Professional community among teachers, the subject of a number of recent major studies, is regarded as an ingredient that may contribute to the improvement of schools. The research reported in this article is grounded in the assumption that how teachers interact with each other outside of their classrooms may be critical to the effects of restructuring on students. The analysis focuses on the type of professional community that occurs within a school and investigates both the organizational factors that facilitate its development and its consequences for teachers’ sense of responsibility for student learning. The findings suggest that wide variation in professional community exists between schools, much of which is attributable to both structural features and human resources characteristics, as well as school level. Implications for current school reform efforts are discussed.

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Teachers’ Professional Community in Restructuring Schools

This study investigates the relation between distributed leadership, the cohesion of the leadership team, participative decision-making, context variables, and the organizational commitment and job satisfaction of teachers and teacher leaders. A questionnaire was administered to teachers and teacher leaders (n = 1770) from 46 large secondary schools. Multiple regression analyses and path analyses revealed that the study variables explained significant variance in organizational commitment. The degree of explained variance for job satisfaction was considerably lower compared to organizational commitment. Most striking was that the cohesion of the leadership team and the amount of leadership support was strongly related to organizational commitment, and indirectly to job satisfaction. Decentralization of leadership functions was weakly related to organizational commitment and job satisfaction.

/pdf/the-relationship-between-the-perception-of-distributed-4gvnd5xa9s.pdf

The relationship between the perception of distributed leadership in secondary schools and teachers' and teacher leaders' job satisfaction and organizational commitment

Purpose: In this study the relationship between school leadership and teachers’ organizational commitment is examined by taking into account a distributed leadership perspective. The relation betwe...

/pdf/the-relation-between-school-leadership-from-a-distributed-3dmo9oeqjk.pdf

The relation between school leadership from a distributed perspective and teachers' organizational commitment: examining the source of the leadership function

In the present study the effects of a cooperative leadership team, distributed leadership, participative decision-making, and context variables on teachers’ organizational commitment are investigated. Multilevel analyses on data from 1522 teachers indicated that 9% of the variance in teachers’ organizational commitment is attributable to differences between schools. The analyses revealed that especially the presence of a cooperative leadership team and the amount of leadership support played a significantly positive key role in predicting teachers’ organizational commitment. Also, participative decision-making and distribution of the supportive leadership function had a significant positive impact on teachers’ organizational commitment. In contrast, distribution of the supervisory leadership function and teachers’ job experience had a significant negative impact.

/pdf/the-influence-of-distributed-leadership-on-teachers-55ndsz4jw3.pdf

The Influence of Distributed Leadership on Teachers’ Organizational Commitment: A Multilevel Approach

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/955117/file/6828753.pdf

How Distributed Leadership Can Make a Difference in Teachers' Organizational Commitment? A Qualitative Study.

School leadership : handbook for excellence

Foreword - Joseph Murphy Preface How This Book Was Written Intended Audience Method of Citation Scope and Organization Acknowledgments About the Editors About the Contributors Introduction: Leadership for Excellence in Learning The Mission Is Student Learning What Is Leadership? Assumptions About the Nature of Leadership Conclusion: A Passion for Learning PART I. The State of School Leadership 1. The Landscape of School Leadership - Larry Lashway The State of the Principalship: A Snapshot The Supply and Demand Challenge What Is the Principal's Proper Role? Conclusion: What's Over the Next Hill? Reflections 2. The Effects of Leadership - Larry Lashway The Search for Leadership Effects Syntheses of the Evidence Essential Acts of Leadership Conclusion: A Compass, Not a Road Map Reflections PART II. The Person 3. Portrait of a Leader - Larry Lashway, JoAnn Mazzarella, and Thomas Grundy The Characteristics of Leaders Personality Competence Mastery of Self Interpersonal Competence Character Leadership Behaviors The Genesis of Leadership What We Don't Know About Leadership Implications Conclusion: A Sketch for Each Leader to Complete Reflections 4. Leadership Styles and Strategies - Larry Lashway Dimensions of Leadership Style Unanswered Questions About Style The Importance of Style Leadership Strategies Hierarchical Leadership Transformational Leadership Facilitative Leadership Is There a Best Strategy? Choosing a Strategy Conclusion: The Need for Clarity of Purpose Reflections 5. Developing School Leaders - Larry Lashway A Developmental Perspective The Phases of Principals' Careers The Special Case of the Assistant Principal Assessment Tools for Developing Leadership Conclusion: A Pathway Uncertain Yet Sure Reflections PART III. The Values 6. Ethical Leadership - Larry Lashway The Virtuous Leader Making Ethical Decisions Leaders as Advocates Conclusion: A Question of Destiny Reflections 7. Visionary Leadership - Larry Lashway The Nature of Vision The Impact of Vision The Problem With Vision The Leader's Role Developing Personal Vision Tailoring the Vision to the School Institutionalizing the Vision Beyond Vision: The Learning Organization Conclusion: Change as a Driving Force for Excellence Reflections 8. Cultural Leadership - Stuart C. Smith The Power of a Strong Culture The Perspective of This Chapter The Heart of the Matter The Meaning of Culture Three Levels of Culture Principles for Shaping School Culture How Leaders Construct Culture Shaping the Student Subculture Fostering a Sense of Community Conclusion: Having the Heart to Persevere Reflections PART IV. The Structure 9. Accountable Leadership - Larry Lashway The Many Faces of Accountability The Leadership Challenge Using Accountability to Improve Learning Conclusion: A Core Leadership Responsibility Reflections 10. Site-Based Management - Wendell Anderson History and Structure of SBM Participants Site Councils SBM and Academic Achievement Role of the Principal in SBM Role of the Superintendent and Other Administrators Conclusion: Leaders' Commitment Drives Change Reflections 11. Distributed Leadership - Larry Lashway Who Was That Masked Man, Anyway? An Alternative Conception: Distributed Leadership The Continuum of Leadership Distributed Leadership in Schools Varieties of Distributed Leadership Making Distributed Leadership Work Expanding Leadership Through Work Teams Conclusion: Why the Effort Is Worthwhile Reflections 12. Political Leadership - Larry Lashway The Two Worlds of School Politics Acting Politically Conclusion: Being Political, Remaining Ethical Reflections PART V. The Mission: Student Learning 13. Instructional Leadership: Supporting the Learning Process - Ronald A. Beghetto and Julie Alonzo What Is Learning? Clarifying the Goals of Purposeful Learning Selecting Instructional Strategies Conclusion: Collaboration Is the Route to Success Reflections 14. Instructional Leadership: Progress Monitoring - Ronald A. Beghetto and Leanne R. Ketterlin-Geller What Is Progress Monitoring? Using Multiple Sources of Information to Monitor Progress Improving the Interpretation and Use of Information Communicating Progress An Example: Progress Monitoring in a School District Conclusion: A Career-Long Practice Reflections 15. Instructional Leadership: Cultivating a Learning-Focused Community in Schools - Ronald A. Beghetto What Is a Learning-Focused Community? Why Do Students Engage in or Avoid Achievement-Directed Behavior? How Do Learning Communities Influence Students' Achievement Behavior? How Does the Learning Environment Influence Teachers? Cultivating a Focus on Learning in the School Community Conclusion: The Need for Creativity and Resolve Reflections PART VI. The Skills 16. Communicating - Wendell Anderson Principles of Organizational Communication Communication and Student Learning The Communication Process Communication Skills The Silent Language Administrative Writing Conclusion: Perseverance Pays Off Reflections 17. Engaging the Public - Wendell Anderson A New Way of Doing Business Connecting With the Community Creating a Community-Relations Plan Delivering the Message Working With the News Media Evaluating Community-Relations Efforts Conclusion: Engaging for Mutual Benefit Reflections 18. Managing Data for Decision Making: Creating Knowledge From Information - Gerald Tindal, Luke Duesbery, and Leanne R. Ketterlin-Geller Principles of Data-Driven Decision Making Developing an Infrastructure for Managing and Interpreting Data Getting Accurate Data From All Students: Technical Adequacy and Universal Design Reference for Interpreting Results: Using Graphic Displays to Evaluate Performance Conclusion: The Goal Is Progress for All Students Reflections 19. Allocating Human, Financial, and Physical Resources - Faith E. Crampton and Randall S. Vesely Human Resources: Creating and Sustaining Human and Social Capital Fiscal Resources: Making the Best Use of Existing Financial Resources Physical Resources: Maintaining and Enhancing the Physical Environment of Schools Conclusion: Comprehensive Planning Is Best Practice Reflections References Index

School leadership : handbook for excellence in student learning

Budgets, bonds, and ballots: voting behavior in school financial elections

Budgets, Bonds, and Ballots.

S OUND scientific method requires that any effort toward constructing a "grand theory" of voting be preceded by additional research into relatively neglected domains such as voting in local, nonpartisan elections. Research comparing individual or group correlates to voting in different types of elections' is sparse relative to the number of presidential election studies.2 Both this research and the aggregate of research testing important theoretical assumptions in different local election settings3 contain conflicting conclusions regarding such elemental hypotheses as the effect of social class on voter choice.

Philip K. Piele

Papers

School leadership : handbook for excellence

School leadership : handbook for excellence in student learning

Budgets, bonds, and ballots: voting behavior in school financial elections

Budgets, Bonds, and Ballots.

Selected Determinants of Precinct Voting Decisions in School Budget Elections