Literacy for School Leaders

School leaders need to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize the most current information related to leadership, literacy instruction, creating change to act as catalysts for organizational learning and the development of professional learning communities within their school districts. School administrators need to learn and model the practical strategies and applications that help establish a priority on literacy instruction across all grade levels and subject areas. Instructional leaders reinforce that school teachers need to be involved in the constant process of increasing students’ active reading and writing about content area texts within the high-pressure environment of state accountability.

Literacy for School Leaders integrates leadership standards, change theories, and literacy strategies to increase student engagement and improve student achievement. Participants learn approaches to help them establish literate school environments that are grounded in problem solving, critical thinking, and logical reasoning concepts that are focused on state and national standards. They employ practical techniques that investigate and connect content in all subject areas to the real world. Administrators learn to foster professional learning communities that increase the intelligence of their organizations.

This course is structured to allow participants the opportunity to explore strategies and concepts for leading their administrative team and positively impact students’ reading and writing proficiency. Participants are encouraged to try out the strategies discussed in class and reflect on this implementation with colleagues and PLN facilitators, as well as inform their practice through professional readings. They also complete a final project providing a comprehensive plan to model and lead their district’s administrators and teachers to meet the goal of improving their students’ literacy skills.