Four Essential Skills for Transformational School and District Leaders
Discover how to develop and strengthen the four essential skills of effective educational leaders. Inspire a shared vision of strategic change and overcome resistance through strong communication, trust building, empowerment of those you lead, and a focus on results.
Benefits
- Develop an understanding of educational leadership and change management as skills that can be practiced and improved.
- Consider three questions of transformational leadership—Why? Who? How?—and then Do!
- Learn about the technical and cultural dimensions of change and the ways in which both must be addressed.
- Understand the reasons behind resistance to change and how to manage it through effective leadership.
- Synthesize your skills as a school leader and utilize them to effect strategic change.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Finding Balance for Systems Change
Chapter 2: Communicating the Rationale—Building Cognitive Investment
Chapter 3: Establishing Trust—Making an Emotional Investment
Chapter 4: Building Capacity—Making a Functional Investment
Chapter 5: Getting Results—Collecting the Return on Investment
Chapter 6: Tying It All Together
Reproducibles
Chapter 2
- Figure 2.1: Strategies for Dealing With a Pessimistic View of Data
- Figure 2.2: Strategies for Improving on What is Already Considered Great
- Figure 2.3: Strategies for Facing Conflict, Lack of Direction, and Power Struggles
- Figure 2.4: Strategies for Seeing the Errors in Current Practice
- Figure 2.5: Strategies for Selling an Initiative to Content Stakeholders
- Figure 2.6: Strategies for Convincing a Large Group of Teachers
- Figure 2.7: Communicating the Rationale Rating Scale
Chapter 3
- Figure 3.1: Strategies for Understanding the Challenges of Change
- Figure 3.2: Strategies for Justifying a High-Budget Program
- Figure 3.3: Strategies for Calming Fears
- Figure 3.4: Strategies for Transforming a Rebellious Staff
- Figure 3.5: Strategies for Dealing With Distrust and Pessimism
- Figure 3.6: Strategies for Fulfilling Promises
- Figure 3.7: Establishing Trust Rating Scale
Chapter 4
- Figure 4.1: Strategies for Promoting Collective Problem Solving
- Figure 4.2: Strategies for Sharing Instructional Techniques
- Figure 4.3: Strategies for Instituting a Support System
- Figure 4.4: Strategies for Designing Meeting Time
- Figure 4.5: Strategies for Impacting Long-Held Practices
- Figure 4.6: Strategies for Engaging Parents
- Figure 4.7: Building Capacity Rating Scale
Chapter 5
- Figure 5.1: Strategies for Addressing a Negative Team Attitude
- Figure 5.2: Strategies for Confronting a Veteran Educator
- Figure 5.3: Strategies for Responding to Lack of Compliance
- Figure 5.4: Strategies for Addressing Refusal to Use Best Practice
- Figure 5.5: Strategies for Checking Progress on Agreed-On Processes
- Figure 5.6: Strategies for Dealing With a Lack of Investment
- Figure 5.7: Getting Results Rating Scale
Chapter 6
Suggested Resources
Books
- DuFour, R. (2015). In Praise of American Educators: And How They Can Become Even Better. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (3rd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., & Fullan, M. (2013). Cultures Built to Last: Systemic PLCs at Work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. J. (2011). Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Kanold, T. D. (2011). The Five Disciplines of PLC Leaders. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Muhammad, A. (2018). Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Muhammad, A., & Hollie, S. (2012). The Will to Lead, the Skill to Teach: Transforming Schools at Every Level. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Websites
- Annenberg Learner
- ASCD, “Educational Leadership”
- Blackford Elementary School
- Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
- Education Northwest, “Featured Resources”
- The Education Trust
- The Edvocate
- The Marshall Memo
- Naaba Ani Elementary School
- Nogales High School
- Ochoa Middle School
- Orange Glen High School
- Pioneer Middle School
- Scholastic, “Daily Starters”
- Sharpstein Elementary School
- Southside Elementary School
- Teaching Channel
- Underlined