The Principal's Guide to Curriculum Leadership

Learn more about Richard Sorenson's PD offerings Richard D. Sorenson, professor emeritus, is the former director of the Principal Preparation Program and chairperson of the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He earned his doctorate from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in educational leadership. Dr. Sorenson served public schools for 25 years as a social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal, and associate superintendent for human resources. Dr. Sorenson worked with graduate students at UTEP in the area of school-based budgeting, personnel, educational law, and leadership development. During his 20-year tenure, he was named The University of Texas at El Paso College of Education Professor of the Year, and he remains an active writer with numerous professional journal publications. Dr. Sorenson continues to author other principal-oriented textbooks. He also developed teacher resource guides, and workbooks in the area of the elementary and secondary social studies curricula. He has been actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), for which he conducted, for a decade, annual new-principal academy seminars. Dr. Sorenson has been married to his wife, Donna, for the past 48 years and they have two adult children, Lisa (a school counselor with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas) and Ryan (an exercise physiologist in Dallas, Texas); a wonderful son-in-law, Sam (a petroleum engineer in Houston, Texas); and a delightful daughter-in-law, Nataly (executive director of a Christian center in Dallas, Texas) along with four amazing grandchildren: Savannah, Nehemiah, and Amelia, and one little guy, Oliver-all of whom are the pride and joy of his life. Rick and Donna, long-term residents of El Paso, out in the mountain and desert region of "true" West Texas, now reside near their grandchildren in Cypress (northwest Houston), Texas. Lloyd M. Goldsmith, professor emeritus, earned his EdD in educational leadership from Baylor University. He was a professor for 20 years at Abilene Christian University (ACU), some of those years at ACU (Dallas), where he taught doctoral courses in leadership theory. He also served as an admissions officer as well as a former director of the Principal Preparation Program and department chairperson at ACU. Dr. Goldsmith taught school budgeting, instructional leadership, and leadership theory. He served public schools for 29 years as an elementary science teacher, middle school assistant principal, and elementary school principal. Dr. Goldsmith and a fellow chemistry professor codirected a program facilitating high school chemistry teachers in developing effective instructional strategies. Dr. Goldsmith served on several state committees for the Texas Education Agency. He also served two terms as president of the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration. He is an active member at his church and enjoys serving others. He spends time volunteering at his grandchildren's schools and supporting their activities. He also enjoys traveling and attending ACU sporting events. Dr. Goldsmith has been married to his wife, Mary, for the past 40 years. They reside near their three children and families in Abilene, Texas. Mary is a retired high school biology teacher, serving students for 41 years. Lloyd and Mary have three adult children-Abigail (active in the PTO where she serves as president) and her husband, Andrew (works in business development for a nuclear research lab), Eleanor (a second grade Title I teacher), and her husband, Kris (a chef, restaurant owner and culinary arts teacher), and Nelson (a licensed professional building inspector) and his wife, Kristen. He also has four grandchildren, Luke, Hilary, Levi, and Oliver. Plus, the Goldsmiths' have six grand dogs! Life is good! Dr. Zulma Y. Mendez is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). She earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Riverside. Professor Mendez's teaching and research interests include curriculum policy and practice across the K-16 continuum. At present, she is conducting a qualitative study that examines the recently implemented national standard-based curriculum in the border city of Juarez, Mexico. Karen T. Maxwell is an assistant professor in the Graduate Studies in Education Department at Abilene Christian University (ACU). Her fields of interest include secondary education, behavior management, and campus leadership. Before coming to ACU in 2006, Dr. Maxwell worked with the Region 2 Education Service Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, where she co-directed a principal certification program and directed the Principal Assessment/Development Center. She also worked extensively with school-wide discipline programs and behavior management. Dr. Maxwell has taught graduate level courses in educational administration at Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, and Walden University. She has K-12 teaching experience at elementary, middle, and high school levels in public and private schools, and has served as a campus principal at the elementary and high school levels. Dr. Maxwell believes that campus leadership is central to student success and her goal is to assist with the development of strong, effective campus curriculum leaders. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from ACU, master's degrees in curriculum and instruction and educational administration from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

List of Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Defining Curriculum Leadership Getting Started Defining Curriculum Leadership Organizational Phenomena Influencing Curriculum Leadership Rethinking the Education Hierarchy Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Stand and Deliver 2. A Curriculum Leadership Journey ISLLC Standards and Curriculum Leadership Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Principal Wonkermann?s Late Afternoon Experience: De Ja Vu All Over Again 3. Principal Expectations as Curriculum Leader Shoot Low, Expect Less Understanding Principal Expectations in Curriculum Development Principal Expectations in the Curriculum Leadership Role Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Who?s the Turkey This Thanksgiving? 4. The Principal?s Role in Curriculum Change and Innovation Constructive Change = Positive Growth The Basis for Change and Why It Is So Necessary Why We Resist Change How to Overcome Resistance to Change The Change Process in Curriculum Development Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: It?s a Real Puzzle to Me! Managing Change Tolerance Test 5. Curriculum Leadership in Action The Role of the Principal in Curriculum Design and Development The Challenges of Leading Curriculum Leadership Through Walker?s Deliberative Model of Curriculum Development Enacting the Deliberative Model of Curriculum Development Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Who Decides What and How? 6. Where the Action Is: Building Relationships with Teachers Leadership and Followership: You Can?t Have One Without the Other 10 Curriculum Leadership Building Blocks for Preventing and Treating Arrested Teacher Development Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Zachary School Case Study 7. Systematically Integrating Curriculum and Instruction The Role and Vision of the Principal in Defining Curriculum and Instruction Integrating Curriculum and Instruction Five Steps to Successful Curriculum Integration The Integration of Curriculum and Instruction: How Relevance and Interest Help Students Become Better Learners The Principal?s Role in Curriculum Integration Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Well, It?s the State Mandated Curriculum! 8. Professional Learning and Curriculum Leadership Teaching and Learning Building Teacher Capacity Four Factors Impacting Professional Learning Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: Professional Learning at Sandy Shores School 9. The Principal and Legislated Learning: Working the System and the Prospects of Curriculum Renewal Curriculum Leadership and Legislated Learning The Principal in the Process of Curriculum Renewal and Change Toward Change and a Renewed Curriculum High-Stakes Testing, Curriculum Renewal, and Educational Practice Curriculum Theory and the Renewal Process Final Thoughts Discussion Questions Case Study Application: It's All State Mandated Anyway! Part II: A Principal Returns From the Annual Summer State Leadership Academy 10. Trailblazing Digital Curriculum Leadership 101 Trailblazing Let?s Talk Technology Standards A Voice From the Field The Quaker Digital Academy Story Looking Forward Final Thoughts One More Thing Discussion Questions Case Study Application: My School and the NETS A Informal NETS A Principal Profile Campus Evaluation Instrument Epilogue References Index

"This handbook synthesizes the best of educational research in an easily accessible format. Educators will find it an effective roadmap for leading their schools to organizational excellence, effective instruction, and optimum student achievement." -- Brenda P. Dean, Assistant Superintendent "I absolutely recommend this book! It is NOT a book you will keep on the shelf!" -- Debra Paradowski, Associate Principal "A very important book for school site administrators at all levels because it clearly makes the case for the school principal to be THE instructional and curricular leader of his or her school site. School principals who embrace this CAN and WILL make the difference for students!" -- Marianne L. Lescher, Principal "I recommend this book as required reading for all the principals and assistant principals in my district (over 100). I got a lot out of this book as our district faces many of the same issues as The Childers School." -- Sean Beggin, Assistant Principal