Coaching Newly Appointed Principals for the Complexities of School Improvement: A Multicase Qualitative Study. Chad Lochmiller, Indiana University
Drawing upon a qualitative case study conducted in three low-performing schools,
this paper describes the work of leadership coaches supporting three newly appointed principals. Thematic analysis generated three themes: (a) prioritization of issues related to inadequate teacher performance, (b) use of differentiated coaching strategies, and (c) sensitivity to school-based politics. The findings from this study contribute to the limited research base and demonstrate how coaching evolves within the complexities of school improvement.
Developing Transformative School Leaders: The Impact of School-Based Leadership Coaching. Melodie Wyttenbach, University of Notre Dame; Bisi Oyedele, Boston College
Responding to the needs of leaders and ensuring leaders are prepared to face the multitude of demands, leadership preparation programs are shifting their approach to development by complementing instruction with school-based coaching. As leaders learn and adopt new practices in an effort to create more effective schools, it is critical the intermediary role of coach is closely examined. This paper studies the impact the coach has on developing transformational school leaders.
Enacting Complex Policy: Refreshing Practice Through Leadership Development. Sharon Ann Wilbur, Sharon Gail Dean, Leslie Ann Williams, Linda Atkinson (University of Oklahoma)
This evaluation study examines professional development offered to building principals as enactors of recent state policies. Grounded in the theoretical frameworks of instructional leadership and data-driven decision making, the study collected pre and post classroom observation data from 41 schools as well as ve interviews with principals who had participated in a 3-day seminar that included job-embedded activities. Findings show signi cant changes in teacher classroom practice resulted from leaders’ learning.
Mapping Complexity: Using GIS Mapping and Critical Pedagogy to Develop the Contextual Awareness with Educational Leaders. Erin Atwood, Texas Christian University
To varying degrees, our leadership preparation programs seek to cultivate the ideals of a social justice within our students. Yet, enacting this social justice pedagogy remains challenging. The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of geospatial analysis and critical pedagogy in order to better develop the contextual awareness of educational leaders. This research uses action research to examine student mapping projects and re ection.
