The Challenge to Leadership

Abstract

Ms. Neuman and Ms. Pelchat talk to three educators at three different leadership levels about core mission of schools - to teach children well - and about how school leaders can make this a reality. THE Annenberg Institute for School Reform recently invited a superintendent, a principal, and a teacher leader to Providence to reflect on some of issues that face school leaders today. The participants were Pedro Bermudez, an educational specialist in Miami-Dade County (Florida) Public Schools, where he works with a network of reforming schools; Gayle Griffin, formerly principal at Model Child Development Center, a pre-K through 5 school in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Public Schools; and Diana Lam, superintendent of schools in Providence, Rhode Island. The discussion, which two of us facilitated, began with a question about relationship between leadership and student The members of group quickly agreed that one of major challenges they face is how to promote leadership at all levels that advances instructional agenda in schools. Mary Neuman: It's clear that all of you believe that school leaders need to refocus their efforts more directly on student seems to stand in way of that kind of leadership? Gayle Griffin: A lot of lip service is paid to idea of principals being instructional leaders, yet we principals are given more and more responsibility in area of management and very little training in what we need to do instructionally. Being expected to do more that affects classrooms and teachers creates a real problem for us in terms of coping with required paperwork and managerial kinds of things. find this balancing act to be a rather difficult one. Pedro Pete Bermudez: my work in professional development, see a lot of schools from outside, and one thing find across board is lack of a clear focus on what school is about, what it's working toward. Schools are overwhelmed, bombarded with many different reform agendas - only a few of which are probably good for a particular school - and leaders are trying to embrace too many things. That's where you lose coherence, focus on what kids need. Diana Lam: Picking up on those ideas of coherence and balance, think we need to establish a that says: In this school or district, we are going to organize our efforts to increase student achievement. Schools and school districts have not traditionally been organized to support that goal. As a superintendent, see my job as creating those conditions in district that will give us a common language, a common framework, a set of guiding principles for that work. It's one of first steps toward seeing actual changes in classrooms. Neuman: Have you found particular strategies that help you develop that kind of culture? Griffin: my daily practice been using idea of a culture of competence. That means asking my faculty, What do you need to get your kids where you want them to go? beginning it was difficult to get them to say they needed something - as teachers, we're already supposed to be perfect! had teachers say to me, Why don't you just tell us what we're supposed to do? But wouldn't give them the answer. Instead, might say, I've been reading such-and-such, and that person suggests this. do you think that says for us? They find that approach very frustrating because my style used to be: I have answer and here it is and let's just go and do it! Lam: feel same way. When first came to Providence, one of my strategies was to focus on principals and changing role of principal. attended all their training sessions with them, just like you did, Gayle, with your teachers. I'm not expecting principals to be only ones to exercise leadership in schools, but if we were to skip them in change process, don't think we could accomplish what we want to get done. …