alaska school leadership academy · communication techniques & three stances. develops ....

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Alaska School Leadership Academy Mentor Training Guide The Alaska School Leaders Academy Mentor Handbook was developed by Metis Education Consulting with permission given to ACSA/ASDN to use all materials.

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Page 2: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Communication Techniques & Three Stances

Develops interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships and to

mobilize individuals or groups to action that results in improvement

It has been our experience that we live in a society where folks like to interrupt

others, get the last word in, stray off topic, and not work at being an active

listener. Noted below are Three Stances to enhance interactions.

1) Coaching P-P-P (pausing, paraphrasing, and posing questions)*

2) Calibrating (3-point conversations)

3) Consulting (asking permission and not telling)

Coaching is the use of P-P-P in order to let a colleague speak without

interruption and use paraphrasing to make sure we understand his or her

thinking. We paraphrase before we pose questions. We have to be active

listeners in order to paraphrase colleagues.

Calibrating or 3-Point Conversations (Michael Grinder) uses data or

specific sources of information (such as a goal-setting statement) because

they are:

- Not as personal

- Less emotional

- The “data” is the topic of conversation, not the person

Consulting is where we ask permission to offer ideas to colleagues. We

discuss the resources that are available and brainstorm options. We need to

be careful not to offer the ideas we like or think a colleague should use.

Consulting is a stance. Consultant is a role.

* P-P-P technique used in Cognitive Coaching

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Page 3: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Coaching P-P-P (default position)

The Coaching Stance pattern is Pausing, Paraphrasing, and Posing questions.

1. Pausing (demonstrates listening and provides thinking time)

2. Paraphrasing (understanding)-when appropriate get “sign-off”

• Clarifying and acknowledging

• Summarizing and organizing

3. Posing good questions (not advice in disguise)

4. Establish rapport to develop trust

5. Set-aside the mini-me syndrome, advice giving, and “my” solutions

Three types of pausing or “wait time”

Wait Time I Wait Time II Wait Time III

Pause after asking a

question

• To allow thinking time

• To signal support for

thinking

• To demonstrate your

belief in group

members’ capacities for

thinking

Pause after group

members respond

• To allow time for

retrieval of additional

and related information

Pause before your own

response or questions

• To model thoughtfulness

and

• A need to think before

responding

Mary Budd Rowe (1986)

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Page 4: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Calibrating (3-Point Conversation)

Sample Documents to use for Calibrating:

1. Goal Setting Rubric

2. Working Agreements and Norms of Collaborative Work

3-Point Conversation by Michael Grinder

- Not as personal

- Less emotional

- The “data” is the topic of conversation, not the person

Consulting (a stance not a role)

• Ask permission (transition into consulting)

• Discuss resources

• Provide options (brainstorming)

• Build capacity

• Guidance and teaching

• Assistance and support

The Consulting Stance is used when a person lacks resources, experience,

and/or time. Mentors use consulting intentionally as a stance.

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Page 5: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

• Instructional literacy

(learning & teaching)

• Organizational literacy

(Management & change)

Interpersonal • Self-awareness

• Self-management

• Clarity of purpose

& beliefs

• Sustainable fit of

role & person

Cognitive

Intrapersonal

F I G U R E 1 . 1 S T E P H A N I E ’ S B L E N D : T H E I - C - I K N O W L E D G E D O M A I N S

• Other-awareness

• Relationship-building

• Communication

• Mobilization of others

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Page 6: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

F I G U R E 1 . 2

C O R E K N O W L E D G E A R E A S O F L E A D E R S H I P P E R F O R M A N C E

KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN CORE KNOWLEDGE AREAS

Instructional Literacy ▪ What is effective learning? ▪ Models and theories of teaching, learning, and

assessment for children & adults

Organizational Literacy ▪ What makes a school effective as an organization? ▪ Models and theories of school organization,

effectiveness, and leadership

C COGNITIVE

Forming Relationships ▪ How do I cultivate robust working relationships with and

among others? ▪ Skills, sensitivities, and frameworks that help form

working relationships with individuals and groups

Mobilizing Others ▪ How do I mobilize others to act in ways that improve the

learning of children? ▪ Skills, sensitivities, and frameworks that help me

generate in others the will and the ability to change

IN INTERPERSONAL

IA INTRAPERSONAL

Philosophical Platform ▪ What beliefs and values guide my work as a leader? ▪ Core principles with strong rationales regarding the four

aspects of leadership listed under Cognitive and Interpersonal

Self-Awareness & Self-Management ▪ Do I understand myself well enough to choose wisely

how I will act as a leader? ▪ Skills, sensitivities, and frameworks that help me

understand how my thoughts and feelings shape my actions with others

Self-Assessment and Career Choices ▪ Do I understand the assets and the liabilities I bring to

leadership work? ▪ Have I found a fitting role that will make my leadership

productive and sustainable for both me and the school/team/group?

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Page 7: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Side-by-Side Comparison of Robinson’s Capabilities and Leithwood’s Leadership Pathways

Robinson’s Three Capabilities

(Finer-grained Knowledge, Skills and

Dispositions)1

Attributes

Leithwood’s Three of Four* Leadership

Pathways2

Attributes

Building Relational Trust

Develop the trust that is essential for doing the hard work of improving teaching and learning (can’t achieve much on your own), engage others in the work that delivers for learners; respect (valuing the ideas of others), trustworthiness, competence, and integrity

Emotions Path (emotions direct cognition)

Commitment, networking between staff, teacher efficacy, collective efficacy (leads to persistence), stress, trust, morale

Applying Relevant Knowledge

Deepen teacher knowledge, develop expertise to do the work, using knowledge about effective teaching, teacher learning, and school organization to make high-quality administrative decisions

Rational Path Quality of instruction, student learning (standards), curriculum, problem- solving capabilities, “technical core”, establishing high expectations, shared goals about academic achievement, orderly environment

Solving Complex Problems

All about context specific to each school, take many conditions into account for making decisions, discern challenges and craft solutions that adequately address them

Organizational Path School infrastructure, professional networks, structures to support collaboration, instructional time, complexity of teachers’ workload, opportunities for teachers’ growth, time devoted to instruction

1Robinson, V., (2011). Student-Centered Leadership. 22-38. 2 Leithwood, K. et al. (2012). School Leaders’ Influences on Student Learning: The Four Paths. 3-5

*Family Path Not Included

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Page 8: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

www.adaptiveschools.com Thinking Collaborative P.O. Box 630860

Highlands Ranch, CO 80163

Seven Norms of Collaborative Work

Pausing Pausing before responding or asking a question allows time for thinking and enhances

dialogue, discussion and decision-making.

Paraphrasing Using a paraphrase starter that is comfortable for you. “So . . . ” or “You’re feeling . . . ”

or “You’re thinking . . . ” and following the starter with a paraphrase assists members of

the group to hear and understand one another.

Posing questions Two intentions of posing questions are to explore and specify thinking. Questions may be

posed to explore perceptions, assumptions and interpretations and invite others to inquire

into their own thinking.

Putting ideas on the table Ideas are the heart of a meaningful dialogue. Label the intention of your comments. For

example, you might say, “Here is one idea...” or “One thought I have is...” or “Here is a

possible approach . . . ”

Providing data Providing data in a variety of forms supports group members in constructing shared

understanding from their work. Data have no meaning beyond that which we make of

them; shared meaning develops from collaboratively exploring, analyzing and

interpreting data.

Paying attention to self and others Meaningful dialogue is facilitated when each group member is conscious of self and of

others, and is aware of not only what he or she is saying, but also how it is said and how

others are responding.

Presuming positive intentions Assuming that others’ intentions are positive promotes and facilitates meaningful

dialogue and eliminates unintentional putdowns. Using positive intentions in your speech

is one manifestation of this norm.

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Page 9: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Template for Establishing Working Agreements

Circle the number on top of the box indicating where you are personally and the

number at the bottom indicating where we are as a team.

1 2 3 4 5

Example: Be present means speaker has our full attention. (Cell phones and

computers are turned off, grading papers is reserved for another time, side bar

conversations are inappropriate.)

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

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Page 10: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Working Agreement Term Bank

“Golden Rule” – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Rotate facilitators / known facilitators

Ask questions

No side conversations Focus on critical tasks Engage in discussions

Begin and end on time Establish time frame for discussions

Ask for and offer feedback

Active participation by all Don't judge ideas during brainstorm

Encourage others to ask questions and share ideas

Leave the past in the past End on time Offer different, perhaps unpopular perspectives

Silence cell phones/pagers No interruptions; don't dominate Listen actively

Deal with issues, not personalities Teams for discussion breakout Seek to understand

“Time out” when needed OK to walk around during meeting Disagree respectfully

Be committed to the process Time keeper Provide options

Be open and honest Raise your hand to discuss Be open to changing your position

“What you see here, what you say here, when you leave here, let it stay here.”

Everyone has a fair chance to speak their mind (expand discussion time)

Promote creative ideas and approaches

No side meetings Time for discussion is up to facilitator

Avoid aggressive language, posture, and tone

Have fun and relax Agreement on voting item Practice candor

Be on time Include discussion in minute’s comments

Develop and express trust

Established break times Stay focused and on time Refer to meeting norms

Be courteous No rehashing Ask for information

State all concerns at meeting Table/parking lot for future discussion

Express concerns

Listen Please turn off all cell phones and pagers for the duration of the meeting

Balance inquiry and advocacy

Agenda beforehand w/relevant information

Focus on strategic issues Honor confidentiality

Review meeting action items, include dates and times

Share ideas

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Page 11: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Leadership Team Working AgreementsSUPPORT EMOTIONAL SAFETY & TRUST

• Honest Dialogue• Safe Environment

HONOR THE DECISION MAKING PROGRESS• Broad Input• Equal Voice• Multiple Prospectives• Discussion, Dialogue & Decisions

COMMIT TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION• Within Departments & Groups• Between Departments & Groups• Common Voice (talking points)• MeasuredResponsiveness(Reflective,Appropriate,Timely)

MODEL & ADDRESS PROFESSIONALISM• Confidentiality• Positivity

Revised 4/20/1810

Page 12: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

ACSA School Leader and Mentor Performance Agreement

The ACSA mentor agrees:

• To honor confidentiality with each school leader

• To provide one-on-one support for each school leader via phone, on-site, and

at ACSA sponsored activities and events

• To utilize mentoring and coaching strategies

• To respond to the school leader in a timely manner between mentoring

sessions via telephone or email

• To honor the demanding schedule of each school leader

• To commit to supporting the success and effectiveness of each school leader as

the primary focus and purpose of the program

The School Leader agrees:

• To fully avail him/herself of the support offered by an ACSA mentor

• To work with the assigned mentor to identify meaningful goals

• To approach the mentoring relationship with openness and honesty

• To utilize and apply the written materials, resources, and strategies made

available by the ACSA mentor

• To be available for agreed upon phone mentoring conversations and site visits

• To participate in designated ACSA professional learning activities

School Leader: __________________________________________

ACSA Mentor:___________________________________________

Date: __________________

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Page 13: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

The Entry Protocol is designed to be used during a conversation and will take at least 30 to 45 minutes. It is not intended to send to a principal to complete. The mentor takes notes that will inform the

relationship and guide future conversations.

ACSA Principal Entry Conversation

Mentee: School: Date:

An Entry Conversation is… An Entry Conversation is not…

o An opportunity to establish rapport o A two-way confidential conversation o A structured conversation for asking open- ended

questions that will assist the coach and mentee o A chance for coaches to gain an understanding about

the mentee’s background o The beginning stage of how to customize contextual

support for the mentee

o A conversation with judgment or evaluation

o A one-way conversation o An interrogative interview o A gathering of information to be

shared inappropriately o A onetime sharing of information that

is a waste of your time

Exploring the existing state

1. Tell a little bit about yourself and your background.

2. What are you most excited about when you consider the new school year?

3. What are you most concerned about? 4. Please describe the size of your school (student population, staff size, size of the community)? 5. What is currently happening for your school in core instruction? 6. What initiatives are you aware of that are currently occurring in your school? 7. Can you describe your staff meeting schedule and calendar of important meetings ahead? 8. What fears do you anticipate the staff having about a new principal in the school(s)? 9. What additional information might you wish to offer to assist us today?

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Page 14: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

The Entry Protocol is designed to be used during a conversation and will take at least 30 to 45 minutes. It is not intended to send to a superintendent to complete. The mentor takes notes that will inform the

relationship and guide future conversations.

ACSA Superintendent Entry Conversation

Mentee: School: Date:

An Entry Conversation is… An Entry Conversation is not…

o An opportunity to establish rapport o A two-way confidential conversation o A structured conversation for asking open- ended

questions that will assist the coach and mentee o A chance for coaches to gain an understanding about

the mentee’s background o The beginning stage of how to customize contextual

support for the mentee

o A conversation with judgment or evaluation

o A one-way conversation o An interrogative interview o A gathering of information to be

shared inappropriately o A onetime sharing of information that

is a waste of your time

Exploring the existing state

1. Tell a little bit about yourself and your background.

2. What are you most excited about when you consider the new school year?

3. What are you most concerned about? 4. Please describe your district (student population, staff size and leadership experience, size of the community(s), district resources/budget/grants and functions/district staffing)? 5. What is the current board expectations for you and your relationship with them? Election updates? 6. What initiatives/strategic plan/board goals are you aware of that are currently occurring in your district? 7. Can you describe your leadership meeting schedule and calendar of important meetings ahead? 8. What fears do you anticipate the staff/community having about a new superintendent? 9. What additional information might you wish to offer to assist us today?

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Page 15: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Leadership Conversation Guide Productive professional conversations require shape and structure.

ACSA aims to assist school leaders develop the capacity to be highly effective.

School Leader___________________________Mentor_________________Date____________

___Phone call ___Personal Visit ___Web-Based

Step 1: Type of Conversation Jointly determine with the school leader within the first ten minutes of conversation. (Whenever possible,

process the Problem of the Day as quickly as possible and then focus on long term goals.)

___ Planning/Rehearsal ___ Problem Resolving ___ Reflecting

Circle One: New conversation or continuation/follow-up from previous conversation

Step 2: Goal Progress: The What and The How (__________________)

Step 3: Next Steps

Note commitments stated for mentor and school leader, information needed, and focus for next conversation.

Next Scheduled Conversation: Date:_____________Time:______________Type:___________________

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Page 16: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

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Page 17: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

The First Person Goal Setting Process

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? - John Wooden

Two Steps to the Goal Setting Process:

• Establishing The What-The topic that a school leader wants to accomplish

• Developing The How-The strategies, processes, and techniques that a school leader uses to accomplish The What

Everyone involved in the goal setting process must be mindful of the need for a tolerance of ambiguity because the entire process involves reflecting, planning, and feedback. The process will result in a valuable action plan that you will rehearse to increase the odds of success.

First Person Goal Setting will begin by reviewing notes from the Entry Conversation and the topics the school leader wants to implement.

Step One (The What) First Person Goal Setting Examples:

Principal: I would like to successfully and thoughtfully implement the new K-6 mathematics program recently adopted by the district.

Superintendent: I would like to implement a communication plan that provides important district information that is timely and accurate to all stakeholders (school board members, principals, teachers, school staff and community members).

Step Two (The How) Action Plan and with Steps or language from the Goal Setting Rubric

Superintendent: I want to develop better group processes because many of our group conversations are led by one person, norms for interaction are not consistently used, and there are too many defensive, off-task, and unproductive conversations. I will introduce the Norms of Collaboration and Working Agreements.

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Page 18: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Goal Setting Question Bank for Mentors

Questions to start with a draft goal

“What do you want to learn about this?”

“When you reflect upon acquiring more skill in this area, what might be some of

the different kinds of information you want?”

“How will you know when you are on the right track?”

“Whom would you like to get involved in helping you plan to meet your goal?”

“What might be some reasons you selected this goal for you focus?”

“Knowing where you are now, what must you remain mindful of to move

forward?”

“What hunches do you have about major roadblocks you may run upon?”

“How will you demonstrate, in your daily planning and use of time, that you are

focused on the goal?”

“How might you involve other people in accomplishing this goal?”

“How will you order the steps you will take to reach your goal?”

“What are some of your priorities as you approach this goal?”

“In what ways will you collect evidence that you are taking action regarding

effective instruction and student achievement?”

“What risks will you incur in this process and how will you prepare to deal with

them?”

“Please describe the kind of thinking you have done in choosing to focus in this

area?”

“What kinds of support and feedback might you need?”

“In what ways might you mobilize others in support of this goal?”

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Page 19: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

For further collaboration when setting a goal

“What factors might you have considered while reaching those conclusions?”

“In what ways might you provide evidence that you are indeed taking regular

action to meet the goal?”

“What kinds of steps might ensure that you persist over the long haul in pursue

this goal?”

“What sorts of data can you collect that will enable you to measure your

progress?”

“Explain how many different ways you tried to think about setting this goal.”

“How will you know when you have met your goal?”

“What have you found to be a challenge as you work to master the concepts

encompassed by this goal?”

“What can you do to ensure that you remain open to further learning as you

tackle this goal?”

“What could you do to help you to think more about your learning?”

“What can to take time for reflecting and thinking about your goal?”

“How can you connect this new information to something you already know?”

“What thoughts are you having about how often you must revisit your goals?”

“In what ways might you be able to share leadership in order to achieve this

goal?”

“What kinds of information will you need to collect in order to move forward?”

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Page 20: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

The Goal Setting Rubric is Used for a Reflecting into Planning Conversation with the Rubric as a Third Point

G. Whiteley

The Goal Setting Rubric Describes the Many Roles of a School Leader

• A Tool For Reflection: Confidential “living document” that provides a sustain focus of conversation throughout the year

• A learning tool and process for school leader that acts a filter to identify a couple of goals (USE ONLY THE SECTION THAT IS NEEDED

• Let the School Leader Lead the conversation if he/she can

• Paraphrase in order to Organize, Summarize and PRIORITIZE

• Mentor and School Leader both need a copy

• Avoid EVALUATIVE language: High, low, good, bad, points, grade, score, total

• Use Language: Emerging, Somewhat Developed, Moderately Developed, Substantially Developed, selected, chose, identified

• Use Questions Sparingly : Avoid the sequence-question to question to question and why

• Explore Reasoning: Reference specific language in a cell that the school leader selects and then explore their thinking

• Remember Pace and Lead (Existing State to the Desired State)

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Page 21: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

The What: Potential Goal Statement(s)

Examples

Principal: I would like to successfully and thoughtfully implement the new K-6

mathematics program recently adopted by the district.

Superintendent: I would like to implement a communication plan that provides

important district information that is timely and accurate to all stakeholders (school

board members, principals, teachers, school staff and community members).

My Goal Statement(s)

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Page 22: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Goal Statement with Actions Plans and Action Steps

Goal

Action Plan Action Steps

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Page 23: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Learning Target: Mentors can facilitate the development of one or

two draft goal statements from each mentee using the goal setting

rubric.

Emerging

• A mentor is able to demonstrate only limited skill in facilitating the process of goal selection and shows limited understanding of the process. The mentor is limited in the following skills: using knowledge of the domains, using mentoring and coaching techniques, moving the mentee through the process, and guiding a mentee to use the goal setting documents to concentrate on one or two goals.

Developing

• A mentor possesses some skill in facilitating the process of goal selection and shows some understanding of the process. The mentor has some ability to deploy the following skills: using knowledge of the domains, employing mentoring coaching techniques, moving the mentee through the process, and guiding a mentee to use the goal setting documents to concentrate on one or two goals.

Accomplished

• A mentor possesses strong skills in facilitating the process of goal selection and shows a strong understanding of the process. The mentor is strong in the following skills: using knowledge of the domains, using mentoring and coaching techniques, moving the mentee through the process, and guiding a mentee to use the goal setting documents to concentrate on one or two goals.

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Page 24: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Mentoring Resources

Used With

Principals

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Page 25: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

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Page 26: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

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ergi

ng,

So

me

wh

at D

evel

op

ed, M

od

erat

ely

Dev

elo

ped

an

d S

ub

stan

tial

ly D

eve

lop

ed.

Ther

e is

on

e p

age

for

each

of

the

fou

r d

om

ain

s, w

ith

tw

o

dis

tin

ct c

om

po

nen

ts d

elin

eate

d f

or

each

do

mai

n.

This

pre

limin

ary

per

son

al in

ven

tory

is n

ot

inte

nd

ed a

s an

eva

luat

ion

or

def

init

ive

asse

ssm

ent,

bu

t ra

ther

is

inte

nd

ed t

o s

erve

as

a “l

ivin

g d

ocu

men

t” t

hat

pro

vid

es a

to

ol f

or

refl

ecti

on

an

d f

urt

her

dis

cuss

ion

wit

h y

ou

r m

ento

r.

Inst

ruct

ion

s: A

s yo

u r

ead

ea

ch d

escr

ipti

on

, pla

ce a

n “

X”

or

a c

hec

k m

ark

wit

hin

th

e b

ox

tha

t m

ost

clo

sely

ma

tch

es w

her

e yo

u c

urr

entl

y fe

el y

ou

are

in y

ou

r

dev

elo

pm

ent

an

d g

row

th a

s a

sch

oo

l ad

min

istr

ato

r. P

leas

e n

ote

th

at it

is li

kely

th

at f

or

som

e d

om

ain

s n

o s

ingl

e c

ate

gory

ad

eq

uat

ely

de

scri

be

s yo

ur

curr

en

t

de

velo

pm

en

t. I

n s

uch

inst

ance

s si

mp

ly m

ark

the

cat

ego

ry t

hat

co

me

s cl

ose

st.

NO

TE:

Wh

ene

ver

po

ssib

le, p

leas

e ga

ther

info

rmat

ion

an

d f

orm

ativ

e fe

edb

ack

(fo

rmal

an

d in

form

al)

for

you

r sc

ori

ng

dec

isio

ns

that

yo

u c

an s

har

e w

ith

yo

ur

men

tor.

STEP

1A

:

Pre

limin

ary

Pe

rso

nal

Inve

nto

ry

STEP

1B

:

Sch

oo

l Co

nte

xt

Inve

nto

ry

STEP

2:

Det

aile

d In

ven

tori

es f

or

Sele

cted

Do

mai

ns

25

Page 27: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1A

: Pre

limin

ary

Inve

nto

ry

Sch

oo

l Le

ade

r U

nd

ers

tan

din

g an

d

Lear

nin

g Ta

rge

ts

(Do

mai

n)

Ke

y W

ord

s Em

erg

ing

Som

ew

hat

De

velo

pe

d

Mo

de

rate

ly D

eve

lop

ed

Su

bst

anti

ally

De

velo

pe

d

DO

MA

IN 1

:

Intr

ape

rso

nal

Li

tera

cy

(Se

lf-A

war

en

ess

an

d

Self

-Man

age

me

nt)

• Se

lf-a

war

enes

s o

f le

ader

ship

ab

iliti

es

• Se

lf-m

on

ito

rin

g

• Se

lf-m

od

ifyi

ng

(1A

) M

y se

lf-

awar

ene

ss o

f m

y p

erso

nal

lead

ersh

ip

abili

ties

is s

om

ewh

at

limit

ed, a

nd

I b

elie

ve I

wo

uld

ben

efit

fro

m

feed

bac

k fr

om

co

llegi

al

net

wo

rks

to in

form

my

self

-aw

aren

ess

; an

d I

bel

ieve

I w

ou

ld b

en

efit

fr

om

incr

ease

d m

on

ito

rin

g (a

nd

sel

f-m

od

ifyi

ng)

of

my

feel

ings

, th

ou

ghts

an

d

con

seq

ue

nce

s o

f ac

tio

ns

wh

ile le

adin

g.

(1A

) I h

ave

som

e se

lf-

awar

enes

s o

f m

y p

erso

nal

le

ader

ship

ab

iliti

es,

bu

t I

do

no

t re

gula

rly

use

fe

edb

ack

fro

m c

olle

gial

n

etw

ork

s to

info

rm t

his

se

lf-a

war

ene

ss; a

nd

I o

nly

o

ccas

ion

ally

(at

mo

st)

con

scio

usl

y m

on

ito

r (a

nd

se

lf-m

od

ify)

my

feel

ings

, th

ou

ghts

an

d

con

seq

ue

nce

s o

f ac

tio

ns

wh

ile le

adin

g.

(1A

) I h

ave

som

e se

lf-

awar

enes

s o

f m

y p

erso

nal

le

ader

ship

ab

iliti

es,

at

leas

t in

p

art

dev

elo

ped

th

rou

gh o

n-

goin

g fe

ed

bac

k fr

om

co

llegi

al

net

wo

rks;

an

d a

lth

ou

gh I

oft

en

con

scio

usl

y m

on

ito

r (a

nd

se

lf-

mo

dif

y) m

y fe

elin

gs, t

ho

ugh

ts

and

co

nse

qu

en

ces

of

acti

on

s w

hile

lead

ing,

I am

no

t ve

ry

con

sist

ent

in t

his

pra

ctic

e.

(1A

) I h

ave

a st

ron

g se

lf-

awar

enes

s o

f m

y p

erso

nal

le

ader

ship

ab

iliti

es,

at

leas

t in

par

t d

evel

op

ed t

hro

ugh

o

n-g

oin

g fe

ed

bac

k fr

om

co

llegi

al n

etw

ork

s; a

nd

I re

gula

rly

and

co

nsc

iou

sly

mo

nit

or

(an

d s

elf-

mo

dif

y) m

y fe

elin

gs, t

ho

ugh

ts a

nd

co

nse

qu

en

ces

of

acti

on

s w

hile

lead

ing.

• P

hilo

sop

hy

&

visi

on

of

lead

ing

a sc

ho

ol

• Se

lf-

man

agem

ent

• Se

lf-d

irec

tin

g •

“Wal

kin

g th

e ta

lk”

(1B

) M

y ge

ner

al p

hilo

sop

hy

and

vis

ion

of

lead

ing

a sc

ho

ol w

her

e al

l ch

ildre

n

lear

n (

stat

emen

t o

f id

eals

) is

sti

ll em

ergi

ng;

an

d I

hav

e n

ot

yet

had

su

bst

anti

ve

op

po

rtu

nit

ies

to b

e se

lf-

dir

ecti

ng

and

su

cces

sfu

lly

“wal

k th

e ta

lk”

(sel

f-m

anag

emen

t) a

nd

/or

the

op

po

rtu

nit

ies

I hav

e h

ad

hav

e m

et w

ith

lim

ite

d

succ

ess.

(1B

) I h

ave

a ge

ner

al

ph

iloso

ph

y an

d v

isio

n o

f le

adin

g a

sch

oo

l wh

ere

all

child

ren

lear

n (

stat

emen

t o

f id

eals

), b

ut

my

visi

on

co

uld

be

stre

ngt

he

ne

d

and

/or

refi

ned

; an

d I

wo

uld

ben

efit

fro

m

add

itio

nal

op

po

rtu

nit

ies

to

be

self

-dir

ecti

ng

and

p

ract

ice

succ

essf

ully

“w

alki

ng

the

talk

” (s

elf-

man

agem

ent)

.

(1B

) I h

ave

dev

elo

ped

a

ph

iloso

ph

y an

d v

isio

n o

f le

adin

g a

sch

oo

l wh

ere

all

child

ren

lear

n (

stat

emen

t o

f id

eals

), b

ut

hav

e n

ot

had

th

e su

ffic

ien

t o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

be

self

-dir

ecti

ng

and

su

cces

sfu

lly

“wal

k th

e ta

lk”

(sel

f-m

anag

emen

t) in

my

curr

en

t sc

ho

ol,

or

a re

lati

vely

sim

ilar

sch

oo

l(s)

/set

tin

g(s)

.

(1B

) I h

ave

dev

elo

ped

a

ph

iloso

ph

y an

d v

isio

n o

f le

adin

g a

sch

oo

l wh

ere

all

child

ren

lear

n (

stat

emen

t o

f id

eals

), a

nd

hav

e su

cces

sfu

lly

bee

n a

ble

to

be

self

-dir

ecti

ng

and

“w

alk

the

talk

” (s

elf-

man

agem

ent)

in m

y cu

rre

nt

sch

oo

l, o

r a

rela

tive

ly s

imila

r sc

ho

ol(

s)/s

etti

ng(

s).

26

Page 28: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1A

: Pre

limin

ary

Inve

nto

ry

Sch

oo

l Le

ade

r U

nd

ers

tan

din

g an

d

Lear

nin

g Ta

rge

ts

(Do

mai

n)

Ke

y W

ord

s Em

erg

ing

Som

ew

hat

De

velo

pe

d

Mo

de

rate

ly D

eve

lop

ed

Su

bst

anti

ally

De

velo

pe

d

DO

MA

IN 2

: In

terp

ers

on

al

Lite

racy

(U

nd

ers

tan

din

g an

d

De

velo

pin

g P

eo

ple

)

• U

nd

erst

and

ing

of

wh

at

mo

tiva

tes

beh

avio

rs &

p

rom

ote

s ch

ange

• M

ob

ilizi

ng

div

erse

in

div

idu

als

and

gr

ou

ps

(2A

) I b

elie

ve m

y kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

of

wh

at

mo

tiva

tes

beh

avio

r an

d

shap

es

inte

ract

ion

s in

fir

st

and

sec

on

d o

rder

ch

ange

n

eed

to

be

stre

ngt

he

ned

in

ord

er t

o e

ffec

tive

ly

pro

mo

te a

po

siti

ve,

colla

bo

rati

ve le

arn

ing

cult

ure

an

d m

ob

ilize

a

vari

ety

of

ind

ivid

ual

s an

d

gro

up

s at

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l.

(2A

) I h

ave

som

e kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

of

wh

at

mo

tiva

tes

beh

avio

r an

d

shap

es

inte

ract

ion

s in

fir

st

and

sec

on

d o

rder

ch

ange

, b

ut

still

nee

d a

dd

itio

nal

kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

in o

rder

to

ef

fect

ivel

y p

rom

ote

a

po

siti

ve, c

olla

bo

rati

ve

lear

nin

g cu

ltu

re a

nd

m

ob

ilize

a v

arie

ty o

f in

div

idu

als

and

gro

up

s at

m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol.

(2A

) I h

ave

a re

lati

vely

so

lid

un

der

stan

din

g o

f w

hat

m

oti

vate

s b

ehav

ior

and

sh

ape

s in

tera

ctio

ns

in f

irst

an

d s

eco

nd

o

rder

ch

ange

, bu

t I b

elie

ve I

wo

uld

ben

efit

fro

m s

om

e ad

dit

ion

al k

no

wle

dge

an

d

un

der

stan

din

g sp

ecif

ic t

o m

y cu

rren

t co

nte

xt/s

etti

ng

in

ord

er t

o e

ffec

tive

ly p

rom

ote

a

po

siti

ve, c

olla

bo

rati

ve le

arn

ing

cult

ure

an

d m

ob

ilize

a v

arie

ty

of

ind

ivid

ual

s an

d g

rou

ps

at

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l.

(2A

) I h

ave

a st

ron

g kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

of

wh

at

mo

tiva

tes

beh

avio

r an

d

shap

es

inte

ract

ion

s in

fir

st

and

sec

on

d o

rder

ch

ange

, an

d I

bel

ieve

I ca

n e

ffec

tive

ly

app

ly t

his

kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

to e

ffec

tive

ly

pro

mo

te a

po

siti

ve,

colla

bo

rati

ve le

arn

ing

cult

ure

an

d m

ob

ilize

a v

arie

ty o

f in

div

idu

als

and

gro

up

s in

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l.

• Es

tab

lish

ing

no

rms

• B

uild

ing

reso

urc

efu

lne

ss

in o

ther

s •

Stre

ngt

hen

ing

inte

rper

son

al

skill

s

• D

evel

op

ing

situ

atio

nal

aw

aren

ess

(2B

) M

y sk

ills

and

pas

t ex

per

ien

ce(s

) es

tab

lish

ing

no

rms

and

re

spo

nsi

bili

tie

s,

bu

ildin

g re

sou

rcef

uln

ess

in

oth

ers

(e.g

., c

oac

hin

g,

pro

ble

m r

eso

lvin

g,

con

sen

sus-

bu

ildin

g),

stre

ngt

he

nin

g in

terp

erso

nal

ski

lls, a

nd

d

evel

op

ing

situ

atio

nal

aw

aren

ess

are

rela

tive

ly

limit

ed a

nd

/or

pas

t ef

fort

s h

ave

no

t b

een

ver

y ef

fect

ive.

(2B

) I h

ave

som

e sk

ills

and

p

ast

exp

erie

nce

(s)

esta

blis

hin

g n

orm

s an

d

resp

on

sib

iliti

es,

bu

ildin

g re

sou

rcef

uln

ess

in o

ther

s (e

.g.,

co

ach

ing,

pro

ble

m

reso

lvin

g, c

on

sen

sus-

bu

ildin

g), s

tren

gth

en

ing

inte

rper

son

al s

kills

, an

d

dev

elo

pin

g si

tuat

ion

al

awar

enes

s, b

ut

I hav

e n

ot

had

su

ffic

ien

t o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

im

ple

me

nt

thes

e sk

ills

and

/or

my

pre

vio

us

effo

rts

hav

e m

et w

ith

mix

ed

resu

lts.

(2B

) I h

ave

man

y sk

ills

and

pas

t ex

per

ien

ce(s

) es

tab

lish

ing

no

rms

and

re

spo

nsi

bili

tie

s,

bu

ildin

g re

sou

rcef

uln

ess

in

oth

ers

(e.g

., c

oac

hin

g, p

rob

lem

re

solv

ing,

co

nse

nsu

s-b

uild

ing)

, st

ren

gth

en

ing

inte

rper

son

al

skill

s, a

nd

dev

elo

pin

g si

tuat

ion

al a

war

en

ess,

bu

t I

bel

ieve

I n

eed

so

me

add

itio

nal

sk

ills

and

/or

pra

ctic

e to

ad

apt

my

pri

or

exp

erie

nce

s to

th

e cu

rren

t co

nte

xt/s

etti

ng.

(2B

) I h

ave

stro

ng

skill

s an

d

pas

t e

xper

ien

ce(s

) es

tab

lish

ing

no

rms

and

re

spo

nsi

bili

tie

s, b

uild

ing

reso

urc

efu

lne

ss in

oth

ers

(e.g

., c

oac

hin

g, p

rob

lem

re

solv

ing,

co

nse

nsu

s-b

uild

ing)

, str

engt

he

nin

g in

terp

erso

nal

ski

lls, a

nd

d

evel

op

ing

situ

atio

nal

aw

aren

ess;

an

d h

ave

succ

essf

ully

imp

lem

en

ted

th

ese

pra

ctic

es in

my

curr

en

t sc

ho

ol,

or

a re

lati

vely

sim

ilar

sch

oo

l(s)

/set

tin

g(s)

.

27

Page 29: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1A

: Pre

limin

ary

Inve

nto

ry

Sch

oo

l Le

ade

r U

nd

ers

tan

din

g an

d

Lear

nin

g Ta

rge

ts

(Do

mai

n)

Ke

y W

ord

s Em

erg

ing

Som

ew

hat

De

velo

pe

d

Mo

de

rate

ly D

eve

lop

ed

Su

bst

anti

ally

De

velo

pe

d

DO

MA

IN 3

:

Inst

ruct

ion

al a

nd

A

sse

ssm

en

t Li

tera

cy

(Man

agin

g th

e

Teac

hin

g an

d

Lear

nin

g P

rogr

am)

Kn

ow

led

ge &

u

nd

erst

and

ing

of:

• Ef

fect

ive

inst

ruct

ion

al

pra

ctic

es

• St

and

ard

s-b

ased

tea

chin

g an

d le

arn

ing,

• C

urr

icu

lum

al

ign

me

nt

• A

sse

ssm

en

t p

roce

sses

• A

cco

un

tab

ility

sy

stem

s

(3A

) I b

elie

ve m

y kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

rela

ted

to

ef

fect

ivel

y m

anag

ing

the

teac

hin

g an

d le

arn

ing

pro

gram

at

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l nee

d t

o b

e st

ren

gth

en

ed

in s

ever

al o

f th

e fo

llow

ing

area

s:

effe

ctiv

e in

stru

ctio

nal

p

ract

ices

, sta

nd

ard

s-b

ased

te

ach

ing

and

lear

nin

g,

curr

icu

lum

alig

nm

ent,

as

sess

men

t p

roce

sse

s, a

nd

ac

cou

nta

bili

ty s

yste

ms.

(3A

) I h

ave

som

e o

f th

e kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

nee

ded

to

ef

fect

ivel

y m

anag

e th

e te

ach

ing

and

lear

nin

g p

rogr

am a

t m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol,

bu

t st

ill n

eed

ad

dit

ion

al k

no

wle

dge

an

d

un

der

stan

din

g re

late

d t

o

on

e o

r m

ore

of

the

follo

win

g ar

eas:

eff

ecti

ve

inst

ruct

ion

al p

ract

ice

s,

stan

dar

ds-

bas

ed t

each

ing

and

lear

nin

g, c

urr

icu

lum

al

ign

me

nt,

ass

ess

me

nt

pro

cess

es, a

nd

ac

cou

nta

bili

ty s

yste

ms.

(3A

) I h

ave

mo

st o

f th

e kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

un

de

rsta

nd

ing

of

effe

ctiv

e in

stru

ctio

nal

p

ract

ices

, sta

nd

ard

s-b

ased

te

ach

ing

and

lear

nin

g,

curr

icu

lum

alig

nm

ent,

as

sess

men

t p

roce

sse

s, a

nd

ac

cou

nta

bili

ty s

yste

ms

nee

ded

to

man

age

the

teac

hin

g an

d

lear

nin

g p

rogr

am a

t m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol,

bu

t n

eed

so

me

add

itio

nal

kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

in

form

atio

n s

pec

ific

to

my

curr

ent

con

text

/set

tin

g.

(3A

) I h

ave

a st

ron

g kn

ow

led

ge a

nd

u

nd

erst

and

ing

of

effe

ctiv

e in

stru

ctio

nal

pra

ctic

es,

st

and

ard

s-b

ased

tea

chin

g an

d le

arn

ing,

cu

rric

ulu

m

alig

nm

en

t, a

sse

ssm

en

t p

roce

sses

, an

d

acco

un

tab

ility

sys

tem

s n

eed

ed t

o m

anag

e th

e te

ach

ing

and

lear

nin

g p

rogr

am a

t m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol.

• U

sin

g ap

pro

pri

ate

inst

ruct

ion

al

too

ls &

st

rate

gies

(3B

) M

y sk

ills

and

pas

t ex

per

ien

ce(s

) u

sin

g ap

pro

pri

ate

too

ls a

nd

st

rate

gies

(e.

g.,

ob

serv

atio

n p

roto

cols

, co

ach

ing

con

vers

atio

ns,

as

sess

men

t d

ata,

fee

db

ack

mea

sure

s) t

o p

rom

ote

ef

fect

ive

inst

ruct

ion

al

pra

ctic

es a

nd

imp

rove

st

ud

ent

per

form

ance

are

re

lati

vely

lim

ite

d a

nd

/or

pas

t ef

fort

s h

ave

no

t b

een

ve

ry e

ffec

tive

.

(3B

) I h

ave

som

e sk

ills

and

p

ast

exp

erie

nce

(s)

usi

ng

app

rop

riat

e to

ols

an

d

stra

tegi

es (

e.g.

, o

bse

rvat

ion

pro

toco

ls,

coac

hin

g co

nve

rsat

ion

s,

asse

ssm

ent

dat

a, f

eed

bac

k m

easu

res)

to

pro

mo

te

effe

ctiv

e in

stru

ctio

nal

p

ract

ices

an

d im

pro

ve

stu

den

t p

erfo

rman

ce, b

ut

I h

ave

no

t h

ad s

uff

icie

nt

op

po

rtu

nit

ies

to

imp

lem

en

t th

ese

skill

s an

d/o

r m

y p

revi

ou

s ef

fort

s h

ave

met

wit

h m

ixed

re

sult

s.

(3B

) I h

ave

man

y sk

ills

and

pas

t ex

per

ien

ce(s

) u

sin

g ap

pro

pri

ate

too

ls a

nd

st

rate

gies

(e.

g., o

bse

rvat

ion

p

roto

cols

, co

ach

ing

con

vers

atio

ns,

ass

essm

en

t d

ata,

fee

db

ack

mea

sure

s) t

o

pro

mo

te e

ffec

tive

inst

ruct

ion

al

pra

ctic

es a

nd

imp

rove

stu

den

t p

erfo

rman

ce, b

ut

nee

d s

om

e ad

dit

ion

al s

kills

an

d/o

r p

ract

ice

to a

dap

t m

y p

rio

r ex

per

ien

ces

to t

he

curr

en

t co

nte

xt/s

etti

ng.

(3B

) I h

ave

stro

ng

skill

s an

d

pas

t e

xper

ien

ce(s

) su

cces

sfu

lly u

sin

g ap

pro

pri

ate

too

ls a

nd

st

rate

gies

(e.

g., o

bse

rvat

ion

p

roto

cols

, co

ach

ing

con

vers

atio

ns,

ass

essm

en

t d

ata,

fee

db

ack

mea

sure

s) t

o

pro

mo

te e

ffec

tive

in

stru

ctio

nal

pra

ctic

es

and

im

pro

ve s

tud

ent

per

form

ance

in m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol,

or

a re

lati

vely

sim

ilar

sch

oo

l(s)

/set

tin

g(s)

.

28

Page 30: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1A

: Pre

limin

ary

Inve

nto

ry

Sch

oo

l Le

ade

r U

nd

ers

tan

din

g an

d

Lear

nin

g Ta

rge

ts

(Do

mai

n)

Ke

y W

ord

s Em

erg

ing

Som

ew

hat

De

velo

pe

d

Mo

de

rate

ly D

eve

lop

ed

Su

bst

anti

ally

De

velo

pe

d

DO

MA

IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al

Lite

racy

(R

ed

esi

gnin

g th

e

Org

aniz

atio

n)

• B

uild

ing

shar

ed

visi

on

• Es

tab

lish

ing

colla

bo

rati

ve

lear

nin

g cu

ltu

re

• Sh

are

d

lead

ersh

ip

(4A

) M

y sk

ills

and

pas

t ex

per

ien

ce(s

) b

uild

ing

a sh

are

d v

isio

n a

nd

es

tab

lish

ing

a p

osi

tive

, co

llab

ora

tive

lear

nin

g cu

ltu

re t

hro

ugh

sh

ared

le

ader

ship

are

re

lati

vely

lim

ited

an

d/o

r p

ast

effo

rts

hav

e n

ot

be

en v

ery

effe

ctiv

e.

(4A

) I h

ave

som

e o

f th

e sk

ills

and

pas

t e

xper

ien

ces

nee

ded

to

bu

ild a

sh

are

d

visi

on

an

d e

stab

lish

a

po

siti

ve, c

olla

bo

rati

ve

lear

nin

g cu

ltu

re t

hro

ugh

sh

are

d le

ader

ship

, bu

t I

hav

e n

ot

had

su

ffic

ien

t o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

im

ple

me

nt

thes

e sk

ills

and

/or

my

pre

vio

us

effo

rts

hav

e m

et w

ith

mix

ed

resu

lts.

(4A

) I h

ave

man

y sk

ills

and

p

ast

exp

erie

nce

(s)

bu

ildin

g a

shar

ed

vis

ion

an

d e

stab

lish

ing

a p

osi

tive

, co

llab

ora

tive

le

arn

ing

cult

ure

th

rou

gh

shar

ed

lead

ersh

ip, b

ut

my

exp

erie

nce

/bac

kgro

un

d w

as in

a

sch

oo

l/se

ttin

g th

at d

iffe

red

si

gnif

ican

tly

fro

m m

y cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol/

sett

ing.

(4A

) I h

ave

stro

ng

skill

s an

d

pas

t e

xper

ien

ce(s

) su

cces

sfu

lly b

uild

ing

a sh

are

d v

isio

n a

nd

es

tab

lish

ing

a p

osi

tive

, co

llab

ora

tive

lear

nin

g cu

ltu

re

thro

ugh

sh

are

d le

ader

ship

in

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l, o

r a

rela

tive

ly s

imila

r sc

ho

ol(

s)/s

etti

ng(

s).

• P

lan

ch

ange

&

set

dir

ecti

on

b

ased

on

dat

a

(4B

) I b

elie

ve m

y kn

ow

led

ge, s

kills

an

d/o

r se

lf-e

ffic

acy

nee

d t

o b

e st

ren

gth

en

ed

in o

rder

to

m

ost

eff

ecti

vely

an

d

effi

cien

tly

pla

n c

han

ge a

nd

se

t d

irec

tio

n(s

) b

ased

up

on

d

ata-

bas

ed

evi

den

ce a

nd

re

sear

ch f

or

my

curr

en

t sc

ho

ol.

(4B

) I h

ave

som

e o

f th

e kn

ow

led

ge, s

kills

an

d/o

r se

lf-e

ffic

acy

nee

ded

to

p

lan

ch

ange

an

d s

et

dir

ecti

on

(s)

for

my

curr

ent

sch

oo

l, b

ut

ther

e ar

e im

po

rtan

t sk

ills

I sti

ll n

eed

to

lear

n/p

ract

ice

to m

ost

ef

fect

ivel

y an

d e

ffic

ien

tly

pla

n c

han

ge a

nd

set

d

irec

tio

n(s

) b

ased

on

dat

a.

(4B

) I h

ave

mo

st o

f th

e kn

ow

led

ge, s

kills

an

d s

elf-

effi

cacy

nee

de

d t

o p

lan

ch

ange

an

d s

et d

irec

tio

n(s

) b

ase

d

up

on

dat

a-b

ased

evi

den

ce a

nd

re

sear

ch f

or

my

curr

en

t sc

ho

ol,

bu

t n

eed

so

me

add

itio

nal

ski

lls a

nd

/or

pra

ctic

e to

ad

apt

my

pri

or

exp

erie

nce

s to

th

e cu

rre

nt

con

text

/set

tin

g.

(4B

) I h

ave

the

stro

ng

kno

wle

dge

, ski

lls, s

elf-

effi

cacy

an

d p

ast

exp

erie

nce

(s)

pla

nn

ing

chan

ge a

nd

se

ttin

g d

irec

tio

n(s

) b

ased

up

on

d

ata-

bas

ed

evi

den

ce a

nd

re

sear

ch in

my

curr

en

t sc

ho

ol,

or

a re

lati

vely

sim

ilar

sch

oo

l(s)

/set

tin

g(s)

.

29

Page 31: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Pro

fess

ion

al G

row

th S

yst

em

Ste

p 1

B:

Sch

oo

l C

on

text

In

ven

tory

Init

iall

y d

evel

op

ed b

y t

he

Cen

ter

for

Ev

alu

atio

n a

nd

Ed

uca

tio

n P

oli

cy (

CE

EP

) at

In

dia

na

Un

iver

sity

fo

r th

e

Ala

ska

Ad

min

istr

ato

r C

oac

hin

g P

rog

ram

, Au

gu

st 2

011.

ww

w.c

eep

.in

dia

na.

edu

30

Page 32: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1B

: Sc

ho

ol C

on

text

Inve

nto

ry

pag

e 2

Pro

fess

ion

al G

row

th S

yste

m (

PG

S)

Step

1B

: Sc

ho

ol C

on

text

Inve

nto

ry

In S

tep

1A

of

the

Pro

fess

ion

al G

row

th S

yste

m (

PG

S) p

roce

ss y

ou

wer

e as

ked

to

exa

min

e yo

ur

curr

ent

stat

e o

f p

erso

nal

dev

elo

pm

ent

for

each

of

the

fou

r (4

)

pri

mar

y d

om

ain

s:

Do

mai

n 1

: In

trap

erso

nal

Lit

erac

y (S

elf-

Aw

aren

ess

an

d S

elf-

Man

agem

ent)

D

om

ain

2:

Inte

rper

son

al L

iter

acy

(Un

der

stan

din

g an

d D

evel

op

ing

Peo

ple

) D

om

ain

3: I

nst

ruct

ion

al a

nd

Ass

essm

ent

Lite

racy

(M

anag

ing

the

Teac

hin

g an

d L

earn

ing

Pro

gram

) D

om

ain

4:

Org

aniz

atio

nal

Lit

era

cy (

Red

esi

gnin

g th

e O

rgan

izat

ion

)

In d

eter

min

ing

pro

fess

ion

al g

row

th g

oal

s, it

is a

lso

imp

ort

ant

to t

ake

into

acc

ou

nt

you

r cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol c

on

text

to

hel

p d

eter

min

e th

ose

issu

es a

nd

/or

nee

ds

that

are

mo

st c

riti

cal a

nd

tim

ely

fo

r yo

ur

par

ticu

lar

sch

oo

l. T

her

efo

re, S

tep

1B

in t

he

PG

S p

roce

ss is

to

mo

re c

lose

ly e

xam

ine

you

r cu

rren

t sc

ho

ol c

on

text

spec

ific

ally

in t

erm

s o

f In

stru

ctio

nal

an

d A

sses

smen

t Li

tera

cy (

Do

mai

n 3

) an

d O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

(Do

mai

n 4

). T

his

inve

nto

ry w

ill h

elp

yo

u (

in c

olla

bo

rati

on

wit

h y

ou

r co

ach

) to

mo

re n

arro

wly

fo

cus

you

r p

rofe

ssio

nal

gro

wth

pla

n.

The

dat

a ga

ther

ed t

hro

ugh

Ste

p 1

A (

Pre

limin

ary

Per

son

al In

ven

tory

), w

hen

co

mb

ined

wit

h t

he

dat

a ga

ther

ed a

s p

art

of

Step

1B

(Sc

ho

ol C

on

text

Inve

nto

ry),

will

hel

p y

ou

an

d y

ou

r co

ach

to

wo

rk t

oge

ther

to

det

erm

ine

wh

ich

sp

ecif

ic d

om

ain

s to

focu

s o

n f

or

Step

2 (

Det

aile

d In

ven

tori

es

for

Sele

cted

Do

mai

ns)

of

this

pro

cess

.

Inst

ruct

ion

s:

For

eac

h o

f th

e ca

tego

rie

s an

d in

ven

tory

ite

ms,

fir

st c

om

ple

te o

nly

Co

lum

n A

by

circ

ling

the

nu

mb

er

that

be

st r

ep

rese

nts

th

e c

urr

ent

stat

us

of

eac

h r

esp

ect

ive

issu

e o

r n

ee

d f

rom

1 (

no

t at

all,

or

very

we

ak)

to 5

(ve

ry s

tro

ng)

. N

ext

, co

mp

lete

Co

lum

n B

fo

r ea

ch in

ven

tory

item

by

pla

cin

g an

“X

” in

th

e

colu

mn

if y

ou

rat

ed

th

e c

urr

ent

stat

us

or

ne

ed

(C

olu

mn

A)

as 3

or

low

er

(i.e

., 1

, 2, o

r 3

). F

inal

ly, f

or

eac

h o

f th

e it

em

s w

ith

an

“X

” in

Co

lum

n B

, co

mp

lete

colu

mn

C b

y ci

rclin

g th

e n

um

be

r th

at b

est

re

pre

sen

ts t

he

curr

en

t im

po

rtan

ce/t

ime

line

ss o

f e

ach

re

spe

ctiv

e is

sue

or

ne

ed

fro

m 1

(n

ot

very

cri

tica

l/u

rge

nt)

to

5 (

very

cri

tica

l/u

rge

nt)

.

NO

TE:

Wh

ene

ver

po

ssib

le, p

leas

e ga

ther

info

rmat

ion

an

d f

orm

ativ

e fe

edb

ack

(fo

rmal

an

d in

form

al)

for

you

r sc

ori

ng

dec

isio

ns

that

yo

u c

an s

har

e w

ith

yo

ur

coac

h.

STEP

1A

:

Pre

limin

ary

Per

son

al

Inve

nto

ry

STEP

1B

:

Sch

oo

l Co

nte

xt

Inve

nto

ry

STEP

2:

Det

aile

d In

ven

tori

es f

or

Sele

cted

Do

mai

ns

31

Page 33: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Step

1B

: Sc

ho

ol C

on

text

Inve

nto

ry

pag

e 3

DO

MA

IN 3

: In

stru

ctio

nal

an

d A

sses

sme

nt

Lite

racy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

Inst

ruct

ion

al

Res

ou

rces

/Mat

eri

als

(1)

Teac

her

s ar

e p

rovi

ded

wit

h s

tro

ng

inst

ruct

ion

al r

eso

urc

es a

nd

mat

eria

ls t

hat

ar

e al

ign

ed w

ith

th

e cu

rric

ulu

m a

nd

st

and

ard

s.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Hig

h Q

ual

ity

Inst

ruct

ion

al S

taff

(2

) Th

e in

stru

ctio

nal

pro

gram

is s

taff

ed w

ith

h

igh

qu

alit

y te

ach

ers

and

oth

er s

taff

co

mm

itte

d t

o s

tud

ent

lear

nin

g.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Per

cep

tio

ns

of

Pri

nci

pal

as

Inst

ruct

ion

al L

ead

er

(3)

Teac

her

s vi

ew t

he

pri

nci

pal

as

an

inst

ruct

ion

al le

ader

. 1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Effe

ctiv

e in

stru

ctio

nal

p

ract

ices

(4)

Teac

her

s an

d in

stru

ctio

nal

sta

ff

un

der

stan

d a

nd

imp

lem

ent

eff

ecti

ve

inst

ruct

ion

al p

ract

ices

.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Cu

rric

ula

r al

ign

men

t (5

) In

stru

ctio

nal

pra

ctic

es a

nd

cu

rric

ulu

m a

re

we

ll-al

ign

ed.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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DO

MA

IN 3

: In

stru

ctio

nal

an

d A

sses

sme

nt

Lite

racy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

Stan

dar

ds-

Bas

ed

Teac

hin

g an

d

Lear

nin

g

(6)

Cle

ar a

nd

res

earc

h-b

ased

sta

nd

ard

s fo

r in

stru

ctio

nal

pra

ctic

e h

ave

bee

n

esta

blis

hed

.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ass

essm

ent

&

Acc

ou

nta

bili

ty:

Mo

nit

ori

ng

Stru

ctu

res

&

Pro

cess

es

(7)

Ther

e ar

e w

ell-

esta

blis

hed

an

d e

ffec

tive

st

ruct

ure

s an

d p

roce

sses

in p

lace

to

m

on

ito

r th

e p

rogr

ess

of

stu

den

ts,

teac

her

s an

d t

he

sch

oo

l (in

clu

din

g m

on

ito

rin

g te

ach

ers

wo

rk in

th

e cl

assr

oo

m).

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ass

essm

ent

&

Acc

ou

nta

bili

ty:

Mu

ltip

le M

easu

res

(8)

Mu

ltip

le m

easu

res

alig

ned

wit

h t

he

stan

dar

ds

and

gra

de

leve

l exp

ecta

tio

ns

are

use

d t

o m

on

ito

r th

e p

rogr

ess

of

stu

den

ts.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ass

essm

ent

&

Acc

ou

nta

bili

ty:

Lon

gitu

din

al D

ata

(9)

Ass

essm

ent

and

acc

ou

nta

bili

ty s

yste

ms

incl

ud

e lo

ngi

tud

inal

stu

den

t d

ata.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

SCH

OO

L C

ULT

UR

E C

olla

bo

rati

ve

Lear

nin

g C

ult

ure

(1

0) T

he

sch

oo

l has

a w

ell-

esta

blis

hed

an

d

po

siti

ve c

olla

bo

rati

ve le

arn

ing

cult

ure

.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Teac

her

C

olla

bo

rati

on

(1

1) T

her

e ar

e es

tab

lish

ed s

tru

ctu

res

and

o

pp

ort

un

itie

s th

at e

nco

ura

ge t

eac

her

s to

co

llab

ora

te.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Org

aniz

atio

nal

Tru

st

(12

) Te

ach

ers

and

co

mm

un

ity

mem

ber

s tr

ust

th

e d

ecis

ion

-mak

ing

cap

acit

y o

f th

e p

rin

cip

al.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Shar

ed N

orm

s (1

3) T

her

e ar

e w

ell-

esta

blis

hed

, po

siti

ve

no

rms.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

35

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DO

MA

IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

Op

enn

ess

to C

han

ge

(14

) Te

ach

ers

and

inst

ruct

ion

al s

taff

are

o

pen

/will

ing

to s

eco

nd

ord

er c

han

ge if

n

eed

ed t

o im

pro

ve s

tud

ent

lear

nin

g an

d

ach

ieve

men

t.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

PA

REN

T/C

OM

MU

NIT

Y R

ELA

TIO

NSH

IPS

Par

ent

Re

lati

on

ship

s &

Invo

lvem

ent

(15

) Po

siti

ve/p

rod

uct

ive

rela

tio

nsh

ips

hav

e b

een

est

ablis

hed

wit

h f

amili

es; p

aren

tal

invo

lvem

ent

in s

tud

ent

lear

nin

g is

su

pp

ort

ed.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Co

mm

un

ity

Sup

po

rt

(16

) Th

e sc

ho

ol i

s co

nn

ecte

d t

o t

he

wid

er

com

mu

nit

y; t

her

e is

str

on

g co

mm

un

ity

sup

po

rt f

or

sch

oo

l im

pro

vem

ent

eff

ort

s.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

SCH

OO

L V

ISIO

N/G

OA

LS

Shar

ed v

isio

n

(17

) Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as a

str

on

g, s

har

ed v

isio

n

focu

sed

on

go

als

for

stu

den

t le

arn

ing

and

ac

hie

vem

ent.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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DO

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IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

Hig

h e

xpec

tati

on

s (1

8) T

he

pri

nci

pal

an

d t

each

ers

shar

e h

igh

p

erfo

rman

ce e

xpec

tati

on

s fo

r st

ud

ent

lear

nin

g an

d a

chie

vem

ent.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Imp

rove

men

t-p

lan

nin

g fo

cus

(19

) Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as a

str

on

g, w

ell-

esta

blis

hed

, re

sear

ch-b

ased

im

pro

vem

ent

pla

nn

ing

pro

cess

.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Sch

oo

l Mis

sio

n

(20

) Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as a

mea

sura

ble

, mea

nin

gfu

l an

d w

ell a

rtic

ula

ted

mis

sio

n s

tate

men

t th

at is

fam

iliar

to

an

d u

nd

erst

oo

d b

y al

l m

emb

ers

of

the

sch

oo

l co

mm

un

ity.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

LEA

DER

SHIP

AN

D D

ECIS

ION

-MA

KIN

G

Dat

a-in

form

ed

dec

isio

n-m

akin

g (2

1)

Sch

oo

l-w

ide

dec

isio

ns

at t

he

pri

nci

pal

an

d

teac

her

leve

ls a

re in

form

ed b

y d

ata.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Shar

ed L

ead

ersh

ip

(22

) Th

e p

rin

cip

als

and

tea

cher

s sh

are

lead

ersh

ip a

nd

wo

rk t

oge

ther

to

imp

rove

th

eir

pra

ctic

e an

d s

tud

ent

lear

nin

g.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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DO

MA

IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

TEA

CH

ERS

Teac

her

Pro

f.

Dev

elo

pm

ent:

Su

pp

ort

(23

) Te

ach

ers

feel

su

pp

ort

ed a

nd

en

cou

rage

d

in m

eeti

ng

thei

r p

rofe

ssio

nal

dev

elo

pm

ent

nee

ds/

goal

s.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Teac

her

Pro

f.

Dev

elo

pm

ent:

A

lign

men

t

(24

) Te

ach

er p

rofe

ssio

nal

dev

elo

pm

ent

goal

s ar

e al

ign

ed w

ith

sch

oo

l vis

ion

/go

als.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Teac

her

Inte

llect

ual

St

imu

lati

on

(2

5) T

eac

her

s fe

el in

telle

ctu

ally

sti

mu

late

d.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Teac

her

Inte

llect

ual

Su

pp

ort

(2

6) T

eac

her

s fe

el in

telle

ctu

ally

su

pp

ort

ed.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Teac

her

Fee

ling

Val

ued

(2

7)

Teac

her

s fe

el v

alu

ed f

or

thei

r e

xper

tise

.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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0

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MA

IN 4

: O

rgan

izat

ion

al L

iter

acy

C

olu

mn

A

C

olu

mn

B

C

olu

mn

C

Cu

rre

nt

Stat

us

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

If <

3

the

n…

…an

d

com

ple

te

the

co

lum

n

to t

he

ri

ght.

Imp

ort

ance

/Tim

elin

ess

of

Issu

e o

r N

ee

d

Teac

her

co

mm

itm

ent

to

stan

dar

ds-

bas

ed

teac

hin

g &

lear

nin

g

(28

) Te

ach

ers

are

com

mit

ted

to

sta

nd

ard

s-b

ased

te

ach

ing

and

lear

nin

g.

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Ve

ry S

tro

ng

Ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t

No

t ve

ry

crit

ical

/urg

en

t N

ot

at a

ll/

Ve

ry W

eak

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Page 41: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

1900 East Tenth Street Bloomington, Indiana 47406-7512

Indiana University School of Education

April 2, 2015

(812) 855-4438 ceep.indiana.edu

The Impact of the Alaska Administrator Coaching Project

(AACP): Executive Summary

The data from the annual participant surveys (2011-12 through 2014-15), the 2015 survey of all past and

current participants (2007-2015), the in-depth case studies (2005-06 through 2009-10) and the

Professional Growth System pre-post surveys (2011-2013) collectively provide consistent and compelling

evidence of the AACP’s impact on both more immediate, short-term outcomes as well as longer-term

outcomes. The table below highlights key findings related to each of these outcomes.

Short-term

Outcomes

Increase key

leadership

skills

85% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that

AACP positively impacted their intrapersonal leadership

skills (2 % disagreed and 13% unsure)

78% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that AACP

positively impacted their interpersonal leadership skills (7 % disagreed

and 15% unsure)

72% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that AACP

positively impacted their instructional and assessment leadership skills

(3% disagreed and 25% unsure)

73% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that AACP

positively impacted their organizational development leadership skills

(3% disagreed and 24% unsure)

Increase

networks &

support

78% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that AACP

positively impacted their collegial relationships with other principals

(7% disagreed and 15% unsure).

62% of AACP participants specifically noted the impact and importance

of networking and support from both coaches and fellow AACP

principals in response to an open-ended question, “In what ways (if any)

did your participation in the ACCP impact you?”

Intermediate

Outcomes

Increase key

practices

critical to

school

success

95% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that their

participation in the AACP positively impacted each of the five key areas

identified by the Wallace Foundation (i.e., shaping a school-wide vision,

creating a climate hospitable to education, cultivating leadership in

others, improving instruction, and managing people, data and processes)

Increase

teacher

performance

93% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that their

participation in the AACP positively impacted teacher performance

Long-term

Outcomes

Increase

student

performance

91% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that their

participation in the AACP positively impact student performance (e.g.,

student attendance, student graduation rates, student engagement,

academic achievement)

Increase

principal

retention

85% of AACP participants agreed or strongly agreed that their

participation in AACP positively impacted their retention at the school

where they were working during AACP participation and their overall

retention in the field

The data noted in the table are supported by additional quantitative and qualitative evidence described in

the full report. Collectively, these data illustrate the overall effectiveness of the AACP leadership

development and mentoring program for early career principals. These data allow policy and program

decision makers to go beyond a simple consideration of the innumerous powerful commendations and

40

Page 42: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

1900 East Tenth Street Bloomington, Indiana 47406-7512

Indiana University School of Education

April 2, 2015

(812) 855-4438 ceep.indiana.edu

testimonials that are available from past AACP participants to an examination of the comprehensive

analyses of what is known about the impact and effectiveness of the AACP.

Other Key Findings

Without the AACP or a similar program, many early career principals are likely to feel

unprepared for their role as a principal. The need for a leadership development and mentoring

program such as the AACP is highlighted by the fact that 40% of all past and current AACP

participants did not feel adequately prepared to implement key practices critical to success as a

principal prior to their participation in the AACP (Wallace Foundation, 2013).

AACP participants attribute the largest percentage of their leadership skills to their participation

in the leadership development and mentoring program. Early career principals attribute 40% of

intrapersonal skills, 40% of interpersonal skills, 51% of instructional and assessment skills and 42% of

organizational development skills directly to their participation in the AACP. In contrast, less than 15%

of all AACP participants attributed intrapersonal, interpersonal, instructional/assessment or

organizational development skills to their participation in a university preparation program.

AACP is consistently lauded by participating principals for its critical role in helping early career

principals achieve success. Examples of comments include:

AACP is an exceptional program and is the single greatest contributor to my professional growth

as a principal!

The AACP was probably the most powerful training I've ever been privileged to experience in my

life. This training should be required for anyone that is involved in the administration of public

schools.

There is no other position that has greater influence on a school than the principal and there is

no other training that has influenced me more than AACP.

THE best, most relevant & most timely professional development I have EVER participated in

was the AACP.

Past AACP participants strongly believe in the need to continue funding for the program.

Examples of comments (even though the survey did not specifically solicit feedback related to

program funding) include:

The funding necessary to support this program is well worth the investment to the State of

Alaska! Several of my colleagues from the coaching project have moved "up" or continue to be

award winning principals, which in turn means award winning students and schools! This is an

amazing program! It would be a travesty to cut something so valuable.

An awesome program that needs to be funded by the state of Alaska.

Although I realize funding is being cut statewide in education as well as other areas, this

program has had the most positive effect on increasing my knowledge base, providing me with

resources as well as networking with other principals. Cutting this program would have a very

negative affect on individuals as well as schools and of course students.

41

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Mentoring Resources

Used With

Superintendents

42

Page 44: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Sup

erin

ten

den

t P

lan

nin

g O

verv

iew

Sup

erin

ten

den

t _

____

___

____

__

___

___

____

M

ento

r _

____

___

___

___

____

___

___

Dat

e __

___

___

___

__

The

Cen

ter

for

Eval

uat

ion

an

d E

du

cati

on

Po

licy

(CEE

P)

at In

dia

na

Un

iver

sity

dev

elo

ped

th

e Su

per

inte

nd

ent

Pla

nn

ing

Ru

bri

c. C

EEP

did

an

ext

ensi

ve li

tera

ture

rev

iew

an

d d

evel

op

ed a

do

cum

ent

enti

tled

Su

cces

sfu

l

Sup

erin

ten

den

cy t

hat

iden

tifi

ed t

he

five

lead

ersh

ip d

om

ain

s fo

r th

e Su

pe

rin

ten

den

t P

lan

nin

g R

ub

ric.

The

Sup

eri

nte

nd

en

t P

lan

nin

g R

ub

ric

is a

pla

nn

ing

and

go

al s

ett

ing

too

l to

be

use

d b

y a

men

tor

wit

h a

men

tee.

It is

no

t to

be

use

d a

s an

eva

luat

ion

an

d it

is c

on

fid

en

tial

. It

is h

igh

ly r

eco

mm

end

ed t

hat

a li

mit

ed

nu

mb

er

of

top

ics

are

se

lect

ed

fro

m t

he

rub

ric

to f

ocu

s m

ento

rin

g co

nve

rsat

ion

s. T

he

rub

ric

is N

OT

to b

e se

nt

or

give

n t

o

a su

per

inte

nd

ent

to c

om

ple

te in

its

en

tire

ty. T

he

men

tor

sho

uld

gat

her

en

ou

gh in

form

atio

n t

hro

ugh

init

ial

con

vers

atio

ns

to d

eter

min

e w

hic

h o

f th

e fi

ve le

ader

ship

do

mai

n t

o e

xplo

re f

or

a go

al w

ith

th

e m

ente

e.

43

Page 45: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Exec

uti

ve L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

De

velo

p c

olla

bo

rati

ve v

isio

n

for

dis

tric

t (A

rtic

ula

ted

Vis

ion

)

I h

ave

fo

rmu

late

d a

str

ate

gic

visi

on

fo

r d

istr

ict

imp

rove

men

t,

bu

t h

ave

no

t ye

t re

ceiv

ed

inp

ut

fro

m r

ele

van

t d

istr

ict

stak

eh

old

ers

.

I hav

e c

reat

ed

a s

trat

egi

c vi

sio

n

for

dis

tric

t im

pro

vem

en

t an

d

gath

ere

d in

pu

t fr

om

re

leva

nt

dis

tric

t st

ake

ho

lde

rs.

I hav

e c

om

ple

ted

th

e s

trat

egi

c vi

sio

n f

or

dis

tric

t im

pro

vem

ent,

b

ut

hav

e n

ot

yet

arti

cula

ted

th

rou

gh a

mis

sio

n s

tate

me

nt.

I hav

e a

rtic

ula

ted

a s

trat

egi

c vi

sio

n f

or

dis

tric

t im

pro

vem

ent

thro

ugh

a m

issi

on

sta

tem

en

t w

hic

h in

corp

ora

tes

inp

ut

fro

m

rele

van

t d

istr

ict

stak

eh

old

ers

.

Faci

litat

e p

olic

y fo

rmu

lati

on

(F

orm

ula

tin

g P

olic

y)

I h

ave

gat

he

red

po

licy

rela

ted

in

form

atio

n r

ele

van

t to

st

ake

ho

lde

rs.

I hav

e p

rovi

de

d p

olic

y re

late

d

info

rmat

ion

to

re

leva

nt

stak

eh

old

ers

.

I hav

e p

rovi

de

d p

olic

y re

late

d

info

rmat

ion

to

re

leva

nt

stak

eh

old

ers

, an

d s

tart

ed

to

ga

the

r re

leva

nt

inp

ut

fro

m

stak

eh

old

ers

.

I hav

e p

rovi

de

d in

form

atio

n t

o

rele

van

t st

ake

ho

lde

rs a

nd

ga

the

red

re

leva

nt

inp

ut

fro

m

rele

van

t st

ake

ho

lde

rs.

I h

ave

re

ach

ed

ou

t to

bu

ildin

g le

vel a

dm

inis

trat

ors

, sch

oo

l b

oar

d m

emb

ers

, an

d t

eac

he

rs

in a

n e

ffo

rt t

o b

uild

co

llab

ora

tio

n in

de

cisi

on

-m

akin

g p

roce

ss.

I hav

e f

acili

tate

d d

iscu

ssio

n a

nd

co

llab

ora

tio

n a

mo

ngs

t st

ake

ho

lde

rs.

I hav

e g

ain

ed

co

op

era

tio

n

amo

ng

bu

ildin

g-le

vel

adm

inis

trat

ors

, sch

oo

l bo

ard

m

em

be

rs a

nd

te

ach

ers

.

I re

gula

rly

en

cou

rage

a

colla

bo

rati

ve d

eci

sio

n-m

akin

g p

roce

sse

s an

d t

he

de

-b

ure

aucr

atiz

atio

n o

r fl

atte

nin

g o

f th

e e

du

cati

on

al le

ade

rsh

ip

hie

rarc

hy

(in

clu

din

g b

uild

ing-

leve

l ad

min

istr

ato

rs, s

cho

ol

bo

ard

mem

be

rs, a

nd

te

ach

ers

).

To

tal

44

Page 46: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Exec

uti

ve L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Set

clea

r an

d n

on

-neg

oti

able

go

als

(Go

al-S

etti

ng)

I a

m c

urr

entl

y le

arn

ing

and

in

tere

ste

d in

ide

nti

fyin

g w

ays

to

imp

rove

cla

ssro

om

in

stru

ctio

n a

nd

stu

de

nt

ach

ieve

me

nt.

I hav

e id

en

tifi

ed

way

s to

im

pro

ve c

lass

roo

m in

stru

ctio

n

and

stu

de

nt

ach

ieve

me

nt,

w

ork

ing

wit

h b

uild

ing-

leve

l ad

min

istr

ato

rs t

o e

stab

lish

p

rio

riti

es

and

est

ablis

h

me

asu

rab

le t

arge

ts.

I am

wo

rkin

g w

ith

pri

nci

pal

s to

se

t cl

ear

no

n-n

ego

tiab

le g

oal

s fo

r le

arn

ing

and

inst

ruct

ion

, p

rovi

din

g le

ade

rsh

ip t

eam

s w

ith

re

spo

nsi

bili

ty a

nd

au

tho

rity

to

de

term

ine

go

als.

I hav

e id

en

tifi

ed

dis

tric

t n

ee

ds

for

imp

rove

d c

lass

roo

m

inst

ruct

ion

an

d s

tud

en

t ac

hie

vem

en

t; e

stab

lish

ed

cle

ar

pri

ori

tie

s; a

nd

fo

rmu

late

d

mu

tual

ly a

gre

ed

up

on

an

d n

on

-n

ego

tiab

le g

oal

s.

I h

ave

cre

ate

d a

dis

tric

t-w

ide

co

mm

itte

e (

or

team

of

stak

eh

old

ers

) to

cre

ate

an

imp

rove

me

nt

pla

n.

I hav

e w

ork

ed

wit

h r

ele

van

t st

ake

ho

lde

rs/c

om

mit

tee

m

em

be

rs t

o d

ete

rmin

e t

he

sp

eci

fic

targ

et

are

as (

sch

oo

l d

istr

ict,

ind

ivid

ual

sch

oo

ls,

stu

de

nt

sub

-gro

up

s).

I hav

e c

reat

ed

a f

ive

ye

ar p

lan

fo

r im

pro

vem

en

t, b

ut

hav

e n

ot

yet

shar

ed

th

e p

lan

wit

h

rele

van

t p

ub

lics.

I hav

e c

reat

ed

a f

ive

ye

ar p

lan

fo

r im

pro

vem

en

t th

at in

clu

de

s sp

eci

fic

targ

ets

(fo

r sc

ho

ol

dis

tric

t, in

div

idu

al s

cho

ols

, an

d

for

stu

de

nt

sub

-gro

up

s w

ith

in

sch

oo

ls)

to b

e a

chie

ved

, an

d

shar

ed

pla

n w

ith

re

leva

nt

pu

blic

s.

Mo

nit

or

sch

oo

l an

d d

istr

ict

pro

gres

s (M

on

ito

rin

g P

rogr

ess)

I h

ave

est

ablis

he

d/c

om

pile

d a

m

on

ito

rin

g an

d e

valu

atio

n p

lan

fo

r p

olic

ies,

pro

gram

s an

d

pra

ctic

es.

I hav

e c

om

ple

ted

a

com

pre

he

nsi

ve m

on

ito

rin

g an

d

eva

luat

ion

pla

n t

o a

sse

ss t

he

p

rogr

ess

of

po

licie

s, p

rogr

ams

and

pra

ctic

es

in t

he

dis

tric

t.

I pe

rio

dic

ally

car

ry o

ut

mo

nit

ori

ng

and

eva

luat

ion

of

po

licie

s, p

rogr

ams

and

p

ract

ice

s to

en

sure

pro

gre

ss

tow

ard

s ac

hie

vem

en

t o

f d

istr

ict

goal

s.

I car

ry o

ut

fre

qu

en

t an

d

com

pre

he

nsi

ve m

on

ito

rin

g an

d

eva

luat

ion

of

po

licie

s, p

rogr

ams

and

pra

ctic

es

to e

nsu

re

pro

gre

ss t

ow

ard

s ac

hie

vem

ent

of

dis

tric

t go

als;

an

d I

shar

e

dis

tric

t p

rogr

ess

re

po

rts

wit

h

rele

van

t p

ub

lics.

I i

nte

rmit

ten

tly

anal

yze

ho

w

ade

qu

ate

ly s

cho

ols

are

me

eti

ng

set

goal

s.

I re

gula

rly

ide

nti

fy d

ela

ys o

r d

iscr

ep

anci

es

in s

cho

ol

pro

gre

ss.

I hav

e d

ete

rmin

ed

co

rre

ctiv

e

me

asu

res

for

tho

se s

cho

ols

th

at

do

no

t ac

hie

ve p

rogr

ess

.

I re

gula

rly

ide

nti

fy d

ela

ys o

r d

iscr

ep

anci

es

in s

cho

ol p

rogr

ess

an

d in

tro

du

ce c

orr

ect

ive

m

eas

ure

s

To

tal

45

Page 47: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Ad

min

istr

ativ

e Le

ader

ship

D

om

ain

C

om

po

ne

nt

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Man

age

dis

tric

t fi

nan

ces,

cre

ate

b

ud

gets

an

d

allo

cate

res

ou

rces

ac

cord

ing

to

esta

blis

hed

dis

tric

t p

rio

riti

es

(Re

sou

rce

All

oca

tio

n)

I h

ave

re

vie

we

d d

istr

ict

fin

ance

s an

d a

lloca

tio

ns.

I h

ave

de

term

ine

d t

he

p

ract

ical

ity

of

allo

cati

on

s, b

oth

ti

me

an

d m

on

ey.

I am

mak

ing

chan

ges

in

reso

urc

e a

lloca

tio

n t

o m

eet

p

rogr

am n

eed

s an

d t

o

acco

mp

lish

dis

tric

ts g

oal

s.

I hav

e e

nsu

red

th

at t

he

n

ece

ssar

y re

sou

rce

s, in

clu

din

g ti

me

an

d m

on

ey,

are

allo

cate

d

to m

ee

t p

rogr

am n

eed

s an

d

acco

mp

lish

dis

tric

t’s

goa

ls.

I h

ave

de

term

ine

d t

he

p

rogr

ams

and

pro

fess

ion

al

de

velo

pm

en

t d

ire

ctly

re

late

d t

o

imp

rovi

ng

sch

oo

l ach

ieve

me

nt

targ

ets

.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h

app

rop

riat

e f

inan

ce p

ers

on

ne

l to

de

term

ine

pro

pe

r p

roce

du

res

to r

eal

loca

te

reso

urc

es.

I am

me

eti

ng

wit

h a

pp

rop

riat

e

stak

eh

old

ers

to

dis

sem

inat

e

bu

dge

tary

in

form

atio

n/c

han

ges.

I hav

e r

eal

loca

ted

re

sou

rce

s fr

om

pro

gram

s th

at h

ave

no

t b

ee

n id

en

tifi

ed

as

pri

ori

tie

s to

p

rogr

ams

and

pro

fess

ion

al

de

velo

pm

en

t th

at a

re d

ire

ctly

re

late

d t

o im

pro

vin

g sc

ho

ol

ach

ieve

me

nt

targ

ets

, wh

en

n

ece

ssar

y.

To

tal

46

Page 48: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Ad

min

istr

ativ

e Le

ader

ship

D

om

ain

C

om

po

nen

t

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Act

ive

par

tici

pat

ion

in

sta

ff s

elec

tio

n

(Sta

ff S

elec

tio

n)

I am

re

vie

win

g th

e s

ele

ctio

n

crit

eri

a cu

rren

tly

in p

lace

at

my

dis

tric

t.

I hav

e c

on

ferr

ed

wit

h s

cho

ol

adm

inis

trat

ors

to

eva

luat

e t

he

se

lect

ion

cri

teri

a an

d

pro

ced

ure

s fo

r th

e s

ele

ctio

n o

f st

aff.

I hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

th

e s

ele

ctio

n

crit

eri

a an

d p

roce

du

res

for

the

se

lect

ion

of

staf

f.

I hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

th

e s

ele

ctio

n

crit

eri

a an

d p

roce

du

res

for

the

se

lect

ion

of

staf

f an

d I

am

dir

ect

ly in

volv

ed

in t

he

re

cru

itm

en

t an

d s

ele

ctio

n o

f p

rofe

ssio

nal

sta

ff;

I am

oft

en

in

volv

ed

in t

he

se

lect

ion

of

ne

w

teac

he

rs a

nd

ne

arly

alw

ays

invo

lve

d in

th

e s

ele

ctio

n o

f n

ew

ad

min

istr

ato

rs.

I a

m a

tte

nd

ing

me

eti

ngs

re

late

d

to s

taff

se

arch

es

to g

ain

an

u

nd

ers

tan

din

g o

f th

e p

ow

er

stru

ctu

re in

th

e d

istr

ict.

I hav

e a

rtic

ula

ted

my

goal

to

be

in

volv

ed

in t

he

pro

cess

of

staf

f se

lect

ion

in t

he

dis

tric

t.

I am

re

solv

ing

the

bal

ance

b

etw

ee

n b

ein

g in

volv

ed

in t

he

p

roce

ss o

f st

aff

sele

ctio

n w

hile

n

ot

do

min

atin

g co

ntr

ol o

ver

the

pro

cess

.

I hav

e m

ain

tain

ed

bal

ance

b

etw

ee

n d

istr

ict

con

tro

l an

d

loca

l au

ton

om

y in

th

e s

ele

ctio

n

of

ne

w s

taff

.

I a

m e

xam

inin

g cu

rre

nt

job

va

can

cie

s (o

r re

cen

tly

hir

ed

) an

d s

ub

mit

ted

ap

plic

atio

ns

to

gain

an

un

de

rsta

nd

ing

of

the

“t

ale

nt.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h p

rin

cip

als

in t

he

dis

tric

t re

gard

ing

pas

t h

ire

s to

ass

ess

th

e le

vel o

f o

uts

ide

infl

ue

nce

s o

r p

ress

ure

o

n s

taff

se

lect

ion

.

I hav

e a

rtic

ula

ted

my

goal

to

e

nsu

re t

hat

hir

ing

sele

ctio

ns

are

co

nsi

ste

nt

wit

h t

he

d

istr

ict’

s e

stab

lish

ed

cri

teri

a.

I hav

e b

uff

ere

d

(saf

egu

ard

/sh

ield

) sc

ho

ols

an

d

pri

nci

pal

s (f

rom

un

du

e p

ress

ure

) fr

om

mak

ing

sele

ctio

ns

inco

nsi

ste

nt

wit

h t

he

d

istr

ict’

s e

stab

lish

ed

cri

teri

a.

To

tal

47

Page 49: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Ad

min

istr

ativ

e Le

ader

ship

D

om

ain

C

om

po

nen

t

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Sup

ervi

se a

nd

ev

alu

ate

bu

ildin

g-le

vel

adm

inis

trat

ors

an

d

staf

f (S

up

ervi

sio

n a

nd

Ev

alu

atio

n)

I a

m c

urr

entl

y as

sess

ing

the

e

valu

atio

n p

roce

du

res

acro

ss

sch

oo

ls a

nd

dis

tric

ts.

I am

in t

he

pro

cess

of

me

rgin

g te

ach

er

org

aniz

atio

n g

oal

s (o

r te

ach

er

cert

ific

atio

n)

wit

h t

he

d

istr

icts

’ str

ate

gic

visi

on

(sc

ho

ol

ob

ject

ive

s) t

o c

on

stru

ct t

eac

he

r e

valu

atio

n p

roce

du

res.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h p

rin

cip

als

for

inp

ut

rega

rdin

g te

ach

er

eva

luat

ion

pro

ced

ure

s.

I hav

e s

tan

dar

diz

ed

te

ach

er

eva

luat

ion

pro

ced

ure

s ac

ross

sc

ho

ols

an

d d

istr

icts

; an

d I

hav

e

est

ablis

he

d t

eac

he

r e

valu

atio

n

ob

ject

ive

s cl

ose

ly c

orr

ela

ted

w

ith

sch

oo

l ob

ject

ive

s. I

also

ta

ke p

ers

on

al r

esp

on

sib

ility

fo

r p

rin

cip

al s

up

erv

isio

n a

nd

e

valu

atio

n

I h

ave

info

rme

d d

istr

ict

pri

nci

pal

s o

f m

y p

hilo

sop

hy

wit

h r

ega

rd t

o s

up

ervi

sio

n a

nd

e

valu

atio

n.

I hav

e s

che

du

led

re

gula

r m

ee

tin

gs w

ith

pri

nci

pal

s to

d

iscu

ss p

rin

cip

al r

esp

on

sib

iliti

es

and

eva

luat

ion

pro

ced

ure

s.

I hav

e m

et

regu

larl

y w

ith

p

rin

cip

als

to r

evi

ew

th

e s

ite

-le

vel o

bse

rvat

ion

/eva

luat

ion

vi

sit.

I hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

re

gula

r m

ee

tin

gs w

ith

pri

nci

pal

s to

d

iscu

ss im

po

rtan

t n

ee

ds

and

to

fo

cus

on

imp

rovi

ng

inst

ruct

ion

al p

rogr

ams.

I h

ave

de

term

ine

d t

he

logi

stic

s o

f an

d a

rran

ged

fo

r sc

ho

ol v

isit

s th

rou

gho

ut

the

dis

tric

t.

I hav

e d

ete

rmin

ed

ho

w t

o

revi

ew

(u

sin

g p

roto

col,

inte

rvie

ws,

etc

) th

e e

xte

nt

to

wh

ich

dis

tric

t an

d s

cho

ol g

oal

s an

d s

trat

egi

es

are

be

ing

imp

lem

en

ted

.

I hav

e d

ete

rmin

ed

ho

w t

o

me

asu

re t

he

eff

ect

ive

ne

ss o

f sc

ho

ol g

oal

s an

d s

trat

egi

es.

I hav

e a

rran

ged

fre

qu

en

t sc

ho

ol

visi

ts in

ord

er

to r

evi

ew

th

e

ext

en

t to

wh

ich

dis

tric

t an

d

sch

oo

l go

als

and

str

ate

gie

s ar

e

be

ing

imp

lem

en

ted

an

d t

he

eff

ect

ive

ne

ss o

f th

ese

st

rate

gie

s.

To

tal

48

Page 50: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Ad

min

istr

ativ

e Le

ader

ship

D

om

ain

C

om

po

nen

t

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Enco

ura

ge a

cl

imat

e o

f sh

ared

p

ow

er

by

reco

gniz

ing

and

no

t re

stri

ctin

g th

e “d

efin

ed

auto

no

my”

of

pri

nci

pal

s (D

efi

ne

d

Au

ton

om

y)

I h

ave

co

nsu

lte

d w

ith

le

ade

rsh

ip t

eam

s to

de

term

ine

th

e o

pti

mal

way

to

me

et

goal

s fo

r le

arn

ing

and

inst

ruct

ion

.

I hav

e d

ete

rmin

ed

th

e e

xte

nt

to

wh

ich

au

tho

rity

will

be

d

ele

gate

d t

o s

cho

ol l

ead

ers

hip

te

am.

I hav

e s

et

cle

ar, n

on

-ne

goti

ab

le

goal

s fo

r le

arn

ing

and

in

stru

ctio

n.

I hav

e s

et

cle

ar, n

on

-ne

goti

ab

le

goal

s fo

r le

arn

ing

and

in

stru

ctio

n w

hile

de

lega

tin

g au

tho

rity

an

d r

esp

on

sib

ility

to

sc

ho

ol l

ead

ers

hip

te

ams

for

de

term

inin

g h

ow

to

me

et

tho

se

goal

s.

I h

ave

re

vie

we

d t

he

d

istr

ict/

sch

oo

l im

pro

vem

en

t p

lan

s.

I hav

e p

ub

licly

(m

ee

tin

g/e

ma

il)

dis

sem

inat

ed

my

ph

iloso

ph

y/vi

ew

on

th

e

imp

ort

ance

of

pri

nci

pal

s an

d

teac

he

rs t

akin

g o

wn

ers

hip

in

de

term

inin

g h

ow

to

me

et

dis

tric

t/sc

ho

ol g

oal

s.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h e

ach

sc

ho

ols

lead

ers

hip

te

am

rega

rdin

g th

eir

sch

oo

l im

pro

vem

en

t p

lan

an

d

imp

lem

en

tati

on

of

ne

w p

olic

ies

and

pro

gram

s.

I re

gula

rly

en

cou

rage

o

wn

ers

hip

of

dis

tric

t/sc

ho

ol

imp

rove

me

nt

pla

ns

by

pri

nci

pal

s an

d t

eac

he

rs w

ho

d

ire

ctly

imp

lem

en

t n

ew

po

licie

s an

d p

rogr

ams.

I h

ave

re

vie

we

d t

he

d

istr

ict/

sch

oo

l sta

tew

ide

te

st

sco

res.

I hav

e r

evi

ew

ed

sch

oo

l cu

rric

ulu

m a

nd

pro

fess

ion

al

de

velo

pm

en

t.

I hav

e m

et

wit

h s

cho

ols

to

d

iscu

ss c

urr

en

t st

atu

s o

n

stu

de

nt

ach

ieve

me

nt

acro

ss t

he

d

istr

ict.

I hav

e b

uilt

re

lati

on

ship

s w

ith

sc

ho

ols

to

en

cou

rage

pro

gre

ss

and

su

cce

ss in

imp

rovi

ng

stu

de

nt

ach

ieve

me

nt

and

cl

assr

oo

m in

stru

ctio

n.

To

tal

49

Page 51: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Po

litic

al L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Art

icu

late

a

con

cep

tio

n o

f p

ow

er

that

is

faci

litat

ive

(Co

nce

pti

on

s o

f P

ow

er)

I h

ave

form

ula

ted

or

kno

w

ho

w p

ow

er o

per

ate

s an

d m

y ap

pro

ach

to

exe

rcis

ing

po

wer

.

I pla

n t

o p

rom

ote

fac

ilita

tive

o

r d

istr

ibu

tive

lead

ers

hip

id

eas

thro

ugh

ou

t m

y d

istr

ict.

I hav

e a

ctiv

ely

pro

mo

ted

le

ade

rsh

ip b

ase

d o

n s

har

ing

po

we

r w

ith

bo

ard

s an

d

sch

oo

l ad

min

istr

ato

rs.

I un

de

rsta

nd

th

e p

ow

er

exe

rcis

ed

by

the

su

per

inte

nd

en

t as

a p

ow

er

to b

e sh

are

d w

ith

sch

oo

l b

oar

ds

and

sch

oo

l ad

min

istr

atio

n in

ord

er

to

pro

mo

te d

istr

ibu

ted

le

ade

rsh

ip a

nd

co

llab

ora

tive

p

ow

er.

Tota

l

50

Page 52: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Po

litic

al L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Bu

ild s

tro

ng

par

tner

ship

wit

h

sch

oo

l bo

ard

s (S

up

erin

ten

den

t-Sc

ho

ol B

oar

d

Re

lati

on

s)

I a

m k

een

ly a

war

e o

f th

e p

ow

er s

tru

ggle

s th

at c

an

ensu

e b

etw

een

th

e su

per

inte

nd

ent

and

bo

ard

m

em

ber

s.

I hav

e d

evel

op

ed

a p

lan

to

re

cogn

ize

an

d r

esi

st p

ress

ure

gr

ou

ps

or

the

ind

ivid

ual

in

tere

sts

of

bo

ard

mem

ber

s.

I ob

ject

ive

ly p

rese

nt

info

rmat

ion

an

d o

utl

ine

po

ssib

le g

ain

s an

d

con

seq

ue

nce

s o

f p

rop

ose

d

acti

on

s to

sch

oo

l bo

ard

m

em

ber

s.

I hav

e d

evel

op

ed

fu

nct

ion

ing

coal

itio

ns

wit

h s

cho

ols

, sc

ho

ol b

oar

ds,

an

d lo

cal a

nd

st

ate

ed

uca

tio

n a

gen

cie

s;

and

I h

ave

sch

ed

ule

d

me

etin

gs w

ith

sch

oo

l bo

ard

m

em

ber

s in

ord

er

to

stre

ngt

he

n e

ffec

tive

co

mm

un

icat

ion

.

I h

ave

com

pile

d in

form

atio

n

rela

ted

to

th

e d

ynam

ic o

f sc

ho

ol b

oar

d r

elat

ion

ship

s an

d c

om

mu

nic

atio

n s

kills

.

I hav

e a

pp

roac

he

d s

cho

ol

bo

ard

me

mb

ers

abo

ut

a w

ork

sho

p/t

rain

ing

in h

ow

to

e

ffec

tive

ly c

om

mu

nic

ate

w

ith

sch

oo

l bo

ard

mem

ber

s.

I hav

e c

om

mis

sio

ned

a g

rou

p

or

team

to

dev

elo

p a

sch

oo

l b

oar

d t

rain

ing.

I hav

e p

rovi

de

d s

cho

ol b

oar

d

trai

nin

g in

are

as s

uch

as

ho

w

to c

om

mu

nic

ate

eff

ecti

vely

w

ith

sch

oo

l bo

ard

mem

ber

s an

d t

he

dyn

amic

s o

f in

tera

ctio

ns

bet

we

en

sch

oo

l b

oar

ds

and

su

pe

rin

ten

de

nts

.

To

tal

51

Page 53: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Po

litic

al L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Dis

pla

y p

olit

ical

aw

aren

ess

and

in

terp

erso

nal

ski

lls

(Po

litic

al

Ast

ute

nes

s)

I h

ave

gau

ged

th

e p

olit

ical

cl

imat

e in

th

e lo

cal

com

mu

nit

y/d

istr

ict.

I hav

e c

on

sid

ere

d a

nd

lis

ten

ed

to

th

e d

iver

se v

iew

s o

f ci

tize

ns

in t

he

com

mu

nit

y.

I am

aw

are

of

the

par

ticu

lar

inte

rest

s th

at s

cho

ol b

oar

d

me

mb

ers

may

bri

ng

to t

he

tab

le.

I am

po

litic

ally

ast

ute

an

d

un

de

rsta

nd

th

e p

olit

ical

cl

imat

e o

f th

e lo

cal

com

mu

nit

y; a

s w

ell a

s th

e p

arti

cula

r in

tere

sts

of

bo

ard

m

em

ber

s. I

liste

n t

o t

he

d

ive

rse

voic

es

and

vie

ws

of

citi

zen

s, a

nd

I e

ffec

tive

ly

com

mu

nic

ate

an

d r

ep

ort

sc

ho

ol d

istr

ict

dat

a.

To

tal

52

Page 54: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Po

litic

al L

ead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Serv

e as

eth

ical

le

ader

/ro

le m

od

el

for

dis

tric

t

(Ro

le M

od

elin

g)

I am

vis

ible

in t

he

co

mm

un

ity

and

dis

pla

y a

hig

h d

egre

e o

f p

rofe

ssio

nal

ism

, de

velo

p

tru

st, a

nd

co

mm

un

icat

e

ho

ne

stly

in o

rder

to

ser

ve a

s a

role

mo

del

fo

r d

istr

ict

com

mu

nit

y an

d t

o g

arn

er

po

litic

al s

up

po

rt a

nd

in

flu

en

ce f

or

init

iati

ng

refo

rm.

I “af

firm

th

e p

urp

ose

of

sch

oo

l” a

nd

I am

co

gniz

ant

of

the

nee

d t

o u

ph

old

so

cial

ju

stic

e in

dec

isio

n-m

akin

g p

roce

sses

an

d le

ade

rsh

ip.

To

tal

53

Page 55: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Inst

ruct

ion

al

Lead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Dis

pla

y ac

tive

an

d

me

anin

gfu

l su

pp

ort

fo

r st

aff

dev

elo

pm

en

t (S

taff

D

eve

lop

me

nt)

I h

ave

revi

ewed

dis

tric

t al

loca

tio

ns

for

teac

her

an

d

pri

nci

pal

pro

fess

ion

al

dev

elo

pm

en

t.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h t

he

ap

pro

pri

ate

fin

ance

p

ers

on

ne

l to

det

erm

ine

the

p

rop

er

real

loca

tio

n o

f p

rofe

ssio

nal

dev

elo

pm

en

t fu

nd

s.

I hav

e m

et

wit

h t

eac

he

rs a

nd

p

rin

cip

als

to d

isse

min

ate

p

rofe

ssio

nal

dev

elo

pm

en

t fu

nd

ing

info

rmat

ion

/ch

ange

s.

I hav

e a

lloca

ted

ad

eq

uat

e

fun

din

g fo

r te

ach

er

and

p

rin

cip

al p

rofe

ssio

nal

d

eve

lop

me

nt.

I h

ave

revi

ewed

sta

ff

pro

fess

ion

al d

evel

op

me

nt

to

see

ho

w c

lose

ly it

par

alle

ls

the

dis

tric

t fo

cus

in

curr

icu

lum

an

d in

stru

ctio

n.

I hav

e r

evi

ew

ed

th

e

cap

abili

ty o

f al

tern

ativ

e

pro

fess

ion

al d

evel

op

me

nt

to

acco

mp

lish

th

e d

istr

icts

go

als.

I hav

e m

et

wit

h t

he

ap

pro

pri

ate

sta

keh

old

ers

to

d

ete

rmin

e a

lter

atio

ns

to

pro

fess

ion

al d

evel

op

me

nt

and

mad

e t

he

ap

pro

pri

ate

ch

ange

s.

I hav

e e

nsu

red

th

at s

taff

p

rofe

ssio

nal

dev

elo

pm

en

t cl

ose

ly p

aral

lels

dis

tric

t fo

cus

in c

urr

icu

lum

an

d

inst

ruct

ion

; an

d a

llow

s th

e

acq

uis

itio

n o

f n

ece

ssar

y sk

ills

and

co

mp

ete

nci

es

ne

ed

ed

to

ach

ieve

e

stab

lish

ed

go

als.

To

tal

54

Page 56: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Inst

ruct

ion

al

Lead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Co

llab

ora

tive

ly

def

ine

fram

ew

ork

fo

r re

sear

ch b

ased

in

stru

ctio

nal

p

ract

ices

to

be

inco

rpo

rate

d in

cl

assr

oo

m

(De

fin

ing

an

Inst

ruct

ion

al

Fram

ew

ork

)

I h

ave

revi

ewed

th

e in

stru

ctio

nal

an

d c

urr

icu

lar

focu

s fo

r d

istr

ict

sch

oo

ls.

I hav

e c

on

sult

ed

wit

h d

istr

ict

curr

icu

lum

an

d in

stru

ctio

n

pe

rso

nn

el t

o d

ete

rmin

e h

ow

cl

ose

ly it

par

alle

ls w

ith

d

istr

ict

goal

s an

d s

cho

ol

imp

rove

me

nt

pla

ns.

I hav

e a

ctiv

ely

wo

rk w

ith

st

aff

dev

elo

p a

pre

ferr

ed

ap

pro

ach

to

inst

ruct

ion

an

d

curr

icu

lum

.

I hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

an

in

stru

ctio

nal

an

d c

urr

icu

lar

focu

s ap

pro

pri

ate

fo

r d

istr

ict

sch

oo

ls, w

hile

ref

rain

ing

fro

m im

po

sin

g a

sin

gle

in

stru

ctio

nal

mo

de

l.

I hav

e fo

rme

d in

stru

ctio

nal

te

ams

(or

lead

ersh

ip t

eam

s)

to d

evel

op

a p

refe

rred

m

eth

od

of

teac

hin

g.

I hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

a

pre

ferr

ed

inst

ruct

ion

al

ph

iloso

ph

y.

I am

act

ive

ly m

on

ito

rin

g th

e

inst

ruct

ion

al f

ocu

s d

uri

ng

eva

luat

ion

s an

d in

co

mm

un

icat

ion

s w

ith

th

e

pri

nci

pal

.

We

hav

e e

stab

lish

ed

p

refe

rre

d m

eth

od

s o

f te

ach

ing

in o

ur

dis

tric

t; a

nd

I e

xerc

ise

infl

ue

nce

ove

r th

e

curr

icu

lum

use

d in

sch

oo

ls

To

tal

55

Page 57: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Inst

ruct

ion

al

Lead

ersh

ip

Do

mai

n

Co

mp

on

ent

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Re

info

rce

dis

tric

t go

als

and

pri

ori

ties

(R

ein

forc

ing

Pri

ori

ties

)

I r

egu

larl

y re

info

rce

pri

ori

ties

th

rou

gh

con

sist

en

cy o

f o

per

atio

ns

in

the

sch

oo

l sys

tem

.

I reg

ula

rly

link

the

im

po

rtan

ce o

f d

istr

ict

goal

s an

d t

he

se

lect

ion

of

pe

rso

nn

el/

staf

f.

I hav

e f

orm

ula

ted

a p

lan

to

b

e p

rese

nt

and

vis

ible

at

sch

oo

ls t

o in

still

so

cial

izat

ion

p

atte

rns

rela

ted

to

co

nsi

ste

ncy

in s

cho

ol

op

era

tio

ns.

I hav

e im

ple

me

nte

d

imp

ort

ant

soci

aliz

atio

n

pat

tern

s w

hic

h r

ein

forc

e

con

sist

en

cy in

inte

gral

sc

ho

ol o

per

atio

ns,

esp

eci

ally

b

etw

ee

n d

istr

ict

goal

s an

d

crit

eri

a fo

r th

e s

ele

ctio

n o

f p

ers

on

ne

l.

I u

nd

erst

and

th

e im

po

rtan

ce

of

con

tin

ual

ly r

ein

forc

ing

th

e im

po

rtan

ce o

f m

ain

tain

ing

inte

rnal

co

nsi

ste

ncy

in c

urr

icu

lum

an

d in

stru

ctio

n.

I reg

ula

rly

com

mu

nic

ate

th

e re

lati

on

ship

bet

wee

n t

he

d

istr

icts

’ cu

rric

ulu

m a

nd

in

stru

ctio

n a

nd

dis

tric

t go

als.

I hav

e f

orm

ula

ted

a p

lan

to

b

e p

rese

nt

and

vis

ible

at

sch

oo

ls t

o in

still

so

cial

izat

ion

p

atte

rns

rela

ted

to

co

nsi

ste

ncy

in s

cho

ol

op

era

tio

ns.

I su

stai

n a

hig

h d

egre

e o

f in

tern

al c

on

sist

en

cy in

th

e

dis

tric

t in

cu

rric

ulu

m a

nd

in

stru

ctio

n.

I h

ave

det

erm

ined

th

e lo

gist

ics

of

spen

din

g ti

me

in

sch

oo

ls.

I hav

e a

rran

ged

fo

r ti

me

in

my

sch

edu

le t

o s

pen

d t

ime

in s

cho

ols

inte

ract

ing

wit

h

pri

nci

pal

s, t

eac

her

s, a

nd

st

ud

ents

.

I hav

e f

orm

ula

ted

a p

lan

to

m

eet

wit

h p

are

nts

an

d t

he

co

mm

un

ity

seve

ral t

ime

s th

rou

gho

ut

the

ye

ar

I sp

end

tim

e in

sch

oo

ls

inte

ract

ing

wit

h p

rin

cip

als,

te

ach

ers,

an

d s

tud

en

ts o

n

eve

ry d

ay a

ctiv

itie

s, a

s w

ell

as w

ith

par

en

ts a

nd

th

e

com

mu

nit

y.

To

tal

56

Page 58: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Pro

fess

ion

al

De

velo

pm

en

t D

om

ain

Beg

inn

ing

Eme

rgin

g D

eve

lop

ing

Acc

om

plis

he

d

Par

tici

pat

e in

le

ader

ship

se

min

ars

and

co

ach

ing

pro

gram

s (W

ork

sho

ps,

C

oac

hin

g an

d

Men

tori

ng)

I h

ave

atte

nd

ed s

om

e

lead

ersh

ip s

emin

ars

and

co

ach

ing

pro

gram

s, a

nd

al

tho

ugh

I ac

qu

ired

so

me

n

ew k

no

wle

dge

an

d s

kills

, I

hav

e n

ot

real

ly in

tegr

ate

d

wh

at I

hav

e le

arn

ed in

to m

y ev

eryd

ay p

ract

ice.

I hav

e a

tten

de

d s

om

e

lead

ers

hip

sem

inar

s an

d

coac

hin

g p

rogr

ams,

an

d

occ

asio

nal

ly u

se w

hat

I h

ave

le

arn

ed f

rom

th

ese

w

ork

sho

ps

to in

form

my

pra

ctic

e.

I hav

e a

tte

nd

ed n

um

ero

us

lead

ers

hip

sem

inar

s an

d

coac

hin

g p

rogr

ams,

an

d

fre

qu

en

tly

use

wh

at I

hav

e le

arn

ed f

rom

th

ese

w

ork

sho

ps

to in

form

my

pra

ctic

e.

I hav

e a

tten

de

d n

um

ero

us

lead

ers

hip

sem

inar

s an

d

coac

hin

g p

rogr

ams,

an

d

regu

larl

y in

tegr

ate

wh

at I

hav

e le

arn

ed

fro

m t

he

se

wo

rksh

op

s in

to m

y ev

ery

day

p

ract

ice

.

I r

arel

y (o

r n

ever

) h

ave

op

po

rtu

nit

ies

to d

iscu

ss

wh

at I

hav

e le

arn

ed f

rom

le

ader

ship

sem

inar

s an

d

coac

hin

g p

rogr

ams

wit

h

pee

rs; a

nd

on

ly o

ccas

ion

ally

h

ave

man

y o

pp

ort

un

itie

s fo

r re

flec

tive

pra

ctic

e.

I reg

ula

rly

see

k o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

dis

cuss

w

hat

I h

ave

lear

ne

d f

rom

le

ade

rsh

ip s

emin

ars

and

co

ach

ing

pro

gram

s w

ith

my

pe

ers

; an

d I

mak

e a

con

cert

ed

eff

ort

to

reg

ula

rly

en

gage

in r

efl

ect

ive

pra

ctic

e.

I hav

e s

om

e o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

d

iscu

ss w

hat

I h

ave

lear

ne

d

fro

m le

ade

rsh

ip s

em

inar

s an

d c

oac

hin

g p

rogr

ams

wit

h

my

pee

rs; a

nd

I e

nga

ge in

re

fle

ctiv

e p

ract

ice

as o

fte

n

as p

oss

ible

.

I hav

e d

evel

op

ed

a s

tro

ng

pe

er

sup

po

rt n

etw

ork

, an

d

hav

e a

mp

le o

pp

ort

un

itie

s to

d

iscu

ss w

hat

I h

ave

lear

ne

d

fro

m le

ade

rsh

ip s

em

inar

s an

d c

oac

hin

g p

rogr

ams

wit

h

my

pee

rs; a

nd

I fr

eq

ue

ntl

y e

nga

ge in

re

fle

ctiv

e p

ract

ice

.

To

tal

57

Page 59: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Successful Superintendency

DOMAINS/KEY COMPONENTS

Jonathan Plucker, Ph.D.

Marcey Moss, Ph.D. Michael Holstead

Mona Syed

August 28, 2009

Jonathan A. Plucker, Ph.D.

DIRECTOR

509 East Third Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47401 tel: 1.800.511.6575 fax: 1.812.856.5890 web: ceep.indiana.edu

58

Page 60: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

In order to identify key components and domains of successful superintendents, a comprehensive review

of relevant literature was conducted. An annotated bibliography of key articles and books related to

leadership qualities in school superintendents of effective schools, as well as some articles related to

characteristics of principals which may be generalized for district level personnel, is included in

Appendix A. These key articles and books, along with other literature and research, was synthesized

and analyzed to identify key domains and components found in successful/effective leadership. In

addition, based on the literature a discussion is provided of what each component “looks like,” in a

realistic setting.

The one commonality found in all literature, which reflects on the characteristics of effective

superintendents, is that there has not been enough scientifically-based studies conducted that link

superintendent characteristics with student achievement. Of all of the studies and surveys reviewed, only

one study, the meta-analysis by Waters and Marzano (2007), attempted to empirically correlate student

achievement with superintendent characteristics. The lack of empirical research must be taken as a

caveat when reviewing the qualities and characteristics presented below of effective superintendents.

The key components and characteristics of successful superintendents as identified in the literature

include the following: (1) executive leadership (i.e., articulated vision, formulating policy, goal-setting,

monitoring progress), (2) administrative leadership (i.e., resource Allocation, staff selection, supervision

and evaluation, defined autonomy, (3) political leadership (i.e., conceptions of power, superintendent-

school board relations, political astuteness and role modeling), (4) instructional leadership (i.e., staff

development, defining an instructional framework, reinforcing priorities), and (5) professional

development (i.e., workshops, coaching and mentoring). Each of these commonalities found in the

literature related to effective leadership in the superintendent role are presented below in Table 1. This

is followed by a discussion of what each component “looks like” in a realistic setting.

59

Page 61: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

TABLE 1: CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP PRACTICES

Leadership Domains

Functions Key Characteristics

Executive Leadership

1. Develop collaborative vision for

district

1a. Articulate a strategic vision for district improvement through a mission statement which incorporates input from relevant district stakeholders.

2. Facilitate policy formulation

2a. Provide sufficient information to and gather relevant input from relevant stakeholders. 2b. Encourage collaborative decision-making processes and the de-bureaucratization or flattening of the educational leadership hierarchy.

3. Set clear and non-negotiable

goals

3a. Work alongside building-level administrators to identify district needs for improved classroom instruction and student achievement; establish clear priorities; and formulate mutually agreed upon and non-negotiable goals. 3b. Create five year plan for improvement that includes specific targets to be achieved, and share plan with relevant publics.

4. Monitor school and district progress

4a. Carry out frequent and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs and practices to ensure progress towards achievement of district goals. 4b. Identify delays or discrepancies in school progress and introduce corrective measures 4c. Share district progress reports with relevant publics.

Administrative Leadership

1. Manage district finances, create

budgets and allocate resources according to established district priorities

1a. Ensure that the necessary resources, including time and money, are allocated to meet program needs and accomplish district’s goals. 1b. Reallocate resources from programs that have not been identified as priorities to programs and professional development that are directly related to improving school achievement targets, when necessary.

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Page 62: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Leadership Domains

Functions Key Characteristics

2. Active participation in staff

selection

2a. Establish selection criteria and procedures for the selection of staff. 2b. Maintain balance between district control and local autonomy in the selection of new staff. 2c. Buffer schools and principals from making selections inconsistent with the district’s established criteria. 2d. Be directly involved in the recruitment and selection of professional staff.

3. Supervise and evaluate building-level administrators and staff

3a. Standardize teacher evaluation procedures across schools and districts. 3b. Establish teacher evaluation objectives closely correlated with school objectives. 3c. Take personal responsibility for principal supervision and evaluation. 3d. Establish regular meetings with principals to discuss important needs and focus on improving instructional programs. 3e. Arrange frequent school visits in order to review the extent to which district and school goals and strategies are being implemented and how effective these strategies are.

4. Encourage a climate of shared power by recognizing and not restricting the ‘defined autonomy’ of principals

4a. Set clear, non-negotiable goals for learning and instruction while delegating authority and responsibility to school leadership teams for determining how to meet those goals. 4b. Encourage ownership of district/school improvement plans by principals and teachers who directly implement new policies and programs. 4c. Build relationships with schools to encourage progress and success in improving student achievement and classroom instruction.

Political Leadership

1. Articulate a conception of power

that is facilitative

1a. Understand the power exercised by the superintendent as a power to be shared with school boards and school administration in order to promote distributed leadership and collaborative power.

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Page 63: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Leadership Domains

Functions Key Characteristics

2. Build strong partnership with

school boards

2a. Develop functioning coalitions with schools, school boards, and local and state education agencies. 2b. Schedule one-on-one meetings with school board members in order to strengthen effective communication.

3. Display political awareness and

interpersonal skills

3a. Be politically astute and understand the political climate of the local community; as well as the particular interests of board members. 3b. Listen to the diverse voices and views of citizens. 3c. Negotiate and mediate superintendent-school board relationships in order to “transform politics into education.” 3d. Effectively communicate and report school district data.

4. Serve as moral leader/role model

for district

4a. Be visible in the community and display a high degree of professionalism, develop trust, and communicate honestly in order to serve as a role model for district community and to garner political support and influence for initiating reform. 4b. “Affirm the purpose of school” and be cognizant of the need to uphold social justice in decision-making processes and leadership.

Instructional Leadership

1. Display active and meaningful

support for staff development

1a. Allocate adequate funding for teacher and principal professional development. 1b. Ensure staff professional development closely parallels district focus in curriculum and instruction; and allows the acquisition of necessary skills and competencies needed to achieve established goals. 1c. Share research-based data and research with principals and staff.

2. Collaboratively define

framework for research-based instructional practices to be incorporated in classroom

2a. Establish an instructional and curricular focus appropriate for district schools, while refraining from imposing a single instructional model. 2b. Establish preferred methods of teaching.

62

Page 64: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

Leadership Domains

Functions Key Characteristics

2c. Exercise influence over the curriculum used in schools

3. Reinforce district goals and

priorities

3a. Implement important socialization patterns which reinforce consistency in integral school operations. 3b. Sustain high degree of internal consistency in district in curriculum and instruction. 3c. Spend time in schools interacting with principals, teachers, and students on everyday activities.

Professional Development

1. Participate in leadership seminars

and coaching programs

1a. Acquire new skills, competencies and knowledge base to address routine and non-routine problems. 1b. Develop peer support networks

1c. Build relationships of trust with senior or novice superintendents 1d. Engage in reflective practices 1e. Develop problem-solving strategies and give/receive input on action plans

Executive Leadership

Articulated Vision

As Chief Executive Officers, superintendents are called upon to juggle a variety of tasks, the most

central of which is developing a clearly articulated and strategic vision for district improvement. In order

to be effective, superintendents must articulate a vision that: keenly understands the context within

which schools are situated; identifies the most pressing needs and priorities of the communities they aim

to serve; and proposes realistic, necessary and attainable reforms. In the current educational climate,

superintendents are increasingly expected to initiate positive change and growth within their districts,

focusing particularly on school quality improvement and student achievement (Waters and Marzano,

2006). In the process of developing a vision for the district, superintendents are called upon to assess the

concerns and interests of a variety of district stakeholders (i.e. school administrators, school boards,

63

Page 65: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

teachers, students, parents etc). Taking diverse input into account, superintendents must develop a vision

that is innovative, and can be translated into mission statements, district goals and measurable objectives

(Holdaway and Genge, 1995).

Formulating Policy

Scholarship on educational leadership continues to emphasize the need for facilitative leadership and

collaboration in decision-making processes (Mountford, 2004; Pounder 1998; Chase, 1995, Noddings,

1992). Including building-level administrators, school board members, and teachers in policy

formulation allows superintendents to “flatten” or “debureaucratize” the educational hierarchy which

establishes a new environment for power-sharing, and allows the development of greater consensus and

ownership of policy initiatives amongst key agents that will be charged with implementing the policies

(Mountford, 2004; Glass, 2000; Leithwood, 1995). Facilitating discussion and collaboration amongst

stakeholders allows for mutual, but not necessarily unanimous agreement regarding policy and

programming. However, collaborative decision-making does “imply that once stakeholders reach an

acceptable level of agreement regarding district goals, all stakeholders agree to support the attainment of

those goals” (Waters and Marzano, 2006: 11). Cooperation amongst different agents within the

educational hierarchy encourages greater fidelity in implementation.

Goal-setting

In discussing the positive correlation between superintendent leadership practices and student

achievement, Waters and Marzano emphasize the need to set clear and non-negotiable goals for district

schools. Once again, goals should be set in a collaborative manner, and should be translated into specific

targets for the school district, for individual schools and for student sub-groups within schools (2006:

12). Establishing measurable targets, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of goals, and ensuring that

building-level administrators and teachers are aware of set goals allows the district as a whole to remain

committed to reform.

Monitoring Progress

Regular monitoring and evaluation is critical in policy implementation, and it falls to the superintendent

to analyze how adequately schools in their districts are meeting set targets. Sharing reports with

individual schools allows them to know the strides they have made in meeting their goals, as well as,

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Page 66: Alaska School Leadership Academy · Communication Techniques & Three Stances. Develops . interpersonal skills to cultivate working relationships. and to mobilize individuals or groups

where school efforts are falling short. Highlighting positive gains sustains momentum amongst building-

level administrators and teachers; and identifying shortfalls provides a valuable feedback mechanism for

introducing corrective measures for existing programs and practices (Waters and Marzano, 2006).

Administrative Leadership

Resource Allocation

Effective superintendents must ensure that the necessary resources, including time and money, are

allocated to meet program needs and accomplish district’s goals (Waters and Marzano, 2007). Those

programs which have been implemented to accomplish the goals for achievement and instruction need to

receive adequate budget allocation (Bjork, 1993). Furthermore, all staff needs to be provided with

relevant and adequate information regarding programs, strategies, goals, and objectives (Holdaway and

Genge, 1995).

Staff Selection

Superintendents need to be involved in the selection of district and building level faculty and staff.

Murphy and Hallinger (1986) found in their analysis of superintendents of effective school districts that

superintendents were often involved in the selection of new teachers and nearly always involved in the

selection of new administrators. Superintendents need to be a key factor in the establishment of selection

criteria and procedures for the selection of staff. It is also the role of superintendents to buffer schools

and principals from making selections which are inconsistent with the district’s established criteria.

Studies have also shown that direct involvement in the recruitment and selection of professional staff, if

the size of the district makes this feasible, has an effect on the quality of the district’s instructional

program (Bjork, 1993; Murphy and Hallinger, 1986). However, a balance must be maintained between

district control and local autonomy in the selection of new staff. Statistics from one study conducted by

Zigarelli (1996) reveal that the more autonomy a principal has in personnel decisions, the greater

students’ school performance will be. Therefore, a superintendent should be involved in the process of

staff selection, but should not dominate control over the process.

Supervision and Evaluation

Supervision and evaluation of principals and staff are two key roles of a superintendent. That means that

superintendents need to be present at schools to supervise and monitor staff and evaluate the extent to

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which the strategies of the district and school are being implemented, and the effectiveness of the

strategies in achieving district goals and objectives. According to Murphy, Hallinger, and Peterson

(1985) superintendents of effective school districts were personally responsible for the supervision and

evaluation of school building principals. Effective superintendents also set up regular meetings with

principals to discuss the important needs of the schools, to review the site-level observation from the

superintendents’ visits, and to focus on improving instructional programs. Superintendents should also

standardize teacher evaluation procedures across school districts, and ensure that teacher evaluation

objectives closely correlate with school objectives.

Defined Autonomy

Research has shown that superintendents need to strike a balance between district and building-level

control in a number of school-related matters. According to Waters and Marzano (2007) effective

superintendents provide principals with “defined autonomy,” that is, setting clear, non-negotiable goals

for learning and instruction, while providing school leadership teams with the responsibility and

authority for determining how to meet those goals. In a survey of superintendents of effective school

districts conducted by Holdaway and Genge (1995), all of the superintendents surveyed reported that

being an effective delegator is means for superintendents to provide educational leadership.

Political Leadership

Conceptions of Power

Being an effective leader involves an in-depth understanding of how power operates and a specific

approach to exercising power. As has been previously mentioned, educational leadership programs are

increasingly promoting facilitative or distributive leadership based upon the idea that superintendents

should share power with boards and school administrators; rather than wield power over these agents

(Mountford, 2004; Leithwood, 1995). Sharing power allows the development of partnerships and

strengthens the commitment to reform within the school district.

Superintendent-School Board Relations

Literature on superintendent and school board relationships continue to emphasize the power struggles

that ensue between the superintendent and “pressure groups” within the board (Mountford, 2004).

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Superintendents need to be savvy in knowing how to recognize and resist pressure groups or the

individual interests of board members, especially when these interests work towards the detriment of

district progress. According to Glass superintendents are called upon to be “professional advisors”

(2000: 25) to board members and objectively present information and outline possible gains and

consequences of proposed actions. Not only do strained superintendent-board relationships create added

stress for the superintendent, but it can also weaken commitment and support for district policies. Thus,

superintendents must actively work to develop “functioning coalitions” with school boards, as well as

local and state education agencies, through good interpersonal and communication skills. In fact Glass

(2000) states that superintendents have much to gain in the way of support and better working

relationships, by scheduling one-on-one meetings with board members.

Political Astuteness and Role Modeling

Included in the ISLLC standards is the need for superintendents to cultivate an “understanding [of] the

socioeconomic, legal, political and cultural contexts of schools” (Bjork, 2001), because schools are

political institutions and play a significant role in the political arena (Glass 2000). Superintendents must

be politically astute and need to gauge the political climate in their local communities and learn how to

negotiate this environment. As effective leaders superintendents must uphold social justice and

democratic values and need to “ensure that the voices of all citizens are valued” (Bjork, 2001: xi). In

addition, they must be publicly visible as moral leaders and role models of professionalism to build

political support and be able to influence policymaking at the local and state level (Glass, 2000).

According to Leithwood, “superintendents have a lot of experience with politics. Politics seems a natural

part of the job as it is usually defined. Among the most frequent contacts superintendents have on the

job are interactions with their political masters. So, starting with the politics of the job and trying to

fashion education from it is more like using the rudder of a boat to steer the best course” (1995: 6).

Instructional Leadership

Staff Development

According to Murphy and Hallinger (1986) superintendents of effective school districts were active in

the selection of staff development programs for their district. These professional development programs

need to closely parallel the district’s focus in curriculum and instruction. In the survey of

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superintendents conducted by Holdaway and Genge (1995), superintendents reported that being an

example to your staff was a primary means of being an effective leader. Superintendents who are

focused on non-negotiable goals related to student achievement and classroom instruction will serve as a

model to faculty and staff.

Defining an Instructional Framework

An articulated framework of curricular and instructional focus is essential in maintaining effective

schools and districts. It is the role of the superintendent to ensure that such an instructional and

curricular focus is both established and monitored. The superintendent must work with staff to develop a

preferred approach to instruction and system wide curricular expectations (Murphy and Hallinger,

1986). In their study, Murphy and Hallinger reported that many of the superintendents established

preferred methods of teaching or a preferred instructional philosophy. Furthermore, the superintendents

reported having influence in the curriculum used at the schools in their district. For example, the

superintendents in districts that used standardized tests reported that the schools were required to use the

district selected instrument (Murphy and Hallinger, 1986).

Reinforcing Priorities

Curricular and instructional goals, once established, must be continually reinforced in order that they

remain the focus of the school and district throughout the year. A primary means of reinforcing

priorities is through consistency of operations in the school system. Superintendents need to be key

actors in sustaining a high degree of internal consistency throughout the district in curriculum and

instruction (Murphy and Hallinger, 1986). In order to do this, Murphy and Hallinger suggest the

implementation of important socialization patterns which reinforce consistency in integral school

operations. Another way for superintendents to reinforce the priorities established by schools and

districts is through being present and visible at schools. This means spending time in schools interacting

with principals, teacher, and students on everyday activities (Holdaway and Genge, 1995). School visits

by superintendents should be used to review curriculum and instruction, as well as facilities; to build

school culture through communication, team building, and problem resolution; and to act as a role

model and supervisor. In a 1994 study, Zigarelli reported that better relations and tighter coupling

between administration and the classroom culminates in more productive teachers and greater student

achievement. Although a follow up study conducted in 1999 failed to scientifically link the two factors,

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the presence of superintendents at schools does serve as a reminder of the priorities and goals

established as a focus by the district.

Professional Development

Workshops, Coaching and Mentoring

Both novice superintendents as well as experienced superintendents have much to gain from in-service

professional development, since workshops, seminars, and coaching and mentoring programs allow for

the acquisition of new skills, competencies and a knowledge base for applying problem-solving

strategies for routine and non-routine problems (Bjork, 2001). Both workshops and coaching programs

offer the opportunity for superintendents from different districts to dialogue with each other and to

engage in reflective practices. Superintendents need to acquire skills and capacities that enable them to

foster team-building, professional development and collaborative relationships as “attention to the

building and maintenance of caring relationships through the organization will be transformed into

student academic and social growth” (Grogan, 2002: 243). Such professional development activities also

allow superintendents to build a supportive network of peers, whereby mentors are able to provide

feedback on proposed action plans and help novice superintendents strategize about how to solve

problems within their districts. In addition, these programs become sites whereby superintendents are

intellectually stimulated and are able to develop and discuss innovative programs and action plans.

Engaging in reflective practices allow for professional growth for both novice as well as senior

superintendents.

Although not a specific leadership domain, it is also important to briefly discuss superintendent tenure in

a discussion. Many scholars continue to reiterate the crisis in the superintendency, which is

characterized by an increasing rate of superintendent turnover; a decrease in the number of candidate

applying for the superintendency and a lack of well qualified applicants (Grogan, 2002). While

superintendent tenure is not a clear leadership domain it still must be mentioned that researchers have

found correlations between tenure and student achievement. Waters and Marzano (2006) found that

superintendent tenure in a district is positively correlated (.19) to student achievement and state “this

finding implies that the longevity of the superintendent has a positive effect on the average academic

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achievement of students in the district. These positive effects appear to manifest themselves as early as

two years into a superintendent’s tenure” (2006: 14).

Works Cited (Literature Review)

Björk, L. (1993). Effective schools effective superintendents: The emerging instructional leadership role. Journal of School Leadership, 3 (3), 246-259.

Eadie, D. (2003). Eight keys to an extraordinary board-superintendent partnership. Lanham, MD; Oxford: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Glass, T. & Franceschini, L. (2007). The state of the American school superintendency: A mid-decade study. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, and American Association of School Administrators.

Harris, S. (2009). Learning from the best: Lessons from award-winning superintendents. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwing, and American Association of School Administrators.

Holdaway, E. & Genge, A. (1995). How effective superintendents understand their work. In K. Leithwood (Ed.), Effective school district leadersip: Transforming politics into education. New York: State University of New York Press.

Murphy, J. & Hallinger, P. (1986). The superintendent as instructional leader: Findings from effective school districts. Journal of Educational Administration, 24 (2), 213-236.

Murphy, J., Hallinger, P., & Peterson, K. (1985). Supervising and evaluating principals: Lessons from effective districts. Educational Leadership, 43 (2), 78-82.

Sweeny, J. (1982). Synthesis on effective school leadership. Educational Leadership, 2, 18-20.

Thomas, J. (2001). The public school superintendency in the twenty-first century: The quest to define effective leadership. Report No. 55. The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, Johns Hopkins University.

Waters, T. & Marzano, R. (2007). School district leadership that works: The effect of superintendent leadership on student achievement. ERS Spectrum, 25 (2), 1-12.

Zigarelli, M. (1996). An empirical test of conclusions from effective schools research. The Journal of

Educational Research, 90, 103-110.

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Bibliography (Domain Section)

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Brunner, C. and L. Björk (2001) “The new superintendency” Volume 6 of Advances in research and

theories of school management and educational policy Volume 6 of Studies in the Development of Accounting Thought Emerald Group Publishing, 2001

Glass, T. (2000). The 2000 study of the American school superintendency: America’s education leaders

in a time of reform. Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators. Glass, T. & Franceschini, L. (2007). The state of the American school superintendency: A mid-decade

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Grogan, M. and R. Andrews. “Defining Preparation and Professional Development for the

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Leithwood, K. (1995). Effective school district leadersip: Transforming politics into education. New

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Waters, T. & Marzano, R. (2007). School district leadership that works: The effect of superintendent

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The contents of this publication were developed with the assistance of Supporting Effective Instruction, Title II, Part A federal funds from the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education & Early Development, nor endorsement by the Federal Government.

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Appendix A: Annotated Bibliography

Björk, L. (1993). Effective schools effective superintendents: The emerging instructional leadership role. Journal of School Leadership, 3 (3), 246-259.

Bjork’s article, “Effective Schools-Effective Superintendents: The Emerging Instructional Leadership Role,” analyzes the scholarship of the emerging role that superintendents play in instructional leadership. Bjork states that superintendents enact their instructional leadership roles through a broad array of activities, including staff selection, principal supervision, establishing clear instructional goals, monitoring instruction, and financial planning for instruction to improve instruction.

Eadie, D. (2003). Eight keys to an extraordinary board-superintendent partnership. Lanham, MD; Oxford: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.

In his book, 8 Keys to an Extraordinary Board-Superintendent Partnership, Doug Eadie emphasizes the importance of a strong working relationship between the school board and the superintendent; he argues that the top priority of the superintendent is to maintain a close, positive, productive and enduring relationship with the board. His eight keys to doing so are: 1) Put partnership at the top of your list: building and maintaining a partnership with the school board should be a high priority for superintendents; 2) Specialize in the governing “business”: superintendents need to be an expert in every facet of governing in order to cultivate a solid partnership with the board; 3) Empower your board: superintendents need to actively involve the board in “high-impact governing” that makes a visible difference in the affairs of the district; 4) Turn board members into owners: superintendents need to meaningfully involve the board in generating the governing products of the district in order that the board takes ownership for their work; 5) Spice up the governing stew: superintendents should attempt to make the work of governing more inspiring and interesting for board member in order to counteract the effects of the demanding work of governing; 6) Get your senior administrator on board: a strong partnership with the board requires that senior administrators of the district are committed to the governing principles of the superintendent and are knowledgeable and actively involved in working as a team on board-related matters; 7) Keep expectations in sync: there must be clearly defined performance expectations for superintendents, as well as regular assessments of the superintendent’s performance against these expectations; and 8) Stay on the high-growth path: a close and productive board-superintendent partnership depends on the superintendent’s growth and change in response to advances and changes in personnel and governance.

Glass, T. & Franceschini, L. (2007). The state of the American school superintendency: A mid-decade study. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education, and American Association of School Administrators.

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In their article “The State of the American School Superintendency”, Glass and Franceschini presented the results of a survey of 1,338 superintendents across the country. According to the authors, the superintendency is an increasingly “people” type of position with superintendents saying that lack of interpersonal communication skills among district staff is the factor most limiting their effectiveness. At the same time, they say that presence of interpersonal communication is the most important factor helping their effectiveness. Thus, interpersonal relations is the key factor both facilitating and restricting superintendents’ effectiveness. Factors that contribute to superintendent effectiveness include: Interpersonal skills (37% of respondents), Board of education (16%), Central office team (15%), School principals (13%), Personal support system (7%). Factors that inhibit superintendent effectiveness include: inadequate financing of schools (29%), Too many insignificant demands (19%), State and federal mandates (16%), Board of education (13%), Teachers union (6%), Collective bargaining agreements (6%). As an additional note, the authors emphasized the importance of the working relationships between boards and their superintendents; if the relationship is harmonious, more energy is usually focused on building programs rather than defending present programs and practices. A total 39% of the superintendents said that they had received no mentoring before becoming a superintendent; 33% indicated the superintendent in their previous district had provided some mentoring perhaps helping to smooth the way in their first position; and 22% said another superintendent had provided mentoring assistance. On the other hand, the authors did note that formal professional development activities for superintendents generally are available through professional associations and the state department of education. Superintendents were also asked to indicate which areas of professional development they believed might make them more effective. The two most often selected topics were strategic planning (39%) and systemic thinking (45%). Supers also chose instruction, assessment, and data management (33%) and public relations and communications (33%) as needed professional development areas. Superintendents strongly believe that the 8 domains listed should be part of a superintendent evaluation: Lead and manage personnel effectively; manage fiscal activities effectively; manage administrative and facilities functions effectively; foster effective school-community relations; relate effectively with school board; foster a positive district/school climate; stimulate, focus, and support improvement of classroom instruction; respect diversity and promote equality of opportunity.

Harris, S. (2009). Learning from the best: Lessons from award-winning superintendents. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwing, and American Association of School Administrators.

In her book, Learning from the Best, Sandra Harris presents the opinions of 22 current and former superintendents on what it takes to be a successful and effective superintendent. In her introduction Harris provides general skills and qualities all superintendents need to have in order to be successful. She writes that qualified superintendents manage an entrenched bureaucracy; develop a multi-million dollar budget; know how to deal with a demanding community and aggressive press; has a mission,

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leadership skills, political smarts, and management prowess; is an inspiring leader; will improve teacher quality; is committed to the advancement of children; and has superior insight, courage, and great work ethic. A superintendent must understand instruction, know how to use data, be able to interpret accountability measures, provide resources, be visible, empower risk takers, encourage collaboration, lead diverse groups of stakeholders, be devoted to students, have strong interpersonal skills, build community relationships and work with the school board.

Holdaway, E. & Genge, A. (1995). How effective superintendents understand their work. In K. Leithwood (Ed.), Effective school district leadersip: Transforming politics into education. New York: State University of New York Press.

In “How Effective Superintendents Understand their own Work,” Holdaway and Genge present their findings from a survey study conducted of the thirteen most effective superintendents in Alberta, Canada. These superintendents were chosen as such by a panel of fourteen judges, each of whom had their own criteria of effectiveness. In the survey, responding superintendents were first asked to identify their highest priorities, and planning emerged as the most commonly identified priority area, followed by providing appropriate programs. In regards to questions regarding how superintendents provided educational leadership, all superintendents mentioned being action-oriented and being an effective delegator; other answers included being an example (6 responses), involving all stakeholders (5), and providing people with adequate and relevant information. Superintendents also identified factors contributing to their effectiveness. The most common personal factor was having skills in dealing with people (6), having a sense of direction (3), having a sound knowledge base (3), and being politically astute (2). In sum, effective superintendents were “acutely aware of the political environment, had clear understandings of their relationships with their school boards, saw the need to communicate effectively with relevant publics, and intentionally made time available to visit their schools.” Holdaway and Genge note that superintendents had a clear vision for their systems that they were able to translate into mission statements, goals, and objectives, all with a student focus. They also noted that a concern for and about people emerged as a dominant theme in the study; superintendents believed that people wanted to be involved and to participate in decision making and that this involvement would lead to feelings of ownership in the enterprise. Thirdly, superintendents were interested in curriculum and instructional matters, which led them to spend considerable time in schools interacting with principals, teachers and students on everyday activities (in essence, being present and visible at school sites).

Murphy, J. & Hallinger, P. (1986). The superintendent as instructional leader: Findings from effective school districts. Journal of Educational Administration, 24 (2), 213-236.

In the article “The Superintendent as Instructional Leader: Findings from Effective School Districts,” Murphy and Hallinger examine how instructional leadership is exercised by superintendents in effective

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school districts. The authors interviewed 12 California school superintendents from what they defined as “instructionally effective school districts.” Their findings reveal that the superintendents in these districts were actively involved in managing and directing technical core activities in their districts, using a variety of both direct and indirect leadership tools. Specifically, the authors found that superintendents 1) controlled the development of goals both at the district and school levels; 2) were influential in establishing procedures for the selection of staff; 3) took personal responsibility for the supervision and evaluation of principals; and 4) established and regularly monitored a district wide instructional and curricular focus.

Murphy, J., Hallinger, P., & Peterson, K. (1985). Supervising and evaluating principals: Lessons from effective districts. Educational Leadership, 43 (2), 78-82.

Murphy, Hallinger, and Peterson, in the article “Supervising and Evaluating Principals: Lessons from Effective Districts,” presents the findings of a study conducted of twelve school districts, chosen on the basis of consistent excellence on student achievement scores. In all but the two largest districts the superintendent was personally responsible for supervising and evaluating principals. All 12 superintendents were very active in visiting schools. The range of visits was from a low of 45 to a high of 875 visits per year across all schools in a district. Superintendents at these schools reported spending, on average, approximately ten percent of the total work year on school campuses, a substantially greater percentage than that found in a random sample of elementary school districts in one state in a separate study (Peterson, 1983). While superintendents relied on both planned and impromptu visits, they reported that, more often than not, site personnel did not know when they would be visited. Ten of the twelve superintendents rated the visits as very important and one as fairly important. Superintendents performed 3 different sets of activities as they visited schools: 1) Review activities, such as review of curriculum and instruction, facilities review, and, perception checking; 2) Culture building, such as communication, team building, problem resolution, and, knowledge building; and 3) Supervisory activities, such as role modeling and direct supervision. As part of the supervision process, superintendents met regularly with individual principals, usually between 3 and 6 times per year. Additional meetings between the superintendent and principals to discuss specific problems or review the superintendent’s observations after site-level visits were also frequent. In sum, the superintendents are actively involved in the supervision and evaluation process in 11 of the effective districts and function as the primary supervisor in 10 of those 11. They act as highly visible leaders on school campuses, are intensely interested in curriculum and instructional matters, and spend a good deal of time supervising principals. They appear to be key agents in linking schools and district offices.

Sweeny, J. (1982). Synthesis on effective school leadership. Educational Leadership, 2, 18-20.

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James Sweeny’s article, “Research Synthesis on Effective School Leadership,” is centered on school principal leadership and provides six leadership behaviors that have been consistently associated with schools that are well managed and whose students achieve. Effective principals: 1) emphasize achievement, 2) set instructional strategies, 3) provide an orderly atmosphere, 4) frequently evaluate student progress, 5) coordinate instructional programs, and 6) support teachers. While these six tenets are principal-oriented, they may possibly be generalized for all school administrators to consider.

Thomas, J. (2001). The public school superintendency in the twenty-first century: The quest to

define effective leadership. Report No. 55. The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk, Johns Hopkins University.

In “The Public School Superintendency in the Twenty-First Century: The Quest to Define Effective Leadership,” Janet Thomas defines, not characteristics, but challenges that superintendents are likely to encounter in their role as educational leaders. Thomas finds that there are three main challenges of superintendent’s leadership: 1) Instability: Greater demand for accountability coupled with the increasing politicization of the superintendent has made superintendent turnover a major source of concern. 2) Politics: The shifting racial composition of inner-city districts and the dramatic rise in African American and Hispanic populations challenged the legitimacy of local school governance and called for greater racial representations within top-level management. 3) Superintendent and School Board Relations: As more emphasis was placed on effective school district leadership, the relationship between school boards and their superintendents became more critical. The dynamics of this interaction is the single most important factor contributing to their ability to effectively govern the district.

Waters, T. & Marzano, R. (2007). School district leadership that works: The effect of superintendent leadership on student achievement. ERS Spectrum, 25 (2), 1-12.

Waters and Marzano, in their article “School District Leadership that Works” present the results of a meta-analysis of the characteristics of effective superintendents. The authors found five district-level leadership responsibilities that have a statistically significant correlation with average student academic achievement. 1) Collaborative goal-setting: effective superintendents include all relevant stakeholders in establishing goals for their districts. 2) Non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction: effective superintendents ensure that the collaborative goal-setting process results in non-negotiable goals in at least two areas: student achievement and classroom instruction. 3) Board alignment and support of district goals: the local board of education is aligned with and supportive of the non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction, and ensures these goals remain the primary focus of the district’s efforts. 4) Monitoring goals for achievement and instruction: effective superintendents monitor district progress toward achievement and instructional goals to ensure that these goals remain the driving force behind the district’s actions. 5) Use of resources to support achievement and instruction goals: effective superintendents ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to accomplish the district’s goals.

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The authors also found that length of superintendent tenure in a district positively correlates to student achievement. Furthermore, statistics show that effective superintendents provide principals with “defined autonomy,” i.e., setting clear, non-negotiable goals for learning and instruction, yet providing school leadership teams with the responsibility and authority for determining how to meet those goals.

Zigarelli, M. (1996). An empirical test of conclusions from effective schools research. The Journal

of Educational Research, 90, 103-110.

According to Michael Zigarelli, in the article “An Empirical Test of Conclusions from Effective Schools Research” all of the effective schools research concluded that principals with strong leadership skills and a willingness to actively participate in the classroom create better schools. Statistics from Zigarelli’s study strongly supports the notion that the more autonomy a principal has in such personnel decisions, the greater students’ school performance will be. However, it cannot be concluded from his study that active principals in general necessarily lead to better schooling. Support from and cooperation with the superintendent, the school board, and the central office are often cited as contributing to better schooling. In an earlier study (Zigarelli, 1994), Zigarelli reported that better relations and tighter coupling between administration and the classroom culminates in more productive teachers and greater student achievement. In the current study, the quality of relations among the administration, the school, and its teachers was not related to achievement. This was the case whether relations variable were separated or interacted. The same was true for the teacher empowerment constructs: teacher influence in school policy, classroom policy, and course content. None of these variables approached significance in either direction.

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Mentor Resources

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Readings

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Rehearsal Conversations

Elite performers say that their practices have to be so rigorous and true-to-life that by the time they get into true competition, game or match, their performance is almost automatic. If you practice well, slight changes in a performance or game time activity won’t throw you off. To the contrary, if you haven’t rehearsed enough, little things can have a big negative impact on performance.

Types of challenges that likely need rehearsal: 1. Changes in assessments being used, system-wide 2. Adoption and expectation of use of common curricula, materials 3. Expectation that all struggling students will receive additional intervention support 4. Expectation for frequent collaboration with colleagues 5. Expectation of public sharing of data and student performance results 6. Expectation of delivering instruction differently than previously implemented

Rehearsal Conversations

Identify key message needed

List potential pitfalls or ideas that may create

dissonance

Anticipate who might be

bothered by the change

Select key vocabulary that

the message needs to contain

Sequence the key ideas within the

conversation

Practice conversation

with colleague

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Example of Rehearsal Cycle

1. Key message to be delivered- • Results from universal screening will be discussed and shared during collaborative

meetings 2. Potential Pitfalls

• Teachers are fearful that their students’ results will not look strong • Teachers do not trust and philosophically believe in the assessment measure • Teachers are not sure how to interpret the results and do not want to be embarrassed

in front of their peers • Teachers didn’t give the assessments and don’t want that to be noticed in the group • Teachers do not know how to retrieve the data displays and are too uncomfortable to

ask for help 3. Who might be bothered by this conversation and meeting

• Second and Fifth grade teachers 4. Key vocabulary or phrases that I want to use

• Supporting all of our students • Celebrating what our students can do • New experience for all of us • Opportunity for us to learn together • No blame and team support • Any and all questions are safe and accepted • I am learning alongside each of you

5. Sequence of conversation • Beginning a process of collaboratively reviewing student progress • Results will be shared amongst our grade level teams • Goal is to provide collegially support, examine what is really happening with student

performance and organize ourselves to support student learning in a stronger way • A few guidelines for our work (no blame, focus on students, solution focused, fact the

facts) • Learning beside you and committed to the process of looking closely at what our

students can do. • In order to have a collaborative, efficient meeting, here are the things I expect.

o Each teacher brings ( ) data to the meeting o We will use protocols for our discussions o We will analyze the data in a similar sequence each time o We will start meetings right on time o Your attendance is expected

6. Practice the conversation with a colleague if possible

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Fostering Smart Groups (revised with permission) Arthur L. Costa

and

Robert J. Garmston

Given the reality that group development is dynamic, not linear; following are some strategies

for skillful leaders to employ in working toward developing smarter groups that embrace

positivity, inquiry, and effective collaboration.

To develop shared understanding and be ready to take collective action, working groups need

knowledge and skill in two ways of talking. One way of talking — dialogue — leads to

collective meaning making and the development of shared understanding. The other way of

talking — discussion — leads to decisions that stay made.

Dialogue honors the social-emotional brain, building a sense of connection, belonging and

safety. As a shape for conversations, it connects us to our underlying motivations and mental

models. This way of talking forms a foundation for coherent sustained effort and community

building. In dialogue, we hear phrases like, “An assumption I have is . . . ,” and “I’d be curious

to hear what other people are thinking about this issue.”

Discussion, in its more skillful form, requires conversation that is infused with sustained critical

thinking, careful consideration of options and respect for conflicting points of view. This way of

talking leads to decision making that serves the group’s and school’s vision, values and goals. In

discussion, we hear phrases like, “We need to define the problem we are solving before jumping

to solutions,” and “I’d like to see the data that these assumptions are based on before we go

much further.”

8. The Path of Dialogue

Dialogue is a reflective learning process in which group members seek to understand one

another’s viewpoints and deeply held assumptions. The word dialogue comes from the Greek

dialogos. Dia means “through” and logos means “word.” In this meaning making through words,

group members inquire into their own and others’ beliefs, values and mental models to better

understand how things work in their world. In dialogue, listening is as important as speaking. For

skilled group members, much of the work is done internally.

Dialogue creates an emotional and cognitive safety zone in which ideas flow for examination

without judgment. Although many of the capabilities and tools of dialogue and skilled discussion

are the same, their core intentions are quite different and require different personal and collective

monitoring processes.

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Monitoring Dialogue

Mindful group members pay attention to three essential elements during productive dialogue.

They monitor:

themselves

the processes of the dialogue

the new whole that is emerging within the group.

Self

Dialogue is first and foremost a listening practice. When we “listen to our listening,” we notice

whether we are internally debating with the speaker, reviewing our mental catalogue of related

information and personal anecdotes or composing a response. Noticing these common internal

processes allows us to switch them off so that we can hear others without judging.

Dialogue requires choice making. Typical choices include how and when to talk:

Do we paraphrase prior comments to check for understanding and/or synthesize?

Do we inquire into the ideas and assumptions of others?

Do we put a new idea or perspective on the table to widen the frame?

Suspension is an essential internal skill in dialogue. To suspend judgment, group members

temporarily set aside their own perceptions, feelings and impulses and carefully monitor their

internal experience. Points of personal conflict can easily emerge when we believe that others

are not hearing us or that they are distorting our point of view. Points of conflict also surface

when our own values conflict with those of a speaker. These areas of discomfort influence our

listening and our responses, which in turn influence the thoughts and behaviors of other group

members.

Process

Dialogue as a process requires focusing on the goal of developing shared understanding. In our

action-oriented work environments, this is often countercultural. Yet, in every group with which

we’ve worked, all the participants could recite examples of decisions that were poorly conceived,

poorly communicated, simply ignored or, in the worst cases, violated by many organizational

members without consequence. At the root of all these stories were group processes that were

not thought out, but rather often hurried and inappropriately facilitated. The rush to action

pushed unclear decision-making processes and timelines onto the group without sufficient

attention to developing a shared understanding of both problems and solutions.

Understanding as the Outcome

Well-crafted dialogue leads to understanding. This is the foundation for conflict resolution,

consensus and professional community. Decisions that don’t stay made are often the result of

group members feeling left out and/or having their ideas discounted by the group. Dialogue gives

voice to all parties and all viewpoints.

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9. The Path of Discussion

Discussion, in its Latin root discutere, means “to shake apart.”

It focuses on the parts and their relationships to one another — the causes, the effects and the

ripple effects of proposed actions and solutions. In its most ineffective form, discussion consists

of serial sharing and serial advocacy without much group-member inquiry into the thinking and

proposals of others. Participants attempt to reach decisions through a variety of voting and

consensus techniques. When discussion is unskilled and dialogue is absent, decisions are often

low quality, represent the opinions of the most vocal members or leader, lack group commitment

and do not stay made.

Three elements shape skilled discussions:

clarity about decision-making processes and authority

knowledge of the boundaries surrounding the topics open to the group’s decision making

authority

standards for orderly decision-making meetings-most meetings are, in fact, structured

discussions.

Monitoring Discussion

Mindful group members pay attention to three essential elements during productive discussion.

They monitor:

themselves

the processes of skilled discussion

the details of the problem-solving, planning and decision-making processes in which they

are engaged

Self

Productive discussions require group members to have emotional and mental flexibility. When

our goal is to influence the thinking of others and we give up the model of “winning and losing,”

we are more able to notice our thoughts and actions, and the effects of those thoughts and actions

on others.

From the balcony, we can make the most strategic choices about how and when to participate;

Should I advocate or should I inquire?

At what points should I press?

When should I probe for detail or let go?

How might I phrase an idea for greatest influence?

These are the same internal skills that teachers employ when they monitor and adjust in their

classrooms.

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Process

Skilled discussion as a process requires mindfulness about focusing on one topic and applying

one process tool at a time. When topics and processes blur, group members lose focus. To

maintain focus requires clear structure, purposeful facilitation, impulse control on the part of

individual group members and recovery strategies if the group strays off course.

Effective group members share responsibility with the facilitator for maintaining the flow of the

discussion, for encouraging other group members to share knowledge and ideas, for hearing and

exposing points of confusion or murkiness.

Decision as the Outcome

Decision, in its Latin root decidere, means “to cut off or determine.” In practice this means to cut

off some choices. The purpose of discussion is to eliminate some ideas from a field of

possibilities and allow the stronger ideas to prevail. Groups must learn to separate people from

ideas in order for this to work effectively. If individuals “own” ideas, then to cut the idea away is

the same as cutting the person away. Ideas, once stated, should belong to the group, not to

individuals. In this way they can be shaped, modified and discarded to serve the group’s greater

purposes

Notes:

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The word “boss” often carries a negative connotation, while the word“leader” is positive. All of us aspire to be leaders, not bosses. But using theword “leader” here would invite attention away from a seldom-explored re-ality: To be a leader in an organization, you must first be comfortable in a po-sition of authority — as a boss. To gain comfort, as well as confidence andcompetence as a boss, you’ll face a number of predictable interpersonal andemotional growth challenges that you must use to expand your mind-and-skillset rather than retrench into defensiveness.

THE DYNAMICS OF AUTHORITY

As a first time principal or administrator, you’ll be on the receiving end ofthe dynamics of authority in your interaction with others, those who reportto you and others whose lives are touched by your decisions. How will youknow the dynamics of authority? When you’re with people who work underyou, you’ll see, hear, and feel conversation change from inclusion to exclusionin words, tone, demeanor, and content. People will:

• Wait for you to speak;• Speak to you, not others in a meeting;• Change the subject when you enter a room;

• Talk in a different tone, often about different content than before youwere boss;

• Constantly interpret what you say, often attributing consciousnegative intent;

• Scour your words for inconsistencies, contradictions,double-meanings, misstatements, and mistakes;

• Quote you mistakenly and out of context;• Give you feedback that makes no sense and is very

hurtful;

First Time in a Position

of AuthorityBeginning school administrators face a predictable set

of professional challenges that are very personal. By

addressing these challenges as opportunities for

learning and growth, new administrators can become

leaders.

BY BARRY JENTZ

56 Kappan September 2009 pdkintl.org

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• Attribute words and ideas to you that youdon’t recognize;

• Assume that you have much more power tochange people and things than you actually do;and

• Say to you, “And what are you going to doabout that!”

When you interact with people who don’t reportto you but must live with the consequences of yourdecisions (parents and others in the community),you’ll find that people will sometimes:

• Demand that you do what they want, quiteapart from reason;

• Threaten to “go over your head”;• Invite you to events solely because of your

role;• Expect you to be instantly available and always

accessible;• Gang up on you to exercise influence;• Criticize you in public e-mails, letters to the

editor, etc.;• Defer to you in public and work against you in

private; and• Say wonderful things about you and give you

gifts.

CONFUSION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

In your intrapersonal world, you’ll suddenlyspend a lot time with the onerous task of wonderingwhether others are reacting to you or to your role asan authority figure. The task is onerous becauseyou’ll inevitably be thrown back on yourself as neverbefore and experience a heightened questioning ofhow much of what is going on is “me” and how muchis “them responding to my role” or the “situation.”

Answers to the questions raised by the dynamicsof authority won’t come quickly or easily, so you’llspend more of your internal time confused. Yourconfusion will be exacerbated by the simple fact thatyou’ll face lots of problems that are inherently con-fusing because they don’t have easy, technical an-swers (Heifetz and Linsky 2002). Initially, you’ll tendto be unaware of your confusion or ashamed of it, soyou’ll hide it and bluff, deny, blame, or take charge,reacting to complex problems with easy, technicalanswers, which won’t work. As a result, you’ll bemore confused. So, you’ll need to look inward andtake on the task of discovering and changing your at-titude toward confusion so that you experience it not

as a liability but as a resource, as a starting place forpersonal and organizational learning (Jentz andMurphy 2005).

FEELING POWERLESS IS PREDICTABLE

Your confusion may be compounded by the un-settling discovery that a position of authority actu-ally leaves you feeling powerless to accomplish thesignificant things that led you to take the position inthe first place. Occasions for this unsettling discov-ery will be the refusal of people who report to youto respond to your positive intentions, directives,and powers of persuasion. Such occasions can bemany and varied. Only a few examples are: You maybe an outsider who is taking over a position in a sys-tem where insiders were regularly promoted; you

may be an insider who must supervise your friendsor a young person who must supervise older people;you may not believe in political appointments andyet work where political appointments are the norm;and, without fail, you’ll have to supervise poor-per-forming people who will have power to frustrateyour efforts to get them to change. All of these sit-uations arouse feelings of powerlessness that arejolting, not because you can’t anticipate them inyour mind, but because of the depth of the pain.

Other occasions will arouse feelings of powerless-ness, in particular those occasions where you discoverthat your new position doesn’t give you the freedomto act alone, for example, to correct the obvious mis-takes you saw made by your prior boss or the ridicu-lous deficiencies in the organization that were so clearto you in your position as an individual contributor.Where you expected to get things done independ-ently through the authority of your position, you’llfind instead that your ability to get things done de-pends on people outside of your unit of the organiza-tion, over whom you have no control. Expecting thefreedom of acting alone, you’ll encounter the restric-tion of interdependence (Hill 2007) and the conse-quent need to consult and build relationships. Thatreality of interdependence and its restrictions willtrigger frustration and feelings of powerlessness.

Feeling powerless doesn’t have to result in behav-

pdkintl.org V91 N1 Kappan 57

BARRY JENTZ is a partner at Leadership and Learning Inc.and also an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School ofEducation, Cambridge, Mass.

New leaders may experience the unsettling discovery that a position ofauthority actually leaves them feelingpowerless to accomplish the significantthings that led them to take the position in the first place.

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ing as if you are, in fact, powerless and must forfeityour hopes for improving performance. Curiouslythough, you must respect your unwanted feelings ofpowerlessness. Accept rather than reject them. Toget started in doing so, remember that leadership re-quires courage. Think of your feelings of powerless-ness as a by-product of your courage and commit-ment to learn the realities of leadership, instead ofautomatically assuming that your feelings are a self-evident sign of your failure to act independently.Use your feelings as a prompt to stop, step back, getfeedback, and open yourself to questioning the as-

sumptions that you inevitably bring to your firstleadership position, such as, “I’ll be able to act inde-pendently.” Question and change such assumptions,and as a result you’ll feel powerless less often, and,when you do, you’ll have a perspective from whichyou can change your view of yourself from being aself-evident failure to a person with the courage tolearn about the reality of interdependence.

AM I A FRAUD?

When you’ve exhausted your repertoire of ways toget a poor performer to improve, you may feel pow-erless. On the other hand, when you tell someone todo something and the person salutes, you may be sur-prised that you feel like a fraud. Feeling like a fraud ispredictable because even though you haven’t been aboss, you must behave as if you have, right from theoutset. Your behavior must necessarily be “out ahead”of your emotions. In the gap between your required,authoritative behavior and lack of emotional readi-ness, a fraud voice often inserts itself. For example,you might give someone advice about a difficult mat-ter and watch as if you were but an onlooker as theperson thanks you and leaves to act on your advice.Momentarily, you might begin to think, “Is she reallygoing to do that? I’m not sure I believe what I said!”When people do what you say only because you saidit, your emotions can say silently, “Hey, it’s just me.You don’t have to take my word for it!”

Comfort yourself by remembering that, on occa-sion, you can’t avoid feeling like a fraud any morethan you can avoid feeling powerless. The feelingsthemselves aren’t a problem, but your relationshipto them can be. Feeling that you are fraud can be-come problematic if you bow to the voice in yourhead that accuses you of not being fit for leadership,

because you’ll start trying to get rid of the feeling,and that futile effort will rob you of energy. Alterna-tively, you’ll feel compassion and renewed energy ifyou say to yourself, “Feeling like a fraud isn’t a signof weakness or unfitness for leadership. Emotionalreadiness for authority lags behavior, necessarily. Ineed time to develop the emotional muscle to standbehind myself.”

WITH SEPARATION COMES LOSS

More subtle but no less problematic, you may ex-perience a sense of loss and sadness that accompaniesseparation as other people’s actions exclude ratherthan include you. You can recognize the dynamics ofseparation within yourself if you hear yourself think-ing, or perhaps even saying, “But I’m the same per-son I was yesterday, before I took this job!?”

Naturally, you’ll likely yearn to be included asyou sense exclusion. Put differently, you might feelisolated and alone as you yearn for connection. Touse a psychological phrase, do not “act out” youryearning for connection. In fact, you aren’t “just me”anymore, and if you express such thoughts otherthan to intimates, you’ll lose trust and credibility andthe opportunity to lead. People under you will thinkthat you’re the only one among them who doesn’tget it, and those who take the risk of saying so won’ttend to repeat themselves after you talk more aboutbeing “just me” or “I’m only another member of theteam.” They’ll know what you don’t: That you’reblind to the dynamics of authority and your own lackof readiness and, as a result, are dangerous.

PAIN DOESN’T HAVE TO MEANSOMETHING IS WRONG

Listen to your inner voice to see if you recognize:

• Yearning to be included as you sense exclusion— put differently, you might feel isolated andalone as you yearn for connection;

• A sense of confusion about a lot of things;• Feelings of powerlessness (or inadequacy or

doubts about your abilities);• Wondering if you’re a fraud;• Feeling sad and experiencing loss even as you

think (and people tell you) you should behappy; and

• Doubting your decision to take the position,wishing that you could throw off the “robes” ofauthority and rejoin — to be again a “just me.”

Again, remind yourself that these internal expe-riences don’t mean something is wrong with you.Others have been there before, and still others willbe in the future. To become comfortable, confident,and competent as a boss, you must struggle through

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a transition from knowing and valuing yourself foryour technical work (as a teacher, architect, com-puter technician) to knowing and valuing yourselffor your managerial work. The two kinds of workare unimaginably different, and we can’t know thatprofound difference until we make the switch. (Andafter we make the switch, we can’t explain the differ-ence to friends who have chosen not to be a boss.)

GROW UP TO BEING “ABOVE”

Choosing to be a boss results in having peopleunder you in the organizational hierarchy. Thephrase “people under you” makes some people whochoose a boss position uncomfortable. If your in-sides squirmed when you read the word “under,”you may struggle with being “above” people, thoughyou have chosen to be so by becoming a boss.“Above” in a hierarchy means that you have morepower over others’ lives than they have over yours.So, naturally, they’re more vulnerable in their rela-tionship to you than you are to them, quite apart fromhow vulnerable you may actually feel.

You must come to terms with the fact that you havemoved into an “above” role and have no choice but tolearn and grow the internal muscle required to be“above.” Such growth may be difficult because being“above” might connote “bad” and call to your mind abad-boss experience before choosing to lead. If so, yourun the risk of rejecting the bad-boss experience and,in the process, rejecting the very legitimacy of posi-tional authority, often by trying to give it to others inthe name of “empowerment.” Of course, you can goin the opposite direction, as well, where instead of re-jecting the power that comes with the position, yourelish it and abuse it by using it unilaterally.

ANTICIPATE BEING TOO AUTHORITATIVEOR TOO COLLABORATIVE

Particularly when you’re beginning an “above”position for the first time, you’ll unconsciously errto the extremes of being too authoritative or too col-laborative. From a psychological perspective, yournewness to positional authority can lead you todominate others to get them “on the right track” or“disappearing” in an attempt to make room for oth-ers to be “involved” or “empowered.” From the per-

spective of leadership, you err to the extreme of act-ing as a Savior, Authoritarian — “I have the answers,follow me” — or from the opposite extreme, as a Pal,Egalitarian —“You have the answers and I am hereto support you.” And, of course, you err to either ex-treme with good intentions, often in the name of the“children” or “students.” Parents know the author-itative-collaborative tension in the slang terms ofhard-soft or tough-tender: What expectations doyou set and hold to as boundaries, and when do youmake exceptions because of extenuating circum-stance? When do you put family goals, culture,needs, and rules first versus putting an individualchild’s conflicting demands first?

No one would consciously adopt either of the“fictional” extremes in leadership described imme-diately above. Indeed, you’ll think that you strike theright authoritative-collaborative balance betweenextremes of exercising unilateral control or surren-dering your authority to others. In reality, the inter-nal and external pulls on you in a leadership positionfrequently result in your slipping into one of thesepositions or sometimes flipping back and forth be-tween them. Since you’re blind to this dynamic,your actions fail to match your rhetoric and, despiteyour good intentions, you end up losing trust evenas you assume its presence. If told that you say onething but do quite another, you tend to reject thefeedback because, given your blindness, you don’tsee what others see in you and you begin to feel mis-understood or attacked by people who from yourperspective are either misguided or ill-intentioned.Blind to discrepancies between your professed andactual practice and thus unable to close the gaps, youlose trust and fail to gain credibility, the very com-mon ground that is necessary for others to join youin advancing your agendas for change.

COMMUNICATE TO LEARN, NOT JUSTTO CONVINCE, DIRECT, OR INFORM

With occasional exceptions, by yourself, youcan’t discover your own blind spots in regard to theauthoritative-collaborative balance. By definition,there’s little sense or hope in sending a blind man tolook for sight. So, it’s critical to your success at theoutset that you commit yourself to learning how tocommunicate to learn, as opposed to communicatesimply to persuade, direct, or inform. You mustlearn with and through others about your own prac-tice, otherwise you can’t make needed adjustmentson the authoritative-collaborative dimension ofyour leadership. Toward that end:

• Set an expectation that you want feedback.• Seek feedback, even pursue it, if only because

many people are temperamentally disinclined

pdkintl.org V91 N1 Kappan 59

See also

John D’Auria's

article, “The

Superintendent

as Teacher,” in the

digital Kappan

about a first-year

superintendent's

discoveries on

the job.

ARTICLE AT A GLANCEAnyone who moves into a “boss” position for the firsttime faces a predictable set of professional chal-lenges that are very personal. Recognizing and an-ticipating these challenges will enable these new“bosses” to adapt more quickly to their new posi-tions and help them become leaders.

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(they believe it is not their “place”) to givefeedback to people “above” them in thehierarchy.

• Force yourself not to react to negative feedbackdefensively; instead, discipline yourself to listenreflectively, particularly when you’re deeply hurtby what you hear. Part of your discipline will beto expect that potentially useful feedback willhurt badly in the moment you receive it andmake no sense; in fact, it will seem downrightwrong, and you’ll be inclined to attributenegative intent to the person who gave it.

• Find a trusted person with whom to make newsense of feedback, and make neededadjustments in your leadership practice on theauthoritative-collaborative continuum.

• Read stories about leaders who receivefeedback (sometimes jolting) and use it tomake successful adjustments. For example,read “Triumph at Work, Trouble at Home,”“Are You Calling Me a Liar?!” and “TheyCome Back with the Same Problems!” in TalkSense: Communicating to Lead and Learn,(Research for Better Teaching, 2007)

• Work with a leadership coach or join a supportgroup that meets regularly.

CONSIDER USING AN ENTRY PLAN

One way to quiet your apprehension about be-ginning an administrative position for the first timeis to imagine walking your way, or “imaging” yourway, through the first six months to a year in the po-sition. Designing an Entry Plan is a form of imag-ing — of thinking (and writing) your way throughthe sequences of contact you plan to have with eachof your key constituencies during your first day, firstweek, first month, first six months, first year — asyou hold in mind a picture of where you want to beat the end of the year (or even three years) (Jentz andWofford 2008; Jentz and Murphy 2005). The prod-uct, a written plan, benefits you in two ways:

• You’ll have a blueprint to guide you and to fallback on when you get confused and lost,which is a natural, unavoidable part ofleadership work.

• You’ll have vicariously experienced some ofwhat is ahead, so when it actually happens, youwon’t be there for the first time.

Finally, this article errs in presenting the strug-gles rather than the satisfactions and joys of begin-ning a position of authority for the first time. Thosepositive feelings include the thrill of being chosen,the deep sense of personal satisfaction that comeswith reaching and attaining a position of status andpower, the excitement of launching ourselves on anew adventure, the thrill that comes with others tak-ing our lead, and the personal sense of self-worthand hope that follows from improving the lives ofthe adults and children under our care. By not de-lineating the upside experience, I don’t mean to de-value it. I have written about the “growth tasks” be-cause it’s much less likely that you’ll have someoneto keep you company when you enter this internalterritory. If you know something about the terrain,you’re less likely to feel alone when you doubt your-self and wonder if you’re losing your marbles. K

REFERENCES

Heifetz, Ronald A., and Marty Linsky. Leadership on the Line:

Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leadership. Cambridge,

Mass.: Harvard Business School Press, 2002.

Hill, Linda A. “Becoming the Boss.” Harvard Business Review

85 (January 2007).

Jentz, Barry, with Joan Wofford. The EntryPlan Approach:

How to Begin a Leadership Position Successfully. Newton,

Mass.: Leadership and Learning, Entrybook.com, 2008.

Jentz, Barry C., and Jerome T. Murphy. “Starting Confused:

How Leaders Start When They Don’t Know Where to Start.”

Phi Delta Kappan 86, no. 10 (June 2005): 736-744.

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