In his 2011 ASCD best-seller "Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning," author Mike Schmoker described a fresh approach to K-12 teaching built on three core elements: a focused and coherent curriculum; clear, structured lessons; and purposeful reading and writing, or authentic literacy. Now, in "Leading…

This guide to effective teacher evaluation is organized around the core issues of professional standards, a guide for applying the Joint Committee's "Standards," 10 alternative models for the evaluation of teacher performance, and an analysis of these 10 models. The chapters are: (1) "Historical Perspectives of Teacher Evaluation"; (2) "Standards…

Outlines the uses of power in the position of principal. Includes definitions of types of power and explains how to implement an empowering approach that enables principals to have power "with" not "over" their teachers. (MD)

In this second volume of "The Soul of Educational Leadership" series, editors Paul D. Houston, Alan M. Blankstein, and Robert W. Cole offer creative perspectives on the challenges of reframing leadership practice. Presenting key strategies from leadership experts such as Thomas Sergiovanni and Dennis Sparks, this compact resource combines…

To provide an understanding of the issues and essential elements involved in developing effective inservice programs for administrators, information from research on teacher inservice programs was adapted in light of the insights of several administrators attending the 1986 national conference of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum…

This volume is the third in a projected six-volume series called "Agenda for Excellence at the Mid-Level." It describes a process that school administrators can use to conceptualize, plan, execute, and utilize the results of a school assessment, allowing them to take a snapshot of their school. It outlines a set of alternative procedures to be…

This guide describes the school administrator's managerial role. It is designed to help readers gain additional insights into this role by explaining how to conduct a self-review of the strengths and weaknesses of educational-management-related policies and procedures in school districts. It begins with a discussion of a school administrators'…

Outlines the Situational Leadership II model and the four leadership styles and four development levels identified as important components in the development of situational leadership in school administrators. The model is used to teach principals how to vary their leadership style to fit the responses and capacities of their teachers. (MD)

This guide is designed to help educators make good decisions about comprehensive school reform (CSR). Since CSR takes different forms in different schools, the booklet should help schools craft a unique plan that builds on unique strengths. It emphasizes the importance of choosing carefully one or more research-based CSR models to serve as the…

A review of current practices related to vocational education of severely retarded students precedes the description of a Madison, Wisconsin model for providing successful vocational programs featuring community-based training. Recommendations for administrative planning include: providing technical assistance; coordinating transition programs;…

This document is a chapter in "The Principles and Practice of Educational Management," which aims to provide a systematic and analytical introduction to the study of educational management. The structure of the book reflects the main substantive areas of educational leadership and management, and most of the major themes are covered in the…

"Imaginization" is a type of organizational thinking designed to help managers cope with a turbulent world. A full discussion of this process is presented here. The text shows how managers can develop capacities of imaginization, but the overall purpose of the book is to help administrators develop their creative abilities. Its 13 chapters…

The educational administrator must often straddle the gap between empirically sound and politically expedient decisions, employing policy assessment as a hedge against adopting ill-conceived policies. The resource allocation model (RAM) attempts to remedy this dilemma by tying program evaluation and policy analysis into a single conceptual yet…

This document is a chapter in "The Principles and Practice of Educational Management," which aims to provide a systematic and analytical introduction to the study of educational management. The structure of the book reflects the main substantive areas of educational leadership and management, and most of the major themes are covered in the…

Presents a selection model for choosing appropriate software for special education students. The management process is described as well as the instructional process, professional journals and other sources of software reviews are discussed, and the importance of the consistent application of evaluative criteria is emphasized. (LRW)