Educational Leadership. Center for New Principals. Welcome to the NASSP Center for New Principals! Whether you are new to the principal’s position or new to the school, the first few years are likely to be your most challenging. NASSP provides resources, assistance, and support to meet your needs as you improve your school. You’ll find advice from experienced principals, quick tips to help you day to day, and publications focused on specific issues to help new principals build on and improve their knowledge and skills as learning leaders. For regular updates and news of note, follow the CNP on Twitter and ScoopIt! You can also network with other new principals by joining NASSP's School Leaders Network for New Principals on EdWeb. The resources in this center are sorted in a variety of ways, making your search on a specific topic quick and efficient: Topics of special interest for new principals, online resources for new principals, and reference materials for download.
Can’t find a specific topic of interest? New! What are Core Values? Making learning Visible (John Hattie) Auckland University Professor John Hattie has recently authored a study, based on research into 83 million students, studying effective teachers around the world and has come up with some reassuring results for creative teachers. It's all about trusting relationships and 'oodles of feedback'. Note - it is not about national testing, our government's highly unoriginal plan. Click here for latest blogA link For more undated thinking about Hattie It seems hard to avoid the brief press releases of Auckland University Professor John Hattie's research in our newspapers. It is a shame that the papers haven't done more in depth research of their own into Hattie's findings.
Most teachers by now will know the main findings of Hattie's research from his previous papers and creative teachers will be reassured that his research backs up intuitive ideas gained from their experience. He also says that his book is not about qualitative studies. Five areas covered in Hattie's latest book are; TED Talks. Professional Development. The Do's and Don'ts of Supporting the Reluctant Teacher. I want to talk about a mythical creature – the Reluctant Teacher. This teacher has no desire to try anything new – it either does not interest them, or they do not see how it can possibly improve the way they teach. Despite the whole school, and even the whole profession heading in a particular direction, the Reluctant Teacher does their bit in holding back the tide.
After all, they know best. Eventually, though, the impossible happens, and they yield, cautiously embracing change. But how does this happen? Don’t pair up your “strong” teacher with your Reluctant Teacher. Do let teachers know that this is training – that is, they are allowed to try new things and fail, without any concerns of being judged. Don’t set up templates for your Reluctant Teacher. Do show them effective, simple and manageable reasons to use technology. Don’t encourage using technology just because it is available. Do avoid the glitz – show them function instead.
Do show relevant examples – not generic ones. New Help for School Administrators: Programs and Initiatives Offer Guidance. Support for school leaders is on the rise. Principal Mike Chappell appreciated the focused nature of the University of North Carolina’s Higher School Performance Program. Credit: Mike Chappell "[The principalship is] a position that is absolutely critical to educational change and improvement. A good principal can create a climate that can foster excellence in teaching and learning, while an ineffective one can quickly thwart the progress of the most dedicated reformers.
"-- Richard Riley, secretary of the U.S. Department of Education Riley's words, spoken during one of the Department of Education's Town Meetings in June 1999, echo the sentiments of educators and policy makers throughout the country. All that's changing, though, as more and more local, state, and national education entities hold their principals accountable for the success and failure of their students. That's as it should be, says Vincent L. Combining Theory and Practice Help from Critical Friends Portable Knowledge.