Download or read book Exploring the Role of the Principal in Creating a Culture of Academic Optimism written by William A. Harper and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Principals are held accountable for the academic achievement of their students. This study addressed renewed interest in how principals can improve student achievement (SA) by improving the culture of their schools. Previous research demonstrated a positive relationship between the construct of academic optimism (AO) and SA. The purpose of this mixed methods sequential Quan - Qual research study was to understand how principals in Alabama middle schools create a culture of AO that fosters high SA. In the quantitative phase 218 Alabama schools with Grade 8 were stratified into high and low categories of SA based on the percentage of students performing in the top two levels of proficiency on the Alabama Reading and Math Test (ARMT+). These schools were also stratified into high, medium, and low categories of socio-economic status, based on the percentage of students eligible for the Free and Reduced Program for Lunch (FRPL). The purpose of the qualitative phase was to understand how AO and its three dimensions, faculty trust (FT), collective efficacy CE), and academic emphasis (AE), were related to SA. Using non-probabilistic diversity sampling, 156 Alabama schools were invited to participate in the study. Teachers from 26 participating schools completed the School Academic Optimism Scale (SAOS) which measured the degree of AO within each school. Correlation, regression and recursive partitioning analyses indicated that AO was a nonsignificant predictor of either reading or math achievement even when controlling for SES. Regression did identify AE, one of the dimensions of AO, as a significant predictor of SA. In the second qualitative phase, using purposive sampling, 11 principals of high achieving middle schools identified strategies that developed a culture of AO which fostered high SA in both high and low SES schools. Analyses identified five strategies that interacted reciprocally among multiple dimensions of academic optimism: data based decision making (DBDM), collaborative team work, principal support for teachers, consistent communication, and routine celebrations of academic excellence. Implications for practitioners include: build collaborative teams, especially around DBDM efforts, encourage strong personal relationships, provide emotional and tangible support for teachers, and stress consistent professional communication with all stakeholders.
Download or read book The Mixed Methods Research Workbook written by Michael D. Fetters and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2019-10-03 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mixed Methods Research Workbook by Michael Fetters is the perfect tool for doctoral students and researchers who want support throughout their research project, as well as a practical way to apply the knowledge they have learned. With this text, students can tackle their mixed methods research project with confidence.
Download or read book The Principal s Role in Shaping School Culture written by Terrence E. Deal and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Introduction to the Principalship written by Leslie S. Kaplan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-03-12 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latest leadership textbook from respected author team Kaplan and Owings explores how principals can effectively build a culture around student achievement. Introduction to the Principalship helps aspiring principals understand how to develop a vision for improvement, make decisions and manage conflict, build teachers’ capacity, communicate, monitor the organization’s performance, and create a school climate of mutual respect. This important book provides readers with various leadership concepts to inform their practice, as well as the cognitive and practical tools to evaluate and prioritize what leadership actions to take. Each chapter offers opportunities for readers to create personal meaning and explore new ways of doing leadership to advance a positive, person-focused environment. Providing both the theoretical framework and skills for effective practice, Introduction to the Principalship addresses the issues most urgent and relevant for educational leadership graduate students learning how to build a school culture that promotes every student’s success. Special Features: • Learning Objectives—chapter openers introduce the topic and initiate student thinking. • Reflections and Relevance —interactive exercises, role plays, class activities, and assignments help readers think about content in personally meaningful ways, facilitate understanding of chapter content, and help transfer leadership thinking to action in their own schools. • ISLLC Standards—each chapter is aligned to the 2015 Interstate School Leadership Licensure Standards. • Companion Website—includes links to supplemental material, additional readings, and PowerPoints for instructors.
Download or read book An Exploratory Study of the Academic Optimism of Principals written by Amy Schrepfer-Tarter and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Academic optimism of the principal is a construct comprised of trust in teachers, self-efficacy of the principal, and principal's academic emphasis. Academic optimism has been demonstrated at both the organizational and teacher levels, but research concerning principal's academic optimism is only beginning to be explored. The current inquiry began with a pilot study to develop a usable measure of academic optimism of principals. The pilot study resulted in a preliminary measure, which was further refined to create the scale used in this analysis.
Download or read book School Leadership That Works written by Robert J. Marzano and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2005 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This guide to the 21 leadership responsibilities that influence student achievement will help school leaders focus on changes that really make a difference.
Download or read book Breakthrough Principals written by Jean Desravines and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-03-22 with total page 412 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bridge the achievement gap with proven strategies for student success Breakthrough Principals debunks the myth of the 'superhero' principal by detailing the common actions and practices of leaders at our nation's fastest-gaining public schools. Based on the authors' Transformational Leadership Framework, which they developed through in-depth study of more than 100 high-gaining, high-poverty schools, the book distills findings into a practical, action-focused plan for diagnosing school needs and implementing structures, systems and practices that accelerate student achievement. Brought to life by case studies of principals who have led dramatic gains in student achievement, the book is a how-to guide for increasing the quality of teaching and learning; improving school culture; attracting and supporting high-performing teachers; and involving parents and community to help students achieve. You'll learn how breakthrough principals make the school's mission a real part of both strategy and practice, and set up sustainable systems that support consistent, ongoing improvement. High-impact practices are organized into five broad categories: learning and teaching, school-wide culture, aligned staff, operations and systems, and personal leadership. The primary job of school leadership is to help students succeed. It begins with first recognizing and prioritizing areas of need, then finding and implementing the most effective solutions. Whether you work in a turn around environment, or want to make a good school better, this book will give you a set of concrete practices—illustrated through examples of real principals in real schools—that have been proven to work. Discover the primary drivers of student achievement Work toward the school's vision in staffing, operations, and systems Set the tone for all relationships and practices with good leadership Closing the achievement gap is a major goal of educational leadership, and principals are forever searching for viable methods that help them better serve their students. Breakthrough Principals unveils the details behind the success stories from across the nation to provide a roadmap to transformative gains.
Download or read book What Every Principal Needs to Know to Create Equitable and Excellent Schools written by George Theoharis and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2015-04-25 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: School leaders who succeed at creating a high-achieving learning community must also be committed to creating an equitable environment for all students. In this new book, key scholars across the content areas show how to put into practice a commitment to equity and excellence across the Pre-K12 spectrum. Readers learn directly from experts in each of the content domains (literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, music, early childhood, special education, English language learners, world languages, and physical education) how a commitment to social justice and equity can be grounded in core subject areas, why each has a place in the school, and what they need to know and do in each subject area. This book is a critical instructional leadership resource for new and veteran principals who want to see all students succeed. Contributors: Antonio J. Castro, Julie Causton-Theoharis, Virginia Collier, Katherine Delaney, Catherine Ennis, Virginia Goatley, Beth Graue, Rochelle Gutirrez, Kathleen A. Hinchman, Anne Karabon, Christi Kasa, Dave McAlpine, Mitchell Robinson, Victor Sampson, Sherry A. Southerland, and Wayne Thomas
Download or read book The Principal written by Michael Fullan and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-02-21 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Six Secrets of Change describes how and why the principal's role must change to maximize student achievement *** FREE Professional Development Guide Included *** Principals are often called the second most crucial in-school influencers (after teachers) of student learning. But what should the principal do in order to maximize student achievement? One of the best-known leadership authors in education, Fullan explains why the answer lies neither in micro-managing instruction nor in autonomous entrepreneurialism. He shows systematically how the principal's role should change, demonstrating how it can be done in short order, at scale. Reveals the three key roles that administrators must play in today's schools Explains how to choose the right versus wrong drivers of school success Filled with "action items" to help implement Fullan's program effectively Includes strategies that have been successfully field-tested in schools across the United States and Canada
Download or read book Theory and Research in Educational Administration Vol 1 written by Cecil Miskel and published by IAP. This book was released on 2002-03-01 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This series is dedicated to advancing our understanding of schools through empirical study and theoretical analysis. Scholars, both young and established, are invited to publish original analyses, but we especially encourage young scholars to contribute to Theory and Research in Educational Administration. This first issue provides a mix of beginning and established scholars and a range of theoretical perspectives. Eight separate but related studies were selected for this first issue. Three of the research pieces deal with the intended and unintended consequences of policy and political initiatives in schools. Do high-stakes accountability environments threaten the potential of learning organizations? Marks and Printy grapple with that question. Not surprisingly, they anticipate the latent dysfunctional consequences of high-stakes accountability as they provide a careful analysis of urban school district responses to state policies. Well-intended initiatives produced unintended consequences that threatened the capacity for organizational learning in these schools. In a similar fashion, Jones and Malen’s findings suggest that political strategies that use insider dynamics can foster successful enactment of reforms but often at a cost of undermining efforts to implement the policy. Song and Miskel focus their analysis on national reading policy. An examination of national interests groups and policymakers suggests that an assessment of various groups’ influence is necessary if policy actors are to make sensible judgments in choosing allies and building coalitions for effective actions. Two of the papers are informed by contingency theory. Ogawa and Studer are concerned with the relationship between the school and its community. They propose that both buffering and bridging strategies enable schools to deal with parents effectively. Because schools depend on parents for resources, they bridge to parents in cooperative fashion, but because parents often pose uncertainty, schools also buffer parent influence by limiting their access. Yet, there is divergence from contingency theory because schools depend primarily on parents to provide socio-cultural rather than material resources; hence, schools often use strategies that shape rather than diminish dependence on parents. Rowan, also draws ideas from contingency theory to examine the extent to which the nature of teachers’ instructional work affects patterns of instructional management in schools. His data support the explanation that teachers who face increased task variety actively work to construct "organic" patterns of instructional management to reduce task uncertainty and to increase workplace motivation and commitment. Three papers examine teachers in schools. Rowan is intrigued by the variation in the nature of teachers’ work both in terms of task variety and task uncertainty. He finds that teachers do not see their work as many organizational theorists do, that is, as a non-routine form of work; in fact, teachers view teaching as either as a routine task or "expert task." In spite of the fact that many teachers endorsed a constructivist view of teaching, few concluded it was a non-routine task. Moreover, teachers in different disciplines have different views about both the nature of academic knowledge and desirable teaching practices. Both Goddard and Hoy and his colleagues use social cognitive theory to develop an argument of the importance of collective efficacy in positively influencing student achievement. Hoy, Smith, and Sweetland build on their earlier work to demonstrate that collective efficacy of schools is pivotal in explaining student achievement in a sample of rural schools. Goddard shows that that collective efficacy is also an important predictor of the practice of involving teachers in important school decisions. He concludes that the more we learn how school practices are related to collective efficacy, the more we will know about what school leaders
Download or read book Quality Middle Schools written by Wayne K. Hoy and published by Corwin. This book was released on 1998 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Building on 20 years of careful research and real-world testing, the authors show administrators how to assess their schools' health. The goal is to improve middle schools by making sure the "culture" is right for all groups - students, teachers, staff. The authors call their measurement tools the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire Revised for Middle Schools (OCDQ-RM), for tapping the openness of a school's professional interactions, and the Organizational Health Inventory for Middle Schools (OHI-M), for capturing the health of interpersonal relationships in schools. The OCDQ-RM (openness) questionnaire and the OHI-M (health) inventory are included in this book - ready to copy and administer. These measurements are user-friendly and easy to interpret; scoring directions are clearly explained. School leaders, especially superintendents and principals, can use these hands-on tools to understand what's going on in their schools and then make changes as necessary. Actual case studies show how using the questionnaires can help make every middle school a high-quality and positive learning environment.
Download or read book Trust and School Life written by Dimitri Van Maele and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2014-01-31 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book samples recent and emerging trust research in education including an array of conceptual approaches, measurement innovations, and explored determinants and outcomes of trust. The collection of pathways explores the phenomenon of trust and establishes the significance of trust relationships in school life. It emboldens the claim that trust merits continued attention of both scholars and practitioners because of the role it plays in the production of equity and excellence. Divided into four parts, the book explores trust under the rubrics of learning, teaching, leading and bridging. The book proposes a variety of directions for future research. These include the simultaneous investigation of trust from the prospectives of various trusters, and at both the individual and group levels, longitudinal research designs, and an elaboration of methods.
Download or read book Successful Principal Leadership in Times of Change written by Christopher Day and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-05-05 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contributes significantly to our understanding of successful school leaders by describing similarities and differences in the work of such leaders in countries ranging from England to Australia, the United States to Norway, and Sweden to Hong Kong. Bringing together case study research, the book helps explain what all successful principals do and the ways in which context shapes some of their work.
Download or read book The Influence of Building Principals on a Teachers Implementation of Culturally Responsive Practices in Their Classroom to Improve Student Achievement written by Michael V. Teator and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Schools across the country are becoming more racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse. According to the National Education Association, 2014 marked the milestone year where racial and ethnic minority groups of students became the majority of students in the U.S. education system (Hawkins, D., National Education Association, Apr. 2019). Most of our teachers come from white, middle class backgrounds, and often lack an understanding of different cultural norms and values, and this undermines the academic potential of diverse groups of students (Nelson & Guerra, 2014). When teachers focus on the differences between their own beliefs and culture and the culture of the students they serve, they often form a deficit point of view, where the student’s culture is something to be overcome, not valued, the achievement gap often widens (Terrell & Lindsey, 2009). A well-informed citizenry is a key component of our democracy. Opportunity and achievement gaps persist disproportionately for diverse groups of students, including but not limited to, African American, Latino, and American Indian, gay and lesbian students, English language learners, and students who live in poverty (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Building principals are the instructional leaders of their buildings and are responsible for the educational outcomes of all students (Leithwood et al. 2004). One component to ensuring that all students have high quality instruction, lies in making sure that cultural differences are respected and appreciated. In addition, the principal must provide professional development support to teachers in areas that are needed in order to close the achievement gap between minority students, students in poverty and white students (Ladson-Billings, 2006). The purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the role of the building principal in providing professional development to teachers in culturally responsive teaching practices and which principal actions are necessary to encourage teachers to use these practices in their classrooms. It also explores teacher’s self-reported use of culturally responsive classroom practices that are designed to meet the needs of racially and ethnically diverse groups of students and students who live in poverty (Ebersol, Kanahele-Mossman & Kawakami, 2015; Terrell & Lindsey, 2009). This study is using the lens of cultural responsiveness (Terrell & Lindsey, 2009). The researcher conducted a survey to elementary school teachers in three BOCES in upstate New York. The findings of this study reveal that professional development is needed to increase educators’ knowledge and understanding of culturally responsive practices and that there are multiple practices that building principals can do to help facilitate the use of those culturally responsive practices.
Download or read book Principals Matter written by Steven B. Sheldon and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-04-26 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Research has shown that strong principal leadership is critical to developing effective school partnerships that include diverse school, family and community members. This book provides administrators with a clear road map for initiating partnership programs that are goal-focused, equitable, and sustainable. In this research-based resource, the authors highlight the work of principals who have cultivated successful partnerships across many settings to show other school leaders how they can develop the necessary supportive school cultures. Examining the administrator's role in the success and quality of home-school partnerships and student outcomes, this guidebook: • Synthesizes research on principal leadership, school and community partnerships, and urban education reform • Discusses the role of fathers in children’s learning and working with families that live in poverty, are linguistically diverse, or have children with disabilities • Offers practical recommendations for evaluating and refining partnership programs to ensure they are linked with student achievement goals
Download or read book The Principal Creative Leadership for Excellence in Schools with Myedleadershiplab with Pearson Etext Access Card Package written by Gerald C. Ubben and published by Pearson. This book was released on 2015-07-16 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NOTE: Before purchasing, check with your instructor to ensure you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, and registrations are not transferable. To register for and use Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products, you may also need a Course ID, which your instructor will provide. Used books, rentals, and purchases made outside of Pearson If purchasing or renting from companies other than Pearson, the access codes for Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products may not be included, may be incorrect, or may be previously redeemed. Check with the seller before completing your purchase. This package includes MyEdLeadershipLab® . With its focus on the critical elements of leadership essential for today's school principals, this widely popular resource combines a strong research base with a practical, hands-on approach to help aspiring, new, and experienced educators become effective school administrators. Organized into four sections, The Principal presents a vision for leadership and learning and shows how to create a positive school culture, manage the organization, and interact with the external environment. The new edition reflects the evolution in the roles of educational leaders; explores the increased tasks that are requiring principals to expand their toolboxes of skills in such areas as instructional leadership, data analysis, technology, utilization, staff evaluation, and community relations; and looks at the mounting demands to rewrite their job descriptions every year. Personalize learning with MyEdLeadershipLab® MyEdLeadershipLab is an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Within its structured environment, students practice what they learn, test their understanding, and pursue a personalized study plan that helps them better absorb course material and understand difficult concepts. 0134311795 / 9780134311791 Principal, The: Creative Leadership for Excellence in Schools with MyEdLeadershipLab with Pearson eText -- Access Card Package Package consists of: 0133488993 / 9780133488999 Principal, The: Creative Leadership for Excellence in Schools 0134244842 / 9780134244846 MyEdLeadershipLab with Pearson eText -- Access Card -- for The Principal: Creative Leadership for Excellence in Schools
Download or read book The Principal Influence written by Pete Hall and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2016-01-28 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Principals navigate the dynamic complexities and subtleties of their schools every day. They promote, facilitate, and lead efforts to achieve both tangible and intangible results throughout the school community. They fulfill a role that includes counseling, budgeting, inspiring, teaching, learning, disciplining, evaluating, celebrating, consoling, and a million other critical functions. As the principalship has evolved and grown, so have the expectations of it. With that in mind, ASCD developed the Principal Leadership Development Framework (PLDF). The PLDF establishes a clear and concise definition of leadership and includes clear targets that support the ongoing growth and development of leaders. Using the Framework, principals will learn to capitalize on their leadership roles: * Principal as Visionary * Principal as Instructional Leader * Principal as Engager * Principal as Learner and Collaborator The PLDF also offers 17 criteria of effective practice that allow leaders to focus on behaviors that have the greatest direct effect on the culture and status of learning and teaching. Coupled with the PLDF are tools for self-reflection that help principals identify and strengthen their reflective habits. Whether you want to develop your own capacities or support the development of a group of principals, assistant principals, or aspiring principals, The Principal Influence can help channel your efforts in ways that promote successful teaching and student learning.
