The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders: Leading for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting

by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Dominique Smith, John Hattie

Overview

Effective school leadership is effective leadership, regardless of where it occurs

In March 2020, there was no manual for leading schools and school systems during a pandemic. School leaders had to figure things out as the crisis unfolded. But starting now, leaders have the opportunity to prepare for leading schools through distance learning with purpose and intent—using what works best to accelerate students’ learning all the while maintaining an indelible focus on equity.
Harnessing the insights and experience of renowned educators Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie, The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders applies the wisdom and evidence of the VISIBLE LEARNING® research to understand what works best. Spanning topics from school climate at a distance, leader credibility, care for self and colleagues, instructional leadership teams, stakeholder advisory groups, and virtual visibility, this comprehensive playbook details the research- and evidence-based strategies school leaders can mobilize to lead the delivery of high-impact learning in an online, virtual, and distributed environment.

This powerful guide includes:
• Actionable insights and hands-on steps for each module to help school leaders realize the evidence-based leadership practices that result in meaningful learning in a distance environment
• Discussion of equity challenges associated with distance learning, along with examples of how leaders can work to ensure that equity gains that have been realized are not lost.
• Analysis of the mindsets that empower leaders to manage change, rather than technology
• Space to write and reflect on current practices and plan future leadership strategies
• The mindframes for distance learning that serve leaders well in any instructional setting and will position schools after the pandemic to come back better than they were before

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071839843
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	11/04/2020
Pages:	152
Sales rank:	1,126,582
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed teacher and leader in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as Welcome to Teaching, PLC+, Teaching Students to Drive their Learning, and Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decisions, Better Learning.

Nancy Frey is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Nancy was a teacher, academic coach, and central office resource coordinator in Florida. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. She has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as The Artificial Intelligences Playbook, How Scaffolding Works , How Teams Work , and The Vocabulary Playbook.

Dominique Smith, Ed D, is chief of educational services and teacher support at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, California. Smith is passionate about creating school environments that honor and empower students. His research and instruction focus
on restorative practices, classroom management, growth mindset, and the culture of achievement. Dominique also provides professional learning
to K-12 teachers in small and large groups that address classroom and school climate and organization. He holds a doctorate in educational leadership from San Diego State University with an emphasis on equity as well as a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. Dominique also holds credentials from San Diego State University in administrative services, child welfare, PPS, and attendance.
Smith has been recognized with the National School Safety Award from the School Safety Advocacy Council. In 2018, he delivered a TED Talk
on building relationships between students and teachers.

John Hattie, Ph D, is an award-winning education researcher and best-selling author with nearly thirty years of experience examining what works best in student learning and achievement. His research, better known as Visible Learning, is a culmination of nearly thirty years synthesizing more than 2,100 meta-analyses comprising more than one hundred thousand studies involving over 300 million students around the world. He has presented and keynoted in over three hundred international conferences and has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to education. His notable publications include Visible Learning, Visible Learning for Teachers, Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn; Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12; and 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 School Climate at a Distance 5

Take Care of Yourself 8

Take Care of Your Colleagues 12

Leader Credibility 14

Instructional Leadership Teams 20

Stakeholder Advisory Groups 23

Virtual Visibility 25

The Feel of School 26

2 Professional Learning at a Distance 33

Learning Beliefs at a Distance 36

Collaborative Inquiry Cycles 38

Input Training 42

Safe Practice 46

Virtual Learning Walks 47

Microteaching in Distance Learning 51

Personalized Professional Learning 55

Social Presence 57

Parent Education and Support 59

3 Instructional Leadership at Distance 63

Revisit School Goals in Light of Distance Learning 65

Align Goals to Expectations 68

Clarify Teacher Expectations 72

Ensure Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies 76

Use a Distance Learning Instructional Framework 78

Demonstrating in Distance Learning 81

Collaborating in Distance Learning 83

Coaching and Facilitating in Distance Learning 85

Practicing in Distance Learning 87

4 Mindframes for Leaders from a Distance 91

1 I am an evaluator of my impact on teacher and student learning 93

2 I see assessment as informing my impact and next steps 97

3 I collaborate with my peers and my teachers about my conceptions of progress and my impact 101

4 I am a change agent and I believe all teachers and students can improve 103

5 I strive for challenge rather than merely doing my best 107

6 I give and help students and teachers understand feedback and I interpret and act on feedback given to me 110

7 I engage as much in dialogue as in monologue 113

8 I explicitly inform teachers and students what successful impact looks like from the outset 117

9 I build relationships and trust so that learning can occur in a place where it is safe to make mistakes and learn from others 120

10 I focus on learning and the language of learning 122

References 126

Index 130

About the Authors 134

Editorial Reviews

The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders is an essential companion for any leader (whether school or district) who is looking for measured, actionable, and practical insights. Fisher, Frey, Smith, and Hattie have created a resource that supports leaders as they navigate through the uncharted territory of leading from a distance. By including stories from the field balanced with research based strategies and insights, this book should be used by all leaders regardless of whether they are leading face to face or virtually.

Edmonton, AB Canada - Vince Bustamante

This book is insightful, progressive, and just what school leaders need to move their organizations forward. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the field of education was forced to shift its ethos on a dime. This guide to distance learning will support the nimbleness and flexibility needed to create and implement and sustain a high-quality distance learning program with fidelity.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - Mona Fairley-Nelson

As an administrator who has been working since the pandemic began, I find that most leadership books tell you how to work harder or more efficiently, without acknowledging the mental health burden school leadership often takes. What’s refreshing in this book is that it starts with individual self-care and self-care for your colleagues. I intend to use the planning frameworks the authors suggested in order to ensure self-care is prioritized for myself & my colleagues at my school site.

Covina, CA - Courtney Miller

This is the book school leaders need to be reading right now. The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders provides just-in-time support while also being timeless in nature. The authors tackle the very things we are wrestling with in a highly relatable and action-oriented way.

St. Michael, MN - Dr. Brad Gustafson

As schools transition into a new way of operating, The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders helps us to dot our Is and cross our Ts as we move into learning, leading, and continuously growing in a virtual setting. Not only does the playbook ensure a well-rounded view of our current situation, it provides leaders an opportunity to pause and carefully develop plans of action based on guided reflection. Fisher, Frey, Smith, and Hattie have created a playbook that will enable leaders to persevere through today's challenges and keep the focus on student learning.

Connie Hamilton

Learning can happen from a distance — especially when leaders support teachers, students, and parents, also from a distance. This essential guide offers practical steps for leaders to foster a sense of community and lead professional learning with teachers. With resources like this, we just might all emerge from this crisis as better educators than we were before.

Washington, D.C. - Julie Stern

Adjusting to the present norm effectively is a major concern for most educators. The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders is a timely and relevant guide for leaders on how to carry out their roles virtually without compromising standards and expectations. Leaders will learn how every stakeholder’s—including parents, families, communities, and teachers—interests can be fully protected in an online learning environment.

Lagos, Nigeria - Ngozi Umoru

In these tumultuous times, balanced and effective leadership is critical. This book provides a compelling view into the complex art of leading schools today. This is an invaluable book for any school leader who seeks to be balanced, wise, engaged and effective with all stakeholders.

Tunis, Tunisia - Fatma Trabelsi

Timely advice for leadership teams to make instructional leadership a priority by providing opportunities, guidance and explicit action steps to increase administrator and teacher agency. No longer is teacher self-care, accountability partnerships, and applying safe practices before implementation taking a back seat as The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders shares how to set the foundation for supporting teachers, families, and students in this rapid transition to online teaching and learning through easy to apply research-based strategies. A must read for school district and K12 administrators.

Washington, D.C. - Dr. Sonja Lopez Arnak

The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders: Leading for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting is a great practical guide for managing both the stress and priorities associated with distance learning. As a new school leader navigating my way through principalship, this book references many obstacles that I have already faced in the first month of school and challenges that have presented itself along the way. The section on virtual learning walks really hit home because my district heavily focuses on this practice, so I was able to make meaningful connections. Also, the reflective guides embedded in the book give me useful tools to implement in either my leadership team meetings or school wide faculty meetings.

Addis, LA - Amanda Austin

With school systems now consigned to an online learning model as a response to the ongoing pandemic, school leaders need to deeply consider how to lead learning from a distance. With no established guidelines, no specific training, and no prior experience in this scenario, many leaders still struggle to assess their own effectiveness and impact with their staff. How do you know the quality of learning in your school? The Distance Learning Playbook for School leaders not only details myriad challenges; it also usefully provide practical strategies, rubrics, surveys, and activities to address the problems faced in the new "normal ". Utilizing a motif of essential questions paired with a strategic goal, the authors enter the lifeworld of school leadership and provide actionable insights. For any administrator seeking a hands-on guide to maximize their impact and increase engagement in uncertain and complex settings, this book is your must-have, go-to resource.

Muscat, Oman - Megel Barker

Research has highlighted the role of instructional leadership on teacher efficacy and effectiveness. Strong, positive instructional leadership has a significant impact on both teaching and learning in our brick and mortar classrooms. Furthermore, teaching and learning at a distance is no exception. Fisher, Frey, Smith, and Hattie have provided a practical, user-friendly playbook that supports school leaders as they strive to leverage their leadership skills in what is called the “new normal.” But my main take-away from this playbook is that the ideas within these pages will enhance instructional leadership well beyond distance learning and allow school leaders to extend the reach of their impact to any setting at any time. This playbook will enhance leading for engagement and impact for years to come.

College of Education, James Madison University, Waynesboro, VA - John Almarode

With The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders, Fisher, Frey, Smith and Hattie have created an accessible and thorough guide for educators addressing the complex needs of all members of their school communities in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an extensive evidence base and the authors’ real-world experience, this thoughtful and practical guide addresses the most common concerns and questions of school leaders in the new era of distance learning, and reframes these challenges as opportunities to deepen educational practice and connected leadership, while compassionately supporting staff and students. This book arrives just in time to be an invaluable resource for educators and school communities across the country looking to uphold high standards for teaching and provide students with quality educational experiences, even when it is at a distance.

Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT - Martha Staeheli

In our lifetime we have not had to consider how to lead schools during a worldwide crisis. The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders reminds us that what teachers and leaders do is really what matters, not the medium which they do it through. With the right skills and attitude, this timely playbook offers excellent tips and reminders that can easily guide school leaders on every level through crisis and into a strong climate of excellence.

Cypress, TX - Zetha Nobles