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WHAT'S NEW - SEPTEMBER 2004

WORKING WITH PRINCIPALS TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING

Welcome to the website for the Council on Alberta Teaching Standards (COATS). This area of the website changes monthly. The theme for this month will be of interest to teachers, administrators, and parents who are interested in the topic of working with principals to improve student learning. The working relationship between teacher and principal is pivotal. The section below identifies several weblinks related to the topic. We hope that you find this website to be a valuable resource. For quick reference bookmark http://www.teachingquality.ab.ca today!

WEBSITES RELATED TO WORKING WITH PRINCIPALS TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING

10 Strategies for Staff Empowerment
Copyright © 2004 National Association of Secondary School Principals
Principal Leadership
Lamperes, B.
http://www.principals.org/publications/pl/pl_10_strategies_0204.cfm

This web page reports a case in which Principal Lamperes encouraged staff members to be creative and undertake program initiatives. Putting the empowerment process in place actually occurred gradually over a number of years. The strategies leading to this level of trust and achievement incorporated, for example, sharing information, shared decision making, sharing a common vision, and sharing budgeting information and priorities. The case study reported here ends with an account of the ongoing success of the empowerment practice, which embraces both trust and teamwork. Bibliographical references are also included.

Creating a Culture of Change
Journal of Staff Development
Copyright © 2004 National Staff Development Council
Patterson, D. and Rohlheiser, C.
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/patterson252.cfm

This web page reports successful experiences in creating a culture of change within Edmonton Catholic Schools. The details of this case study identify 10 strategies for cultivating teamwork in schools. Among other requirements, the 10 strategies take in a commitment to change, professional discussion, and high expectations. Creating leadership teams was another important facet of the success. Overall, the initiative was marked by an increase in student learning as measured by a provincial achievement test. References for further study are included. Dr. Patterson and Associate Dean Rohlheiser are both associated with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) in Toronto.

Developing Instructional Leaders. 2002
Lashway, L.
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed466023.html

In this ERIC Digest (#ED466023), Lashway underscores the prominence of instructional leadership on the current educational horizon. The importance of instructional leadership results from the emphasis on accountability associated with the standards movement and educational reforms. Attention has clearly shifted from teaching students to students' learning, with much of the onus for student success falling on principals. Tangible results are expected. For these reasons, Lashway reasons, universities and school districts must make efforts to ensure that principals and superintendents are well-prepared and competent to carry out the tasks involved in instructional leadership. Teachers and principals have complementary responsibilities in this activity.

A Framework for Shared Leadership
Copyright © 2002 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Lambert, L.
http://www.ascd.org/author/el/2002/05may/lambert.html

Lambert sets forth the notion of leadership capacity (something to be shared by teachers as professional educators) within the school. She believes it is a mistake to expect that instructional leadership comes exclusively from the principal but that an effective principal is someone who generates a shared vision of learning within which teachers and even parents can make their contributions. Lambert describes the school as a learning community, in which it is possible to take advantage of the talents of teachers. She makes mention of the sort of successes she imagines in Edmonton and Calgary schools as well as elsewhere. Lambert is author of the books Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement, and Building Leadership Capacity in Schools.

How to Help Create a Professional Learning Community in Your School
Copyright © 2004 The Teachers Network, Inc.
New York
Fenton, J.
http://teachersnetwork.org/ntny/nychelp/Mentorship/community.htm

Ms. Fenton, a New York teacher, relates her experiences as a novice teacher with pre-kindergarten students. Despite serious challenges, she carried on fruitfully with the assistance of another pre-kindergarten teacher. As a result of her experience, she is able to offer support to other beginning teachers. Specifically, she shares her insights into the nature of a professional learning community, and offers six points of clear-cut, practical advice, including: asking questions; collaborating with experienced teachers; and telling the principal the kind of help that is required.

The Impact of a Teacher Learning Community on School Climate. 2000
Pearce, K.L., Gusso, K., Schroeder, L., Speiers, R. and Zwaschka, J.
http://www.bhsu.edu/education/edfaculty/kpearce/Impact%20of%20Teacher%20Learning%20Community%20on%20School%20Climate.htm

This case study from North Dakota focuses on the story of one high school and its experience with school improvement. Teachers formed a teacher learning community and although the principal was legally responsible at the school for the success of the program, the teachers found ways to share in that responsibility. For example, the teachers shared in decision making regarding policies for the school, and they also accepted responsibility for stimulating one another to learn and grow. Illustrative direct quotations provide insight into individual teachers' perceptions of the ups and downs in the high school's climate. After one year, during which data were collected, the high school's climate recovered with notable improvements in communication and cooperation.

The Leadership: School Reform in Quebec. 2004
http://www.qesnrecit.qc.ca/reform/bestprac/leadsch/ormstown/leader.php

This website reports some best practices in school reform from Quebec. Principal Gail Atkinson of Ormstown Elementary demonstrates a strong view on what constitutes shared leadership with her staff. She encourages teamwork and empowerment. There is even room for disagreement. The changes took time, but Principal Atkinson worked at breaking down the norms associated with teachers who were used to working in isolated classrooms. Professional development initiatives eventually led to teamwork and cooperation. Teachers were encouraged to share their expertise with one another. In short, teachers learned to grow together and assumed ownership for the direction of the school.

This website, originating with the Calgary Board of Education, presents a leadership model that provides a fresh occasion for rethinking teacher and administrator relationships within schools. The report describes the approach of the Leadership Centre to fostering leadership capacity, that is, to building leaders throughout the school system. In this perspective, leadership goes beyond traditional positional or formal leadership. This form of leadership is still in the process of evolution. This understanding of leadership also has implications for all those involved in education, namely, teachers, principals, support staff, and students as well as parents and trustees. Teambuilding is one important feature of this approach to leadership. This approach to a new "culture of leadership" is endorsed by the Calgary Board of Education's Chief Superintendent.

The Learning-Centered Principal
Beyond Instructional Leadership
Copyright © 2002 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Dufour, R.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/ed_lead/200205/dufour.html

A well-known exponent of the professional learning community, Dr. Richard Dufour comments insightfully on the notion of the principal as instructional leader. Noting his extensive experience with clinical supervision and long-time commitment to improving instruction, he now questions the adequacy of the initial notion of instructional leadership, which emphasized teachers' activities. Current emphasis falls on the outcomes of student learning and accordingly, Dufour promotes those sorts of interventions within a school that lead to increased student learning. Within this perspective, the principal is a lead learner, and teachers too become learners, all part of a learning community. References for further study are included.

Professional Development of Principals. 2002
Fenwick, L. T. and Pierce, M. C.
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed477731.html

Working with the school principal entails understanding, to some degree, the challenges and needs faced by principals. In this ERIC Digest (#ED477731), the authors begin by considering the changing role of principals. In such circumstances, principals require opportunity for professional development. Three models of professional development for principals are recognized: a traditional model, a craft model, and a reflective inquiry model. Principals' centers have a function in providing principals with the skills that they require; some 150 such centers exist throughout the United States. Mentorship for principals still stands out as an effective approach to professional development. The authors support an approach to principals' professional development that is aimed at overcoming inequality, racism and sexism in education.

The Principal's Role in Student Achievement
Johnston, H.
University of South Florida
http://www.principalspartnership.com/feature504.html

If the principals' most important role is an instructional leader, the assumption is made that principals are indeed able to influence students' learning. This online article examines the supposed connection between the principal and student achievement. To some, it may seem that the only links might lie in principals' motivating and supporting teachers. This article, however, cites recent research findings by K. Cotton that identify specific behaviors that are correlated to student learning across a variety of school settings. Cotton's list of influential factors is lengthy and include: maintaining a safe school environment; promoting a vision of learning with high expectations; cultivating a shared sense of responsibility for the school, etc. Avoiding a controlling style of leadership is another important factor.

This web page illuminates the teacher-principal relationship within a professional learning community. Teachers can imitate the skills modeled by principals and thereby enhance students' learning. Cooperating with the principal can mean taking the risk of developing collegial relationships with one's peers. Again, collaborating with the principal can mean taking opportunities for professional development. Still again, working with the principal can entail accepting the inconvenience of shared decision making in the school. All of these activities and more are part of membership in a professional learning community.