Here's an overview of what I learned from this week's reading:

1.    Staff Development

“How does the process of peer coaching help veteran teachers continue to learn and grow? and What role can the principal play in facilitating this process? (Bauer, 2001).”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Location 830). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

I love the quote, “When teachers stop growing, so do their students.”I have seen veteran teachers lose their zeal for teaching and become frustrated with new policies, procedures, and strategies.  Many have often felt pushed out by all the changes being implemented. By using peer coaching, veteran teachers would have an opportunity to take ownership and buy into what is being encouraged by the administration as well as helping the veteran teacher stay fresh and up to date using the latest data and resources available.  The temptation to stay with the status quo would become less desirable.

2.    Curriculum Development

Principal Donnan Stoicovy used her school setting to help teach her state’s curriculum standards.  She and some of her staff enrolled in a class on field natural history to learn the content.  By engaging not only in textbook, but in a real life setting, she and her teachers could effectively teach their students.  Using your own setting/site makes the learning experience more real; it is helpful in engaging the student and teacher at deeper levels. It also helps keep the administrator a curriculum leader of her/his school.

3.    Individual Teacher(s)

“What types of support help my new teachers succeed? and How can I best help an out-of-field teacher succeed?”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Locations 968-969). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

Due to the high rate of teacher turnover because of burnout, lack of support, frustration, etc., it is important to be continually asking what the individual teacher needs to succeed.  By continually providing the teacher with applicable and useful training and resources, he/she will be more apt to achieve success and less apt to quit because of frustration or burnout.

4.    Individual Student(s)

“What happens to struggling readers in our school after they leave intervention programs?”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Location 1009). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition. School culture/community

Because the learning process is fluid, it is important to know what does happen to the students once they leave intervention.  There does need to be follow up so that students do not slip through the cracks, revert back to having learning gaps, and are recognized as candidates for future intervention if need be.  Teachers need to communicate to each other when a student advances to the next grade level so that proper attention may be given to the student and his/her specific needs may be addressed.

5.    School Culture/Community

“What role does a weekly school wide meeting play in creating a caring school culture?” and “In what ways can our school develop a collaborative culture characterized by teachers from different grade levels communicating, understanding, and sharing expectations for all of our students? and In what ways can the administrative team facilitate that process? (Nino, 2008)”

  (2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Locations 1182-1184). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

Recognizing that the school is a “living organism,” the principal must constantly be shaping and directing the school in the direction he/she wishes it to go.  Because school culture affects directly or indirectly everything teachers and students do in a school, it is imperative that a healthy culture is established. A school wide meeting may help to affirm students needy of affirmation and allow teachers become more collaborative. It will increase communication and ownership which is necessary for a healthy school environment.

6.    Leadership

“What do I learn from comparing and contrasting my own perceptions, my teachers’ perceptions, my leadership team’s perceptions, and my supervisor’s perceptions about my own instructional leadership as a principal?”

 (2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Locations 1227-1228). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

By pursuing the above inquiry, the practitioner will achieve success in the five practices of great leadership:  He/she will focus on modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and encourage those they lead.  He/she will gain insight on how to better lead by becoming more transparent and accountable to himself/herself and staff.

7.    Management

“ How can we all work together (students, teachers, lunch paraprofessionals, kitchen workers, custodians, and principal) to make lunchtime a cooperative and pleasant time for everyone?”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Location 1315). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

Because principals manage everything from behavior to budgets, it is essential to put into place effective procedures that will increase pragmatic efficiency and effectiveness.  The above area of inquiry is important because it will help promote a more positive school culture as well as relinquish some of the tediums of micromanagement from the principal.

8.    School Performance

“• What are students’ perceptions concerning homework and school success? • What are teachers’ perceptions concerning the relationship of homework and student learning? • What are parents’ perceptions concerning homework? • What is the relationship between the use of a targeted homework approach and increased homework completion by students? • What is the relationship between the use of a targeted homework approach and the number of “F” grades received by students as a result of not completing homework? • What is the relationship between the use of a targeted homework approach and student academic achievement as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT)? (Camp, 2007)”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Locations 1390-1397). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

Because of the ever increasing pressure for schools to perform, the above inquiry would be important to study because homework is a tool for learning. Answers to the questions stated above would help define the best practices for using homework so as to benefit all the stakeholders involved.  We must use our resources as such and not turn them into agents of disability.

9.    Social Justice or Equity Issues

“In what ways does a whole-group book study on Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty contribute to how we, as a Lake Butler Middle School administration and faculty, might create change and work toward breaking the cycle of poverty?”

(2009-03-17). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Kindle Locations 1435-1437). Corwin Press. Kindle Edition.

It all comes down to people and caring for others.  I believe a school can have the best procedures, tools and philosophies of pedagogy, but without a genuine care for the rights and needs of others, it is empty.  We as administrators should be leaders in seeking equity for our students, staff and other stakeholders.  The above inquiry would be an important first step in changing misguided attitudes and leveling the perspectives of staff and students alike.