A-326A School Reform: Curricular and Instructional Leadership
Katherine K. Merseth
This course explores school reform policy from the perspective of the classroom, school, and district. It will examine topics related to leadership and pedagogy, including a deep investigation into the purpose(s) of education. The course adopts a focus on leading and enacting school reforms, with a keen eye on practice within school districts, buildings, and classrooms and an emphasis on how policies play out in the real world. Those with an interest in teaching or work in education--current teachers, principals, curriculum coordinators, superintendents, parents, and others with passion for school reform and educational leadership—will benefit from this course. The course will primarily use cases and case discussions as a pedagogical approach and will be extremely interactive. It will also explore and analyze successful examples of school reform. The course provides an excellent complement to the state and federal policy courses at HGSE and the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Students will be evaluated on the basis of class participation, short papers, and a final project or portfolio. This course fulfills one of the School Leadership Program's school development strand requirements.
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