Course Curriculum
SPA Course Curriculum:
Summer I Session:
ORLA 4001: Introduction to School Leadership and Decision Making (3 credits)
This course uses the literature on decision-making theory in combination with intensive case-study analysis in groups to explore how decision-making styles and strategies affect problem-based decision-making in innovative public school settings.
ORLA 5018: School Leadership for Adult Development (3 credits)
Through lectures, readings, group discussions, case analysis, and interactive exercises, students will examine: (1) conceptions of leadership in support to adult learning and development; (2) various theories of adult learning (central concepts) and constructive-developmental theory; (3) essential elements for creating positive learning environments for adults; (4) practices that hold the potential to support adults' transformation learning(e.g. teaming, assuming leadership roles, reflective practice, and mentoring) and the developmental principles informing them; and (5) the importance of caring for one's own professional development and learning while daring for the learning of others.
ORLA 5029: Supervision of Teaching and Learning (3 credits)
This course draws upon the research literature in human resources management and emphasizes best practice in the recruitment, hiring, mentoring, retention, professional development, and evaluation of teachers, including the termination of incompetent teachers. The course uses problem-based units on teacher recruitment and hiring, role playing on effective mentoring, video evaluations of teacher practices and strategies for removing incompetent teachers
ORLJ 5340: Basic Practicum in Conflict Resolution (3 credits)
This course is developed and staffed by the Teachers College Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution. The purpose of the course is to provide aspiring principals with a brief theoretical background in the group dynamics, mediation and conflict resolution. The course emphasizes experiential and reflective learning.
Winter Session:
This course explores the school building leader's perspective for child development theory, curriculum design and student assessment. The purpose of the course is to develop, from a leadership perspective, a solid knowledge of the linkages between the best thinking on child development, its influence over good curriculum design, and assessment strategies that provide teachers and leaders with critical information on the effectiveness of curriculum design and delivery. At the same time, students develop the skills of reflective inquiry learning to question deeply help presuppositions about "what works" and seek to become connoisseurs of effective knowledge-driven strategies of school improvement.
ORLA 6460: Internship in School Leadership (6 credits)
The internship in public school leadership presents an opportunity to become immersed in the field of leadership practice and to appreciate the importance of instructional leadership in the creation of a learning environment. The internship combines opportunities to study effective leadership first hand, develop and practice instructional leadership skills, and be mentored for a career as a school principal. The internship requires a minimum of six months (12-15 hours per week) of supervised field work in a public school. $75 course fee for E-portfolio license.
Summer II Session:
ORLA 4033: Leadership and Institutional Analysis: School Law and Ethics (3 credits)
This course explores the nexus between law, ethics and school leadership. It relies on both case law and the use of ethical dilemmas in the form of case studies and hypotheticals to teach prospective leaders how to consider for themselves, the tensions they experience when the law, professional practice, and their ethical codes of conduct are in conflict.
ORLA 4025: Resource Allocation for Student Achievement (3 credits)
This course will focus on the skills of effective resource allocation and school level budgeting for aspiring school leaders. The intent is to develop the ability to make practical and strategic decisions that leverage real and financial resources to improve student outcomes. Students will analyze research on the effects of allocation strategies, assess means used to build human resource capacity, and make a three-year school budget proposal.
ORLA 5025: The Ecology of Data-Driven Leadership (3 credits)
This course relies upon systems theory (Senge 1990; Richardson 1997; Baker & Richards) and its application to school systems. The course teaches prospective leaders the use of data-bases of various kinds to pursue a systematic inquiry in the ecology of the school. It explores various approaches to data mining, model building and ultimately the "structure of improvisational leadership". The course teaches students how to distinguish the different purposes for which data can be used and misused. The course relies heavily on the use of cases, simulations and exercises including those with complex feedback systems. A final group project is to design and present a new school plan.
ORLA 5017:
This course is experiential and identifies ways to develop people-centered organizations through an examination of individual behavior and how they impact organizations, as well as, how organizations impact individual behavior. Team effectiveness is related to group and social processes in organizations. Students apply the learning concerning individual, group and organizational behaviors and processes to an integrated final project.
Ongoing:
ORLA 6020: The Pro Seminar in Leadership (3 credits)
This Friday seminar course is topical and brings in guest speakers, exemplary practitioners, researchers and policy makers from academia and the field to share with the cohort their experience, research and insights about effective leadership practices. The central theme of the Pro-Seminar is the development of personal mastery and includes extensive development in emotional intelligence as it relates to leadership capacity. The course meets on Fridays over two summers and includes professional development during the intervening school year.
