Course Syllabus

 

T-330 a, b, c:  School Instructional Leadership: Seminar and Practicum

Yearlong course

Wednesday,  5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Instructor:                                                                             

Sarah Fiarman                                                                      

617-661-0538 (cell)                                                                

Sarah_Fiarman@gse.harvard.edu                                          

Larsen 510                                                                              

Office hours: Thursdays 4:00-6:00pm (sign up on Canvas by midnight Wed) or by appointment (email Sarah to schedule)

Teaching Fellows:

Michael Figueroa                                mif285@mail.harvard.edu                   661-858-4770

Annice Fisher                                     aef644@mail.harvard.edu                   217-417-4720

Teaching Fellow office hours TBD

Faculty Assistant

Annette Granillo                                 annette_granillo@gse.harvard.edu         617-496-4808

 

Course Description

The primary goal of this yearlong course is to prepare students for principal licensure, for school leadership roles in district, charter, pilot, and private schools, and for leadership of educational organizations.  The course emphasizes the conceptual framework and skills, as well as the values and beliefs, which inform effective school and organizational leadership. Students who complete the course should expect to have mastered the following skills:

• How to set up and manage operational systems to ensure that the school as an organization runs well, continually engages in practices that concentrate on increasing the quality of instruction and student learning for all students, and positions itself as a school to thrive in the future;

• How to analyze and use multiple sources of data about student performance to improve instruction and student achievement for all learners;

• How to use teacher supervision, evaluation, and follow-up as a lever for instructional improvement;

• How to manage resources – people, time, money, job descriptions, district and community opportunities – and the budget development process to support instructional improvement and increased student achievement for all learners;

• How to engage parents and the community in supporting student learning;

• How to plan and implement schoolwide programs for English language learners that ensure language mastery and shelter content and scaffold instruction;

• How to recruit, hire, and support instructional staff;

• How to prepare personal entry plans for school leadership positions in district, charter, private, and pilot schools.

Throughout the course, students engage in the ongoing process of understanding their own implicit biases in order to practice more inclusive, equitable leadership. They work to develop and refine values and beliefs that support instructional improvement and high levels of learning for all students. In the context of the rapidly increasing population of English language learners, this course specifically addresses best practices for sheltering content for and teaching academic language to non-native English speakers. Students have opportunities throughout the course to consider the specific developmental needs of elementary, middle and high school students.

This course is limited to students in the School Leadership Program.

Course Expectations

Students are required to attend all classes; complete the readings and all written assignments; complete a practicum in a school; and maintain a practicum log. Students are also expected to integrate and synthesize the concepts, skills, products, and tools developed in this course and in A-328, Proseminar: School Leadership, as well as in other courses, and then to apply and use them in class, in team discussions, and at their practicum sites. Students are encouraged to take the class for satisfactory (B- or higher)/no credit, but they may take the class for a letter grade. Credit and grading for the course will be based on assigned papers, in-class participation, overall course participation (including reading reflections, attendance, practicum logs), and a final project at the end of the year.

 Confidentiality

Students are asked to respect confidentiality regarding information and experiences that may be shared during class discussions, group work, papers, and presentations. Students must use good judgment about sensitive issues and use discretion when talking or writing about their work.

Communication

This course will meet according to the schedule outlined below.  In addition to class meetings, e-mail will be used to facilitate communication.  Occasionally, the teaching team will make changes to the syllabus to be responsive to the needs of the class. These changes will always be indicated on the class powerpoint, in emails from the instructor, and in an updated syllabus on the course website. Please read emails from the teaching team carefully.  

Readings

Students are expected to complete weekly course readings in advance of the class meeting for which they are assigned.  Students are strongly encouraged to form study groups to discuss the readings prior to class. Students in the past have reported that study groups were an invaluable resource which provided unexpected perspectives on the readings and improved students’ participation and learning in class.  The TFs will help facilitate groups for those who desire it. 

Frequently, in the syllabus, additional readings are listed under “recommended for further reading.” These are optional; students are not expected to read these selections for class. They are included because students in the past have asked for additional recommendations in order to go deeper into topics of particular interest.

In addition to the required texts listed below, other required readings are in the T-330 iPac and/or on the T-330 iSite.  The instructor may occasionally distribute and post other materials.

Unit Reflection Partners

At the end of each unit, students engage in reflection as a way to consolidate and synthesize their learning. The goal is for them to consider what they’ve learned, what questions the unit has raised for them, and to apply these insights and examine these questions further in the context of their practicum site as well as in their planning for their future leadership role. Students have several choices of how to do this: through a personal journal reflection or forward-looking document that captures the year’s learning; through an online exchange with a reflection partner; through meeting with a study group to discuss the unit and readings together and then submitting a brief summary of the group discussion; or through another means of reflection/synthesis proposed by the student. In every case, reflections should be grounded in (i.e. explicitly reference) at least one reading and should be submitted by the Tuesday night following the final class of a unit.

Reading reflections will not be assessed individually, but will be checked off as “submitted” or “not submitted.”  The overall quality of reading reflections will be taken into consideration in each student’s class participation grade. Failure to complete this requirement will result in a half-grade reduction. 

 Unit Reflection Deadlines

Unit	Reflection Due
Unit 6: Creating Accountable Communities to Create Equitable Outcomes	February 9
Unit 7: Using Teacher Evaluation, Supervision, and Follow-up for Instructional Improvement	March 8
Unit 8: Allocating Resources to Support Instructional Improvement and Equitable Learning Outcomes	April 5
Units 9-11: Entry plan, Special Education and ELL policies	N/A
Courageous Conversation reflection	April 19

 

Participation in Class

Class attendance is required and students are expected to contribute to class discussions, team discussions, and class activities based on the weekly course readings.  Participation from all class members adds depth and a valuable range of perspectives to the topics discussed.  Participation does not mean simply speaking aloud in class. Students should actively follow the discussion and respect the viewpoints and perspectives of others. In order to do this, students need to be completely focused. Therefore, in this course, all electronic devices should be shut off and away unless an assignment requires their use (most commonly during team time).  (See Stanford professor of social media Clay Shirky’s rationale for a no devices requirement in his classes:  http://tinyurl.com/mtpcppg)  If a student has a particular need regarding technology devices, s/he should notify the teaching team.

A clear expectations document (available on the course website) will be used for evaluating class participation and team participation. Students will complete at least one self-assessment during the year using the document, which is on the course website.  The teaching team will also use the same document several times during the year and provide feedback to students.  Twenty-five percent (25%) of the course grade includes an assessment of your contributions in class, team discussions, and class activities. 

 Leading Courageous Conversations About Race

One of the assignments in T330 is to operationalize the School Leadership Program’s goal around equity. The following goal is from the SLP Practicum Handbook:

SLP Goal: Working Effectively Across Differences to Promote Equity

Effective leaders view the diversity of people in organizations as an asset. They seek out people who are different from themselves in order to learn both about themselves and the communities they serve. These differences include race, class, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation and identity as well as differences in perspectives, personality types, background and skill sets.   Effective leaders continually develop cultural proficiency (their own and others’) and have--and support others to have--courageous conversations about race.  They cultivate a clear agenda around disrupting the status quo of educational inequities and ensure that their school supports learning for ALL students. 

Each student in T330 is expected to explicitly practice initiating and leading courageous conversations* about race with other adults during the year. This may include sharing an article at a team meeting and leading a discussion about its connection to those teachers’ students, infusing conversations about race into a parent engagement committee, planning and leading at least one Open Learning Session about race (explained further in A328), or leading these conversations as part of a specific PAL task. The teaching team will periodically ask for updates on this work throughout the year and students will be expected to write about this work in their final unit reflection (which will be done as an individual reflection). This assignment is ungraded.

Resources for this assignment include readings from the summer module, A328, and T330 including Courageous Conversations About Race by Singleton and Linton, Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders by Lindsey, Robins, and Terrell, and Everyday Antiracism: Getting Real About Race in Schools edited by Mica Pollack.

 *See Courageous Conversations About Race by Glenn Singleton and Curtis Linton.

Overall Course Participation

Twenty-five percent of the course grade consists of an overall rating on the following measures: in-class participation assessment, completion of all reading reflections and partner responses, completion of courageous conversation requirement, completion of all practicum logs, and class attendance.

Timeline of Assignments and Grading Procedures

Grading Procedures

Students may elect to receive either a letter grade or satisfactory/no credit. The final grade will be based on the following:

Due Date	Assignment	% of Final Grade
March 11	PAL (Performance Assessment for Leaders) #4 Family and Community Engagement	15%
April 8	PAL (Performance Assessment for Leaders) #3 Observing, Assessing, and Supporting Individual Teacher Effectiveness	15%
April 27	Culminating Project Entry Plan or other proposed final project	15%
-	Overall Course Participation*	25%

                                                   

 Required Texts for Semester 1 and Semester 2

• Bambrick-Santoyo, P. (2012). Leverage Leadership: A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools. Jossey-Bass. ISBN 978-1-118-13860-1 (Semester 1)
• Bambrick-Santoyo, P. (2010). Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction. Jossey-Bass. Jossey-Bass. ISBN 978-0-470-54874-5 (Semester 1)
• Boudett, K., City, E., and Murnane, R. (2013). Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning, revised and expanded edition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. ISBN 978-1-61250-522-0 (Semester 1)
• Johnson, S.M. (2004). Finders and Keepers: Helping New Teachers Survive and Thrive in our Schools.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  ISBN 978-0787987640 (Semester 2)
• Garcia, R. (2012 ). Bridging the English Language Learner Achievement Gap: Essential Lessons for School Leaders. New York: Teachers College Press. ISBN 978-0-8077-5360-6 (Semester 1 &2)
• Henderson, A., Mapp, K., Johnson, V., and Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships. New York, NY: The New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-7 (Semester 1)
• Jentz, B. and Wofford, J. (2012). The Entry Plan Approach, Education Edition. Newton, MA: Leadership and Learning Inc. ISBN 10-0615402356 (Semester 2)
• Miles, K. and Frank, S. (2008). The Strategic School: Making the Most of People, Time and Money. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. ISBN 978-1-4129-0417-9 (Semester 1 & 2)
• Platt, A., Tripp, C., Fraser, R., Warnock, J., and Curtis, R. (2008). The Skillful Leader II: Confronting Conditions That Undermine Learning. Acton, MA: Ready About Press. ISBN 978-1-886822-11-5 (Semester 2)
• Platt, A. and Tripp, C. (2014). The Skillful Leader III: Strenthening Teaching Evaluation. Acton, MA: Ready About Press. ISBN 978-1-886822-57-3 (Semester 2)
• Pollock, M. (2008). Everyday Anti-Racism: Getting Real About Race in Schools. New York: The New Press. ISBN 9781595580542 (Semester 1 & 2)

Course Papers

Assignment #3:   PAL #4  Leadership for Family and Community Engagement.   Due: March 11th , 2016 by 12:00 midnight

Interns will work collaboratively with school leadership, representative school staff, and family and community representatives, to develop a proposal and implement one component of the proposed strategies to improve family and community engagement in a school’s priority area.  The priority area can be related to student achievement or student health and social needs that impact their learning.

See detailed (~20-pages each) PAL Task description, requirements, & rubric: http://ma-pal.com/

Each student must submit his/her PAL to the state before it can be graded for T330. For this reason, when students submit assignments #3 and #4 to Canvas, they must include a page stating that they have already submitted the PAL to the state. For example: “I submitted this PAL to the state on [month, date], 2016.”

Assignment #4:  PAL #3  Leadership in Observing, Assessing and Supporting Individual Teacher Effectiveness   Due: April 8th2016 by 12:00 midnight

Interns will demonstrate their instructional leadership skills to plan for a teacher observation, observe, analyze observation and student data, provide feedback and plan support for an individual teacher. [SLP requires that interns complete this process for 3 teachers over the year]

See detailed (~20-pages each) PAL Task description, requirements, & rubric: http://ma-pal.com/

Each student must submit his/her PAL to the state before it can be graded for T330. For this reason, when students submit assignments #3 and #4 to Canvas, they must include a page stating that they have already submitted the PAL to the state. For example: “I submitted this PAL to the state on [month, date], 2016.”

Final Project: Due in class on April 27^th, 2016.

Your final assignment provides an opportunity to consolidate your learning from the entire course. Each student will choose the best way to do this and submit a plan to the teaching team in mid-April. The project should be:

• Integrative:  Project synthesizes ideas you’ve learned in coursework, practicum and other leadership experiences.  
• Grounded: Project is practical, not theoretical.
• Forward-looking and useful: Project has immediate, meaningful applications to your next steps as a leader.

Examples from last year’s final projects include: an entry plan for a student’s new leadership role; a proposed professional development plan for a school the student will be leading; a proposal for a documentary movie about educational issues; a plan for a professional development session about cultural proficiency for teachers; a binder of resources and reflections from the units of the class. Final projects are intended to be highly practical and developed to meet individual students’ needs. They are not graded.

 General Guidelines for Written Assignments

Students will receive a rubric to guide them in the preparation of each paper and written assignment. Assignments must reflect an understanding and integration of the readings, interviews, topics, speakers, presentations, and school visits. Papers must be submitted on or before the designated date.  On the rare occasion when a student requires an extension, we expect students to demonstrate professionalism. A student must request an extension in writing at least 48 hours in advance of the deadline and must include the date by which s/he will submit the late paper. Papers submitted two weeks after the deadline will automatically be reduced by half a grade for every additional day late. Students will be allowed to re-write assignments if they request to do so. 

Please be sure that:

• Your writing is clear and grammatically correct.
• You use the spell check feature of your word processing application.
• Your papers are double-spaced using a 12 point font.
• Your papers advance an argument, are coherent, and provide evidence of an underlying outline, structure, or logic.
• You use and properly cite course readings and other sources.
• You observe the page limits.
• You submit assignments on time

 

Resources for writing

Students are encouraged to access free and helpful writing support throughout the year. Writing Tutors have received descriptions of the PAL tasks and expectations for the course.  For appointments for Academic Writing Support:

Research and Instruction Services 617-495-3421/3422

http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k14706&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup20356

This is free editorial support – an invaluable resource to every student. Don’t miss out on this resource.

 

Guest Speakers on School Instructional Leadership

From time to time, guest speakers will be invited to a class session because of their experience and expertise in a major instructional leadership topic.  Students will be asked to write a short in-class reflective response to the speaker’s presentation. 

 

Instructional Rounds

As part of A 328, Instructional Rounds will be conducted in local schools on three Fridays during the year.  These are valuable opportunities to deepen your understanding of and vision for effective instruction.

 

Simulations and Cases

From time to time, simulations (and sometimes cases) will be used in T-330 as examples of real practice that provide insights into the actions of leaders.  As you read these examples of practice, you should be putting yourself in the shoes of the multiple actors in the scenario and asking yourself how each person might respond and in particular what strategies you as a leader might employ.

 

In the Moment Activities

In the Moment activities are another of the learning tools in T-330.  These are formative, problem-based learning activities that present students with representative scenarios, problems,  and situations based on real life experiences of administrators. Students will also receive relevant data and criteria and a short time frame to work in teams to come up with responses. The purposes of In the Moment activities are to gain experience in responding effectively and quickly to complex problems, to develop skills in defining problems more precisely, to apply concepts from the readings and class discussion to the real work of schools and organizations, and to generate probable solutions and next steps. Students will work in teams to analyze, discuss, and present responses. These activities may involve role play.

SPRING SEMESTER (_{Please refer to modules on Canvas for readings)}

January 20, 2016 Interviewing for a School Leadership Position (OPTIONAL)

January 22, 2016 Panel Discussion and Practice Interviews (OPTIONAL)

 Guiding Questions:

• What questions should school leaders be prepared to answer during the interview process?
• What performance-based tasks should school leaders be prepared to complete during the screening and interviewing process?
• How do school leaders use peer feedback and self-assessment to improve their performance at interviews?
• How do school leaders project competence and confidence during interviews?

Unit 6: Organizing to Learn (continued):  Creating Accountable Communities to Create Equitable Outcomes

 January 27, 2016 Supporting Learning Communities to be Increasingly Accountable

Guiding Questions:

• What kind of adult behaviors and school conditions contribute to continuous learning and improvement in schools?
• What actions do school leaders take to develop, support, sustain these behaviors and conditions?
• What actions do we need to take in T330 to be an “accountable community” that supports each person’s learning?

 February 3, 2016 Supporting Learning Communities to be Increasingly Equitable

Guiding Questions:

• When and how do school leaders have “courageous conversations” about race in their work?
• How do school leaders address systemic as well as individual levels of racism?
• How do school leaders act strategically to promote equity? How do they use the different frames from Bolman and Deal’s model to promote equity?

Unit 7: Using Teacher Evaluation, Supervision, and Follow-up for Instructional Improvement 

 February 10, 2016 Using Frameworks and Systems for Teacher Supervision and Evaluation

 Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders select a framework for observing and analyzing teaching?
• Should school leaders use a different framework for observing and analyzing the teaching of students of color or students in urban environments than they use for other students?
• How do school leaders develop a systematic approach to teacher evaluation and supervision?
• How do school leaders give timely and useful feedback to teachers to improve classroom instruction?

February 17, 2016 Coaching for Instructional Improvement

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders select effective tools and processes to manage the work of supervision and evaluation of teachers?
• How is data used by school leaders to focus on and evaluate teacher effectiveness?
• How do school leaders support the ongoing growth of teachers through supervision?

February 24, 2016 Coaching for Instructional Improvement

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders efficiently and responsibly manage the logistics of evaluation?
• How do school leaders act as “warm demanders” (see Ferguson article) towards all teachers (in addition to ensuring that teachers are “warm demanders” for all students)?
• What are the key activities school leaders engage in to focus supervision and evaluation on teacher development and improved performance?

March 2, 2016 Teacher Evaluation and Supervision Terminating Unsatisfactory Teachers and Support Staff

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders hold teachers accountable for high performance and improving performance?
• How do school leaders determine whether and when a teacher should be dismissed?
• How do school leaders dismiss a teacher responsibly?

Preparation Due:

Bring videotape and/or documentation from a conference you had with a teacher either before or after observing a lesson.  Prepare to receive and give feedback on these conferences.

Unit 8: Allocating School Resources (People, Time, and Money) to Support Instructional Improvement and Equitable Learning Outcomes

 March 9, 2016 Allocating the “Big Three” Guiding Principles to Increase Learning in Schools (Focus on TIME)

Guiding Questions

• How do “resourceful” school leaders set priorities for use of time, people, and money?
• How do school leaders work within the budget development processes of districts, charter school management organizations, and private schools to maintain and maximize the big three resources for improved instruction?

 PAL 4 DUE March 11

March 16, 2016 – No Class – SPRING RECESS

March 23, 2016 Allocating the “Big Three” Guiding Principles to Increase Learning in Schools (Focus on MONEY)

Guiding Questions:

• What guiding strategies for resource allocation have the greatest impact on student
• achievement?
• How do school leaders identify, integrate, and use strategically all resources - people, time, money – to increase equity and support instructional improvement for all learners?
• How do school leaders use all resources to support adult learning?

            Unit 8:  Using Best Practices for Recruitment, Selection, and Hiring Instructional Staff 

March 30, 2016 Allocating the “Big Three” Guiding Principles to Increase Learning in Schools (Focus on PEOPLE)

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders develop systematic ways to support recruitment, selection, hiring, and supporting instructional staff (and in particular, staff of color)?
• What strategies do school leaders use to make effective hiring decisions?
• How do school leaders support beginning teachers or teachers new to the school?
• How do school leaders support teachers at all levels of professional practice?

 Unit 9: Entry plan and Communication

April 6, 2016 Planning for Leadership Success: The Entry Plan Approach

Guiding Questions:

• How do leaders design entry plans as they begin new leadership roles?
• How do leaders generate accurate and usable about the “state of the school?
• How do leaders form plans to translate strategy into action?

 PAL 3 DUE April 8^th

Unit 10: Building School-Based Programs to Support Students with Disabilities

April 13, 2016            

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders build teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by students with disabilities?
• How do school leaders recognize and ensure the use of best practices for promoting the academic achievement of students with disabilities?
• How do school leaders ensure that students with disabilities are provided equal access to quality education?
• How do school leaders ensure that students of color and English Language Learners are not disproportionally referred to special education?

 

Proposal for Culminating Project DUE in class

 Unit 11: Building School-Based Programs to Support English Language Learners 

April 20, 2016            

Guiding Questions:

• How do school leaders build teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by English language learners?
• How do school leaders build school-based programs to support English Language Learners that address language acquisition, shelter content, and scaffold instruction?
• How do school leaders ensure that English Language Learners are provided equal access to quality education and are not disproportionally referred to special education?

April 27, 2016 Culminating Project – Entry Plan or Other Proposed Final Project Exit-planning for practicum site