Stop the Hodgepodge
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the development of school leaders has never been more critical. Yet, after their initial few years on the job, many school leaders find themselves navigating a fragmented and inconsistent development journey. Often, they receive ad-hoc support from their managers, which tends to be primarily administrative. Occasionally, they might attend professional development sessions that, while valuable, aren’t easily translated into their day-to-day responsibilities. Others may rely on affinity groups or mentors, but these resources, when available, are not always systematic or consistent.
None of these approaches are inherently flawed; in fact, they can be quite beneficial. However, the lack of a cohesive and systematic approach to leadership development often leaves school leaders with significant gaps in their knowledge and skills. These gaps can become more pronounced as educational and instructional best practices and research evolve, leaving leaders unprepared to meet the changing needs of their schools and students.
The solution lies in a more intentional and structured approach to principal development—one that is systematic and aligned with one or two key district priorities. At Fair Schools, we advocate for a three-pronged approach called Triforce that ensures comprehensive and continuous development for school leaders.
Collective Learning Opportunities: Professional development and training sessions should be designed to provide all principals with a baseline understanding of the knowledge and skills needed to effectively implement district priorities. These collective learning opportunities create a shared foundation from which all leaders can build, ensuring consistency across the district.
Site-Specific, Job-Embedded Learning: To translate learning into practice, school leaders need personalized development that is embedded in their daily work. This includes site visits, walkthroughs, and collaborative data analysis, which allow leaders to gauge progress and problem-solve in real-time. By making learning job-embedded, leaders can immediately apply what they’ve learned to their unique school contexts, leading to more effective and sustainable change.
Mentorship and Peer Learning: Providing opportunities for mentorship across the district is crucial. Leaders who have demonstrated mastery in certain areas can serve as thought partners for their peers, offering guidance and support. This can also include peer site visits, where leaders can learn from each other’s successes and challenges. Such mentorship fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collective growth.
At Fair Schools, we are excited to help our partners create this systematic approach. Our work focuses on helping schools implement strategies and priorities that center historically marginalized and excluded student populations. Already, we’ve seen promising results, including increases in student achievement and declines in suspensions and referrals. By rolling out this systematic approach to leadership development, we believe that schools can create a more coherent and effective pathway for their leaders, ultimately benefiting students and communities alike. Reach out to us here if you want to learn more.
The time for hodgepodge leadership development is over. It's time to invest in a comprehensive, strategic approach that equips our school leaders with the tools they need to succeed.