CLASSES begin today for the 40 administrative teams from all public elementary, middle and high schools all over the island who will be heading to the Holiday Inn to attend the Leadership Academy – a three-day professional development session on administration and leadership that will be facilitated by peer-experts within the Guam Department of Education.
The intense sessions, according to GDOE acting Deputy Superintendent Robert Malay, will focus on the first two of seven elements vital to school administration: visionary leadership and instructional leadership.
“The Leadership Academy has been going on since 2005. We have different approaches on how to do that. We have brought professionals from off-island to facilitate the sessions. But now we realize that we have the capacity here on-island to get that valued professional development from among our peers,” Malay explained.
Some of the peer-experts who will be facilitating the sessions include Dexter Fullo from Vicente A. Benavente Middle School and Janice Chargualaf from Adacao Elementary School. Fullo, according to Malay, has been recognized by the Learning Forward Organization for his involvement in professional learning communities. Chargualaf, for her part, will be discussing the different theories on systems and change.
Prior to the sessions, the school administrators have been given specific homework, reading, and study assignments.
Malay explained: “They are not going in there just saying, 'Teach me something.' They have to be prepared as they go on this journey.”
On the importance of professional development, he said: “Irrespective of what level we are engaged in our profession, it is important that we stay on top of the latest trend and what’s happening, and what the best practices are in the schools that are going to affect student achievement.”
Comments
Instructional leadership? Many if not most school administrators have little actual instructional experience to fall back on. Perhaps leadership here is finding someone with successful experience in instruction to guide instruction.
And when it's put here no one likes it. If you are not current with the research then how can you lead? Safe and Civil Schools is a place to start but their calendar is probably filled. We closed our Singapore's Critical Thinking calendar too. If we were friends you could be invited. -27
Visionary leadership? Visions are what poets, prophets and crazies have. Visions? I don't know if I would follow someone who had visions. Bright ideas maybe, but not visions.
Instructional leadership? Many if not most school administrators have little actual instructional experience to fall back on. Perhaps leadership here is finding someone with successful experience in instruction to guide instruction.
www.TheMainIdea.net on Skillful Leader. You have to read this reform thinking about creating effective teachers. It's awesome reading.
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