Instructional Leadership: How Principals Make a Difference

ISBN-10: 087120164X
ISBN-13: 9780871201645
Series: Instructional Leadership
Pages: 155
Language: English
Published: 1989
Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Authors: Wilma F. Smith, Richard L. Andrews

Description

Educators have great moral, ethical, and legal obligations to create schools where all students can achieve their full potential and receive an equal opportunity to succeed in society. Central to that goal are principals who act as instructional leaders. Drawing upon literature, research, and case studies of principals in practice, the first four of six chapters present a clear portrait of the instructional leader. Principals with very different communication, management, and personal styles can all be strong instructional leaders. Possessing the key qualities of resource provider, instructional resource, communicator, and visible presence, strong instructional leaders spend a substantially greater percentage of time on educational program improvement. Consistent with current literature on organizational theory and practice, this book emphasizes the importance of the underlying themes and values that hold a system together. Additionally, a clinical supervision model requiring the supervisor to observe the principal in action, to discuss relevant issues and provide feedback, and to develop a plan for the principal's evaluation is provided. Appended is a zero-base job analysis questionnaire, the score sheet and instructions, a discussion of administrative job dimensions, a time analysis sheet, and a time summary sheet. (87 references) (KM)