NASSP Bulletin

Another dimension must be added to the way in which aspiring administrators prepare for leadership roles, says this writer. That dimension is "forma tion," a concept he explores in some detail.

Universities face a major chal lenge as they seek to prepare leaders for tomorrow's schools. It is essential that they move from a focus which perpetuates the sta tus quo to one that promotes educational renewal. Such a direction will require that attention be given to the very nature of how the leader thinks.

This Florida school district matches the school needs to the candi dates' strengths when selecting new principals. But that's only the beginning, according to the writer, who outlines the program on these pages.

How can mentors and interns make the most of learning from their experience by observing and providing feedback to one anoth er? The suggestions provided here are based on the experi ences of professors at Indiana Uni versity, where these strategies are being incorporated into a Dan orth Foundation-sponsored princi pal preparation program.

How are administrators trained? Is such training rigorous enough? And, if not, what can be done? These are some of the questions the writers address on the follow ing pages.

This writer reflects on some of the benefits and characteristics that are necessary in building effective mentoring relationships from the viewpoint of one who has been mentored. Mentoring, she says, is a valuable tool for helping people become effective school leaders.

A grow-your-own model for identi fying administrators is being favored in one midwestern city. As the significance of the princi palship has been verified by dis trict experience, and as the litera ture on research reflects the importance of the principal as instructional leader, the old "I- can-tell-from-an-interview" relia bility is in question.

This article uses information from a major study of new secondary school headteachers in the Unit ed Kingdom to illustrate what happens to "rookies" during their first years on the job. While there are differences between the U. S. and British educational systems, taking on the leadership of a large school poses many similar challenges to the principal and the headteacher.

High school community service is increasing nationwide. The author summarizes a new synthe sis from the National Center on Effective Secondary Schools, High School Community Service: A Review of Research and Prac tice, which describes service pro grams in secondary schools.

School-based management will not solve the problems of educa tion, but if a school is under the leadership of an effective, com petent principal, the needs of the students, staff, and community will more likely be met.

Effective middle level schools and effective programs for gifted middle level students share many characteristics. The bottom line is that they respond to student needs.

Principals who are tired of the "rat race" and are looking for an exotic, challenging position in administration might consider looking abroad, where it's a whole different world.

Many young people make post- graduation choices that limit rather than increase their options. They approach these choices without the adequate information that a well-constructed guidance program could provide. The Pathfinder can guide students toward success.

Time, energy, and money are expended to ensure the best pos sible teachers in our classrooms. Educators must not overlook the support needed by substitute teachers also.

Are physical education students given ample opportunity to learn? Or, is the class merely a glorified recess? The methods described in this article provide a simple, effective way for evaluating the PE program and its teachers.

Regardless of the content area, the foundation of learning is read ing and writing. By emphasizing process, not product, and encouraging students to express themselves in reading and writing, teachers can make learning more meaningful and successful.

The best way for the principal to become familiar with student writing and the students them selves is to read what students write, think about it, and respond to it. The Principal's Paper is one way to do this.

Although techniques such as behavior modification and reinforcement receive more attention, classical conditioning is one means by which educators can evoke more positive student feelings toward school and school subjects.

Standardized achievement tests are used as a basis for making such important decisions as whether students will be admitted into college, whether they will be promoted to a higher grade, and in what academic track they will be placed, Underlying our reliance on standardized tests is an assumption that they measure general cognitive skills. Do they?

By promoting higher level thinking skills instruction, administrators can not only help improve their stu dents' academic achievement, but also change their lives. The writer offers several guidelines and strategies for working with teach ers toward this goal.