A new North Star

Abstract

Leadership gurus often put creating a “shared vision” at the top of their pyramid of what successful leaders do. These visions are best when they are an anchor or a North Star – unwavering goals that the district works toward. Author Jon Saphier proposes this North Star for districts: Make every school an engine for continuous improvement of high-expertise teaching for equity. Saphier writes that the statement conjures concrete images of what to do to improve the experience of children and their learning. It comes with deep anchors in the research base on instructional improvement, deep roots in the literature of healthy organizational culture, and direct ties to the lived experiences of students in school.