SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING

The understanding of effective leadership has evolved over time. Education leaders need to be trained to guide continuous instructional improvement as well as manage the school.  It is no longer sufficient to merely ensure the school functions properly: School leaders must actively engage their faculty in regular conversations grounded in the best available evidence about improving the quality of instruction and learning. Their leadership practices must be informed by emerging ideas and research, including the rapidly evolving world of digital technology in education.  They must also be willing to take risks in pursuing innovative ideas and practices and encourage their faculty to do likewise.

GEI training sessions are designed to help principals and other school administrators to productively manage the political and cultural pressures towards standardization, on one hand, and to meet the need for leaders to be flexible and creative on the other; that is, be risk takers.  Participants will examine this issue and others in the context of several countries.

Administrative Theory 

Participants will examine and compare various theories of administration and the relationship of the theories to various policy contexts.  The goal is for participants to understand the advantages and disadvantages of various administrative approaches in their own contexts.

Curriculum Development 

Consistent with the concept of “principal as instructional leader,” participants will learn how to lead faculty in shaping a curriculum that addresses the various needs of their students.  The goal is for participants to develop strategies for leading curriculum development in their school setting.

Resource Allocation 

Determining how the resources their school receives are allocated and used is among the most critical roles that school leaders play. Participants will examine the relationship between the school budget and the values and goals of the school.  Because the most important resource in the school is the faculty, participants will also learn strategies for staffing that are most likely to produce the learning outcomes that the school has identified.

Data Management 

Schools amass considerable data, both on their students and on their operations as an organization. Leaders play a key role in how this data is analyzed and interpreted and, subsequently, used to improve academic performance, student support, and operations. Participants will learn how to identify the data needed to address critical issues and questions; how to use different data sources to address problems and concerns; and how to engage faculty and staff in the process of making sense of the data to drive continuous improvement.