The Fordham Institute and the Future of the Teaching Profession

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Collaborations to Standardize the Educators

Abstract

Chester Finn and the Fordham Institute of which he was until recently President have suggested that it is not necessary for school principals to be instructional leaders. This paper questions this position. It does so by conducting a critical analysis of statements of Finn himself and two documents supported by the Fordham Institute, namely, The autonomy gap and Better leaders for America’s schools. It pays particular attention to central dimensions of the position adopted. These are the concept of instuctional leader, the related notion of school principal as manager as distinct from educator, the preparation of school principals, and implications for professionalism.
 

Author

• Donal E Mulcahy, Wake Forest University