A Novel Idea: Changing the Landscape of Administrator Preparation through Literature and Ethnographies *

Many instructors prefer to utilize a variety of teaching strategies within a framework of a course or program. As we attempt to prepare administrators to understand and create “cultures” within their schools and districts, one method might be to use novels and ethnographic studies to help aspiring administrators understand what cultures are and how cultures are formed. The author shares with the reader the theoretical understanding and process to incorporate a “novels” project into a course in which the intended outcomes for the learner are cultural understanding, research observation, synthesis and assimilation of data, community decision making, and sharing and delegating responsibilities.