ABSTRACT
School leaders contribute to instructional improvement directly by providing useful feedback related to pedagogy, content, and standards and indirectly by sustaining a healthy and supportive culture of learning for teachers, staff, and self (Hitt & Tucker, 2016; Leithwood, Harris, & Hopkins, 2008; Louis et al., 2010). They serve as gatekeepers during recruiting and hiring, and play critical roles in teachers’ professional growth. They assure appropriate staffing and resources. They design schedules that provide time for collaborative inquiry. They implement, support, and sustain a culture conducive to learning (Louis, Dretzke, & Wahlstrom, 2010). One of the most important ways school leaders develop and support quality teaching is to function as instructional leaders.
