Standards+Question+1


 * Read the Case Study regarding Leadership on page 11 of the NSDC Standards text handed out in class. In your PLC discuss Discussion Questions 1-4. Have a record keeper in your group synthesize your group's responses to these questions. If your group needed more information, describe what you need to know and how you would go about discovering this information.**

1. What professional development is provided and what is needed to support principals as leaders in the development of the necessary knowledge and skills outlined in this standard?

There are twice monthly meetings for principals and administrators called by the superintendent. The superintendent shares information and the principals can go back and share with their staff. The principals need some sort of motivation to go back and share the information. There needs to be back-up from the faculty, staff, parents, and community members. Get everyone involved and excited about it! The information doesn't stop with the teachers or administrators. It needs to be implemented so that it trickles down to the students. What happens when principals are not communicating to their staff effectively though? 2. How is teacher leadership nurtured, developed, and utilized in the schools and district? Are there additional ways it could be tapped to advance student learning?

Teachers can become leaders of committees at their schools. An example is data teams at some of our schools. We would like to see some surveys sent out to hear our input on some ideas for professional learning. It would help to have in-service opportunities and to get district-level training offered at schools. It would be encouraging for teachers to be able to receive PLUs for attending. However, we are concerned with districts that have lower socio-economic status.

3. What have been some positive results and challenges of working with electronic tools to support leadership?

Some positive results with working with electronic tools to support leadership helps teachers use the technology in their classrooms as well. Not only do they use it to support leadership, but that trickles down to the students. Teachers can use electronic tools to communicate and share their ideas which is an advantage for the leadership side. The challenges are that it doesn't always work and there are teachers that do not want to embrace the technology. When electronic tools fail, it takes away from the lessons in classrooms. Plus, in lower socio-economic areas, students do not have access to electronic tools at home.

4. Who are potential advocates for staff development? What information and help do they need?

Everyone is a potential advocate for staff development! Students, teachers, administrators, parents, district workers, stake holders, and the list goes on... They need to know how to use the technology, its relevance, and its effects. It needs to be consistent and current.

Extension Question:

How is the NSDC Leadership standard evidenced or not evidenced within your school systems? How did you come to these understandings about your school?

We feel that some school systems are unwilling to accomodate change. We think the professional learning should be differentiated just as we differentiate in the classroom. Some teachers just graduated from college and do not necessarily need to take a professional learning course on data. However, some school systems offer the courses, but the teachers and/or administrators do not relay the information learned. We have all attended professional learning courses, but we feel that some are irrelevant. The systems offer leadership through professional learning so the standard is evident, but maybe not always effective.