Leadership Practices in California Middle Schools
Author: Laurie B. Goodman
Publisher:
Published: 2007
Total Pages: 512
ISBN-13:
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The California League of Middle Schools' Professional Development for Principals
Author:
Publisher:
Published: 2012
Total Pages: 190
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis qualitative case study investigated principals' perceptions of a professional development model developed by the California League of Middle Schools. The study explored the activities that principals deemed supported or hindered their work in developing strong leadership skills associated with improving student achievement. Furthermore, the study sought to discover any additional activities the principals believed the program should provide in order to support the development of effective practices of a school leader. The study used a qualitative design to examine principal perceptions of activities in a mentoring and coaching professional development program. Participants were selected based upon (a) their participation in the California League of Middle Schools' Mentoring and Coaching Professional Development Model, and (b) having achieved growth in the school's Academic Performance Index of 17 points based upon the statewide average for California middle schools for the past two academic years. Data were gathered and analyzed from multiple sources including one-on-one principal interviews, field observations of the professional development coaching and mentoring sessions, as well as program documents and artifacts. Data were triangulated in order to ensure trustworthiness of the study's findings. Since participants were given an opportunity to express the pros and cons of the professional development program for principals, the research evolved as explanatory and descriptive. Results of this qualitative study indicated that principals perceived the League of Middle Schools' professional development model which included coaching and mentoring as having the capacity to support and change specific leadership practices and behaviors associated with effective schools. This study will add to the existing body of research on the professional development programs that incorporate coaching and mentoring for principal induction, professional growth for veterans, as well as the body of research on the development of effective leadership practices that can impact student achievement.
Leadership in America's Best Urban Schools
Author: Joseph F. Johnson, Jr.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2017-02-03
Total Pages: 171
ISBN-13: 1317412397
DOWNLOAD EBOOKLeadership in America’s Best Urban Schools describes and demystifies the qualities that successful leaders rely on to make a difference at all levels of urban school leadership. Grounded in research, this volume reveals the multiple challenges that real urban elementary, middle, and high schools face as well as the catalysts for improvement. This insightful resource explores the critical leadership characteristics found in high-performing urban schools and gives leaders the tools to move their schools to higher levels of achievement for all students—but especially for those who are low-income, English-language learners, and from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. In shining a light on the essential qualities for exceptional leadership at all levels of urban schools, this book is a valuable guide for all educators and administrators to nurture, influence, support, and sustain excellence and equity at their schools.
Leadership Strategies to Implement Restorative Practices at the Middle-School Level
Author: Kathryn M Freeman
Publisher:
Published: 2018
Total Pages: 116
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKMiddle school is a time when students may feel disconnected from their community. When applied in a school setting, Restorative Practice (RP) strategies proactively develop relationships and community and can rebuild connections between and among students, teachers, site leaders, and parents. It also changes the focus of discipline from punitive to restorative. This study focuses on how site leaders can implement RP at the middle-school level. The study uses data collected from site leaders (principals, assistant principals, and counselors) and teachers from five middle schools (grades seven and eight) in a suburban southern California school district. Data was collected using anonymous and voluntary online surveys that were emailed to targeted respondents during the spring of 2018. The survey was mixed method and included both qualitative and quantitative data questions. Quantitative questions were written to gather data on what strategies were currently being implemented at each school site and the site's progress toward successful RP implementation. Open-ended qualitative data questions sought feedback on strategies that were successfully implemented as well as barriers to implementation. Responses from both teachers and site leaders were compared to identify trends in the data. The findings and recommendations are that successful implementation of RP at the middle-school level requires initial and ongoing professional training. Site leaders also need to develop and communicate a clear vision for RP implementation at their school sites. The survey results also revealed a disconnect between the beliefs of site leaders and teachers at all middle-school sites regarding different aspects of the implementation of RP at their sites. Finally, resources, in the form of time, funding, and curriculum are needed for support. The findings from this study will add to the existing body of research around RP implementation, which can assist other school districts by providing them with recommendations to overcome some of the barriers encountered by one district.
The Leader in Me
Author: Stephen R. Covey
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2012-12-11
Total Pages: 218
ISBN-13: 147110446X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKChildren in today's world are inundated with information about who to be, what to do and how to live. But what if there was a way to teach children how to manage priorities, focus on goals and be a positive influence on the world around them? The Leader in Meis that programme. It's based on a hugely successful initiative carried out at the A.B. Combs Elementary School in North Carolina. To hear the parents of A. B Combs talk about the school is to be amazed. In 1999, the school debuted a programme that taught The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Peopleto a pilot group of students. The parents reported an incredible change in their children, who blossomed under the programme. By the end of the following year the average end-of-grade scores had leapt from 84 to 94. This book will launch the message onto a much larger platform. Stephen R. Covey takes the 7 Habits, that have already changed the lives of millions of people, and shows how children can use them as they develop. Those habits -- be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek to understand and then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw -- are critical skills to learn at a young age and bring incredible results, proving that it's never too early to teach someone how to live well.
Moving Leadership Standards Into Everyday Work
Author: Karen Kearney
Publisher:
Published: 2015-11-16
Total Pages: 52
ISBN-13: 9781938287336
DOWNLOAD EBOOKMoving Leadership Standards Into Everyday Work: Descriptions of Practice enhances the usefulness of the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) by illustrating key knowledge and actions reflected in leadership that supports all students to learn and thrive.
Leadership Practices in an Urban School in California
Author: Debbra Maury
Publisher:
Published: 2004
Total Pages: 200
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Role of Leadership in Sustaining School Reform
Author: Mary S. Leighton
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Published: 1998-05
Total Pages: 92
ISBN-13: 0788148613
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSummarizes discussions by participants in a meeting convened to learn the views of outstanding school leaders -- principals, teachers, parents, and others -- whose diversity reflected that of the local education workforce. The discussions centered on three topics: the habits of mind and heart that enable leaders to guide successful school change over the long term; the dimensions of leadership as expressed in experiences in the participants' careers as school leaders; and strategies for using the dimensions of leadership for self-assessment, peer coaching, or other professional development activities. Resource list.
How Leadership Works
Author: Cathy Lassiter
Publisher: Corwin Press
Published: 2022-03-26
Total Pages: 268
ISBN-13: 1071877194
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSharpen your instructional leadership skills and guide your school toward equity and excellence for all. Just think about how great schools could be if every instructional leader exercised their influence to create change—maximizing the efforts of others and mobilizing those efforts to work toward a shared goal. How Leadership Works: A Playbook for Instructional Leaders walks educators through the processes of clarifying, articulating, and actualizing instructional leadership goals with the aim of delivering on the promise of equity and excellence for all. Grounded in Visible Learning® research, the exercises in this easy-to-use playbook illuminate the essential mindframes necessary for effective instructional leadership and prompt veteran, new, and aspiring educators to identify challenges and determine next steps. It includes: Ten essential mindframes for leaders, together with the leadership practices that illustrate each mindframe in action Teaching practices, such as teacher clarity or student engagement in learning, that support teachers in delivering quality instruction, along with tools to document the impact of those practices on learning Strategies for leading learning, including establishing school culture, utilizing feedback, and supporting professional learning communities as a pathway to building collective teacher efficacy. Tools for applying the principles of change, conducting an initiative inventory, and implementing and de-implementing initiatives Exercise-by-exercise, educators and front office staff will deepen their knowledge, frame their priorities and practices, and gain new tools for supporting the instructional focus and initiatives designed to support learning at your school.
The Promise of Transformational Leadership for Closing the Achievement Gap
Author: Timothy Ian Heck
Publisher:
Published: 2014
Total Pages: 110
ISBN-13: 9781303834028
DOWNLOAD EBOOKHigh-stakes accountability mandates such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top set minimum achievement criteria for students in US schools. Instituting the change necessary to meet these student achievement goals requires leadership. School leaders often need to implement changes to the curriculum and culture of schools to meet the academic needs of the students served. Especially in schools that are identified as underperforming, principals are held accountable for transforming failing schools into systems that provide academic support. Prior research suggests that transformational leadership may be a critical factor in school improvement. Through the lens of transformational leadership, this study sought to discover the key leadership attributes shared by principals and other personnel in schools formerly under sanction, specifically Program Improvement (PI) Schools. Using case study methods, this research focused on principals and teacher leaders of two California middle schools formerly designated as PI schools in order to understand which leadership attributes help middle schools transition out of PI status. The following seven themes were discovered in relation to the leadership attributes and practices shared by principals and teacher leaders in two middle schools formerly under sanctions : (1) teamwork, support, and collaboration; (2) accountability; (3) planning and structure; (4) modeling and leading by example; (5) using data in decision making of data; (6) fostering increased parent involvement; and (7) promoting respect. Transformational leadership played a key role in the two schools studied. Findings from this study also suggest that school leaders who implement the tenets of transformational leadership could promote the requirements for a school to improve and exit PI status. As such, transformational leadership does hold promise for helping to narrow the achievement gap in schools.
