This paper examines the demands on teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and practice associated with reforms commonly attempted in high schools and the corresponding opportunities for teacher development. Data come from a study of comprehensive school reform to illuminate the degree of fit between high school reform agendas and teachers' professional…

Some promising educational reforms are aimed at the classroom (strengthening the interaction between students and teachers and enhancing the curriculum). Change models most likely to succeed are those that give teachers, students, and other stakeholders a clear, common vision of their school's direction. When teachers translate visions into…

According to the literature, the purpose of professional development is to improve student learning. It was noted that there appeared to be a direct correlation between the depth of the teacher's content knowledge, methodologies, student-teacher relationships, and reflection, that when applied to an improvement in practices, positively affected…

Explores stressors, role changes, and paradoxes encountered by four administrators and two teacher-leaders since their high school began restructuring in 1994. Identifies decision-making anxieties, role conflict and ambiguity, and accountability apprehension as sources of stress. Restructuring was impeded by training inadequacies; bureaucratic,…

Describes a small K-6 staff's restructuring plans for its predominantly Navajo student body. The case study, concerned with planning for nongraded classes, represents a lesson in how not to plan. Although some positive curricular changes have occurred, administrative leadership was perceived as ineffective, and staff neglected to plan for cultural…

To understand which factors predict effective school leadership teams, researchers analyzed survey data from 71 elementary and 71 secondary schools with 1 year of training. The strongest predictor of ability to focus on teaching and learning was use of collected school data to identify needs and guide decisions. (Contains 77 references.) (MLH)

Describes how one high school implemented schoolwide action research teams as a comprehensive change management strategy to develop teacher leaders, teachers as change agents, and a collaborative reflective culture. The three-year case study showed that work on action research teams did not come naturally or easily, but teachers improved over time…

Three integrated case studies in an elementary, middle, and high school examined similarities and differences in teacher leadership. Surveys, interviews, discussions, and observations indicated that time, support, and school climate both supported and constrained teacher leadership. Giving teachers voice through shared decision making played a…

Oakland, California's Developmental Studies Center has identified "sense of community" in school as a pivotal condition for children's ethical, social, moral, and academic development. Practices such as class meetings, collaborative learning, and buddies will not build community unless designed to meet that goal. Academic learning is…

Describes a California high school's collaborative teacher observation model. The Teacher-Guided Observation/Curriculum Analysis is a continuously evolving instructional and curricular development program that recognizes teachers' need to be treated like professionals, have nonthreatening growth opportunities, assume primary responsibility for…

Drawing on a study of an experimental teacher education program, the paper recommends changes that prepare new teachers to assume greater leadership responsibility, particularly for collaborative curriculum design and implementation. Teacher educators must model these practices in teacher education coursework. A pedagogy of collective action…

Recent advice on improving schools has centred on the distribution of responsibilities within schools. Whilst the focus of leadership in schools has traditionally been upon the Headteacher, there are now strong arguments to support a greater participation in leadership from teachers (Gold "et al", 2003). This article reports on…

In this resource, educational coach Karla Reiss helps superintendents, principals, and teachers understand the fundamentals of effective leadership coaching programs that result in long-lasting educational change. Using a balance of theory and practice, Reiss offers 11 core competencies adopted by the rapidly growing coaching profession including…

This article describes the Boston Teacher Leadership Certificate program created to expand teachers' capacity for teacher leadership roles. The professional learning was designed to strengthen teachers' leadership skills while also paying attention to whether and under what conditions they were more successful in their roles. To monitor the…

Using the theoretical concept of equity as a measure of outcomes, this paper discusses mathematics classroom conditions and teacher behaviour that negatively affect the experiences of girl students in secondary schools. The paper draws both on the author's experiences and observations as a former high school mathematics teacher for seven years and…