Leading With Intention: Eight Areas for Reflection and Planning in Your PLC at Work (40+ Educational Leadership Practices You Can Use in Your School Today)

by Jeanne Spiller, Karen Power

Overview

With foreword by Douglas Reeves

As a school leader, your influence and impact on students, staff, and families is beyond measure. Designed as a guide and reflective tool, Leading With Intention will help focus your invaluable everyday work. The authors provide in-depth advice and actionable steps for creating a highly effective school culture that supports collaborative leadership and teaching, evidence-based decision making, and the belief that students are the top priority.

Effective school leadership practices for building leadership capacity and furthering your professional development:

• Explore eight interrelated areas of school leadership that will assist you in becoming a more synergistic leader.
• Explore four concepts essential to your work in leading schools: collaboration, a shared leadership model, evidence-based decision-making, and a focus on learning.
• Learn how to enhance student achievement in your school or district with the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ (PLC) process.
• Acquire 40+ specific instructional leadership actions you can put into practice immediately.
• Access educational leadership reflection questions and downloadable reproducibles designed to support your instructional leadership development.

Contents:
Introduction: Using Your Great Power as a Leader Chapter 1: Achieving Focus and Staying Intentional Chapter 2: Establishing and Maintaining Organization Chapter 3: Building Shared Leadership Chapter 4: Using Evidence for Decision Making and Action Chapter 5: Prioritizing the Student Chapter 6: Leading Instruction Chapter 7: Fostering Communication Chapter 8: Developing Community and Relationships Afterword: Creating the Future References and Resources

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781945349836
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	10/01/2018
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	99,379
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.60(d)

Table of Contents

About the Authors xi

Foreword Douglas Beeves xiii

Introduction: Using Your Great Power as a Leader 1

The PLC Process 2

Eight Areas 5

About This Book 8

Chapter 1 Achieving Focus and Staying Intentional 9

Time: The Struggle Is Real 10

Strategies for Gaining Focus 12

Loose and Tight Leadership 17

A Positive Mindset 22

The Right Place 26

Positive Habits for Spending Time 29

Wrap-Up 31

Making an Impact in Eight: Achieving Focus and Staying Intentional 32

Chapter 2 Establishing and Maintaining Organization 35

Creating Systems and Protocols 36

Avoiding Mixed Messages 46

Considering Organizational Versus Instructional Focus 50

Wrap-Up 52

Making an Impact in Eight: Establishing and Maintaining Organization 53

Chapter 3 Building Shared Leadership 57

Shared Leadership and PLCs 59

The Guiding Coalition 60

Shared Leadership Among Staff Members 64

Collaborative Responsibility 65

Scheduling 76

Wrap-Up 78

Making an Impact in Eight: Building Shared Leadership 80

Chapter 4 Using Evidence for Decision Making and Action 83

Using Evidence Versus Experience 83

Using Data 85

Measuring Current Reality 87

Determining Root Causes 91

Using Data for Action 92

Setting SMART Goals 94

Wrap-Up 96

Making an Impact in Eight: Using Evidence for Decision Making and Action 97

Chapter 5 Prioritizing the Student 101

Students First 102

A Primary Focus on Student Success 103

Student-Centered Decision Making 107

An Equitable Learning Environment 110

Wrap-Up 112

Making an Impact in Eight: Prioritizing the Student 113

Chapter 6 Leading Instruction 117

Focusing on Instruction in a PLC 117

Supporting Instruction 119

Supporting Instruction in Struggling Schools 125

Supporting a Positive Classroom Environment 126

Supporting Collaboration 131

Wrap-Up 133

Making an Impact in Eight: Leading Instruction 134

Chapter 7 Fostering Communication 137

Unproductive Listening Habits 138

Productive Listening Habits 139

Deep Understanding 141

Crucial Conversations 143

Communication Beyond the School 146

Wrap-Up 146

Making an Impact in Eight: Fostering Communication 148

Chapter 8 Developing Community and Relationships 151

Levels of Leadership 152

The Why Before the What 155

Community-Building Practices 157

Community Outreach 166

Wrap-Up 167

Making an Impact in Eight: Developing Community and Relationships 168

Afterword: Creating the Future 171

References and Resources 173

Index 179

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"In this elegant and powerful book, Spiller and Power have created a comprehensive and memorable frame­work of eight interlocking areas that make it easy for leaders to focus on what gets results."

--Michael Fullan, professor emeritus, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

"The authors acknowledge the myriad challenges leaders face when working to impact student learning. Through real-life examples, protocols, reflection questions, and end-of-chapter planning tools, Spiller and Power show the reader how to focus on simplicity by articulating what is tight. The reader is left with a manageable plan focused on the right work."

--Sarah Schuhl, author and educational consultant

"The authors provide incredible clarity for leaders at all levels, guiding them to focus on the high-impact strategies that create the greatest leverage for school improvement. This is an essential book for anyone leading the PLC process."

--Joe Cuddemi, author and educational consultant

"Having a chance to work with Karen Power for three years showed me how we must lead with intention, and not just randomly hope it works. This book will give leaders a practical guide for creating lasting change in their school."

--Yvette Scarborough, principal, Fox Elementary, Georgia