This book offers guidelines for understanding the role and power of cognitive coaching to improve teacher effectiveness. Cognitive coaching is nonjudgmental, relies on trust, facilitates mutual learning, and enhances growth toward working independently with others. A coaching relationship can be established among fellow teachers, administrators…

This paper describes the development of a revised Organizational Leader Authenticity Scale (OLAS) for use in determining the authenticity of both educational leaders and noneducational leaders. "Authenticity" refers to the degree to which the leader's action matches his or her words. A Staff Authenticity Scale was also developed and tested. The…

Empowerment, also referred to as shared decsion making and site-based decision-making, is essential to school reform and to the preparation of students for the changing demands of a global and technological world. This paper describes the role of the principal in facilitating empowerment in the school. The principal is the building leader who…

The primary responsibilities of chief financial or business officers at community colleges include attending to business and financial affairs, dealing with the physical plan and real estate, handling legal affairs and auxiliary enterprises, providing leadership for policy matters, and acting as a financial advisor. Due to the significant…

A study examined the role of the school library media specialist; how that role is perceived by teachers, administrators, and the librarians themselves; and how teachers and librarians forge working relationships. According to a policy document issued by two professional societies, the school ibrary media specialist serves three roles: information…

This study looked at the experience of four high school teachers as they worked to develop a collegial community by implementing the "Connections" program. The teachers were on the faculty at Cedar City High School in southern Ohio where their subjects were, respectively, English, Social Studies, and Physical Science; one teacher was in…

This guide describes 35 programs developed by the Wisconsin Leadership Identification Program. The Leadership Identification Program offers mentee participants a structured mentee/mentor relationship, an opportunity to design a formal professional growth plan, a statewide leadership training session, visibility through a statewide newsletter, and…

This book is the second of a three-volume series on conflict resolution for educational administrators. Following the introduction, the first three chapters discuss the following communication skills critical to communication--building rapport, listening and pacing, and chunking and problem solving. Chapter 4 provides a generic problem-solving…

Among several innovations in public school curriculum and financing, the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) also included a school-governance provision. School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Councils include administrators, teachers, and parents in addressing school-level curriculum and instructional issues. These groups have not had a…

This practicum was designed to improve preschool, kindergarten, and first grade teachers' group decision making skills in order to encourage program continuity from grade to grade in schools in a culturally diverse metropolitan area. A second aim was to use shared skill building to reduce isolation and improve problem solving among preschool and…

Resources to support curriculum renewal in small rural schools are severely limited. This handbook reports how five professional teacher networks expand available resources through the collective efforts of network members. The networks are Big Sky Telegraph (Montana), Alaskan Teacher Research Network, Bitterroot Teachers' Network (the Idaho…

This paper presents findings of a study that determined relative differences in male and female teachers' perceptions of male and female principals' intentions in the communication process. Data were derived from administration of the Leadership as Social Control (LASC) Model to 397 teachers in the Calgary School District. They reported their…

At Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas), focus group research was conducted to determine research needs and to inform the development of a new educational research center. Four graduate research assistants and a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership formed a study group to review the literature on focus groups and…

A discussion of second language program evaluation is intended for staff (teachers, program planners, materials writers, program managers) of programs being evaluated, to help them understand the process and dynamics of program evaluation. It addresses common concerns and fears about evaluation, offers ways in which staff can cooperate with…

In searching for avenues to create a collaborative school environment in which autonomous teachers impact the outcomes of schooling and students become independent learners, there is increasing interest in "self-managing work groups." This paper presents findings of a study that examined the role of the principal in the development of…