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Evaluating Instructional Leadership
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Evaluating Instructional Leadership
Recognized Practices for Success

Foreword by John Hattie



April 2015 | 200 pages | Corwin

Even with great teachers, student achievement hinges on an effective principal. Behind every high-quality principal is an airtight system of leadership evaluation that consistently rewards excellence and remedies deficits. 

While teacher evaluation methods have improved, instructional leadership evaluation has often stood still—and student learning and achievement have paid the price.

This book identifies the major problems in this process and articulates clear solutions. The result is a blueprint for ensuring the best person for the job is occupying the principal’s chair. Content includes:

  • Extensive data, presented in a user-friendly manner
  • Clear connections to the new ISLLC Standards for School Leaders
  • A suite of interactive tools including sample self-assessments, mid-year and final evaluation forms, and professional growth plans
 
Foreword by John Hattie
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
Chapter 1: The Challenge
 
Chapter 2: The Architecture of Instructional Leadership Ability
 
Chapter 3: Element 1: Establishing a Shared Vision/Mission, Goals, and Expectations
 
Chapter 4: Element 2: Strategic Resourcing
 
Chapter 5: Element 3: Ensuring Teacher and Staff Effectiveness
 
Chapter 6: Element 4: Leading and Participating in Teacher/Leader Learning and Development
 
Chapter 7: Element 5: Providing an Orderly, Safe, and Supportive Environment
 
Chapter 8: Feedback for Learning
 
Chapter 9: Deliberate Practice in Theory
 
Chapter 10: Deliberate Practice in Application
 
Chapter 11: Putting It All Together
 
Resources
 
Bibliography
 
Index

"This is a practical and comprehensive look at how principal evaluation can be used as a continuous improvement tool for schools as well as the principal. The rationale and research behind the design of this evaluation and improvement tool are presented in a concise and easy to read manner." 

Kathy J Grover, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Clever R-V Public Schools, Clever, MO

"I truly enjoyed reading this book.  The resources are exactly right for the challenges we are facing. It is a practical resource for present day leadership. The authors guide leaders in effectively using these strategies to bring about change in their environment. "

Lyne N Ssebikindu, Assistant Principal
Crump Elementary School, Cordova, TN

"The authors provide a great synthesis of current research and current issues in education to bring light to a problem that has not been addressed . . . It would be excellent for aspiring principals to read this book because it really breaks down for them the components of effective leadership."

Kelley King, Principal and Author-Consultant
San Diego Jewish Academy, Ramona, CA

"This book clearly articulates leadership qualities that impact schools. The authors do an excellent job of using effect size and research to support the qualities. The examples provide real world experiences and show how these qualities translate to classrooms and schools. This book is an essential guide for school leaders to reflect on their practice and how that translates to student achievement."

Katina Keener, Assistant Principal
Peasley Middle School, Gloucester, VA

"After reading this book, you'll truly understand what it takes to grow as a lead learner. We can always get better. Status quo is never an option. Strong leaders possess certain qualities that promote student success. This book provides quality insight on strategies that will make good leaders great."

Brad Currie, School Leader, Corwin Author and Co-Founder of #Satchat

“The authors present a current and coherent approach to growth and evaluation that is balanced and manageable in contexts where we are all asked to continually do more.  It has applications for fine tuning existing evaluation systems as well as informing the creation of thoughtful new systems from scratch.”

Peter Dillon, Superintendent of Schools
Berkshire Hills Regional School District, Stockbridge, MA

"Ray and Julie Smith have spent decades working at every level of K-12 education as teachers and leaders. In addition to their own vast experience with leadership evaluation, they have worked with, and learned from, some of the best minds in education. All of that experience has gone into writing an excellent resource which focuses on providing leaders with the effective feedback they need to grow. This is a must read for school leaders who want to be effective in their position."

Peter DeWitt, Corwin Author/National Consultant
Finding Common Ground blog (Education Week)

“This book not only highlights the key messages about the role of the leader, but it is does so in a way that is engaging, practical, and reflects the Smiths’ long history of being school leaders, teaching school leaders, and seeing the effects of their teaching.  I have seen the Smiths in action, separately and together, and they know how to lead and how to teach, they have a strength of purpose they do not waver from, and these attributes come through in this book.”

John Hattie, Director
Melbourne Education Research Institute, University of Melbourne

"Passionate principals committed to maximizing their impact on the world will devour this book." 

"This book puts it all together for a principal who want to leave a legacy of an ever increasing impact on student learning and is willing to engage in self-monitoring in order to measure his or her own impact." 

"Superintendents committed to helping principals measure their own leadership impact on student learning will want to implement the practical advice in this book with every principal in their district." 

James Neihof, Superintendent of Schools
Shelby County Public Schools, Shelbwille. KY

Concord Community Schools is in the third year of a new administrator evaluation model. The research and additional background knowledge provided by these two authors in their new book will be very beneficial to the revision process we will undertake in the near future. A special thanks to Julie and Ray for sharing their expertise with our district.

Wayne R. Stubbs, Superintendent
Concord Community Schools, Elkhart, IN

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1


For instructors

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ISBN: 9781483366722
£30.99

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