong, significant predictor of employee

satisfaction, the quality of communication, honest sharing of information, acceptance of change,

acceptance of the leader’s influence, and team and organizational performance” (p. 219-220).

There are many definitions of trust, but Lencioni (2002) defined it as “the confidence among

team members that their peers’ intentions are good, and that there is no reason to be protective or

careful around the group” (p. 195). Lencioni (2002) shared the characteristics and behaviours of

those who are a part of a trusting team:

● They admit weaknesses and mistakes;

● Ask for help;

● Accept questions and input about their areas of responsibility;

● Give one another the benefit of the doubt before arriving at a negative conclusion;

● Take risks in offering feedback and assistance;

● Appreciate and tap into one another’s skills and experiences;

LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 18

● Focus time and energy on important issues, not politics;

● Offer and accept apologies without hesitation;

● Look forward to meetings and other opportunities to work as a group. (p. 197)

While Lencioni (2002) suggested a number of methods to build trusting relationships, he stated

that the “most important action a leader must take to encourage the building of trust on a team is

to demonstrate vulnerability first” (p. 201).

Vulnerability is defined by Brown (2018) as “the emotion we experience during times of

uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure” (p. 19). Brown (2013) stated that “most people shield

themselves in masks and armor rather than be vulnerable and that it is the last thing we want

people to see in us, but it is the first thing we look for in others” (p. 113). According to Brown

(2018) most people equated vulnerability to weakness, but stated that of all the skills a leader

needs to develop, vulnerability takes the most courage. Brown (2018) stated that as a leader, one

of the primary strategies in order to establish a trusting team, requires one to pull off the armor

and let oneself be truly seen.

Safe and caring community.

Creating a community where everyone can feel both included and safe is not something

that can be dismissed. In order for a school environment to feel inclusive, the people in the

building need to feel cared for and safe (McLinden et al., 2018). People do not participate or

become a creative problem solver if they are unsure of how others will respond to them. Brown

(2018) discussed the items that impede psychological safety in teams or groups, and they include

judgement, unsolicited advice giving, interrupting, and sharing outside the team meeting. Brown

goes on to include the behaviours that people need from their team or group almost always

includes listening, staying curious, being honest, and keeping confidence. McNamara (2013)
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 19

stated that school-wide anti-bullying programs to develop respect as well as social-emotional

skills, needed to start with the instructional leaders reviewing policies and programs and

afterwards making certain all the adults in the building received training. McNamara shared

research and evidence based programs that indicated the first step was to create awareness.

McNamara (2013) indicated that many teachers were unaware of the severity of bullying

behaviours in schools and how these behaviours impacted the perception of safety for students.

Prior to implementing a program, students and staff needed to be included in a needs assessment.

Often what happened was that due to specific behavioural gaps or exceptional students within the

school, there was a deficit in a specific targeted skill that was identified by polling the needs of

the people in the school (McNamara, 2013). Ryan (2006) goes so far as to say that school safety

is not only about bullying policies but rather creating a haven for learning and expression where

safety and affection for students is paramount.

Strategies for building a safe and caring school community are essential in developing an

inclusive culture. Haynes (1996) offered 12 precepts they felt were critical to establishing this

environment:

• Order and discipline: clear guidelines and rules.

• Respect, trust and kindness among students.

• Caring and sensitivity of school personnel.

• Fair and equal treatment for all students.

• Equal access to resources.

• High expectations for student achievement.

• Parent involvement.

• Maintenance of the school building’s physical appearance.

LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 20

• Collaborative decision making.

• Productive school-community relations.

• An absence of ‘finger-pointing’ – judgmental blaming is not allowed. (p. 310-

311)

Using these precepts to instill a foundation of safety and well-being at school is inextricably

linked with the students’ ability to perform well academically as stated by Haynes (1996).

Collaboration.

Collaboration has been identified as a critical competency for achieving and sustaining

high performance (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). In any school, team or group there are a number of

people who bring with them a variety of skills and knowledge. Collaboration is the tool that can

leverage the individual skill and knowledge to create something amazing. A team that works

together utilizing collective abilities is likely to accomplish significantly more than a single

individual. The struggle with building collaborative skills is the natural tension created due to

conflicting interests and divergent thinking. The role of the instructional leader is to create a

climate where trust and teamwork are of the highest priority.

One of the strategies that supports collaboration and collective responsibility for the

success of all learners is to create Professional Learning Communities (PLC). According to

DuFour and Mattos (2013) “the PLC process has two powerful levers for changing adult

behaviour: irrefutable evidence of better results and positive peer pressure” (p. 38). DuFour and

Mattos (2003) stated that the instructional leader who creates the PLCs needed to focus on five

key steps which are: form teams where members share the responsibility to help all students

learn essential content and skill, provide teams with time to collaborate, help clarify the work the

teams need to do, and ensure teams have access to resources and support to accomplish their
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 21

objectives. Another perspective on the role of PLCs came from McLeskey, Waldron and Redd

(2014) who posed an additional purpose is to immerse teachers in high-quality professional

development. They indicated the key qualities would include a focus on teacher identified needs,

limited ‘sit and get’ forms of professional development, support would be embedded and

supported by coaching in the classroom and offered over an extended period of time and expect

collaborative participation of teachers as part of the learning community.

Collaborative practices are not difficult to understand or implement; however, remaining

committed to them can be a challenge. As indicated earlier by Kouzes & Posner (2012) the

natural tendencies of people to hold their own ideas in higher regard along with their own

priorities remains a challenge for the instructional leader. Through sharing increased learning

and achievement results for students and the professional benefits of collaboration as DuFour

and Mattos (2003) indicated, educators will see the benefits of collaboration.

Leading to create a culture of inclusion in a school requires everyone involved in the

school community to be authentic in order to build trusting relationships so that all feel safe

when developing a shared vision as part of a collaborative team. The Leadership Quality

Standard applies to all leaders and the literature reviewed for this study offers strategies,

structures, and behaviours that indicated achievement of many of the listed competencies.
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 22

Chapter Three: Summary, Recommendations and Conclusions

Summary of Findings

Through this study, it was evident that consistent patterns of behaviour, activities,

structures, and strategies can be learned and exhibited by an instructional leader. Literature

regarding inclusive learning communities consistently included leaders who demonstrated

authentic behaviours, built trusting relationships, created a sense of urgency, made certain people

felt safe and cared for, all while having distributed leadership among the staff and ensured there

was a shared vision. These qualities are all needed to create an inclusive learning community.

Exhibiting authentic leadership behaviour is of paramount importance when leading an

inclusive learning community. Being authentic and being willing to be seen as an individual for

an instructional leader is not only valued, but is necessary to inspire people to follow. In other

words, an instructional leader needs to have the courage to be emotionally honest and be willing

to be vulnerable. Being vulnerable is not oversharing personal and uncomfortable details on

one’s life, but rather the willingness to let others understand your thoughts about important

ideals. Behaviours that develop the necessary trust are needed to build strong relationships that

are essential in an inclusive learning community.

Those who have always felt included may be complacent. Complacency is the belief that

things are good enough and therefore there is no need to change. Preventing complacency by

inciting a sense of urgency was identified as a key skill of an instructional leader. If people are

to change they must want to, and this will not happen if they see no reason to change. The

instructional leader must identify the higher purpose or the why of the goal, and once there is

understanding, activate the key staff that have the power to influence their peers. Urgency will
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 23

inspire perseverance and prevent distractions from shifting the focus. The leader then must

continue to communicate relentlessly with their team on progress towards the goal.

Inclusion cannot happen unless students feel safe and cared for. One structure that had

significant impact on an inclusive culture required staff to review the implementation of anti-

bullying policies and procedures. The research indicated that when anti-bullying policies and

procedures were consistently employed by all staff, there was a significant increase in feelings of

safety. When adults respond to concerns of students with predictable consequences, the

perception of caring within schools is positively impacted. Making certain staff are consistent

with the expectations for positive behaviours from students created a safe and caring culture of

inclusion for all.

When a leader was willing to have staff demonstrate and build their leadership skills

among their peers, this willingness developed compassion and empathy for each other. Sharing

the leadership by distributing it equitably through the staff, built a strong sense of community

and developed an ownership of the team’s shared goals. As part of this inclusive learning

community, recognizing and leveraging the skills and attributes of the staff added to the positive

perception of the culture within the school community.

Providing opportunities for the entire staff to participate in creating a shared vision of

inclusion is one strategy that instructional leaders need to employ to develop a positive outlook

towards inclusive learning communities. When all people feel that their voice is heard and

common goals are developed, the literature indicated a positive impact on the learning of all

students.

Inclusive learning communities are important because all people are of value and

providing appropriate support should not depend on whether a student has met typical
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 24

expectations. Instructional leaders who know the skills necessary to create an inclusive learning

community will be at the forefront of our educational future, as supporting learning for all

remains an ongoing focus in the Leadership Quality Standard. With ever-changing needs in a

classroom, teachers will need to adapt and with capable and visionary leaders who understand

the imperative need to develop a positive inclusive culture they will have the necessary support

they need to ensure that all students are able to succeed. Supporting collaboration inspires

collective responsibility for the success of all learners; therefore, a focus on creating a climate

where trust and teamwork is necessary.

The literature reviewed in this study offered instructional leaders a variety of suggestions

for behaviours, activities, structures and strategies for attaining competency for the Leadership

Quality Standard of creating an inclusive learning community.

Recommendations

With the focus always on students, instructional leaders need to create and sustain a

culture that supports an inclusive learning community. Here are five recommendations for

achieving this outcome:

1. Understand and believe in inclusion

2. Focus on professional development

3. Authentic communication

4. Create Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

5. Create a clear and shared vision of inclusive practices

The first recommendation is to make certain that all instructional leaders understand and

believe in inclusion. The goal would be to have leaders able to model an inclusive learning

community through their leadership practices. Teachers look to their leaders for their opinions
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 25

about what to spend their time on and what to learn more about. If the principal expresses fear, a

lack of knowledge or dislike about inclusion, then the teachers may follow. Conversely, if the

principal displays knowledge about or a desire to have involvement in inclusion, the rest of the

staff will be inspired to do so as well (Van Horn, 2011). Ensuring leaders have access to

professional development, training, and support on inclusion would be key to developing

consistently inclusive cultures within all school communities.

A second recommendation is to focus on professional development. “Building teaching

excellence through pre-service and in-service training is central to making educational settings

more inclusive” (Mag, Sinfield & Burns, 2017). No matter the size of staff, there must be a clear

understanding about the cultural characteristics of inclusivity needing to be developed. All staff

should have the desire and willingness to learn in order to implement inclusive learning

opportunities. Everyone must be committed to inclusion and be prepared to struggle and

persevere while developing their structures and skills to sustain their own inclusive practices.

For a truly inclusive learning community to exist, ongoing targeted and specialized training

needs to be provided for all people working in schools. The gifts, exceptionalities, and

challenges evident in a school population, whether staff or student, would be the determinant to

the professional development that would need to be available for staff. Optimally all training

and learning opportunities would be reviewed and selected collectively by all staff, ensuring

everyone participates in staff professional development.

A third recommendation includes leaders being required to communicate authentically

and relentlessly. Through communication they will be actively involved in supporting all

learners within the community. Utilizing authentic collaborative feedback of the challenges and

successes of the individuals will support the growth of the educational community. The purpose
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 26

of communication would be to inform and celebrate in order to build on the commitment to

inclusion.

A fourth recommendation is for schools to create Professional Learning Communities

(PLCs) designed to support the needs of teachers and students. Kugelmass and Ainscow (2004)

described an uncompromising commitment to teaming and collaborative interactions needed to

be integrated in the school’s culture. They also explained that a common belief that the

differences in students and staff are a resource, rather than a concern, indicated successfully

inclusive educational communities. Ensuring all staff were committed to the collaborative team

through shared time for meeting and planning every week not only provided support for the

teacher, but also allowed the group to remain focused on a common vision with the focus on

success for all learners. One person would not be expected to know everything or support

everyone, but rather the team would develop individual talents and passions to build capacity for

leadership throughout the learning community.

A fifth recommendation is for instructional leaders to create a clear and shared vision of

how to develop inclusive practices in their community. Through cultivating an appreciation for

the group culture one can influence change which supports the learning needs in an inclusive

learning community. Vision statements ought to be developed through a community process

where all groups, not only those of administration or powerful individuals and groups, but

equitably from all segments of the school community (Ryan, 2006). Including parents in

developing the vision adds to the collaborative efforts of the community and the parents are then

able to commit and support the teacher in the classroom. “No educational enterprise will

succeed if students, teachers, parents, and administrators do not share some common

understandings about inclusive values” (Ryan, 2006). The leader must focus on growth and
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 27

forward momentum as implementing inclusive strategies and creating this culture may require

time, patience and understanding.

Suggestions for Further Research

At this time there are numerous articles and research papers with information on

inclusive education, the struggle is with lack of urgency or focus for professional development.

What is needed are in-service and opportunities to develop individual and group skills for

building an inclusive learning environment.

Further study would provide a significant benefit to the inclusive learning communities if

there was research completed on the inclusion practices and cultural changes needed for

LGBTQ2+ and First Nation, Metis, and Inuit students in the field of education. These are two

areas where training has typically been voluntary or has previously had limited focus; however,

ensuring an environment of inclusion for these groups will be paramount in the coming years.

Conclusion

Inclusion is a moral imperative and it needs to be understood. Mag, Sinfield, and Burns

(2017) sum up the importance of inclusion when they stated:

All children benefit from inclusive education, because it allows them to: develop

individual strengths and gifts, with high and appropriate expectations for each child,

involve their parents in their education, foster a school culture of respect and belonging,

inclusive education provides opportunities to learn about and accept individual

differences, lessening the impact of harassment and bullying, develop friendships with a

wide variety of other children, each with their own individual needs and abilities and

positively affect both their school and community to appreciate diversity and inclusion on

a broader level. (p. 5)

LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 28

For those inspired to be instructional leaders, recognizing the importance of how their own

values, biases, priorities, and beliefs impacts their leadership is essential. One needs to be clear

on one’s own goals and be prepared to articulate why their vision has purpose and significance

all while being prepared to create a common vision as an educational community. The skills

necessary to build an inclusive educational community are no longer a secret. This study found

learning to build these inclusive communities requires one to practice authentic, collaborative,

trusting leadership with a sense of urgency and vision. Developing these skills is both possible

and necessary for effective instructional leadership.

Leadership matters and school communities deserve to have people committed to their

success. Leaders need to have a strong understanding of inclusive educational communities and

the culture that supports them, however, inclusion is not only a mindset of a culture but a way of

life. Given a choice, no one intentionally chooses to struggle. With a focus on what people have

to offer and the skills which can be built upon, we will honor the challenges many people face

when we support and celebrate them. My hope is that one day the focus will no longer need to

be on inclusion, as people will assume and behave as there is no other way. Supporting all

students, with a focus on leveraging their talents and abilities will be the norm. Given the

diverse nature of the challenges that are needing to be faced, no one person can do it all.

Developing an approach to implement the changes needed for a culture of inclusion – must be a

team effort!
LEADING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY 29

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