Improving Teaching and Learning in Schools: Leaders’ Roles in Intradistrict Instructional Observations

• In Event: Instructional Supervision and Leadership: Strategies, Development, and Practices

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to report on central office administrators/leaders and building level principals involvement in the Instructional Rounds network (City, Elmore, Fiarman, & Teitel, 2009) in two school districts in northeastern United States. The major findings include: (a) teacher leaders and administrators engaged in collaborative leadership during IR network visits; (b) district and building leaders were unaware of teacher resistance and apathy towards Instructional Rounds process in five of the six schools; (c) principal’s leadership influenced the teachers’ positive and/or negative responses and reactions to the “next steps” component of the IR process; (d) school staffs need to be better prepared for the IR network work, and (e) IR has the potential for improving teaching and learning.

Author

• Ellen M. Retelle, Central Connecticut State University