Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
IDEAS
Best bets for building a culture of shared leadership
By Rick Fisher and Sharon Nepote
Categories: Collaboration, LeadershipFebruary 2025
Increased teacher turnover. Higher rates of absenteeism. Lower student engagement. And wait — a new district initiative that will demand significant resources. Sound familiar? We’ve been there. As former principals who led turnaround schools and now as coaches who work with school leaders and their teams, we know that these are just some of the common challenges all school leaders face, to say nothing of those unexpected challenges that inevitably emerge in any school year. We have found there is one consistent factor that separates schools that successfully respond to these challenges from the rest: the collective understanding that overcoming challenges is a shared responsibility. In every successful school we’ve been part of or worked with, principals and other administrators are not the only leaders.
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
Preparing for powerful reflection
Dear Team,
The chance to reflect together is what makes a learning walk truly powerful. Remember that a learning walk is not an evaluation. We will stay focused on the identified goal, work as a team, and refrain from assessing individual performance. During our reflection, please be prepared to:
- Present data to support discussion and analysis. Bring your learning walk notes, personal insights, and anything you believe will help deepen understanding.
- Explain and discuss what the data tells you about implementation, current practices, progress toward goals, and trends.
- Identify possible factors that may be promoting success and hindering success and be ready to explain your reasoning.
- Identify any staff and student needs and what supports you believe are required for continued growth.
References
Calvert, L. (2016). Moving from compliance to agency: What teachers need to make professional learning work. Learning Forward and NCTAF.
O’Neill, J. & Conzemius, A. (2006). The power of SMART goals: Using goals to improve student learning. Solution Tree.
Silver Strong & Associates. (2005). Building the thoughtful classroom through the teaching CRAFT [Workshop materials]. Silver Strong & Associates.
Silver Strong & Associates. (2016). The CRAFT of thoughtful leadership: Developing professional learning communities that really work. Silver Strong & Associates.
Rick Fisher has served in public education for over three decades as a teacher, school principal, and assistant superintendent for instruction. As a leader of instruction, Rick has spent countless hours working with both classroom teachers and building leaders to implement research-based practices that improve teaching and learning. Now as a leadership consultant and coach, Rick designs and facilitates professional learning sessions for educators focused on building instructional leadership and promoting exemplary teaching.
Sharon Paver-Nepote, EdD, has three decades of experience as an educational consultant, principal, assistant principal, and classroom teacher in various school communities. Her passion for mentoring instructional leaders, building cultures supported through shared leadership, and nurturing professional growth has resulted in a long track record of creating successful school cultures where all students—and teachers—can reach their full potential.
Categories: Collaboration, Leadership
CURRENT ISSUE
Subscribe
Recent Issues
BUILDING BRIDGES
December 2024
Students benefit when educators bridge the continuum of professional...
CURRICULUM-BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
October 2024
High-quality curriculum requires skilled educators to put it into...
LEARNING TO PIVOT
August 2024
Sometimes new information and situations call for major change. This issue...
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
June 2024
What does professional learning look like around the world? This issue...
