21st+Century+School+Leadership

[|Elluminate for Leadership/Infrastructure Track]

[|Scott Elias]


If you've never seen [|Karl Fisch]'s "Did You Know" video, there's no time like the present...
 * Assumed Knowledge**


 * Group discussion of leadership skills:**
 * safety-risk management
 * vision
 * build capacity
 * model 21st century skills
 * support & encourage innovation
 * know how to manage change
 * commit from top down to engage varied abilities with faculty (network & share among districts)
 * build the bridge between traditional online learning with social networking tools
 * embrace information literacy
 * expect & model lifelong learning from administrators to teachers
 * keep things student-centered
 * be able to define the role of the tech. coordinator or tech. instructor
 * guide new teachers in connecting technology tools to actual, authentic learning
 * thread technology into the fabric of the evaluation process
 * help people feel safe to take risks

media type="google" key="6165575734378530043&hl=en&fs=true" width="400" height="326"


 * Other Resources to Motivate Our Discussion**
 * [|NETS*A 2009 DRAFT Standards for Administrators]
 * [|Jon Becker]'s "Leadership 2.0" talk from EduCon 2.1 and [|follow-up blog post]
 * [|Partnership for 21st Century Skills]
 * [|Coaching in Montreal] and [|Leadership coaching]
 * [|David Romer's 2005 Paper from UC-Berkeley] and [|Gregg Easterbrook's ESPN.com article from 2006]

Administrators who will lead schools in the 21st century need not only a commitment to student success, but also a willingness to re-examine the skill set traditionally required of school-based leaders. Schools face the daunting task of balancing the requirements of AYP and NCLB with the demands of business and academic leaders who are looking for graduates proficient in what are being called "21st century skills." In light of this shift, the role of the school leader must evolve to cope with the challenge of addressing these seemingly contradictory expectations that are being placed on our school systems by external sources. This conversation will take a closer look at the role of the 21st century school leader in creating and supporting a shared vision for 21st century learning in their buildings.
 * Text of Original Proposal**

We will explore the origins of the 21st century learning movement and attempt to clarify exactly what is meant by "21st century skills." After considering the diverse needs of our learners as well as the characteristics of engaging classrooms, we will begin to create a framework for school leadership that supports innovative instructional practice. We will examine the challenges inherent in leading this change in an educational system that some say is ill-prepared to produce the type of graduates demanded by industry and higher-education.

Current research and trends point to 21st century school leaders as catalysts who, through their actions and inactions, will either allow their schools to fall behind or empower them to be successful in the future.