Building excellence (Ali Wright on Glenn O. Swing)

In a post for the Center for Teaching Quality, Ali Wright explores the "recipe for success" at Covington's Glenn O. Swing Elementary, which has a rising reputation for nurturing high student achievement in a context of  high student poverty.

If you know Ali, you're already clicking through to see her report.

If you haven't met Ali yet, you should, and this piece is a great introduction to her thinking as a Kentucky teacher leader. Here's the short version of the elements she identifies as making a difference:

1. The principal sets the tone for the culture.
2. The principal listens to teachers and creates roles based on student need and teacher expertise
3. Everyone teaches.
4. There is an emphasis on student work.
5. The school schedule is built around teacher collaboration.
6. Everyone, including the principal, is responsible for all students.
7. The principal works to intentionally build leadership capacity in the school, not only to improve student achievement, but also to retain teachers.
8. Did I mention co-teaching?
9. No barking!
10. The principal protects the teachers’ time

See? You need to read Ali's full post. It's a lively and thoughtful description of the kind of deep collaboration that can fully develop the potential of all Kentucky's students.

(Hat tip to Cory Curl on Twitter.  Follow her, too.)

--Post by Susan Perkins Weston