Description
Leadership in America’s Best Urban Schools describes and demystifies the qualities that successful leaders rely on to make a difference at all levels of urban school leadership. Grounded in research, this volume reveals the multiple challenges that real urban elementary, middle, and high schools face as well as the catalysts for improvement. This insightful resource explores the critical leadership characteristics found in high-performing urban schools and gives leaders the tools to move their schools to higher levels of achievement for all students—but especially for those who are low-income, English-language learners, and from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. In shining a light on the essential qualities for exceptional leadership at all levels of urban schools, this book is a valuable guide for all educators and administrators to nurture, influence, support, and sustain excellence and equity at their schools.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgements
Meet the Authors
Preface
Part One: Schools that Achieve Outstanding Results for All Students
Chapter 1: Excellent and Equitable Learning Results
Evidence of Excellence and Equity
Leadership for Excellence and Equity
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Excellent and Equitable Learning Result
School Self-Assessment Tool: Is Your School Achieving Excellence and Equity?
Chapter 2: Positive Transformational Culture
Positive Transformational Culture as the Foundation
The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Create and Sustain
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Positive Transformational Culture
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Have a Positive Transformational Culture?
Chapter 3: Access to Challenging Curricula for All Students
Focus on Deep Understanding
Writing to Promote Understanding
Access to Art, Music, Physical Education and Other Non-Tested Subjects
Rigor for All Students
The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Ensure Curricular Rigor
Summary
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Provide Access to Challenging Curricula for All Students?
Chapter 4: Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery
Common Practices
Making students feel valued and capable
Leading students to love learning
The Power of a Coherent Educational Improvement System to Ensure Effective
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Provide Effective Instruction that Results in Engagement and Mastery?
Part Two: Leadership that Promotes Outstanding Results for All Students
Chapter 5: Leadership that Influences the Desire to Change
Framing a Reason for Change that Resonates
Specifying Who Will Benefit from the Change
Basing Every Decision on the Fundamental Reason for Change
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences the Desire to Change
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Positively Influence the Desire to Change?
Chapter 6: Leadership that Influences Belief in the Capacity to Improve and Succeed
Modeling Belief that All Students Will Improve and Succeed
Finding and Celebrating Evidence that Cultivates Belief
Confronting Disbelief
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences Belief in the Capacity to Improve
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Positively
Chapter 7: Leadership that Influences Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities
Clear, Consistent, and Regular Communication of Expectations
Prioritizing and De-prioritizing Roles and Responsibilities
Promoting Inquiry and Flexibility
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Influences Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Influence Clarity about Roles and Responsibilities?
Chapter 8: Leadership that Builds Capacity to Succeed
Identifying and Responding to the Reasons for the Lack of Effectiveness in Assuming Essential Roles and Responsibilities
Distributing Leadership to Build Capacity
Providing Enough Support to Reduce Fear and Magnify Enthusiasm
Integrating Collaboration, Professional Development, Observation and Feedback
Summary
What It Is & What It Isn’t: Leadership that Builds Capacity to Succeed
School Self-Assessment Tool: Does Your School Leadership Build Capacity to Succeed?
Epilogue
Equity and Excellence are Attainable
The Pursuit of Excellence and Equity is Difficult
Implications for School Leader Preparation
Implications for School Districts
