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Professional Development
Plan your entry into a new education leadership position through this new online professional development program. Learn to devise a series of steps that will involve communities of stakeholders in creating opportunities for all children to succeed.
AASA members are eligible for an exclusive membership discount on this program. Please visit AASA's website for details.
Education leader transitions are notoriously difficult. Leadership change can slow momentum, disrupt, and distract, putting everyone on edge. If done poorly, it can even do harm. For leaders committed to more human-centered leadership that directly addresses long-standing inequities, the process is even more challenging, but it is also ripe with possibilities. How might we enter into education leadership roles, from the boardroom to the classroom, differently? This course focuses on leadership entry that sets the stage for positive change that leads to high performance and innovation.
Developed for new education leaders and educators who want to refresh their leadership, Leadership Entry: Empowering Schools and Communities helps you create a structured, intentional entry plan to gain insight into your new environment, build trust with your community, and set the stage for positive change. With your plan in place, you’ll be able to listen, communicate, and lead more effectively as you empower those in your organization and community to advance equity.
This six-week, asynchronous online program, based on the book Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders: Empowering Schools and Communities by Jennifer Cheatham, Adam Parrott-Sheffer, and Rodney Thomas, draws on research and best practices in leadership in education. It employs video lectures, individual exercises, and a live coaching webinar to help participants build leadership entry plans that emphasize deep listening, human-centered data analysis, and strategies for galvanizing change. Participants proceed on a weekly schedule at their own pace, and the time commitment is estimated at 5 hours per week.
Required Text: This course requires students to purchase the companion book, Entry Planning for Equity-Focused Leaders Empowering Schools and Communities by Jennifer Perry Cheatham, Rodney Thomas, and Adam Parrott-Sheffer, with Foreword by Carl A. Cohn. Once registered for the course, you will receive a confirmation email with a discount code to redeem 30% off this HEPG text.
Session Topics
Week 1: Focus on Building Trust and Being TransparentWeek 2: Begin by Examining Self and ContextWeek 3: Design Ways to Listen with Empathy and Cultivate Compassionate UnderstandingWeek 4: Develop the Skills to Communicate and Galvanize Others for ActionWeek 5: Peer Review FeedbackWeek 6: Create Space for Self and Communal Care
Jennifer Cheatham focuses on leading for equity and transformational change in urban school districts, with expertise that includes creating instructional coherence and cultivating strong teams.