This qualitative case study explored visionary leadership in action by focusing on the strategies that some middle school principals use before implementing schoolwide reforms. Ninety-eight middle level principals were surveyed and 44 were interviewed. Findings indicate that visionary leadership in action involves an initial exploration of possible change areas; discussions and education regarding the issues involved; and support, commitment, and ownership. In addition, time, the courage to change, a plan to involve all, and openness and appreciation to explore thoroughly are required characteristics of the visionary middle level principal who desires to successfully implement reform.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anderman, E., & Urdan, T. (1995). A multilevel approach to middle-level reform. Principal, 74, 26-28.
2.
Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1978). Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
3.
Arnold, J., & Stevenson, C. (1998). Teachers' teaming handbook: A middle level planning guide. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College.
4.
Balfanz, R., & Mac Iver, D. (1998). The school district's role in creating highperforming urban middle schools. Unpublished manuscript, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
5.
Barth, R. S. (1987). The principal and the profession of teaching. In W. Greenfield (Ed.), Instructional leadership: Concepts, issues, and controversies (pp. 249-270). Newton, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
6.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectation. New York: Free Press.
7.
Bauer, S. (1992). Myth, consensus, and change. Executive Educator14(7), 26-28.
8.
Bennis, W., & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. New York: Harper & Row.
9.
Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (1993). The path to school leadership: A portable mentor. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.
10.
Bredeson, P. V. (1985). An analysis of metaphorical perspectives on school principals. Educational Administration Quarterly, 21, 29-59.
11.
Brookover, W. B., & Lezotte, L. W. (1977). Changes in school characteristics coincident with changes in student achievement. East Lansing: Michigan State University, College of Urban Development.
12.
Brown, K., & Anfara, V. A., Jr. (2002). From the desk of the middle school principal: Leadership responsive to the needs of young adolescents. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
13.
Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development. (1989). Turning points: Preparing youth for the 21st century. New York: Carnegie Corporation.
14.
Clark, S., & Clark, D. (1990). Restructuring middle level schools: Strategies for using Turning Points. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
15.
Clark, S., & Clark, D. (1994). Restructuring the middle level school: Implications for school leaders. Albany: State University of New York.
16.
Colton, D. L. (1985). Vision. National Forum, 65(2), 33-35.
17.
Cuban, L. (1983). Effective schools: A friendly but cautionary note. Phi Delta Kappan, 64(10), 695-696.
18.
Darling-Hammond, L. (1997). The right to learn: A blueprint for creating schools that work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
19.
Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. (1995). Policies that support professional development in an era of reform. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(8), 597-604.
20.
Fullan, M. (1991). The new meaning of educational change. New York: Teachers College Press.
21.
Fullan, M. (1995). The limits and potential of preofessional development. In T. R. Guskey & M. Huberman (Eds.), Professional development in education (pp. 253-267). New York: Teachers College Press.
22.
Fullan, M. (1998). Leadership for the 21st century-breaking the bonds of dependency. Educational Leadership, 55(7), 6-10.
23.
Fullan, M. (1999). Leading change in professional learning communities. Education Update, 41(8), 1-4.
24.
Fullan, M. (2002). The change leader. Educational Leadership, 59(8), 16-20.
25.
Fullan, M., & Hargreaves, A. (1996). What's worth fighting for in your school?New York: Teachers College Press.
26.
Fullan, M., & Miles, M. (1992). Getting reform right: What works and what doesn't. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(1), 744-752.
27.
Glickman, C. (1998). Revolutionizing America's schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
28.
Graves, L. (1992). Cooperative learning communities: Context for a new vision of education and society. Journal of Education, 2, 57-79.
29.
Greenfield, W. (1987). Moral imagination and interpersonal competence. Antecedents to instructional leadership. In W. Greenfield (Ed.), Instructional leadership: Concepts, issues, and controversies (pp. 56-75). Newton, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
30.
Hatch, H., & Hytter, K. (1997). Working together to improve middle school student achievement. Journal of Staff Development, 18(2), 6-12.
31.
Hipp, K. (1997). The impact of principals in sustaining middle school change. Middle School Journal, 28(2), 42-45.
32.
Jackson, A. W., & Davis, G.A. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 21st century. New York: Teachers College Press.
33.
Kilgore, J., Webb, R., & the Faculty and Staff of Coral Springs Middle School. (1997). Making shared decision making work. Middle School Journal, 28(5), 3-13.
34.
Lange, J. (1993). Site-based shared decision making: A resource for restructuring. NASSP Bulletin, 76(549), 98-107.
35.
Lounsbury, J., & Clark, D. (1990). Inside grade eight: From apathy to excitement. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
36.
Mergendoller, J. (1993). Introduction: The role of research in the reform of middle grades education. The Elementary School Journal, 93, 443-446.
37.
Merz, C., & Furman, G. (1997). Community and schools: Promise and paradox. New York: Teachers College Press.
38.
Miles, M. (1986). Research findings on the stages of school improvement. New York: Center for Policy Research.
39.
Morgan, G. (1986). Images of organizations. Cambridge, MA: Sage.
40.
Murphy, J. (1990). Principal instructional leadership. In P. W. Thurston & L. S. Lotto (Eds.), Recent advances in educational administration (Vol. IB, pp. 163-200). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
41.
Murphy, J. (1991). Restructuring schools: Capturing and assessing the phenomena. New York: Teachers College Press.
42.
Newmann, F. (1991). hat is a structured school? A framework to clarify ends and means. Madison: University of Wisconsin.
43.
Pollio, H. (1991, Fall). Hermes in the classroom: Interpreting what expert teachers say about teaching (Teaching-Learning Issues, No. 69). Knoxville: Learning Research Center, University of Tennessee.
44.
Roney, K., Anfara, V., & Brown, K. (2002, April). Unraveling the black box: The middle school movement and high student achievement. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
45.
Rosenholtz, S.J. (1985). Effective schools: Interpreting the evidence. American Journal of Education, 93(2), 352-387.
46.
Starratt, R. (1995). Leaders with vision: The quest for school renewal. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
47.
Stevenson, C., & Erb, T. (1998). How implementing "Turning Points" improves student outcomes. Middle School Journal, 30(1), 49-52.
48.
Wimpelberg, R. K. (1986, April). Bureaucratic and cultural images in the management of more and less effective schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
