Date of Submission

8-8-2023

Document Type

OIP

Degree

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

Keywords

collaborative inquiry, equity, story, Indigenous leadership, transformative leadership, Two-Eyed Seeing

Abstract

Indigenous students are not achieving the same levels of success as non-Indigenous students according to British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Education annual reports on academic achievement, secondary transitions, and sense of belonging. School-based leaders oversee implementation of the BC curriculum in their schools and can influence the mindset and practices of educators in their buildings; however, they need supports and structures to better understand how to address the opportunity and achievement gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) asserts that school-based leaders can disrupt oppressive behaviours in the K–12 education system through social justice practices. Transformative and Indigenous leadership approaches support Two-Eyed Seeing and will enable school-based leaders to uncover and reflect on their stories of self. This will allow them to acknowledge the role they play in the perpetuation of colonial structures that negatively impact Indigenous learners. A professional learning community that engages in collaborative inquiry will support school-based leaders with knowledge and skills to address current inequities in schools. Weaving a four-stage change-path model with a relational framework for systems change provides a holistic and integrated framework for leading the change process. Knowledge mobilization, communication, and monitoring and evaluating the change process will use stories of self as a strategy to move theory into action, share the plan for change, and assess the impact of the change. This OIP aligns with the organization’s mission of designing an inclusive, equitable, and innovative learning community that inspires success for all.

Share

COinS