Principal's course leadership

Author: Allan A. Glatthom
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Publish Date: 2003-09-01
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3. Organize and deliver courses to enhance students' essential skills and subject knowledge. For years, educators have debated whether content or process is superior. Recent advancements in cognitive psychology clearly demonstrate that such a dichotomy is incorrect. For example, students must possess substantial depth and breadth of knowledge to solve complex scientific problems; however, this knowledge foundation must be dynamic and productive rather than rigid and stagnant. Such knowledge should be flexible and adaptable in the process of solving meaningful problems (see Minstrell, 1989).
4. Structure courses to ensure tight coordination and integration. Some types of integration are particularly important: coordination and integration of content from kindergarten to 12th grade; coordination and integration of curricula across different disciplines within a school; coordination and integration of a single learning area throughout the academic year; coordination and integration between related subjects; coordination and integration of a unit, as well as coordination and integration among disciplines within a unit (Cotton, 1995).
5. Organize courses to provide multi-level and sequential learning, rather than just "stand-alone" subject learning. While "stand-alone" subject learning has its specific value, McDonnell's (1989) research emphasizes that multi-level and sequential courses yield more positive outcomes than isolated subjects.
6. Balance academic and practical courses. Johnson (1989) clearly articulated this point for science courses: "To establish these concepts in the mind