This article offers information about a district's school improvement efforts to reculture as... more This article offers information about a district's school improvement efforts to reculture as a professional learning community, which we believe exemplifies the school and district levels of Fullan's (2004b, 2005) tri-level model. We use Fullan's eight elements of sustainability to organize the data gathered in interviews with school and district personnel over a 3-year period. Additionally data from an interview with the state commissioner of education (also, the former superintendent of the district) hint at emerging state-level changes based on changes initiated within the district studied.
Texas conducted a case study based on parent involvement training sessions offered in the spring ... more Texas conducted a case study based on parent involvement training sessions offered in the spring of 1997 at Tomas Rivera Elementary School, Denton, Texas. The study involved low income English-and Spanish-speaking Hispanic parents whose children were considered high-risk students. The primary goal of the program was to enhance the educational achievement of children and youth through encouragement of parental involvement in the education of high-risk student populations. A target group of seven parents participated in either an English-speaking or Spanish-speaking group, both of which met for six sessions. The theoretical foundation for the sessions' content was based on Joyce L. Epstein's model of six types of involvement necessary to construct a bridge between school and the family. Conducting parent-involvement training in Spanish was a key element to the success of the program. Parents were able to gain empowerment, communication, and advocacy skills by being allowed to speak about their childrens' education in their native language and in a peer-group environment. Lack of Spanish-language translation in PTA meetings and other examples of interaction between family and school were identified as hindrances to parental involvement. A follow-up project was also implemented to enhance the previous training. (An appendix lists the program agendas for each of the six sessions. Contains 11 references.) (JM)
Five junior scholars, representing two departments and four program areas in the College of Educa... more Five junior scholars, representing two departments and four program areas in the College of Education at the University of North Texas, committed themselves to a long-term, systematic, research-based learning program in order to further their knowledge and skills as qualitative researchers. In this essay, this community of learners describes their collaborative efforts to develop more effective skills in one method of qualitative research, in-depth, oral history interviewing. Through their cross-discipline, research-based, faculty development model, the authors offer helpful direction to other higher education faculty who seek to improve their ability to conduct and also to guide students in qualitative investigations. An increasing number of graduate students have expressed growing interest in undertaking qualitative research studies. Yet, many university faculty, grounded in quantitative methods, are hard pressed to guide research projects in participant observation or in-depth interviewing. Perhaps, some would concur with Oakley, "Interviewing is rather like a marriage: everybody knows what it is, an awful lot of people do it, and yet behind each closed front door there is a world of secrets" (as cited in Fontana & Frey, 1994, p. 41). In the fall of 1995, a group of faculty members and graduate students representing various departments within the College of Education at the University of North Texas began monthly brown bag luncheons to address their deficit knowledge regarding qualitative research methodology. Several faculty members had expressed a growing need to learn more about qualitative research methods in order
Joanne Larson Associate Professor University of Rochester Box 270425 Dewey Hall Warner Graduate S... more Joanne Larson Associate Professor University of Rochester Box 270425 Dewey Hall Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development Rochester, New York 14627 [email protected] (716) 275-0900 (Office) (716) 473-5388 (Home) Larson ...
How can educational leaders create and nurture a culture of learning and safety in an organizatio... more How can educational leaders create and nurture a culture of learning and safety in an organization? Introduction As the Great Depression of the 1930s held Americans in its grip educator, historian, social and political activist George Sylvester Counts boldly electrified listeners with a call to reformative action (Urban, 1978, preface in Counts, 1932). In "Dare the School Build a New Social Order?" a compilation of several powerful speeches, Counts framed the critical educational and economic issues of his time as issues of security. America of the 1930s, like America of today, was a society of great contradictions. Dire poverty and starvation existed side by side with extravagance, abundance, and deliberate waste. Counts recognized that despite severe economic depression, America in the 1930s possessed technological and industrial capabilities to ensure basic needs of food and shelter for all Americans. He wrote, "We hold within our hands the power to usher in an age of plenty, to make secure the lives of all, and to banish poverty forever from the land. The only cause for doubt or pessimism lies in the question of our ability to rise to the stature of the times in which we live" (Counts, 1932, p. 32-33). In another of the many similarities to 21 st century America, Counts observed that "our generation has the good or the ill fortune to live in an age when great decisions must be made" (ibid., p. 33). He noted that economic, political, and social power was "inextricably bound" to educational power, and that teachers should eagerly grasp the power to positively influence social attitudes, ideals, and behaviors of young people. Teachers, embedded in the schools, were in a unique position to bridge the gap between school reform and social reform, with the potential to insightfully shape public discourse. He states, however, "…the power that teachers exercise in the schools can be no greater than the power they wield in society" and he challenged teachers to seize the opportunity to face social issues squarely and courageously (Counts, 1932). Teachers who live with courage, intelligence, and vision could "become a social force of some magnitude" (ibid. p. 25). "We have a haunting feeling", Counts wrote, "that we were born for better things and that the nation itself is falling far short of its powers." George Counts died in 1974, but the issues about which he wrote continue to be critical issues for us today. He would likely support Thernstrom and Thernstrom"s (2003) assertion that our failure to provide excellence in education for all our youth is the central civil rights issue of our time. He likely would agree with the Thernstroms (ibid.) that the division of Americans into haves and have-nots continues to be the unhealed wound of our time. High school reform is at the top of the education policy agenda. The what that must be done, the how it must be done, and even whether or not we will commit to doing it is a crucial focus of debate. Minority students from urban schools are most at risk of entrapment in schools that have been called dropout factories. The racial gap in academic achievement is an educational crisis as well as a source of ongoing racial inequality, "America"s great unfinished business" (Thernstrom & Thernstrom, 2003). Every high school in America today must face these issues, as George Counts would say, squarely and courageously. Even in affluent schools, one dropout is unacceptable; one graduate unprepared to enter college is unacceptable. Counts would likely also be in the middle of modern discourse about the definition of an educated citizen and he would certainly have much to contribute to the modern debate surrounding the purpose for which we educate our youth in a P-20 framework. Hargreaves and Shirley (2008) provide an analysis of the progress of educational research and practice over the last five decades.
This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities... more This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials designed as part of the authors' research in the area of professional learning communities (PLCs) and engage participants in reflection and discussion. The paper discusses the design and development of PLCs and provides a 5-year proiect schedule. In an appendix it presents the five dimensions of a PLC: (1) supportive and shared leadership; (2) shared values and vision; (3) collective learning and application of learning; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Other appendices contain a "communities of continuous inquiry and improvement research protocol"; a list of PLC dimensions and critical attributes; a PLC organizer matrix; and a PLC assessment instrument. (Contains 14 references.) (WFA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have... more Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have turned the vision into reality. This paper looks at how PLCs develop and maintain momentum. It examines and documents efforts in schools actively engaged in creating PLCs based on Hord's model. Hord's model employs external change agents, or codevelopers. Research, conducted in nine states, was built on five dimensions from Hord's model: (1) shared and supportive leadership; (2) shared vision and values; (3) collective learning and application; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Data for the study reported in this paper were collected from 58 structured interviews with administrators and teachers, the last round of data collection for a 5-year project. The interviews were analyzed using the five dimensions. Key findings include the importance of leadership from school principals and the need to create a culture of trust, respect, and inclusiveness w...
This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities... more This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials designed as part of the authors' research in the area of professional learning communities (PLCs) and engage participants in reflection and discussion. The paper discusses the design and development of PLCs and provides a 5-year proiect schedule. In an appendix it presents the five dimensions of a PLC: (1) supportive and shared leadership; (2) shared values and vision; (3) collective learning and application of learning; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Other appendices contain a "communities of continuous inquiry and improvement research protocol"; a list of PLC dimensions and critical attributes; a PLC organizer matrix; and a PLC assessment instrument. (Contains 14 references.) (WFA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Abstract: This study examines the preliminary results of a 5-year national study on creating comm... more Abstract: This study examines the preliminary results of a 5-year national study on creating communities of learners, provides findings from teachers and principals at 20 schools, analyzes characteristics of high-and low-readiness schools, and discusses the interaction ...
International Journal of Leadership in Education, 2003
... The Page 6. 243 JANE B. IIUFFAIAN AND AR~IINTA L. JACOBSON participants ... 100000. Primarily... more ... The Page 6. 243 JANE B. IIUFFAIAN AND AR~IINTA L. JACOBSON participants ... 100000. Primarily the participants in the , - study were employed in suburban and urban schools. Only four indicated they \\?ere from a city of less than 5000. ...
The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is an innovative approach to school improve... more The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is an innovative approach to school improvement that involves the leadership of the central office with the commitment of cadres of site-based leaders who are supported in school-based change with continuous assistance. Even today after years of restructuring and reform, when staff development is mentioned, many teachers still shudder and imagine a day of lecture that has little if anything to do with providing usable and relevant skills and information. Hilliard (1997) states that staff development must "be embedded in philosophy and theory, …be culturally salient, and …be understood in its historical and political/ economic context." Teachers and administrators must have the opportunity to design and participate in staff development programs that are research-based, site-specific and results-oriented. The programs must be directly tied to the needs of the staff to assist them in achieving the school and student goals. Success for all students requires improvements in the capacity of the organization to solve problems and continuously renew itself (Sparks and Hirsch,1997). Furthermore, site programs that are aligned with and supported by district resources offer a greater chance for success than those that operate independently of the district leadership. The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is a successful plan that combines the vision and overall direction of the district's central office leadership with the interest, talent, and commitment of cadres of site-based leaders. This ambitious endeavor allows teacher-leaders, principals, and sites to achieve school-based changes, while simultaneously using the resources of the district to guide and support them in overall school reform for effective teaching and learning.
This paper provides a snapshot of 19 diverse school settings that have committed themselves to wh... more This paper provides a snapshot of 19 diverse school settings that have committed themselves to whole-school reform to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their students. The schools in this study reflect schools across the country and represent various levels of readiness. Earlier findings in these schools indicated that "although schools are attending to many things, many of them are not attending to matters that make a difference in the way schools operate and in the outcomes for students." Using Hord's five-dimensional model as a comprehensive design, the study's findings indicate that the key factor in whole-school reform is the leadership of the principal. Leadership practices in high-readiness schools were more effective than those in low-readiness schools in all areas under study: shared leadership, inspired responsibility for a shared vision, empowered decision-making, and inclusivity of staff. Principals in high-readiness schools were not coercive or controlling; they shared leadership, imaging it in the likeness of new conceptions of leadership. These principals were selective in their focus on a shared vision. Some elicited the dreams of others, while some shared their own visions and sought to mobilize efforts accordingly. (Contains 40 references.) (DFR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education tod... more Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education today. Many K-12 schools are working to become professional learning communities in the hope that student learning will improve when adults commit themselves to talking collaboratively about teaching and learning and then take action that will improve student learning and achievement. The researchers in this study believe that a school must understand and practice the five disciplines of a learning organization to be a true professional learning community and that leadership plays a significant role in the ability of a school to become a professional learning community that enhances student learning. The questions explored in this study of six middle schools, three urban and three suburban, were: 1) What does a professional learning community look like in a middle school? 2) What kind of principal creates a professional learning community in his/her school? 3) What are the beliefs and dispositions of such a leader? 4) Do teachers perceive their school to be a professional learning community? and, 5) Is there a relationship between professional learning communities, leadership, and student learning? ________________________________ Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education today. Many K-12 schools are working to become professional learning communities in the hope that student learning will improve when adults commit themselves to talking collaboratively about teaching and learning and then take action that will improve student learning and achievement. Dufour and Eaker (1998) state that "The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is developing the ability of school personnel to function as professional learning communities" (p. xi). According to Walker (2002), "At the school level, this sense of community is evidenced in a commitment to the growth of the faculty as a whole and to activities such as seminar groups, reflective writing, team research, and discussion" (p. 22).
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 1360312022000017480, Jun 24, 2010
ABSTRACT The professional learning community concept provides a process for stakeholders to engag... more ABSTRACT The professional learning community concept provides a process for stakeholders to engage collaboratively in dialogue to ensure school improvement and student achievement. The purpose of this research was to analyze core processes of professional learning communities and perceived relationships to school effectiveness, and determine perceived relationships between the core processes and leadership style of the principal. Educators enrolled in Masters level educational administration classes believed their schools reflected core processes of a professional learning community at least some of the time. The core processes named most often were (a) providing a safe environment for diverse ideas, beliefs, and strategies, and (b) being a democratic organization guided by positive principles, ethics, and values. Participants also believed a collaborative style of leadership by the principal influenced the presence of professional learning community characteristics. Significant relationships between organizational description and leadership styles of principals were found.
This article offers information about a district's school improvement efforts to reculture as... more This article offers information about a district's school improvement efforts to reculture as a professional learning community, which we believe exemplifies the school and district levels of Fullan's (2004b, 2005) tri-level model. We use Fullan's eight elements of sustainability to organize the data gathered in interviews with school and district personnel over a 3-year period. Additionally data from an interview with the state commissioner of education (also, the former superintendent of the district) hint at emerging state-level changes based on changes initiated within the district studied.
Texas conducted a case study based on parent involvement training sessions offered in the spring ... more Texas conducted a case study based on parent involvement training sessions offered in the spring of 1997 at Tomas Rivera Elementary School, Denton, Texas. The study involved low income English-and Spanish-speaking Hispanic parents whose children were considered high-risk students. The primary goal of the program was to enhance the educational achievement of children and youth through encouragement of parental involvement in the education of high-risk student populations. A target group of seven parents participated in either an English-speaking or Spanish-speaking group, both of which met for six sessions. The theoretical foundation for the sessions' content was based on Joyce L. Epstein's model of six types of involvement necessary to construct a bridge between school and the family. Conducting parent-involvement training in Spanish was a key element to the success of the program. Parents were able to gain empowerment, communication, and advocacy skills by being allowed to speak about their childrens' education in their native language and in a peer-group environment. Lack of Spanish-language translation in PTA meetings and other examples of interaction between family and school were identified as hindrances to parental involvement. A follow-up project was also implemented to enhance the previous training. (An appendix lists the program agendas for each of the six sessions. Contains 11 references.) (JM)
Five junior scholars, representing two departments and four program areas in the College of Educa... more Five junior scholars, representing two departments and four program areas in the College of Education at the University of North Texas, committed themselves to a long-term, systematic, research-based learning program in order to further their knowledge and skills as qualitative researchers. In this essay, this community of learners describes their collaborative efforts to develop more effective skills in one method of qualitative research, in-depth, oral history interviewing. Through their cross-discipline, research-based, faculty development model, the authors offer helpful direction to other higher education faculty who seek to improve their ability to conduct and also to guide students in qualitative investigations. An increasing number of graduate students have expressed growing interest in undertaking qualitative research studies. Yet, many university faculty, grounded in quantitative methods, are hard pressed to guide research projects in participant observation or in-depth interviewing. Perhaps, some would concur with Oakley, "Interviewing is rather like a marriage: everybody knows what it is, an awful lot of people do it, and yet behind each closed front door there is a world of secrets" (as cited in Fontana & Frey, 1994, p. 41). In the fall of 1995, a group of faculty members and graduate students representing various departments within the College of Education at the University of North Texas began monthly brown bag luncheons to address their deficit knowledge regarding qualitative research methodology. Several faculty members had expressed a growing need to learn more about qualitative research methods in order
Joanne Larson Associate Professor University of Rochester Box 270425 Dewey Hall Warner Graduate S... more Joanne Larson Associate Professor University of Rochester Box 270425 Dewey Hall Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development Rochester, New York 14627 [email protected] (716) 275-0900 (Office) (716) 473-5388 (Home) Larson ...
How can educational leaders create and nurture a culture of learning and safety in an organizatio... more How can educational leaders create and nurture a culture of learning and safety in an organization? Introduction As the Great Depression of the 1930s held Americans in its grip educator, historian, social and political activist George Sylvester Counts boldly electrified listeners with a call to reformative action (Urban, 1978, preface in Counts, 1932). In "Dare the School Build a New Social Order?" a compilation of several powerful speeches, Counts framed the critical educational and economic issues of his time as issues of security. America of the 1930s, like America of today, was a society of great contradictions. Dire poverty and starvation existed side by side with extravagance, abundance, and deliberate waste. Counts recognized that despite severe economic depression, America in the 1930s possessed technological and industrial capabilities to ensure basic needs of food and shelter for all Americans. He wrote, "We hold within our hands the power to usher in an age of plenty, to make secure the lives of all, and to banish poverty forever from the land. The only cause for doubt or pessimism lies in the question of our ability to rise to the stature of the times in which we live" (Counts, 1932, p. 32-33). In another of the many similarities to 21 st century America, Counts observed that "our generation has the good or the ill fortune to live in an age when great decisions must be made" (ibid., p. 33). He noted that economic, political, and social power was "inextricably bound" to educational power, and that teachers should eagerly grasp the power to positively influence social attitudes, ideals, and behaviors of young people. Teachers, embedded in the schools, were in a unique position to bridge the gap between school reform and social reform, with the potential to insightfully shape public discourse. He states, however, "…the power that teachers exercise in the schools can be no greater than the power they wield in society" and he challenged teachers to seize the opportunity to face social issues squarely and courageously (Counts, 1932). Teachers who live with courage, intelligence, and vision could "become a social force of some magnitude" (ibid. p. 25). "We have a haunting feeling", Counts wrote, "that we were born for better things and that the nation itself is falling far short of its powers." George Counts died in 1974, but the issues about which he wrote continue to be critical issues for us today. He would likely support Thernstrom and Thernstrom"s (2003) assertion that our failure to provide excellence in education for all our youth is the central civil rights issue of our time. He likely would agree with the Thernstroms (ibid.) that the division of Americans into haves and have-nots continues to be the unhealed wound of our time. High school reform is at the top of the education policy agenda. The what that must be done, the how it must be done, and even whether or not we will commit to doing it is a crucial focus of debate. Minority students from urban schools are most at risk of entrapment in schools that have been called dropout factories. The racial gap in academic achievement is an educational crisis as well as a source of ongoing racial inequality, "America"s great unfinished business" (Thernstrom & Thernstrom, 2003). Every high school in America today must face these issues, as George Counts would say, squarely and courageously. Even in affluent schools, one dropout is unacceptable; one graduate unprepared to enter college is unacceptable. Counts would likely also be in the middle of modern discourse about the definition of an educated citizen and he would certainly have much to contribute to the modern debate surrounding the purpose for which we educate our youth in a P-20 framework. Hargreaves and Shirley (2008) provide an analysis of the progress of educational research and practice over the last five decades.
This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities... more This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials designed as part of the authors' research in the area of professional learning communities (PLCs) and engage participants in reflection and discussion. The paper discusses the design and development of PLCs and provides a 5-year proiect schedule. In an appendix it presents the five dimensions of a PLC: (1) supportive and shared leadership; (2) shared values and vision; (3) collective learning and application of learning; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Other appendices contain a "communities of continuous inquiry and improvement research protocol"; a list of PLC dimensions and critical attributes; a PLC organizer matrix; and a PLC assessment instrument. (Contains 14 references.) (WFA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have... more Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have turned the vision into reality. This paper looks at how PLCs develop and maintain momentum. It examines and documents efforts in schools actively engaged in creating PLCs based on Hord's model. Hord's model employs external change agents, or codevelopers. Research, conducted in nine states, was built on five dimensions from Hord's model: (1) shared and supportive leadership; (2) shared vision and values; (3) collective learning and application; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Data for the study reported in this paper were collected from 58 structured interviews with administrators and teachers, the last round of data collection for a 5-year project. The interviews were analyzed using the five dimensions. Key findings include the importance of leadership from school principals and the need to create a culture of trust, respect, and inclusiveness w...
This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities... more This presentation addresses three topics: (1) the assessment of professional learning communities in schools; (2) the design and development of professional learning communities in schools; and (3) the effects of professional learning communities in schools. The purpose of this brief document is to share descriptions, processes, and materials designed as part of the authors' research in the area of professional learning communities (PLCs) and engage participants in reflection and discussion. The paper discusses the design and development of PLCs and provides a 5-year proiect schedule. In an appendix it presents the five dimensions of a PLC: (1) supportive and shared leadership; (2) shared values and vision; (3) collective learning and application of learning; (4) supportive conditions; and (5) shared personal practice. Other appendices contain a "communities of continuous inquiry and improvement research protocol"; a list of PLC dimensions and critical attributes; a PLC organizer matrix; and a PLC assessment instrument. (Contains 14 references.) (WFA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Abstract: This study examines the preliminary results of a 5-year national study on creating comm... more Abstract: This study examines the preliminary results of a 5-year national study on creating communities of learners, provides findings from teachers and principals at 20 schools, analyzes characteristics of high-and low-readiness schools, and discusses the interaction ...
International Journal of Leadership in Education, 2003
... The Page 6. 243 JANE B. IIUFFAIAN AND AR~IINTA L. JACOBSON participants ... 100000. Primarily... more ... The Page 6. 243 JANE B. IIUFFAIAN AND AR~IINTA L. JACOBSON participants ... 100000. Primarily the participants in the , - study were employed in suburban and urban schools. Only four indicated they \\?ere from a city of less than 5000. ...
The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is an innovative approach to school improve... more The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is an innovative approach to school improvement that involves the leadership of the central office with the commitment of cadres of site-based leaders who are supported in school-based change with continuous assistance. Even today after years of restructuring and reform, when staff development is mentioned, many teachers still shudder and imagine a day of lecture that has little if anything to do with providing usable and relevant skills and information. Hilliard (1997) states that staff development must "be embedded in philosophy and theory, …be culturally salient, and …be understood in its historical and political/ economic context." Teachers and administrators must have the opportunity to design and participate in staff development programs that are research-based, site-specific and results-oriented. The programs must be directly tied to the needs of the staff to assist them in achieving the school and student goals. Success for all students requires improvements in the capacity of the organization to solve problems and continuously renew itself (Sparks and Hirsch,1997). Furthermore, site programs that are aligned with and supported by district resources offer a greater chance for success than those that operate independently of the district leadership. The Professional Resource Opportunities (PRO) Program is a successful plan that combines the vision and overall direction of the district's central office leadership with the interest, talent, and commitment of cadres of site-based leaders. This ambitious endeavor allows teacher-leaders, principals, and sites to achieve school-based changes, while simultaneously using the resources of the district to guide and support them in overall school reform for effective teaching and learning.
This paper provides a snapshot of 19 diverse school settings that have committed themselves to wh... more This paper provides a snapshot of 19 diverse school settings that have committed themselves to whole-school reform to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their students. The schools in this study reflect schools across the country and represent various levels of readiness. Earlier findings in these schools indicated that "although schools are attending to many things, many of them are not attending to matters that make a difference in the way schools operate and in the outcomes for students." Using Hord's five-dimensional model as a comprehensive design, the study's findings indicate that the key factor in whole-school reform is the leadership of the principal. Leadership practices in high-readiness schools were more effective than those in low-readiness schools in all areas under study: shared leadership, inspired responsibility for a shared vision, empowered decision-making, and inclusivity of staff. Principals in high-readiness schools were not coercive or controlling; they shared leadership, imaging it in the likeness of new conceptions of leadership. These principals were selective in their focus on a shared vision. Some elicited the dreams of others, while some shared their own visions and sought to mobilize efforts accordingly. (Contains 40 references.) (DFR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education tod... more Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education today. Many K-12 schools are working to become professional learning communities in the hope that student learning will improve when adults commit themselves to talking collaboratively about teaching and learning and then take action that will improve student learning and achievement. The researchers in this study believe that a school must understand and practice the five disciplines of a learning organization to be a true professional learning community and that leadership plays a significant role in the ability of a school to become a professional learning community that enhances student learning. The questions explored in this study of six middle schools, three urban and three suburban, were: 1) What does a professional learning community look like in a middle school? 2) What kind of principal creates a professional learning community in his/her school? 3) What are the beliefs and dispositions of such a leader? 4) Do teachers perceive their school to be a professional learning community? and, 5) Is there a relationship between professional learning communities, leadership, and student learning? ________________________________ Professional learning communities have become one of the most talked about ideas in education today. Many K-12 schools are working to become professional learning communities in the hope that student learning will improve when adults commit themselves to talking collaboratively about teaching and learning and then take action that will improve student learning and achievement. Dufour and Eaker (1998) state that "The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is developing the ability of school personnel to function as professional learning communities" (p. xi). According to Walker (2002), "At the school level, this sense of community is evidenced in a commitment to the growth of the faculty as a whole and to activities such as seminar groups, reflective writing, team research, and discussion" (p. 22).
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 1360312022000017480, Jun 24, 2010
ABSTRACT The professional learning community concept provides a process for stakeholders to engag... more ABSTRACT The professional learning community concept provides a process for stakeholders to engage collaboratively in dialogue to ensure school improvement and student achievement. The purpose of this research was to analyze core processes of professional learning communities and perceived relationships to school effectiveness, and determine perceived relationships between the core processes and leadership style of the principal. Educators enrolled in Masters level educational administration classes believed their schools reflected core processes of a professional learning community at least some of the time. The core processes named most often were (a) providing a safe environment for diverse ideas, beliefs, and strategies, and (b) being a democratic organization guided by positive principles, ethics, and values. Participants also believed a collaborative style of leadership by the principal influenced the presence of professional learning community characteristics. Significant relationships between organizational description and leadership styles of principals were found.
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Papers by Jane Huffman