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Articles, Books & Publications | Contact InformationHelping Learning Leaders Succeed in the 21st Century: Tools for the Professional Learning Specialist
This session will address the question, “What are some powerful ways that staff development leaders can support school and district leaders in their efforts to create and sustain Professional Learning Communities in their unique settings?”
The content for this session is based on a soon to be released ASCD book entitled The New Principal’s Fieldbook: Strategies for Success (Robbins and Alvy, April 2004). Nine essential themes run through this book. The session will focus on two of these themes:
Particular emphasis will be placed on research based leadership practices related to building, energizing, and sustaining Professional Learning Communities, focused on and committed to a belief that keeps student learning at the heart of organizational actions.
- Being a learning leader and
- Developing a vibrant, healthy, learning-centered culture
Short stories and scenarios about successful practice will be shared. Practical strategies and related follow up activities will be introduced, explained, and modeled in ways that can be implemented immediately. Specific examples include ideas for faculty and department meetings that will enhance both classroom and school-wide practices, as well as tools for building collaborative, positive, student centered learning cultures and eliminating or minimizing vestiges of toxicity. Participants will engage in activities that allow them to experience and process content and then to generate action plans.
The workshop themes and related material mirror key content areas addressed by the recently merged ISLLC/NCATE standards for school leaders and provide needed resources to support leaders as they embark upon and travel the leadership path in their journey to make a difference.