What Makes a Good School Leadership Program? A Qualitative Study of the Lookstein Center Educational Leadership Advancement Initiative (ELAI)

ABSTRACT

How do educators become successful leaders? This qualitative study set out to learn more about The Lookstein Center ELAI program as well as mentoring and leadership training in general, with the hope of offering insights to other school leadership programs. The mentor-mentee relationship was seen to develop into a collaborative partnership, with the reflective relationships becoming enriching for both the mentor and mentee. The findings also emphasize the value of mentoring for midcareer educators. In addition, the importance of the cohort experience was stressed. Finally, unique to the ELAI program, location was viewed as a very influential aspect of this leadership training program for Jewish educators.

KEYWORDS:

• ELAI
• Jewish day schools
• leadership
• Lookstein Center
• mentoring

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alissa Beth Burstein

Dr. Alissa Beth Burstein is Director of research, communications, and membership at The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education at Bar-Ilan University and has taught several courses in qualitative research at the Efrata College in Jerusalem.

Eli Kohn

Rabbi Dr. Eli Kohn is Director of curriculum development at the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education at Bar-Ilan University and teaches courses on curriculum in the School of Education and other teacher training colleges. [email protected]