National Writing Project

Administrators' Roles in Successful Professional Development

Date: July 11, 2013

Summary: It is a truism that supportive school administrators are critical to successful professional development. But what does "supportive" mean on a daily basis at the school? On this show, we hosted three pairs of Writing Project sites and their school administrators and talked about the variety of ways that school administrators help make professional development effective.

 

Excerpt from Show

Kevin Boling, Principal of Holt Elementary School in Eugene, Oregon, on his own participation in professional development and why it was important:

I read and asked questions like [the teachers] did. It was clear that I was trying to understand this. This question about how essential is the support of the administrator. I don't think support is the right word; I think involvement is the right word. I think that the administrator as co-learner is just a real important thing. Principals that can teach have a great deal of credibility and influence with their staff."

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