To avoid bad decisions, principals must be willing to invest time, energy, and resources and prepare the problem-solving team for the frustrations involved in tackling tough problems. Simple probing techniques such as "creating (or intensifying) the problem,""the Five Whys""I wish" statements, the nominal Group Technique, and multivoting can aid…

To promote academic excellence and active teacher involvement, secondary school principals must advocate the "all students can learn" philosophy, focus on supervising instruction through classroom observation, understand and apply conferencing and coaching techniques to instructional improvement, and encourage decisions fostering greater…

Describes a business consultant's frustrated efforts to participate in the New American Schools Development Corporation's reform process. Instead of encouraging broad participation from business people, social scientists, learning theorists, parents, and others, NASDC confined its chief advisory panel to educators, eschewed creative…

In today's context of increasing demands and diminishing resources, many Canadian teachers successfully manage the interrelated challenges in classrooms and school corridors. Yet teachers do not have a major voice in decisions affecting their work and development. Without a senior partnership in the boardroom, teachers will neither achieve true…

Niza's nontraditional pedagogical principles are observed at work in a Portuguese classroom of three- to six-year olds. All learning is thought to follow the scientific method of discovery. Classes are heterogeneous, reflecting natural society. Schoolwork is organized, developed, and implemented by both teachers and students interacting…

The notion that parents should have a greater role in school governance has become increasingly popular with education reformers and parents themselves. However, many teachers and other educators are wary of increased parent involvement. (IAH)

Despite the benefits of employee participation in decision making, it is not widespread. Making it work requires commitment, job security, training, access to information, communication channels, goal setting, flat organizational structures, and financial reinforcement. (SK)

Our cultural biases are inclined toward managerial authority and salvational leadership images. Principals should be abolished. No educator should be permanently removed from teaching children in a classroom. Administrative tasks should be assumed on a rotating basis; after serving in an administrative capacity, educators should return to the…

Examines the relationship between efficacy and productivity and stakeholders' attitudes about the school-based council's usefulness as a decision-making body. A survey of participating and nonparticipating staff and parents indicates that school councils' efficacy and productivity are related to noninstructional, but not student-achievement…

Evaluation of the role of faculty in higher education strategic planning reports on perspectives of seven administrators and faculty involved in planning, as well as the research literature. Notes that while faculty participation is widely favored, problems are often experienced. Identifies factors influencing the success of faculty participation,…

An active parent describes how over 400 parent volunteers in the Carpentersville (Illinois) school district were trained to participate in their children's education through shared decision making. Each school practices a governance model focusing on trust building, collaboration, shared vision, and continuous improvement. Forging authentic…

To emphasize the belief that parents are a child's first teachers, the National Parent Teacher Association has developed new guidelines that support family involvement in schools. To improve family involvement, educators should create an action team, examine current practice, develop an improvement plan, develop a written family/parent involvement…

Asserts that the distinctive moral traditions of faith-based colleges and universities can help them resist corporate demands on academia, but only if their faculties are allowed to question institutional policies. Describes five main sources of governance problems in religiously affiliated schools. (EV)

Asserts that to prevent incursions on academic freedom, faculty members must make a strong commitment of time and expertise to institutional governance, and they must promote regulations and behavior that support academic freedom. Describes how the administration, faculty, and board of Calvin College, affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church,…

Conducted a study of the discourse and inquiry taking place in an Australian school that had implemented the structural features of school-based management and shared decision making. Findings suggest that second-order changes in structures and relationships do not necessarily result in second-order changes in teaching and learning. (SLD)