Case Study II: Dr. Sarah Levine
During her first years as a principal, Sarah’s thinking about leadership to support adult learning changed in several ways. From 1991 to 1995, the level of support of teachers’ learning moved from “shared and inclusive leadership” to a more “collaborative” vision and style, then to a style that Sarah characterized as “participatory.” During the “participatory phase” of her leadership, Sarah sought to apply her vision to the broader school community. Such a decision reflected her developing ability to critique her vision and to change her leadership practices as it aligned to that vision. Sarah believed that a culture of collaboration that encompassed “shared language” was essential to creating a culture that supported the opportunities to “promote growth through reflection and thinking.”
(Severson-Drago, Collegial Inquiry: Engaging in shared Dialogue and Reflection on Practice, 2009)
During her first years as a principal, Sarah’s thinking about leadership to support adult learning changed in several ways. From 1991 to 1995, the level of support of teachers’ learning moved from “shared and inclusive leadership” to a more “collaborative” vision and style, then to a style that Sarah characterized as “participatory.” During the “participatory phase” of her leadership, Sarah sought to apply her vision to the broader school community. Such a decision reflected her developing ability to critique her vision and to change her leadership practices as it aligned to that vision. Sarah believed that a culture of collaboration that encompassed “shared language” was essential to creating a culture that supported the opportunities to “promote growth through reflection and thinking.”
(Severson-Drago, Collegial Inquiry: Engaging in shared Dialogue and Reflection on Practice, 2009)