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Good Morning, Chris

Module by: Gene Spanneut. E-mail the author

Summary: In this two hour in-class instructional activity, each of four teams of educational administration students shall receive a slightly different version of events confronting either a building level leader or a district level leader in a fictitious school district: Activity variations #1 and #2 pertain to a school building level leader. Please note that the information in “The setting” part of activity variation # 1 consists of 7 items while “The setting” part of activity variation #2 consists of 10 items. The differences between variations #1 and #2 focus on how the school building level leader is confronted by the information contained in the “Today’s events” section of each activity. Activity variations #3 and #4 pertain to a school district level leader. Please note that the information in “The setting” part of activity variation # 3 consists of 8 items while “The setting” part of activity variation #4 consists of 10 items. The differences between variations #3 and #4 focus on how the district level leader is confronted by the information contained in the “Today’s events” section of each activity. Each team is to independently review and then use the written information provided to them in their respective version of the activity they received to: (1) identify the leadership issue(s) they believe the leader faces; (2) determine which ISLLC standard(s) they believe should provide over-arching structure for the leader as he/she prepares to address the identified issue(s); (3) develop and justify a strategy (or strategies) they believe the leader should use to address with the issue(s); (4) identify consequences that might occur as a result of the leader implementing the strategy (or strategies) they developed; and, (5) prepare, present, and explain to the class all of their responses for each of items (1) - (4) as listed directly above.

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Note:

This Instructional Module has been reviewed and accepted as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of education administration. In addition to publication in the Connexions Content Commons, this module is published in the International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, and catalogued under Instructional Modules and Education Material. The module is also submitted to the Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) Digital Library.

Introduction

In this two hour in-class instructional activity, each of four teams of educational administration students shall receive a slightly different version of events confronting either a building level leader or a district level leader in a fictitious school district:

Activity variations #1 and #2 pertain to a school building level leader. Please note that the information in “The setting” part of activity variation # 1 consists of 7 items while “The setting” part of activity variation #2 consists of 10 items. The differences between variations #1 and #2 focus on how the school building level leader is confronted by the information contained in the “Today’s events” section of each activity.

Activity variations #3 and #4 pertain to a school district level leader. Please note that the information in “The setting” part of activity variation # 3 consists of 8 items while “The setting” part of activity variation #4 consists of 10 items. The differences between variations #3 and #4 focus on how the district level leader is confronted by the information contained in the “Today’s events” section of each activity.

Each team is to independently review and then use the written information provided to them in their respective version of the activity they received to:

  1. identify the leadership issue(s) they believe the leader faces;
  2. determine which ISLLC standard(s) they believe should provide over-arching structure for the leader as he/she prepares to address the identified issue(s);
  3. develop and justify a strategy (or strategies) they believe the leader should use to address with the issue(s);
  4. identify consequences that might occur as a result of the leader implementing the strategy (or strategies) they developed; and,
  5. prepare, present, and explain to the class all of their responses for each of items (1) - (4) as listed directly above.

Good Morning Chris: Activity Variation #1; School Building Level Leader

The Setting

  1. Chris Smith was appointed as the principal of the 700 pupil Peaceful Glen High School (PGHS) last July. The Peaceful Glen Central School District is a rural district located in our state.
  2. For nine years immediately preceding his appointment, Chris taught in the PGHS; he was well respected as a teacher by colleagues, students, and parents.
  3. Ellen Green, a teacher in the PGHS building, has been the president of the Peaceful Glen Teachers’ Union for the past six years.
  4. Throughout his tenure in the district, Chris has had a positive professional relationship with Ellen. In addition to working with her on several curriculum projects over the years, Chris was a member of the executive committee of the teachers’ union for the three years immediately preceding his appointment as principal.
  5. Chris has also had a positive personal relationship with Ellen and her husband, Tony. The two families live near each other in the same neighborhood. Chris and his wife often attend social events with Ellen and Tony. The children in the two families are good friends and are frequently at each others’ homes.
  6. The contract between the district and the teachers’ union expired 18 months ago and negotiations have been at a standstill for the past eight months. That the district and the union are “miles apart” on several matters is common knowledge. The rapport between the district and the union has mostly been professional and cordial. However, there are increasing sentiments among faculty and within some segments of the school community that teacher morale is rapidly waning and is beginning to affect the quality of instruction.
  7. The school day begins at 7:00 am for all support staff in the PGHS and at 7:30 am for all instructional staff; students arrive at 7:45 am.

Today's Events

Chris receives a phone call at home this evening from Anne, one of the secretaries in the PGHS office. Anne informs Chris she just heard from a trusted acquaintance who teaches in the PGHS that the teachers’ union will hold some type of protest in front of the building tomorrow morning and that the media will be contacted. After saying she has no other information and that she agreed not to mention her friend’s name, Anne asks Chris not to disclose her name or any other identifying information about her.

Directions

Review the six 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and their respective functions. These were provided with the materials for this course; they are also available as a free PDF document from the following web address: http://www.ccsso.org/publications/index.cfm. Then, as a team, prepare to present and explain verbally and in writing (outline form on chart paper) to the class your responses to items A – D below:

  1. Based on the information provided above under the headings “The setting” and “Today’s events,” identify and come to consensus as a team on the leadership and/or the management issue(s) facing Chris. Provide your team’s rationale for your choice(s). You may wish to review the format used in the sections “Addressing the Critical Issues” following many of the scenarios in our course text (Green, 2009), such as those on pages 88 – 90, 121 – 123, and 154 – 156.
  2. Identify and come to consensus as a team which ISLLC standard(s) and which of its (their) functions your team believes should provide the overarching structure for how Chris should address the issue(s) you have identified. Provide your team’s rationale for your choices.
  3. Based on your conclusions for items A and B above, develop and come to consensus as a team on the strategy (or strategies) your team believes Chris should employ to successfully address your stated issue(s).
  4. Identify and come to consensus as a team on the consequences that may result from the implementation of the strategy (or strategies) your team developed in item C above.
  5. The time allotted for completing this activity is two hours.

Good Morning, Chris: Activity Variation #2; School Building Level Leader

The Setting

  1. Chris Smith was appointed as the principal of the 700 pupil Peaceful Glen High School (PGHS) last July. The Peaceful Glen Central School District is a rural district located in our state.
  2. For nine years immediately preceding his appointment, Chris taught in the PGHS; he was well respected as a teacher by colleagues, students, and parents.
  3. Ellen Green, a teacher in the PGHS building, has been the president of the Peaceful Glen Teachers’ Union for the past six years.
  4. Throughout his tenure in the district, Chris has had a positive professional relationship with Ellen. In addition to working with her on several curriculum projects over the years, Chris was a member of the executive committee of the teachers’ union for the three years immediately preceding his appointment as principal.
  5. Chris has also had a positive personal relationship with Ellen and her husband, Tony. The two families live near each other in the same neighborhood. Chris and his wife often attend social events with Ellen and Tony. The children in the two families are good friends and are frequently at each others’ homes.
  6. The contract between the district and the teachers’ union expired 18 months ago and negotiations have been at a standstill for the past eight months. That the district and the union are “miles apart” on several matters is common knowledge. The rapport between the district and the union has mostly been professional and cordial. However, there are increasing sentiments among faculty and within some segments of the school community that teacher morale is rapidly waning and is beginning to affect the quality of instruction.
  7. The school day begins at 7:00 am for all support staff in the PGHS and at 7:30 am for all instructional staff; students arrive at 7:45 am.
  8. As Chris drives into the PGHS parking lot one morning at 7:15 am, he notices it is unusually full of vehicles, including two from local television stations.
  9. As he searches for a place to park, Chris sees a large number of people in front of the building. While most are teachers in the PGHS building, Chris recognizes many from other buildings in the school district. Chris also notices that the four daytime custodians are standing on the lawn adjacent to the sidewalk.
  10. The teachers are standing in a large group across the sidewalk in front of the main entrance doors to the building; several are carrying signs.

Today's Events

As Chris walks toward the entrance, he sees Ellen, two television reporters, and two camera operators walking toward him. Ellen approaches and, speaking into a megaphone, greets him by loudly stating rather than asking, “You aren’t going to cross through our line are you, Chris.”

Directions

Review the six 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and their respective functions. These were provided with the materials for this course; they are also available as a free PDF document from the following web address: http://www.ccsso.org/publications/index.cfm. Then, as a team, prepare to present and explain verbally and in writing (outline form on chart paper) to the class your responses to items A – D below:

  1. Based on the information provided above under the headings “The setting” and “Today’s events,” identify and come to consensus as a team on the leadership and/or the management issue(s) facing Chris. Provide your team’s rationale for your choice(s). You may wish to review the format used in the sections “Addressing the Critical Issues” following many of the scenarios in our course text (Green, 2009), such as those on pages 88 – 90, 121 – 123, and 154 – 156.
  2. Identify and come to consensus as a team which ISLLC standard(s) and which of its (their) functions your team believes should provide the overarching structure for how Chris should address the issue(s) you have identified. Provide your team’s rationale for your choices.
  3. Based on your conclusions for items A and B above, identify and come to consensus as a team what in priority order your team believes Chris should do to successfully address your stated issue(s).
  4. Identify and come to consensus as a team the consequences that may occur as a result of Chris doing what you identified in item C above.
  5. The time allotted for completing this activity is two hours.

Good Morning, Chris: Activity Variation #3; School District Level Leader

The Setting

  1. Chris Smith was appointed five months ago as the assistant superintendent for instruction in the Peaceful Glen Central School District, a rural district located in our state. Chris is well respected by colleagues, teachers, students, and parents.
  2. The new high school principal began her duties last month.
  3. For three years immediately preceding his appointment, Chris was the principal of the Peaceful Glen High School (PGHS). Prior to that, he was a teacher in that high school.
  4. Ellen Green, a teacher in the PGHS, has been the president of the Peaceful Glen Teachers’ Union for the past seven years.
  5. Throughout his tenure in the district, Chris has had a positive professional relationship with Ellen. In addition to working with her on several curriculum projects over the years, Chris was a member of the executive committee of the teachers’ union for the three years immediately preceding his appointment as principal.
  6. Chris has also had a positive personal relationship with Ellen and her husband, Tony. The two families live near each other in the same neighborhood. Chris and his wife often attend social events with Ellen and Tony. The children in the two families are good friends and are frequently at each others’ homes.
  7. The contract between the district and the teachers’ union expired 18 months ago and negotiations have been at a standstill for the past eight months. That the district and the union are “miles apart” on several matters is common knowledge. The rapport between the district and the union has mostly been professional and cordial. However, there are increasing sentiments among faculty and within some segments of the school community that teacher morale is rapidly waning and is beginning to affect the quality of instruction.
  8. The school day begins at 7:00 am for all support staff in the PGHS and at 7:30 am for all instructional staff; students arrive at 7:45 am.

Today's Events

Chris receives a phone call at home Monday evening from Anne, one of the secretaries in the PGHS office. Anne informs Chris she just heard from a trusted acquaintance who teaches in the PGHS that the teachers’ union will hold some type of protest in front of the building tomorrow morning and that the media will be contacted. After saying she has no other information and that she agreed not to mention her friend’s name, Anne asks Chris not to disclose her name or any other identifying information about her.

Directions

Review the six 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and their respective functions. These were provided with the materials for this course; they are also available as a free PDF document from the following web address: http://www.ccsso.org/publications/index.cfm. Then, as a team, prepare to present and explain verbally and in writing (outline form on chart paper) to the class your responses to items A – D below:

  1. Based on the information provided above under the headings “The setting” and “Today’s events,” identify and come to consensus as a team on the leadership and/or the management issue(s) facing Chris. Provide your team’s rationale for your choice(s). You may wish to review the format used in the sections “Addressing the Critical Issues” following many of the scenarios in our course text (Green, 2009), such as those on pages 88 – 90, 121 – 123, and 154 – 156.
  2. Identify and come to consensus as a team which ISLLC standard(s) and which of its (their) functions your team believes should provide the overarching structure for how Chris should address the issue(s) you have identified. Provide your team’s rationale for your choices.
  3. Based on your conclusions for items A and B above, develop and come to consensus as a team on the strategy (or strategies) your team believes Chris should employ to successfully address your stated issue(s).
  4. Identify and come to consensus as a team on the consequences that may result from the implementation of the strategy (or strategies) your team developed in item C above.
  5. The time allotted for completing this activity is two hours.

Good Morning, Chris: Activity Variation #4; School District Level Leader

The Setting

  1. Chris Smith was appointed five months ago as the assistant superintendent for instruction in the Peaceful Glen Central School District, a rural district located in our state. Chris is well respected by colleagues, teachers, students, and parents.
  2. For three years immediately preceding his appointment, Chris was the principal of the Peaceful Glen High School (PGHS). Prior to that, he was a teacher in that high school.
  3. Ellen Green, a teacher in the PGHS, has been the president of the Peaceful Glen Teachers’ Union for the past seven years.
  4. Throughout his tenure in the district, Chris has had a positive professional relationship with Ellen. In addition to working with her on several curriculum projects over the years, Chris was a member of the executive committee of the teachers’ union for the three years immediately preceding his appointment as principal.
  5. Chris has also had a positive personal relationship with Ellen and her husband, Tony. The two families live near each other in the same neighborhood. Chris and his wife often attend social events with Ellen and Tony. The children in the two families are good friends and are frequently at each others’ homes.
  6. The contract between the district and the teachers’ union expired 18 months ago and negotiations have been at a standstill for the past eight months. That the district and the union are “miles apart” on several matters is common knowledge. The rapport between the district and the union has mostly been professional and cordial. However, there are increasing sentiments among faculty and within some segments of the school community that teacher morale is rapidly waning and is beginning to affect the quality of instruction.
  7. The school day begins at 7:00 am for all support staff in the PGHS and at 7:30 am for all instructional staff; students arrive at 7:45 am.
  8. As Chris drives to the PGHS one morning at 7:15 am for a scheduled meeting with the new principal who began her duties last month, he notices the parking lot is unusually full of vehicles, including two from local television stations.
  9. As he searches for a place to park, Chris sees a large number of people in front of the building. While most are teachers in the PGHS, Chris recognizes many from other buildings in the school district. Chris also notices that the four daytime custodians are standing on the lawn adjacent to the sidewalk.
  10. The teachers are standing in a large group across the sidewalk in front of the main entrance doors to the building; several are carrying signs.

Today's Events

As Chris walks toward the entrance, he sees Ellen, two television reporters, and two camera operators walking toward him. Ellen approaches and, speaking into a megaphone, greets him by loudly stating rather than asking, “You aren’t going to cross through our line are you, Chris.”

Directions

Review the six 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards and their respective functions. These were provided with the materials for this course; they are also available as a free PDF document from the following web address: http://www.ccsso.org/publications/index.cfm. Then, as a team, prepare to present and explain verbally and in writing (outline form on chart paper) to the class your responses to items A – D below:

  1. Based on the information provided above under the headings “The setting” and “Today’s events,” identify and come to consensus as a team on the leadership and/or the management issue(s) facing Chris. Provide your team’s rationale for your choice(s). You may wish to review the format used in the sections “Addressing the Critical Issues” following many of the scenarios in our course text (Green, 2009), such as those on pages 88 – 90, 121 – 123, and 154 – 156.
  2. Identify and come to consensus as a team which ISLLC standard(s) and which of its (their) functions your team believes should provide the overarching structure for how Chris should address the issue you have identified. Provide your team’s rationale for your choices.
  3. Based on your conclusions for items A and B above, identify and come to consensus as a team what in priority order your team believes Chris should do to successfully address your stated issue(s).
  4. Identify and come to consensus as a team on the consequences that may occur as a result of Chris doing what you identified in item C above.
  5. The time allotted for completing this activity is two hours.

References

Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Educational Leadership Policy Standards: ISLLC 2008as adopted by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration on December 12, 2007. Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington, DC.

Green, R. L. (2009). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to implementing the ISLLC standards. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

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A lens is a custom view of the content in the repository. You can think of it as a fancy kind of list that will let you see content through the eyes of organizations and people you trust.

What is in a lens?

Lens makers point to materials (modules and collections), creating a guide that includes their own comments and descriptive tags about the content.

Who can create a lens?

Any individual member, a community, or a respected organization.

What are tags? tag icon

Tags are descriptors added by lens makers to help label content, attaching a vocabulary that is meaningful in the context of the lens.

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