A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

The Role of Leadership in Sustaining School Reform: Voices From the Field - July 1996

Self-Assessment Skill: A Professional Development Goal

We began this project curious about what successful sustaining leaders would view as the key dimensions of their skill, and how--in a system so often bound by old orthodoxies--they knew when they were doing a good job. We discovered that they share many ideas about essentials. However, fewer than expected had developed systematic ways to evaluate their own performance. In each forum, many had an "aha" experience, learning through dialogue what indicators they could use to tell if they were still on course. In each forum, there was consensus about the need for more opportunities to reflect on practice in light of the specific visions and values that their reforms hold and in the company of colleagues who share either a reform orientation or the experience of being the solitary gardenia in an iris patch. From their stories and comments, we conclude that competence in designing and implementing self-assessment plans should be a central element of their professional development.
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[A Few Important Ideas] [Table of Contents] [Appendix]