Managing change: The superintendent as line director of instruction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of a superintendent and his district instructional staff in managing change in a New York City school district. An individual case study was used to examine leadership and instructional improvement in a context with administrative and teaching staff limitations and an unprecedented influx of newly arrived immigrant students. We found a pattern of beliefs, instructional approaches and strategies consistent with district systemic change efforts; however, the superintendent emerged at the centre of all interviews and observations. Transformational and charismatic leadership were used to examine the phenomena.

Notes

Susan Sullivan is currently Chair of the Department of Education of the College of Staten Island, The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA (e‐mail: [email protected]). She was Coordinator of the Program in Educational Administration and continues to teach graduate courses in supervision of instruction and educational leadership. She has just completed the second edition of Supervision that Improves Instruction: Strategies and Techniques. She and Jeffrey Glanz also have a staff development text Supervision in Practice, and have just completed a manuscript for Corwin Press on leading learning communities. She has published in journals such as Journal of School Leadership, The Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, and Education and Urban Society.

Vivian Shulman is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the Education Department of the College of Staten Island. The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA (e‐mail: [email protected]). Her research includes the evaluation of professional development programs from the perspective of students, teachers and leaders; and the characterization and evaluation of the role of leaders (school and regional) in implementing changes in schools.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

VIVIAN SHULMAN

Susan Sullivan is currently Chair of the Department of Education of the College of Staten Island, The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA (e‐mail: [email protected]). She was Coordinator of the Program in Educational Administration and continues to teach graduate courses in supervision of instruction and educational leadership. She has just completed the second edition of Supervision that Improves Instruction: Strategies and Techniques. She and Jeffrey Glanz also have a staff development text Supervision in Practice, and have just completed a manuscript for Corwin Press on leading learning communities. She has published in journals such as Journal of School Leadership, The Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, and Education and Urban Society. Vivian Shulman is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the Education Department of the College of Staten Island. The City University of New York, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA (e‐mail: [email protected]). Her research includes the evaluation of professional development programs from the perspective of students, teachers and leaders; and the characterization and evaluation of the role of leaders (school and regional) in implementing changes in schools.