Kentucky High-Performing Schools: Case Study

The following information was gathered during a discussion with Dr. Clayton Mork from the Crescent School District. He shared his personal view of the role of an instructional leader. Also his view of how instructional leadership practices relate to student achievement. Dr. Mork shared two instructional leadership actions and outcomes he implemented at Crescent School District related to student achievement. Dr. Mork also explained his philosophy of curriculum development regarding involvement of teaching staff.

W. Edwars Deming, American engineer and management consultant, wrote “a bad system will beat a good person every time.” This quote demonstrates the necessity for a school administrator to establish a school culture that is inviting and characterized by collaboration. In order to intentionally create a welcoming and collaborative school climate, clear, frequent, and inclusive communication is fundamental. Families, staff, and community members should be afforded the opportunity to become involved in enhancing student learning, the decision making processes of the school, and meaningful school-based activities. Opening the lines of communication about possible involvement at a school promotes a good system, in which good people can thrive.

In this paper, I will reflect on my new knowledge and skills that I have acquired regarding teacher leadership, supportive communication and collaboration. I will also reflect on practical application of these skills, such as assessing the needs, problems or issues, and creating the action plan to address the issues. In the end, I will define how teacher leadership can positively affect student learning and achievement.

The first domain is planning and preparation. The six components within this domain are about how teachers should plan and prepare their lesson for their students to have the most impact. Teachers that have a positive impact on student performance is knowledgeable about their subject matter, know their students, set appropriate outcomes for students, use appropriate resources for instruction, have

According to former Indiana state superintendent of schools Dr. Suellen Reed, “We know from our research that there’s no turnaround school without a turnaround principal” (as cited in Gammil, 2007, para. 2), further supporting the fact that “school leaders have an essential role in cultivating a positive school culture in public schools” (Peterson and Deal, 2002, p.30). However, it is imperative to improve our understanding as to how principal leadership impacts the school culture in high poverty schools to ensure that all children receive a quality education, regardless of zip code, in an environment conducive to learning. The six measured factors are as follows:

In terms of role model effective collaboration, coordination, teamwork, and conflict management, Temple City Unified School District has enabled me to see how all

The ever-changing landscape of education and school accountability has given rise to a renewed focus on shared leadership. In the past, the principal was viewed as the primary decision maker within a school. However, Glickman (1989) points out that it is impossible for school principals to effectively complete all the necessary instructional and managerial tasks within schools. He contends that some teachers have more leadership abilities than the actual administrators and that “in successful schools, principals aren’t threatened by the wisdom of others, instead, they cherish it by distributing leadership” (Glickman, 1989, p. 8).

A Concord-Carlisle High School student was arrested after allegedly writing serious threats against the school community.

During my second preclinical experience at Westview Hills Middle School, I learned the importance of cooperation and collaboration among teachers at a school. I was able to observe team and department meetings during this experience. It became clear that it is important for teachers to work together in order to provide a positive atmosphere at a school and in a specific department. Although it became obvious that personalities and teaching styles were different throughout the school, the teachers still acted professionally and used each other as resources in

Love, N., Stiles, K., Mundry, S., & DiRanna, K. (2008). The data coach’s guide to improving

I have submitted the Western High Case study as an artifact to meet Standard IV. This case study provides an example of how an educational leader applies knowledge that promotes the success of every student by collaborating with faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders. It provides an opportunity for the school and community to work together and on a common goal. It shows how valuable the community and its resources are to the success of a school. It is evident schools and communities need each other for the success of their students.

This idea is equally as important in the school system. Creating an accountability system in which both teachers and students are held accountable for their performance is key for organizational success. Reeves (2005) states “first an accountability system must be congruent” or attuned with the district current reward or incentive programs (p.93). An effective accountability system should include the following seven principles listed by Reeves: (1) congruence, (2) respect or diversity, (3) accuracy, (4) specificity, (5) feedback for continuous improvement, (6) universality, and (7) fairness. Based on these seven principles, I would establish a standards-based accountability system. Students would rely on state common core standards as a base for academic achievement. Teachers would be instrumental in establishing a set of standards for professional excellence within the district or school site. Knowing what is expected of you is vital in establishing a cultural that not only spurs success but also nurtures effective

When looking at these charter schools their idea for student evaluation and student one-on-one development is important to focus on. Referring back to Edwards Middle school, which is a public school, who are creating reforms that follow these guidelines have seen tremendous improvement in their students’ academic test scores. Edwards is not the only ones who are implementing these innovative practices in the public school environment. There are currently around 1,000 schools across the United States currently expanding learning time (Gabrieli 1). At Palmer Park Preparatory Academy, in Detroit, they are creating a private school atmosphere while individually tracking each student’s progress. Their focus is on scheduling, which focuses on

Collaboration between teachers is a key component to professional development that will lead to higher student achievement. There is a need for schools to set up time for teachers to be able to collaborate together. This allows for teachers to help each other, matchup content, teach each other new and best practices, troubleshoot student issues just to name a few of the areas that collaboration time can help foster within a school. The key is to build time for teachers to be able to collaborate during the school day or week. This collaboration time needs to be between grade levels, departments, and cross curricular when needed. For many schools this is an afterthought to the school schedule or a fleeting thought after the master schedule is completed. A principal needs to keep an open mind to any strategy that will enable the teachers to be able to collaborate for the good of the students and the school.

In any collaborative environment, an open-line of communication is a critical factor. Communication is a two way interaction of listening and speaking in turn. One speaks while the other listens for true comprehension is a key factor. One must get an understanding before the vision can be implemented within any leadership role. The presence of collaboration in schools are the result of principals, educators, parents, and administrative leadership in working as a team. The purpose of this essay is to explain the importance of teacher leadership, the principal 's role in developing teacher leaders, and their connection to the development of a collaborative culture in schools.