Strategies for Developing and Supporting School Leaders

Stepping Stones to Great Leadership

Karen L. Sanzo

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN:
  9781317427728
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Strategies for Developing and Supporting School Leaders assists personnel in school districts to deliver appropriate development and support practices for aspiring and current school leaders. This book explores a variety of research-based and best-practice processes that can be implemented in school districts to prepare leaders to meet the technical and adaptive demands of school leadership and the needs of a diverse student population. Sanzo lays out a cohesive framework of key processes and activities that range from the very simple and immediately implementable, to the more complex and nuanced. Providing both the "how," and "why," this important resource shares ideas, strategies, tools, and systems to develop effective and meaningful professional learning opportunities to help promote highly effective schools and districts.

9 Adding to Your Leadership Development Toolkit

DOI: 10.4324/9781315690643-9

The leadership development strategies and resources in this chapter are taken directly from practice. These practical, real-life tools are grounded in research and experience. Of course, there are many more activities in use, and by deploying the Open Systems concept of the Leadership Development Ecological Framework the Leadership Development System designers in your organization should cultivate partnerships with other educational institutions to identify more that will work in yours. Ultimately, the designers of the Leadership Development System should work to craft their own strategies that best fit the needs of the system. The activities and processes can be modified from the ones outlined here or be completely different. Familiarity with the variety of strategies and resources available will enable system designers to create processes and activities that maximize internal capacity and help build the skill sets for exemplary leadership.

Aspiring Leader Development Observation Tools

Dr. Tricia Browne-Ferrigno, Professor of Educational Leadership Studies at the University of Kentucky, shares insights into different tools and processes to help prepare aspiring school leaders for field-based instructional observations. Current school leaders in a district Leadership Development System can also use these tools as part of an ongoing leadership development and support system. First, some background is provided on the Principal Preparation Program at the University of Kentucky, followed by an overview of the observation processes. Three tools are then provided for use in your system.

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the certificate for school leaders is called Professional Certificate for Instructional Leadership—School Principal, All Grades. Applicants to any pre-service preparation program must meet the following prerequisites:

• Qualify for or hold a Kentucky teaching certificate,
• Completion of at least three years’ full-time teaching in P12 setting,
• Successful completion of a master’s degree in education with cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and
• Recommendation by a superintendent or other district-level administrator who attests to applicant’s educational leadership and professionalism.

The professional reading and learning activities within the program are aligned with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Administrators (ISTE, 2009, which replaced the Technology Standards for School Administrators of 2001) and the Dispositions, Dimensions, and Functions for School Leaders adopted by Kentucky as the framework for preparing P12 educational leaders.

The Principal Preparation Program offered by the Department of Educational Leadership Studies (EDL) at the University of Kentucky (UK) was designed to prepare candidates to meet or exceed current and emerging expectations for P12 school principals. Candidates who successfully complete all program requirements are awarded the Specialist in Education (EdS) degree in Educational Leadership Studies by UK and are recommended for Level II principal certification and Rank 1 of the Education Professional Standards Board.

Like all other EDL programs linked to advanced teacher certification, the EDL Principal Preparation Program requires candidates, who typically are working full time as classroom teachers, to complete a variety of field-based, often job-embedded, assignments that enhance transfer of learning to practice. During the first two semesters of the program, candidates conduct five required classroom observations, completed during EDL 706 Leadership in Learning-Centered Schools I and EDL 707 Leadership in Learning-Centered Schools II, that follow the pre-conference–observation–post-conference format. Each interview focuses on a specific aspect of supervision (i.e., observation of learning activities, observation of teaching strategies, observation of assessments in core-content class, observation of assessments in specials or elective class). At least two observations must be conducted in settings that include students who represent diverse student subgroups (e.g., English language learners, special education students, economically disadvantaged students, members of minority groups, students in gifted programs). Candidates are encouraged to conduct at least two observations in grade-level or discipline classrooms different from their current teaching assignment, and if possible in a classroom within a school level different from where they teach. The last prompt on each of the observation report forms asks candidates to reflect on what they learned through completing the assignment.

Contact Professor Tricia Browne-Ferrigno ([email protected]) for permission to use these forms designed for her classes (111 Dickey Hall, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0017; 859-257-5504; website: http://leadership.uky.edu).

EDL 706, Leadership in Learning-Centered Schools I Classroom Observation Report

Diverse settings are defined as classrooms

1. In school where candidate works that serves different student subpopulations (e.g., English language learners, special education students, economically disadvantaged students, members of minority groups, students in gifted programs);
2. In school level different from school where candidate works (e.g., elementary, middle, high); or
3. In other learning environments (e.g., early childhood centers, alternative schools, technical schools).

Two classroom observations must be completed while candidate is enrolled in EDL 706 (first semester of program)—one focused on learning, one focused on teaching. Use this form for both observations. The intent of these observations is to expand candidate’s awareness of and understanding about how student characteristics (e.g., limited English proficiency, learning disabilities, poverty, ethnicity/race, high potential for learning) and school conditions (e.g., rural versus urban schools, elementary versus secondary schools, high performing versus low performing schools) may impact students’ opportunities for learning and their academic achievement.

A form must be completed after each observation and then uploaded to candidate’s electronic portfolio. Candidate may use as much space as needed in space immediately below each prompt to respond fully.

Name:
Date of observation:		Location of observation:

Describe the classroom observed:

Describe things observed that are unique in classroom:

Summarize topics discussed during debriefing with teacher whose classroom was observed:

Describe lessons you learned about P12 student achievement from conducting this observation:

Reflect about principal’s role and responsibilities in conducting classroom observations:

Copyright © Tricia Browne-Ferrigno (2012)

EDL 707, Leadership in Learning-Centered Schools II Classroom Learning Observation Report

Diverse settings are defined as classrooms

1. In school where candidate works that serves diverse student populations (e.g., English language learners, special education students, economically disadvantaged students, members of minority groups, students in gifted programs);
2. In school level different from school where candidate works (e.g., elementary, middle, high); or
3. In other learning environments (e.g., early childhood centers, alternative schools, technical schools).

One classroom observation focused on student learning must be completed while candidate is enrolled in EDL 707 (second semester of program). The intent of these observations is to expand candidate’s awareness of and understanding about how characteristics (e.g., limited English proficiency, learning disabilities, poverty, ethnicity/race, high potential for learning) and school conditions (e.g., rural versus urban schools, elementary versus secondary schools, high performing versus low performing schools) impact P12 students’ opportunities for learning and their academic achievement.

A form must be completed after each observation and then uploaded to candidate’s electronic portfolio. Candidate may use as much space as needed in space immediately below each prompt to respond fully.

Name:
Date of observation:		Location of observation:

Describe the classroom observed:

Describe things observed that are different from your own classroom:

Summarize topics discussed during your debriefing with teacher whose classroom your observed:

Describe the lessons you learned about P12 student achievement from conducting this observation:

Reflect about changes in your professional practice that resulted from conducting this observation:

Copyright © Tricia Browne-Ferrigno (2012)

EDL 707, Leadership in Learning-Centered Schools II Classroom Assessment Observation Report

Diverse settings are defined as classrooms

1. In classrooms with diverse student subgroups (e.g., English language learners, special education students, economically disadvantaged students, members of minority groups, students in gifted programs), and
2. If possible, at a different-level school from the one where candidates work (e.g., teacher from elementary school conducts observation in a middle school).

Two observations focused on classroom assessments must be completed while candidate is enrolled in EDL 707 (second semester of program). The intent of these observations is to expand candidate’s awareness of and understanding about how assessments are utilized to assure students’ learning and their academic achievement. A form must be completed after each observation and then uploaded to candidate’s electronic portfolio. Candidate may use as much space as needed in space immediately below each prompt to respond fully.

Observer’s name:
Date of observation:		Location of observation:
Content area or subject observed:		Standard observed and assessed:

Describe type(s) of assessment implemented: What intentional assessments are observed (based on preconference with teacher)? What unintentional assessments are observed?

Analyze the congruency between the academic standard and the assessment(s): Does(do) the assessment(s) truly assess the standard being taught? Does(do) the assessment(s) assess the entire standard or just parts? Does(do) the assessment(s) assess the correct depth/level of the standard?

Describe how assessment(s) is(are) used during the lesson: Is assessment used to certify learning? Is assessment used to support learning? Is assessment an integral part of learning...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title Page
• Other Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Developing Great Leaders
• Creating a Leadership Development System
• Leadership Development Pathways
• Partnering for Success
• Grow-Your-Own Model Aspiring Leaders
• Grow-Your-Own Model Current Leaders
• Mentoring and Coaching
• Additional Features of a Leadership Development System
• Adding to Your Leadership Development Toolkit
• Reference