Many of the principals quoted in this issue, though not all, have been named Thomson Fellows by the Coalition of Essential Schools, under the aegis of an ambitious professional development project called the National Re:Learning Faculty. The Re:Learning Faculty may be best known for its Citibank Faculty, experienced teachers who work closely with colleagues in their own Essential schools and
A strong principal’s convictions and guidance have proved crucial to the lasting success of school change. But how do leaders balance authority with a healthy respect for teachers’ growing participation in key decisions? How can they ensure that change will outlast their tenure? When people talk about what Essential school principals do, I notice, they reach for metaphors from geometry,