Leading Through Quality Questioning: Creating Capacity, Commitment, and Community, Jan/2010

"A leader's job is not to have all of the right answers, but to ask the right questions. Not only does this book address self-inquiry for school leaders, it offers tools and learning support for leaders committed to improving and refining their inquiry-based leadership."
—Betty Burks, Deputy Superintendent
San Antonio ISD, TX

"One does not immediately think of questioning as a leadership tool. Yet the compelling and engaging strategies thoughtfully described in this book will make any leader realize the power of an artful question. This is an invaluable handbook for those eager to listen differently to people, enter into dialogue about sensitive topics, and structure opportunities for people to talk constructively."
—Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director
National Staff Development Council

"Walsh and Sattes have captured the essence of one of the key features of a good leader: the ability to coach others. Their quality questioning framework helps school leaders understand that the way they structure a question can be the key to building organizational capacity."
—Yvonne V. Thayer, Certified Professional Coach
Senior Director, Making Middle Grades Work, Southern Regional Education Board, GA

"A must-read for all school leaders. This practical guide on how to create an inquiry-oriented approach to decision making enables adult learners in the school to sustain school improvement."
—Betsy Rogers, School Improvement Specialist
Jefferson County School District, AL

"The focus of the book complements the work we are currently doing in our school district to create reflective practitioners. The Leading through Quality Questioning Framework is a clear and concise way to get the big picture of how questioning can be used to foster a culture of continuous improvement. The chapters that follow allow the reader to put the meat on the bones of the framework!"
—Christopher Corallo, Director of Staff Development
Henrico County Public Schools, Richmond, VA

Use quality questioning to bring out the best in your learning community!

Quality questioning is a process for engaging individuals in reflection, critical thinking, and collaboration. The authors demonstrate how questions, not answers, drive school improvement and growth for a learning community. This handbook for school and district leaders applies the principles of the best-selling book Quality Questioning to four critical leadership functions:

1. Maximizing individual and organizational capacity
2. Mobilizing individuals and groups to build ownership and commitment across a community
3. Mediating conflict by helping individuals find common ground and focus on shared purpose
4. Monitoring progress toward identified goals

About The Author:
Jackie Acree Walsh is a co-developer with Beth Dankert Sattes of Questioning and Understanding to Improve Learning and Thinking (QUILT), a nationally validated professional development program on effective questioning. They are also co-authors of Inside School Improvement (2000) and co-presenters of the Video Journal in Education series Questioning to Stimulate Thinking (1999). These two former classroom teachers have trained hundreds of administrators and teachers across the nation in effective questioning. Their other joint ventures have focused on creating effective professional development for educators, sharing leadership for continuous school improvement, and creating a culture for high-performance learning communities. A recent example of their work is the design and delivery of professional development for school improvement specialists—consultants or staff who work to develop the capacity of schools to improve achievement for all students. They have also developed professional development modules on improving school culture (for the Southern Regional Education Board) and leading learning communities (for the Alabama Leadership Academy). Walsh holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University, a master’s degree in teaching (MAT) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a PhD in education administration and supervision from the University of Alabama. Both Walsh and Sattes have served as faculty for the National Staff Development Council’s Academy.