The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders
Leading for Engagement and Impact in Any Setting
- Douglas Fisher - San Diego State University, USA
- Nancy Frey - San Diego State University, USA
- Dominique Smith - Health Sciences High and Middle College, USA
- John Hattie - The University of Melbourne, Australia
Administration & Leadership | Leadership in Educational Technology | Visible Learning
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
The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders is the essential hands-on guide to leading school and school systems from a distance and delivering on the promise of equitable, quality learning experiences for students.
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Free resources
9 Tips for Making Virtual Professional Learning Meaningful
Co-authors of The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey share 9 tips to use in your next professional learning session.
Instructional Leadership at a Distance
Chapter 3 from The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders explains how to implement successful instructional leadership at a distance.
Virtual PL Checklist
This checklist from The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders will help you to ensure that your next virtual professional learning session is successful.
Logic Model
This logic model from The Distance Learning Playbook for School Leaders shows how to develop a plan that will allow you to determine your impact.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
