Instructional Leadership for School Improvement

by Zepeda, Sally J.

• ISBN13: 9781930556720
• ISBN10: 1930556721
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-11-01
• Publisher: Eye on Education

Summary

This book explores the principal's role in meeting high expectations for student achievement. It provides detailed tips and strategies to show you what principals need to do to - - assess and promote a culture and climate for school improvement - build teams and support the work their work- create the conditions so that teacher leaders can emerge - monitor school improvement efforts

Table of Contents

About the Author	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
Thinking About School Improvement	1	(22)
Introducing School Improvement	1	(2)
Accountability	3	(5)
A Brief History Leading to the Present Call for High-Stakes Accountability	3	(3)
No Child Left Behind	6	(2)
School Improvement Broadly Defined	8	(4)
The Work of the Principal in School Improvement	12	(4)
The Power of Relationships	14	(2)
Effective Leaders Promote Learning Communities	16	(1)
The Process of School Improvement	16	(4)
Suggested Readings	20	(3)
Principals Promote a Healthy Culture and Climate	23	(26)
Introduction	23	(1)
Defining School Culture in a Context of School Improvement	24	(6)
Cultures are Built on Values, Assumptions, and Norms	24	(1)
Framing Assumptions, Values, and Norms in the Context of School Improvement	25	(3)
Putting Culture into Context---Using Metaphor to Express Culture	28	(1)
Formal and Informal Cultures and Subcultures	29	(1)
Markers of School Culture	30	(5)
Mission Statement and Other Documents	30	(2)
Policy Statements	32	(1)
Programs for Students	32	(2)
Programs for Teachers	34	(1)
The Learning Environment	35	(1)
The Health of the School Culture	35	(2)
School Climate	37	(2)
Two Dimensions of Climate---Academic and Social Climate	39	(1)
Leadership---Building Culture and Climate	40	(3)
Key Norms: Collaboration and Trust	43	(4)
Characteristics of Collaborative Cultures	43	(1)
Building Collaborative School Cultures	43	(1)
Norms	44	(1)
Collegiality and Collaboration	44	(2)
Trust	46	(1)
Caring Builds Trust	47	(1)
Suggested Readings	47	(2)
Principals Support Teacher Leadership	49	(16)
Introducing Teacher Leadership	49	(1)
The Need for Teacher Leadership	50	(4)
Teachers as Leaders Develop the Instructional Program	51	(1)
Teachers as Leaders Make Positive Changes in the School	51	(1)
Teachers as Leaders Share Their Expertise with Others	52	(2)
Teachers as Leaders Shape the Culture of the School	54	(1)
A Starting Point for Teacher Leadership---Scanning the Environment	54	(9)
Knowledge and Skills for Teacher Leaders	59	(2)
Motivation for Teacher Leaders	61	(1)
Organizational Barriers to the Emergence of Teacher Leadership	62	(1)
Cultivating Teacher Leadership	63	(1)
Provide Professional Development and Mentoring for Teacher Leaders	63	(1)
Assuming Leadership Can Be Risky Business for the Newcomer to Leadership	64	(1)
Suggested Readings	64	(1)
Principals Build Strong Teams to Sustain School Improvement	65	(18)
Introducing School Improvement Teams	65	(2)
The Work of Creating School Improvement Teams	67	(2)
Characteristics of Effective Teams	67	(2)
What's Next?	69	(1)
Up-Front Work Needed to Develop Teams	69	(4)
Establishing Purposes and a Vision for the End Results	69	(1)
Setting Goals	70	(1)
Selection of Team Members	71	(2)
Ongoing Work Needed to Maintain the Work of Teams	73	(3)
Leading Teams Through Group Development Stages	73	(3)
Providing Support Structures for Teamwork	76	(6)
Assessing Teams and Their Work	79	(3)
Suggested Readings	82	(1)
The Work of the Principal in Planning for School Improvement	83	(44)
Introducing Planning for School Improvement	83	(1)
The Broad Base of Involvement Needed for Planning for School Improvement	84	(2)
Communication and School Improvement	86	(2)
Communication that Informs	87	(1)
Communication that Helps Plan	87	(1)
Communication that Asks	88	(1)
Communication that Evaluates	88	(1)
Getting Started	88	(1)
Consult the School Mission	89	(1)
Assemble the School Improvement Team	90	(1)
Assess the Current Situation of the School and Students to Target Gaps	91	(4)
Environmental Scanning	91	(1)
Gap Analysis	92	(3)
Analyze Data	95	(6)
Making Data User-Friendly	100	(1)
Data Overload	101	(1)
Develop Improvement Goals and Objectives to Narrow Gaps	101	(2)
Goals	101	(1)
Objectives	102	(1)
Linking Goals and Objectives	102	(1)
Develop Strategies to Meet Goals and Objectives	103	(2)
The Action Plan is the School Improvement Plan	105	(1)
Action Plans Bring Life to Goals, Objectives, and Strategies	105	(1)
Pulling It All Together---A Case from the Field	106	(19)
Understanding the Context	107	(1)
Academic Support Programs and Personnel	107	(1)
The Faculty of Lindsey Elementary	107	(1)
The Reality of a School in Trouble	108	(1)
Scanning the Environment	108	(2)
Where to Start?	110	(1)
Teamwork---Time, Opportunity, and Training Needed	111	(2)
Mission	113	(1)
Beliefs = Values Forms the Basis of the Mission	114	(1)
Committing the Beliefs of Faculty, Staff, Administration, and Parents to Writing	114	(1)
Gap Analysis---The Current Reality versus the Desired State	115	(1)
Test Data Analysis and Discussion in and across Grade Levels	115	(1)
An Overall Reform Strategy	115	(3)
Databased Decision Making and Planning for Change	118	(1)
Academic Goals---Something to Strive For	119	(2)
Ongoing Assessment	121	(1)
The Research Base Needed to Press Forward	121	(1)
Strategies to Implement the Research	122	(1)
Strategies to Increase Parental Involvement	123	(1)
Data Say It All	124	(1)
Suggested Readings	125	(2)
The Work of the Principal in Implementing and Monitoring School Improvement	127	(32)
Implementing School Improvement	127	(2)
Implementing School Improvement Plans	129	(2)
Implementing the Plan	130	(1)
Professional Development Needed for Successful Implementation	131	(3)
Characteristics of Effective Professional Development	134	(4)
Job-Embedded Learning	136	(1)
Peer Coaching	137	(1)
Differentiated and Developmental Supervisory Practices	137	(1)
Monitoring the School Improvement Plan	138	(3)
Documenting Results	139	(2)
Understanding Data---A Precursor to Reviewing Efforts and Modifying Goals, Objectives, and Strategies	141	(1)
Data Analysis---A Case from the Field	142	(10)
Involving Teachers in Data Collection and Analysis	142	(2)
Requesting Help from Within and Beyond the School	144	(1)
Reviewing Efforts and Results of Achieving Goals	144	(1)
Providing Staff Development to Assist Teachers in Understanding the Results of Data	145	(1)
Assessing What Works	146	(6)
Sustaining the Momentum for School Improvement	152	(6)
Understanding Change	152	(2)
Facing Implementation Dips	154	(2)
Exploring What is Blocking Progress Toward Meeting Goals	156	(1)
Shining the Light	157	(1)
Suggested Readings	158	(1)
References	159