Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development

Award: 2004 National Staff Development Council Book of the Year

"Drago-Severson has created an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to learn how to be a school’s ‘principal adult educator.’'
—Robert Kegan, Meehan Professor of Adult Learning and Professional Development
Harvard University Graduate School of Education

"Helping Teachers Learn is a remarkably ambitious and comprehensive work that describes how principals may effectively exercise leadership in support of teacher learning within schools. The book is an extraordinary treasure chest of real-world examples, insights, and uncommon sense."
—Richard H. Ackerman, Author, The Wounded Leader

A new learning-oriented leadership model to help principals support teacher development and growth!

How can you, as a principal, create opportunities for teacher learning that really work to support teachers with different needs and preferences? There is wide agreement that the best teacher development is informal, diverse, democratic, school-based, and continuous. The best programs ignite and sustain teachers’ excitement in learning, growing, and changing their classroom practices. Drago-Severson presents case studies from 25 diverse schools across the U.S. and examines strategies that help shape a school climate of teacher support, growth, and learning. In addition, she suggests many creative solutions to secure any resources needed to implement this learning-oriented professional growth model.

Concepts covered in Helping Teachers Learn include:

1. A new model of learning-oriented leadership that can be tailored to particular settings or individuals
2. Adult learning principles that inform teacher growth and development, and why they are essential to effective teacher development programs
3. The Four Pillars: teaming, providing leadership roles, engaging in collegial inquiry, and mentoring
4. Real-world examples of principals sharing leadership, building community, and managing change

Enhance your professional development model to better support teacher growth and development, as well as your own self-development as a principal.

About The Author:
Eleanor (Ellie) Drago-Severson is an associate professor of education in the department of organization and leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to her research into adult learning and leadership, she was a teacher, administrator, and staff developer in K-12 schools in New York, Florida, and Massachusetts. Drago-Severson teaches, conducts research, and consults with teachers, principals, and other educational leaders. Her work is inspired by the idea that schools must be places where adults as well as children can grow.