The Leaders Role in Creating HighPerforming Schools

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The Leaders Role in Creating High-Performing
Schools

• August 25, 2007
• San Diego State University
• Department of Educational Leadership
• Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Ph.D.

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National Center for Urban School Transformation
Dedicated to identifying, studying, and promoting
the best practices of Americas highest achieving
urban schools in a manner that supports urban
districts in transforming teaching and learning
http//edweb.sdsu.edu/ncust
3rd Annual Symposium May 8th 9th in San Diego
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Additional Resources

• National Center for Urban School Transformation
  http//edweb.sdsu.edu/ncust/
• Charles A. Dana Center http//www.utdanacenter.or
  g/
• Council of Great City Schools http//www.cgcs.org
  /
• Education Trust http//www2.edtrust.org/edtrust
• Just for the Kids http//www.just4kids.org/
• Springboard Schools http//www.springboardschools
  .org/

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The Schools Studied

• Served low-income communities
• Had very high percentages of students from each
  major demographic group achieving proficiency on
  state assessments
• Had high teacher and student attendance rates
• Had high graduation and promotion rates
• Had low rates of disciplinary incidents,
  suspensions, and expulsions
• Often, had other indicators of impressive student
  academic and non-academic success

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Curricular/Instructional Components
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Ensured Students Were Taught Critical Standards

• Leaders ensured that children were being taught
  the most CRITICAL skills in a manner designed to
  generate depth of understanding. Educators felt
  a greater sense of efficacy when they werent
  pressed to cover a vast array of content.
• Educators reduced the amount of drive-by
  teaching. Student understanding became more
  important than coverage.
• Vertical planning helped ensure students learned
  critical content sufficiently early.
• In secondary schools, courses were carefully
  designed to ensure that all students would be
  taught key state standards.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3, 6
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Maximized Time for Instruction

• Educators allocated substantial time for key
  instructional issues, reduced distractions, and
  integrated key objectives across the curriculum.
• Educators DID NOT minimize time for arts,
  physical education, and other non-tested courses.
• Educators created additional time for attention
  to critical instructional issues through
  before-school, after-school, and summer programs,
  Saturday schools, tutoring, and other approaches.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3, 6
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Adapted Instruction Based on Evidence of Learning

• Educators decreased the amount of chicken
  feeding by constantly looking for evidence that
  students had learned key concepts and skills.
• Educators adapted their methods and approaches
  when they found that students had not learned
  adequately. They created both classroom
  processes and school-wide processes for helping
  students who had not demonstrated evidence of
  learning.
• Educators demonstrated a constant willingness to
  adapt instruction. No TTWWADIs!

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3
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Teaching Cycle
Present
Notice
Adapt
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Created Opportunities for Teachers to Plan, Work,
and Learn Together

• School leaders created blocks of time for
  teachers to plan, work, and learn together
  frequently.
• Leaders created an atmosphere in which educators
  felt comfortable sharing instructional successes
  and failures and learning together.
• Planning times were used to discuss critical
  instructional issues, strategies, and problems.
  These planning times were often venues for
  courageous conversations about teaching and
  learning.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3, 6
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Increased Time Spent on Instructional Leadership

• Principals spent a substantial amount of time
  engaged in instructional leadership activities
  (approx. 40 of their day).
• Leaders created opportunities for other
  individuals to provide additional instructional
  leadership.
• Leaders used data to help keep teachers focused
  on improving instruction continuously.
• Teachers welcomed constructive feedback designed
  to help them help children learn.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 5
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Relational/Affective Components
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Inspired Commitment to A Few Worthwhile Goals

• Leaders didnt overwhelm educators with many
  goals and new programs. Instead, they led
  educators to commit to the pursuit of a few
  powerful goals. School staff and community were
  eager to work toward the attainment of goals they
  perceived as important to the lives of students.
• Educators identified baselines (for all groups)
  and determined how progress toward goals would be
  gauged frequently.
• Leaders found ways to identify and frequently
  celebrate small positive steps toward the
  attainment of goals.
• Leaders helped colleagues believe that their
  students could achieve impressive academic
  results.

CSPEL Standards 1, 5
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Re-directed Energies Toward Service to Children

• School leaders helped teachers, support staff,
  and parents redirect energy away from adult
  conflicts and toward the improvement of services
  to students.
• Leaders did not avoid conflicts and allow them to
  fester. Instead, they dealt with issues
  promptly, professionally, and directly.
• Leaders appealed to everyones commitment to
  improve the lives of students.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 5
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Ensured that Teachers Felt Supported

• School leaders made sure that teachers felt like
  they had adequate materials, equipment, and
  training.
• Teachers had access to high-quality professional
  development opportunities that were directly
  related to critical issues in their classrooms.
  Professional development was structured to give
  teachers opportunities to practice and receive
  useful feedback.
• Teachers felt challenged, but not overwhelmed.
  They knew their leaders were going to help them
  succeed.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
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Created Environments in Which Students Would Be
Well Behaved

• School personnel established clear, simple rules
  that reflected high expectations for behavior.
  Rules were enforced consistently and fairly.
• Leaders used data to anticipate problem
  situations and proactively structure environments
  so students had a good chance of meeting
  expectations.
• Student responsibility for their behavior was
  nurtured through student leadership activities.
• Students knew they were respected and valued.
• Students were given challenging, interesting work.

CSPEL Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
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Built Partnerships With Parents

• Leaders modeled and nurtured positive
  relationships with parents by helping ensure that
  parents felt respected and valued.
• Leaders created many opportunities for parents
  and school personnel to learn about each others
  strengths and mutual desire to help children
  succeed in school.
• Leaders helped educators help parents believe
  there was hope for their childs academic future.
• School personnel found ways to help parents know
  they could make meaningful contributions to their
  childs/the schools success.

CSPEL Standards 1, 4, 6
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Built a Collective Sense of Responsibility

• Leaders emphasized the importance of each
  individuals contribution to the attainment of
  school goals.
• Leaders created a culture in which educators felt
  responsibility for supporting each other in
  improving teaching and learning.
• Planning activities provided opportunities for
  vertical, horizontal, and inter-disciplinary
  planning focused on school achievement goals.
• Staff members took on new roles in support of
  school goals. Staff thought beyond their grade
  level, subject area, or assignment.

CSPEL Standards 1, 5
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Persisted Through Difficulties and Setbacks

• Leaders kept focused on school goals and assumed
  those goals would ultimately be achieved. They
  refused to give up when setbacks occurred.
• Leaders celebrated successes often and helped
  teachers make teaching and learning fun.
• School leaders perceived their work, less as a
  job, more as a mission.
• School leaders believed in themselves, their
  staffs, and in the ability of their students to
  succeed.

CSPEL Standards 1, 5, 6
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Leaders, you are powerful beyond measure!
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From Nelson Mandelas Inaugural Address
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure. It is our light, not our darkness that
most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to
be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child
of God. Your playing small does not serve the
world. There is nothing enlightened about
shrinking so other people wont feel insecure
around you. We are born to make manifest the
Glory of God that is within us. Its not just in
some of us. Its in everyone. As we are
liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.