Site-Based Leadership for Improving Instruction

Abstract

This article argues that a principal's actions can create site-based conditions that can grow a staff's capacity to improve instruction, depending on how a principal conceives of, organizes, and structures learning opportunities for teachers. The article analyzes the leadership of one principal as an example of how leaders can develop instructional capacity to improve teaching and learning. A conceptual framework is presented that defines instructional capacity and offers an approach for its development.

Key words:

• instructional improvement
• leadership
• learning communities

Notes

¹ The construct of resourcing comes from organizational scholar Martha Feldman (2004). She defines this concept as “the creation in practice of assets such as people, time, money, knowledge, or skill; and qualities of relationships such as trust, authority, or complementarity such that they enable actors to enact schemas” (p. 296).