Dr. E.E. "Gene" Davis
The Scoutmaster's Dilemma
Lawrence W. Lezotte and Katherine M. McGee
Abstract
The scoutmaster of Woodchucks Troop 234 is about to take a group of 25 young scouts on an eight-mile hike to a lake for an overnight camping experience next Saturday. He's led this particular hike many times before. but this year the Woodchuck council has made the event a competition. They have also changed the route to make it more difficult, one that involves hiking through a fairly dense woods and some rocky trail. Troop 234 is scheduled to leave at 10:00 a.m. and arrive a the lake no later than 3:00 p.m. If they don't make it by 3:00 p.m., their group will be disqualified from the competition. The scoutmaster is concerned about getting all the boys to the designated spot on time.
Developing District Vision and Mission as Entry-Level Superintendents
William Berube, Robin Dexter, and Robert McCarthy
Abstract
A new superintendent's first charge is to ensure that the district has a vision and mission in place that is understood and practiced by faculty, administration, and parents. It is crucial that these stakeholders, as a group, share an understanding of, and commitment to, the instructional goals, priorities, assessments, procedures, and personal and group accountability of the district. The Educational Leadership Program at the University of Wyoming worked with students preparing to be superintendents in order to research and practice how to facilitate the development and implementation of the district vision and mission as a new superintendent. This process relates to the Effective Schools Research that emphasizes the need for schools to have a clearly stated and focused mission on learning for all. The focus us always unequivocally on the student. This article discusses vision and mission by definition, community power, the change process, relationships, systems, and the processes considered when a district receives an new superintendent.
Spending and Student Achievement: Policy and Spending Implications for School Boards
Leslie S. Kaplan and William A. Owings
Abstract
In a climate of high public accountability for student learning, superintendents and school boards need to understand that money should be spent in schools to get the "biggest bang for the instructional buck." Reviewing Effective Schools Research and studies on educational spending and student achievement can help educational leaders focus their resources appropriately.
Effective School-Teacher Practices: Case Studies of the Achievement Gap Between African American and White Students
Ebrahim Maddahian, Penny Fidler, and Kathy Hayes
Abstract
This study represents an in-depth investigation od salient effective instructional activities and pedagogical practices supported by Effective Schools literature in eight purposely selected elementary schools from a large urban district in the Southwest. Schools were examined, that have narrowed the achievement gap for African Americans, to see how they are different from those schools in which the achievement gap has widened by comparing instructional and pedagogical elements in both types of schools. Case study methodology was employed to highlight significant differences between the two sets of elementary schools. Using the school effectiveness literature to establish a heuristic for the study, the following factors proved significant in differentiating schools: school leadership; high quality instruction; a positive scholl and classroom climate; appropriate use of assessment; shared understanding and commitment to school improvement; and the implementation of Culturally Relevant and Responsive Education (CRRE).
Book Reviews
Linking Teacher Evaluation and Student Learning
Authors - Pamela D. Tucker and James H. Stronge
Megh Thapa