Chapter 6: Leadership Roles

This chapter deals with educational leadership. First, there is the suggestion that a school district hire a strong curriculum/instruction person as an assistant superintendent.
“Richard Elmore, in School Reform From the Inside Out: Policy, Practice and Performance (2004), reminds us that real reforms in teaching and learning take place in the classroom, and that if district wide reform is the goal, there must be a commitment from district and school leadership to ensuring quality instruction in every classroom.
There is a discussion of how district leaders must understand and support the concept-based curriculum goals, such as teaching for deep understanding and the transfer of knowledge, developing a student’s conceptual brain schema, and to motivate learners by engaging the personal intellect and by showing personal relevance in the content. They must also train all teachers on the “what, why, and how of concept-based curriculm and instruction prior to the implementation of core units”.

“Is your principal a manager or an instructional leader?”
p. 122 – 123 the role of the principal
“1. Set a community-of-learners climate.
2. Listen to what teachers have to say about their needs in implementing the curriculum (time, support materials, etc.)
3. Allocate and direct funds to support implementation needs.
4. Verbally, and by action, express support for the curriculum.
5. Brainstorm and discuss with teachers what the concept=based classroom will look like.
6. Identify staff members and/or central office coordinators who can assist you and your teachers with a smooth implementation…and with ongoing training. Plan one, three, and five year benchmarks for teacher progress in concept-based curriculum and instruction. Require teachers to address these benchmarks in their professional development plans.
7. Plan ways for teachers to support each other in understanding and implementing the curriculum mode.
8. Allow time for grade-level/department/team meetings in the building to reflect on implementation successes and “opportunities.”
9. Support implementation by asking teachers questions about their lesson or unit in pre-or post conferences.
10. Provide weekly bulletins to support teachers for their achievements and also specify a focus for classroom visits the following week.
11. Inform the community.”

Following chapter 6, there are resources.
Resource A is a glossary of terms.
Resource B is a curriculum document interface.
Resource C is teacher observations – sample forms
Resource D is concept-based graphic organizers
Resource E1 is a sample unit and lesson planner
Resource E2 is a completed unit and lesson planner
Resource F is the knowledge domain and cognitive processes
Resource G is sample school districts using a concept-based model for curriculum and instruction