Transforming Elementary Mathematics Classroom Practice: Ideas and Innovation from a Leader’s Perspective

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight common challenges that school leaders encounter when seeking to implement change in the teaching and learning of mathematics at their schools. Specifically, the chapter will offer innovative ways that international elementary principals successfully have influenced systemic change in K-5 mathematics classroom practice. The challenges highlighted are not unique to international educators, but the context from which we speak is situated in the international educational environment. We offer practical, but theoretically based guidance for school leaders looking to implement, support, and sustain authentic change in the culture and practice surrounding the math development of students. The first half of the chapter will provide context and a situational perspective relative to the complex relationship between principals, as instructional leaders, and their ability to influence classroom change. Key events that have made conversations about the teaching and learning of mathematics prominent in schools around the world also are highlighted. The second half of the chapter details actionable ideas grounded in research that elementary principals or curriculum leaders can implement to help shift classroom teaching and learning at the elementary level. Ultimately, these shifts are designed to enable higher levels of mathematics achievement for all K-5 students.

PRACTICES OF THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN THE POLICY AND PLANNING SYSTEM

The knowledge, strategy, and skills of the school heads are the profound materials for the school’s success aside from the participation of the teachers, parents, and community. This phenomenological study aimed to explore the experiences of the elementary principals in the planning and implementation of the DepEd policies in their respective schools. Data were collected from the selected principals who were more than 5 years in managing schools, acknowledged as productive and competitive in their field, and received various recognitions in managerial and leadership aspects. The analysis of data - coding, categorizing, and theming was done through Creswell Analysis. Findings revealed five (5) clustered themes: Teachers Collaboration; Community linkages; Goal Setting and Transparency; Sound Relationship Cultivation; and Teachers Empowerment. Every clustered theme expounded with emergent themes. Based on the result, it is recommended to have continuous partnership and teamwork of internal and external stakeholders in the planning process and project development; conduct continuous teachers’ professional development; practice transparency; and communicate the plans. Moreover, the findings of this study would be a great tool in benchmarking the best practices in the implementation of policies and the planning process. KEYWORDS- policy, planning system, practices, principals

School leaders as change agents: Do principals have the tools they need?

In the current climate of accountability and calls for school improvement, principals are dealing with unceasing demands to implement new educational reforms. Yet do school leaders feel equipped to implement these mandates? This study investigated the perceptions of experienced elementary principals on whether they felt prepared to be effective change agents. Findings showed that principals felt they had received very little professional development on how to be a leader of change. Instead, their professional learning as change agents occurred through on the job experience and networking with trusted colleagues. This resulted in knowledge gaps in principals’ understanding of the change process. School leaders bear the responsibility of implementing change, yet principals suggest that reforms would see increased success if they were a shared responsibility with district leaders. Insights from experienced principals may help guide improved professional learning practices to provide educational leaders with the necessary skills to lead effective school improvement.

Transgender Students in Elementary Schools: How Supportive Principals Lead

Purpose: Increased awareness and acceptance of transgender people in the United States is reflected in our nation’s schools. Unfortunately, educational leaders do not typically receive training related to transgender youth and educators express fear about working with transgender students. The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of school leaders whom parents characterize as supporting their transgender children. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with supportive principals from 20 elementary schools across six states. Findings: The findings indicate that supportive principals (a) employed a child-centered approach to decision making, (b) leveraged learning and knowledge to create a positive elementary school experience for transgender children, and (c) characterized their experience as professionally and personally beneficial. Implications: These findings indicate that, in the context of a supportive principal, both the school community and the transgender student can have positive experiences. At the same time, the findings demonstrate that disrupting binary gender norms and shifting the larger school culture to be more gender inclusive is a formidable task. Results from this study may be helpful to elementary principals who hope to create accepting school environments for transgender students or for preparation programs that want to develop supportive principals.

The Need for a School-based Student Obesity Prevention Program: Perceptions of Rural Elementary Principals

This phenomenological study investigated the perceptions of elementary principals regarding the need for a school-based student obesity prevention at eight, rural elementary schools in North Central Texas. Face to face interviews were the primary method of data collection from the eight participants. Findings indicated that school-based obesity prevention programs are needed to decrease the occurrence of student obesity, improve student diets and health related behaviors, educate families on obesity prevention measures, and improve the academic performance of students. The need to inform and include relevant stakeholders in the creation and implementation of school-based obesity prevention programs was identified as an essential component to the success of the program. The findings provide school leaders with components needed for an effective school-based obesity prevention program along with barriers for consideration.

Boys will be superintendents

Even though the teaching profession is dominated by women, men hold more superintendent positions. The authors examine the pipeline that leads to the principalship and the superintendency and how it has evolved over time. They note school boards are more likely to perceive high school principals and athletic coaches as plausible superintendents, in contrast to elementary principals and curriculum specialists. In addition, elementary education majors, mostly women, tend to be more conservative and thus may choose family over advancement to a more demanding position. They discuss why having more women in high-level leadership is valuable and ways to reform the gendered career track.