LibGuides: M Ed on Educational Leadership and School Improvement (ELSI): ELSI8: Leading Whole School Improvement

Books

Breakthrough Principals by Jean Desravines; Jaime Aquino; Benjamin Fenton
ISBN: 9781118801178
Publication Date: 2016-04-18
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. ..
The Learning Leader by Douglas B. Reeves
ISBN: 9781416629382
Publication Date: 2020-08-30
"We can't do that in our school district." "I don't have time to add that to my curriculum." "We're fighting against impossible odds with these students." Sound familiar? School improvement can often feel like a losing battle, but it doesn't have to be. In this fully revised and updated second edition of The Learning Leader, Douglas B. Reeves helps leadership teams go beyond excuses to capitalize on their strengths, reduce their weaknesses, and reset their mindset and priorities to achieve unprecedented success. A critical key is recognizing student achievement as more than just a set of test scores. .
Effective Leadership for School Improvement by Alma Harris; Christopher Day; David Hopkins; Mark Hadfield; Andy Hargreaves; Christopher Chapman
Call Number: LB2822.84.G7 E44 2003
ISBN: 9780415300469
Publication Date: 2002-11-07
In a complex and multi-layered world, the conventional idea of great leadership being the result of the efforts of a single individual is rapidly becoming redundant. This book takes up the challenge of finding an alternative method of leadership in educational contexts, and looks at how this can help achieve sustained improvement in schools. The authors acknowledge that there are no simple solutions to school improvement. They argue that the effective leaders of the future will be those who are able to share responsibility, build positive relationships and offer stakeholders - teachers, parents and students - an opportunity to work together to improve their schools. The book is based around four key areas of concern: the changing context of leadership, leadership and school improvement, building leadership capacity, and future direction and implications.
The Art of Coaching by Elena Aguilar
ISBN: 9781118206539
Publication Date: 2013-03-04
Hands-on resources for new and seasoned school coaches This practical resource offers the foundational skills and tools needed by new coaching educators, as well as presenting an overview of the knowledge and theory base behind the practice. Established coaches will find numerous ways to deepen and refine their coaching practice. Principals and others who incorporate coaching strategies into their work will also find a wealth of resources. Aguilar offers a model for transformational coaching which could be implemented as professional development in schools or districts anywhere. Although she addresses the needs of adult learners, her model maintains a student-centered focus, with a specific lens on addressing equity issues in schools. Offers a practical resource for school coaches, principals, district leaders, and other administrators Presents a transformational coaching model which addresses systems change Pays explicit attention to surfacing and interrupting inequities in schools The Art of Coaching: Effective Strategies for School Transformation offers a compendium of school coaching ideas, the book's explicit, user-friendly structure enhances the ability to access the information.
Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education by Joan Poliner Shapiro; Jacqueline Anne Stefkovich
ISBN: 9780367898076
Publication Date: 2021-11-01
The fifth edition of the best-selling text, Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education, continues to address the increasing interest in ethics and assists educational leaders with complex dilemmas in today's challenging, divided, and diverse societies. Through discussion and analysis, Shapiro and Stefkovich demonstrate the application of four ethical paradigms - the ethics of justice, critique, care, and the profession. After illustrating how the Multiple Ethical Paradigms may be applied to authentic dilemmas, the authors present cases written by graduate students, practitioners, and academics representing dilemmas faced by educational leaders in urban, suburban, and rural public and private schools and universities, in the U.S. and abroad. Following each case are questions that call for thoughtful, complex thinking and help readers apply the Multiple Ethical Paradigms to practical situations.
Support for Principals : Firsthand Experiences in Planning Programs and Activities. by Westberry , Lee A.
ISBN: 9781475865646
Publication Date: 2022
School principals must have continued support in their positions, as societal demands and accountability measures keep changing. Principals have become inundated with increased responsibilities often without the benefit support in the most critical areas. Too often, district personnel are not equipped to provide the learning needed in order to support school administrators. Support for Principals: Firsthand Experiences in Planning Programs and Activitiesis a compilation of support programs in critical areas to include the “how to” design and implementation of support programs. Support may include social/emotional factors, special education, school finance, technology integration, action research, and the role of higher education to name a few. Many districts have programs in place, but they do not attain the desired results because of the program design and readiness of staff. Each chapter will explain how to design an effective program and will also outline the district’s responsibility in the support.

Course Resources

Week 1

Introduction

Characteristics of successful schools
The stages of school development
Case discussion: Creating a culture of learning

Required Reading

Desravines, J., Aquino, J., & Fenton, B. (2016). Breakthrough principals: A step-by-step guide to building stronger schools. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. (Chapter 1)

Recommended Reading

Reeves, D. B. (2020). The learning leader: How to focus school improvement for better results (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. (Chapter 5)

Week 2

School self-evaluation and improvement

School self-evaluation/Root-cause analysis
Setting improvement goals, strategies, and actions
Case discussion: The four steps of planning

Required Reading

Desravines, J., Aquino, J., & Fenton, B. (2016). Breakthrough principals: A step-by-step guide to building stronger schools. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. (Chapter 2)

Recommended Reading

VanGronigen, B. A., & Meyers, C. V. (2022).Exploring the association between short-cycle school improvement planning and student achievement in underperforming schools. Journal of School Leadership, 32(4), 339-361. https://doi.org/10.1177/10526846211018207

Breakthrough Principals : A Step-By-Step Guide to Building Stronger School/ Chapter 2

Week 3

Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning

Curriculum alignment
Classroom practices and instruction
Student-centered differentiation
Case discussion: Designing and regularly revising unit plans to ensure rigor

Required Reading

Desravines, J., Aquino, J., & Fenton, B. (2016). Breakthrough principals: A step-by-step guide to building stronger schools. John Wiley & Sons. (Chapter 3)

Recommended Reading

Harris, A., Day, C., Hopkins, D., Hadfield, M., Hargreaves, A., & Chapman, C. (2013). Effective leadership for school improvement. Routledge. (Chapter 3)

MacPhail, A., Tannehill, D., & Ataman, R. (2021). The role of the critical friend in supporting and enhancing professional learning and development. Professional Development in Education, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2021.1879235

Week 4

Teacher leadership and school improvement

Definition and dimensions of teacher leadership
Teacher leadership and student achievement
Building collective capacity and a culture of wellbeing through teacher leadership

Required Reading

Shen, J., Wu, H., Reeves, P., Zheng, Y., Ryan, L., & Anderson, D. (2020). The association between teacher leadership and student achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 31, 100357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100357

Recommended Reading

Cherkowski, S. (2018). Positive teacher leadership: Building mindsets and capacities to grow wellbeing. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 9(1), 63-78. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1182707

Week 5

Mentoring and Coaching for school transformation

How can coaching transform schools
What are the different models of coaching

Role play activity: Principal-teacher coaching session

Required Reading

Aguilar, E. (2013). The art of coaching: Effective strategies for school transformation. John Wiley & Sons. (Chapters 1& 2)
Huggins, K. S., Klar, H. W., & Andreoli, P. M. (2021)."I thought I was prepared to do this": An exploration of the learning and development of leadership coaches. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. 10(4), 486-500. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-01-2021-0014

Recommended Reading

Kickbusch, S., & Kelly, N. (2021). Representing teacher coaching sessions: understanding coaching that develops teachers' capability to design for learning. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 10(4), 418-434. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-01-2021-0011

Week 6

Schools as social systems

Creating a culture of shared commitment
Building capacity for leading and learning
Developing meaningful relationships
Case discussion: Cultivating relationships through advisories

Required Reading

Desravines, J., Aquino, J., & Fenton, B. (2016). Breakthrough principals: A step-by-step guide to building stronger schools. John Wiley & Sons. (Chapter 4)

Recommended Reading

Gurr, D., Longmuir, F., & Reed, C. (2021). Creating successful and unique schools: leadership, context and systems thinking perspectives. Journal of Educational Administration, 59(1), 59-76. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-02-2020-0045
Mintrop, R., & Zumpe, E. (2019). Solving real-life problems of practice and education leaders' school improvement mindset. American Journal of Education, 125(3), 295-344. https://doi.org/10.1086/702733

Week 7

Strategic planning and school operations

Developing a school vision, mission, and strategic plan
Aligning budget to strategic goals
School's annual calendar and student schedules
Facility management

Required Reading

Desravines, J., Aquino, J., & Fenton, B. (2016). Breakthrough principals: A step-by-step guide to building stronger schools. John Wiley & Sons. (Chapter 4 & 6)

Recommended Reading

Reeves, D. B. (2020). The learning leader: How to focus school improvement for better results. (2nd ed.). ASCD. (Chapter 4)

Week 8

Ethical leadership and decision making

The ethics of justice, care, critique, and the profession
Case analysis of ethical dilemmas: Accountability versus responsibility, equality versus equity, personal code versus professional code

Required Reading

Shapiro, J. P., & Stefkovich, J. A. (2016). Ethical leadership and decision making in education: Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge. (Chapters 1& 2)

Recommended Reading

Schildkamp, K. (2019). Data-based decision-making for school improvement: Research insights and gaps. Educational research, 61(3), 257-273. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2019.1625716

Week 10

Improving schools through action research

Required Reading

Gilmore, G., Jefferson, R. N., & Westberry, L. (2022). Action research: A powerful tool for school improvement. In L. Westberry (Ed.) Support for principals: Firsthand experiences in planning programs and activities (pp. 33-52). Rowman & Littlefield. Chapter 3

Recommended Reading

Godfrey, D. (2020). From peer review to collaborative peer enquiry: Action research for school improvement and leadership development. London Review of Education, 18(3), 373-389. https://doi.org/10.14324/LRE.18.3.04

Support for Principals : Firsthand Experiences in Planning Programs and Activities/ Chapter 3 :Action research: A powerful tool for school improvement

Week 11

Transforming schools into professional learning communities

Required Reading

Admiraal, W., Schenke, W., De Jong, L., Emmelot, Y., & Sligte, H. (2021). Schools as professional learning communities: What can schools do to support professional development of their teachers? Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 684-698. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2019.1665573

Recommended Reading

Antinluoma, M., Ilomäki, L., Lahti-Nuuttila, P., & Toom, A. (2018). Schools as professional learning communities. Journal of education and learning, 7(5), 76-91. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v7n5p76

M Ed on Educational Leadership and School Improvement (ELSI): ELSI8: Leading Whole School Improvement

Course Description

Books

Course Resources