As a form of teacher professional development, districts and schools are turning to an instructional coaching model for teacher learning, growth, and support. To date, however, few have sought to identify the specific characteristics and conditions that contribute to the success of the instructional coach, particularly in terms of the principal…

The 2012-2013 school year represents a pivotal juncture for DC Public Schools. Last spring, Mayor Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson introduced "A Capital Commitment," their ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate student achievement in the district over the next five years by providing all of their students with a safe, academically…

The 2012-2013 school year represents a pivotal juncture for DC Public Schools. Last spring, Mayor Gray and Chancellor Kaya Henderson introduced "A Capital Commitment," their ambitious plan to dramatically accelerate student achievement in the district over the next five years by providing all of their students with a safe, academically…

This participant guide addresses the need for and attributes of school leadership in the new century. To implement this initiative, a steering committee has been assigned two tasks: (1) to find consensus and to report on the qualifications of school leaders in the 21st century; and (2) to design a professional development system that will support…

Executive coaching is an increasingly popular means of accelerating professional growth and enhancing managerial performance. Unlike most other training and development options, coaching is completely personalized and private. This guide offers practical suggestions and tips to aid in understanding the nature of a coaching engagement and in…

Instructional leadership is a thoughtful journey that builds and sustains learning cultures. School leaders must confront negative norms and values head-on and recognize and celebrate a learning environment. Offers ideas for shaping and reinforcing a positive learning culture and lists brief case studies. (MLF)

The management style of a school leader deeply influences the ethos of a school. To explicate the workings of power in such leaders, an analysis of education management styles is presented here. The paper works from the premise that effective and productive management styles are empowering. The text acknowledges how difficult it is to frame a…

This paper presents findings of a study that investigated the effects of the peer-assisted leadership program (PAL), a program created at Far West Laboratory, on the networks and professional isolation of educational managers. A one-group pretest-posttest design (Campbell and Stanley 1966) was used to test the hypotheses, which expected that PAL…

A recent study surveyed the extent and sources of educators' relevant legal knowledge, their consultation patterns, and everyday legal problems confronting them. Areas of greatest concern were school safety, teacher liability, child protection, and custody and access issues. Training and professional- development implications are discussed.…

This collection draws from the best of the "ERS Spectrum" principalship literature over the past five years to provide K-12 principals with a guide to reflective practice. The resource provided here is distinctive in the way it addresses the dual roles of the principal--as instructional and managerial leader--in a format that is designed both for…

Effective building leadership and time utilization are important to the success of implementing change. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the experiences of an urban junior high school principal involved in a collaborative change effort. Specifically studied were the principal's actions, behavior, communication, and…