The rapidly changing world and the increasingly complex demands placed on schools because of that change has led to an increasing awareness that the school principal alone cannot provide all of the leadership necessary for school development. More and more school districts are asking teachers to share leadership responsibilities with school…

For the past 12 years, the author has worked with peer coaches in more than 40 countries, and has seen schools where peer coaches have collaborated with colleagues to improve teaching and learning in classrooms across the school. In other schools, coaches have played a critical role in creating a culture of collaboration that helps build the…

Every day, teachers and administrators come to work and do the best job they know how. In the book "School Systems That Learn" (Ash & D'Auria, 2013), the authors argue that most school systems, as they are currently designed, have reached or nearly reached the limits of their capacity and that systemic change is necessary to…

Recent state legislation in Michigan mandates that all graduating seniors successfully pass algebra I and II. Numerous initiatives have been enacted to help mathematics teachers meet this challenge, yet school principals have had little preparation for the necessary curricular and instructional changes. To address this unmet need, university-based…

Having data about student academic performance motivates school leaders to perform better as educators, and tells them where they need to concentrate their efforts to improve. As principal of Ernie Pyle Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this author finds that the constant use of relevant data helps him stay focused on his instructional…

"Before there were meetings, planning processes, or any other techniques, there was conversation--people sitting around, interested in each other, talking together," writes Margaret Wheatley (2002). It has been through simple conversations that authoritative leadership roles traditionally held by those at central office in Rockwood…

Every April, the staff of Stilwell Junior High School (West Des Moines, Iowa) spend a day analyzing student data together. Staff members consider standardized tests scores, look at item-by-item results and trends, and consider how groups are performing. They also look at social data, gathered from students about how the youth view their school…

In fall 2006, the deputy superintendent of Howard County Schools in Maryland asked a small leadership team to rethink leadership support for central office leaders and to come up with an aligned three-point plan that would meet their unique needs. The leadership support system needed to take into account: (1) Leadership standards and indicators of…

In this article, the author describes how an Oregon district redefines coaching roles to find a balance between school and district goals. As director of improvement for North Clackamas School District in Milwaukie, Oregon, near Portland, the author's role of coaching the coach was new, and the coaches welcomed the immediate feedback. Through the…

Provides a framework for enhancing personal and organizational growth through staff development programs. Nineteen guidelines for staff developers planning such programs for effective schools are presented. These guidelines are based on a sound understanding of organization development and factors that enhance school change. (SM)

Examines the parallels, and common goals and characteristics, between staff development and curriculum development and discusses the implications these parallels have for staff developers. (GLR)

Effective schools research demonstrates that school principals are an important factor in schools' success. Yet many factors of the job inhibit principals' learning. To help leaders, professional learning experiences should center around what we know about the difficulties of the job and how principals can better learn from their own experiences…

A case study of an organization development intervention in a large New York State school district describes to staff developers the complex process of discovering and responding to organizational needs. The discussion focuses on understanding the problem; frameworks for diagnosis and intervention; and implementing the intervention strategy.…

The processes of staff development, instructional supervision, and teacher evaluation complement and support each other. The connections between and among them are discussed. Recommendations for implementing an integrated system of instructional improvement are made. (Author/MT)

The article discusses the use of action research as a means of professional development. After describing action research and its benefits, the article explains the cyclical, collaborative process of action research, notes its possible applications, and presents implications for school reform. (SM)