The Principal Network will serve as both a physical and virtual convener of school leaders and will create communities of practice for them to work together to solve real problems and create change, school-by-school, to improve learning and teaching. The Principal network will also serve as an ongoing resource for school leaders throughout the country. It will organize activities that will include: short workshops on key issues (i.e. budgeting, financial management/planning, human resource management, working with the district officials, parents, community stakeholders); credit-bearing learning modules that will include practice-based assignments; problem-solving and action planning to address real challenges in the school setting; coaching, mentoring, observation and feedback activities; visits to “best-practice” sites and dissemination of knowledge about best practices; on-line newsletter and website, including resources for principals (articles, case studies, research and policy papers); and opportunities for on-line professional development and leadership training modules, including the use of action research that supports student learning and builds effective organizational structures around these key processes.
Read about the collaborative Leadership Initiative between Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Johannesburg.