Men’s Voices: Black and White Aspiring Principals Reflect on Their Preparation to be Racial Equity Leaders

This phenomenological study examined the racial identity development of Black and White men—aspiring school leaders—who had recently completed a principal preparation program as members of a racially diverse cohort of students. The principal preparation program was designed with an unapologetic emphasis on race and addressing issues of racism. The study found that making race and issues of racism a focal point of all curriculum and pedagogy increased participants’ racialized realization and produced Black and White male aspiring principals who felt prepared to lead schools through the lens of racial equity.

Principal Candidates’ Reflective Learning During a Full-Time Internship

In this case study, we explore how principal candidates made sense of their internship by analyzing their weekly reflections during a school year. We found that candidates’ views of leadership developed from viewing leadership solely through the lens of making decisions and providing direction, to recognizing that much of the work of a school leader came from building relationships and delegating leadership responsibilities. Candidates’ experiences managing student discipline, conducting classroom walkthroughs and teacher evaluations, and leading professional development and professional learning communities (PLCs) were especially developmental. We conclude with implications for preservice training programs and future research.

“Choose Your Own Adventure”: Web-Based Case Studies of Inclusive Education as a Form of Professional Learning for School Principals

We examine the process of developing web-based case studies, a novel form of professional learning for principals, specifically related to inclusive school leadership. Based on the input from 39 principals, 5 case studies were developed with branching scenarios that provided multiple options for decision-making. These “choose your own adventure” case studies were used in a special education for school administrators course with 109 participants in Ontario, Canada. We consider the authenticity of the cases, the importance of incorporating multiple perspectives, and issues related to function, form, and choice. We incorporate five lessons for developing web-based case studies.

Evidence That In-Service Professional Learning for Educational Leaders Matters

Educator leadership requires continuous development, including extended professional learning opportunities for principals in the field. This is also true for district leaders who likely have even fewer robust opportunities to grow professionally. We conducted a comparative interrupted time series of publicly available student achievement data from New Mexico to analyze the impact of a university-based organization that partners with district leaders to provide intensive professional learning opportunities for district leaders and school principals. We found positive impacts on student achievement in math and for English learners in English language arts. Implications for educator preparation and in-service programs are considered.

Teachers’ Perceptions of Principal Leadership Practices That Influence Teacher Turnover

Teacher turnover is associated with administrative leadership; however, there is an empirical gap in the practices that principals enact that influence teacher turnover. This article uses in-depth case studies and interviews with 32 teachers across two high-turnover and two low turnover middle schools in one large urban public school district to examine teachers’ perceptions of principals’ leadership practices. When compared to principals leading high-turnover schools, we found three common practices that characterized principals of low-turnover schools: (a) recognizing teachers as knowledgeable contributors, (b) clearly communicating the school’s vision around high-quality teaching, and (c) centering student learning.

Case-based Instruction for Leadership Learning in the Norwegian National School Leadership Program

This article focuses on the use of case-based instruction in the National School Leadership Program offered by universities in Norway. The research addresses the following research question: How can case-based instruction promote leadership learning when used in school leadership programs? The study demonstrates case-based instruction’s ability to create promising learning possibilities for leadership learning. Hence, to effectively use case-based instruction in formal school leadership programs, there is a need for more empirical research on case-based instruction in practice, especially related to case content, case organization and facilitation, case analysis, case application, and linking case-based instruction to authentic learning in schools.

Cultivating Leadership Imagination with Cognitive Tools: An Imagination-Focused Approach to Leadership Education

This conceptual and practical paper aims to expand understanding of imagination in ways that have direct implications for leadership education and research. First, imagination is conceptualized as soil, an analogy that can address misconceptions about imagination and broaden understanding of the multiple ways it contributes to leadership. Next, an educational theory called Imaginative Education (IE) is introduced that offers theoretical understanding of imagination and practical tools for its development. Finally, what imagination yields in terms of individual and collective leadership processes is described along with specific “cognitive tools” that may be used to cultivate imagination in school leadership.

Accepting Educational Responsibility: Preparing Administrators to Lead Inclusive Schools

Educational leaders are expected to lead schools for increased outcomes for all students. Effective leadership of inclusive schools requires certain skills and dispositions. However, many principals do not have background in special education and there is criticism that educational leadership preparation programs are inadequately preparing aspiring school leaders. In this study, we surveyed graduate students in a leadership preparation program to understand their perceptions of their knowledge and skills related to leading inclusive schools. The results of the study contribute to the body of research regarding curricular and experiential changes needed in preparation programs to prepare leaders for inclusive schools.

Leading with Curricular Co-Design: An Exploration of Teacher Leadership Through the Co-Design Process

This study bridges teacher leadership research with principles of co-design in an effort to understand teachers’ experiences with co-design as a process of teacher leadership and its implications for strengthening teacher leadership development efforts. Using qualitative data from a multi-year co-design research project aimed at developing curricular materials, we explore how co-design aligns with and promotes multiple dimensions of teacher leadership. Findings revealed that teachers not only engaged in a process that shaped how they saw themselves as leaders, but also that critical elements of co-design promoted teacher leadership enactment.

Social Emotional Learning in Schools: The Importance of Educator Competence

As professionals charged with fostering student learning and well-being, educators—school leaders, teachers, school counselors, preservice teachers—should demonstrate social emotional competence. In this study, we apply the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning’s framework—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making—to ascertain what we know from scholarship about educators’ SEL competence. We conclude with guiding principles for training programs and professional learning opportunities for strengthening educators’ understanding of their own SEL to improve daily pedagogical practice and ensure each school-wide initiative around SEL drives seamless strategies for attaining school improvement outcomes.