Examining education leadership communication practices around basic and advanced skill sets: a multiple case study

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore and describe the leadership communication practices of school principals in Southern California schools with demonstrated high levels of academic performance in order to identify practices that might be replicated in other schools. Communication practices were studied in relation to two leadership skill sets, basic and advanced. Basic leadership skill set includes (a) setting direction, (b) developing people, and (c) redesigning the organization. Advanced leadership skill set includes: (a) creating and sustaining a competitive school, (b) empowering others to make significant decisions, (c) providing instructional guidance, and d) developing and implementing a strategic school improvement plan. This multiple case study was conducted in a K-12 public school district and included two elementary schools and one middle school. Four data collection instruments, designed by the researcher included principal and teacher interviews, observations, and artifacts. Eleven certified teachers and three school principals were interviewed, each school provided communication artifacts, and the researcher spent one day observing the principals’ interactions to observe the overall feel of the school culture. The study yielded five conclusions. First, fostering a positive school climate is an important means school leaders have for improving student learning. Second, establishing trust is an integral part of leadership communication practices. Third, providing meaningful professional development communicates a focus on professional practice. Fourth, coordinating strategies school wide for instructional feedback provides a focus on learning and student achievement. Fifth, effective communication around both basic and advanced skill sets is essential to successful leadership. The study yielded five recommendations. First, state, district and school leaders are encouraged to include communication strategies that foster a positive school climate in leadership preparation courses. Second, school administrators should remain aware of the importance of establishing trust with all stakeholders. Third, school administrators should communicate the importance of professional practice through meaningful professional development. Fourth, school administrators should use consistent strategies for providing instructional feedback to ensure a focus on student achievement. Fifth, through communication practices school administrators need to provide a clear understanding of the basic and advanced skill sets for all staff members

PR 632 Preaching from the Gospels: Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Preaching

COURSE DESCRIPTION ________________________________ The purpose of Preaching from the Gospels is to approach the study and practice of Christian proclamation through hermeneutical and theological engagement with the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Attention will be given to preaching from the teachings of Jesus, Jesus’ parables and miracles, as well as Jesus’ life (birth & infancy, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, passion, death and resurrection). This course encourages students to wed their skills in biblical interpretation with pastorally responsive and theologically reflective proclamation. The purpose of PR courses is to promote a partnership of teaching and learning that nurtures a vision of Christian preaching as a theological and pastoral activity of the Church in service to the Gospel. The core objectives of this course have been established to facilitate critical understanding of and competence in view of: 1) preaching as witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ revealed in Christian Scriptures and 2) preaching as both a gift of the Holy Spirit and a human vocation which serves the creation of a community called to worship the Triune God as revealed through the narrative of the whole biblical canon. This course approaches preaching as a theological practice and from a perspective shaped by the Wesleyan tradition; it is informed by a conscious integration of doctrinal and biblical exegesis and the practice of theological hermeneutics. Emphasis is placed on the life-long task of acquiring practical habits appropriate for cultivating judgment required for faithful communication of the biblical witness in service of the Word of God, as an act of Christian worship and within the context of personal, social and cultural challenge and change. This course will assume that proclamation of the Gospel by means of Scripture is the central (although not exclusive) activity by which the Church is continually created, sustained, corrected, and strengthened by God’s Word to worship and participate in the life of the Triune God. This course is therefore designed as an extended conversation that will exemplify and encourage pastoral competence in speaking the Word of God to form Christian conviction and character with a community what bears witness to the Kingdom that has arrived in Christ. Preaching will be regarded as an act of worship offered to the God of Israel and Jesus Christ who continues to speak and enact his gracious promises and saving purposes through the witness of the Prophets and Apostles in the power of the Holy Spirit. An important objective of this course will be to gain a vital and necessary understanding of preaching as a theological and ecclesial practice that requires: 1) the practices of daily prayer and obedience – pastoral discipline; 2) consistent reading, study, and appropriation of Scripture as the Word of God addressed to God’s people and for the world; 3) the testing of biblical interpretation by means of the central theological convictions of the Church Catholic, and in particular, the Wesleyan tradition, to insure faithful homiletic performance that glorifies God and produces Christian disciples who aspire to a shared life of holiness in Christ. To be consistent with the nature and purpose of preaching as a theological discipline, a strong emphasis will be placed upon the life-long task of acquiring practical wisdom appropriate to the pastoral vocation: the spiritual and moral attentiveness and insight necessary to call the Church to know, love, and serve the Triune God whose speech authors its life and secures its future.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/1156/thumbnail.jp

PR 610 The Theology and Practice of Preaching

Fant, Clyde E. Bonhoeffer: Worldly Preaching. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1975. Kolb, D. A. Experiential Learning: Eperience as the Source of Learning and Development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1984.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/3674/thumbnail.jp

SP 501 Communication as Christian Rhetoric

Holy Bible. (Please choose a translation to work from rather than a paraphrase). Schultze, Q. J. An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. ISBN 08-010-31-516Volf, Miroslav. Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. ISBN 0-310-26574-6https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/3743/thumbnail.jp

PR 610 C The Servant as Proclaimer

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS ______________________________________ Cantalamessa, Raniero. The Mystery of God\u27s Word. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1994. Craddock, Fred B. Preaching. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985. Kalas, J. Ellsworth. Preaching from the Soul: Insistent Observations on the Sacred Art. Nashville: Abingdon, 2003. Webb, Joseph M. Preaching without Notes. Nashville: Abingdon, 2001.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/3813/thumbnail.jp

PR 610 The Theology and Practice of Preaching

Cantalamessa, Raniero. The Mystery of God\u27s Word. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1994. Craddock, Fred B. Preaching. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1985. Kalas, J. Ellsworth. Preaching from the Soul: Insistent Observations on the Sacred Art. Nashville: Abingdon, 2003. Webb, Joseph M. Preaching without Notes. Nashville: Abingdon, 2001. Note: At times throughout the semester readings and/or videos will be placed on reserve in the library or in the PR 610 course folder on First Class. You will be directed to these as appropriate to the progression of class discussion and assignments.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/3736/thumbnail.jp

PR 631 Preaching from the Psalms

Cantalamessa, Raniero. The Mystery of God\u27s Word. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1994. Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching. 2nd Ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005. McCann, Clinton, Jr. and James C. Howell. Preaching the Psalms. Nashville: Abingdon, 2001. Mays, James L. Preaching and Teaching the Psalms. Eds. Patrick D. Miller and Gene M. Tucker. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2006. Webb, Joseph M. Preaching without Notes. Nashville: Abingdon, 2001.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/3738/thumbnail.jp

SP 501 Communication as Christian Rhetoric

Holy Bible. (Please choose a translation to work from rather than a paraphrase). Schmit, Clayton. The Public Reading of Scripture. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002. ISBN:06-870-45-371 SP 501 Communication as Christian Rhetoric Syllabus Page 2 Schultze, Q. J. An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. ISBN 08-010-31-516 Volf, Miroslav. Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. ISBN 0-310-26574-6 1 VHS Tape or a DVD-R for recording your speeches. If you record to a DVD you will need to stay after class to finalize it. Finalizing the DVD allows you to view it on other DVD players. This process takes 5 – 10 minutes per speech.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/1161/thumbnail.jp

PR 632 Preaching from the Gospels:

Beasley – Murray, George R. Preaching the Gospel from the Gospels. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996. Long, Thomas. Preaching the Literary Forms of the Bible. Fortress, 1988. Long, Thomas G. The Witness of Preaching. 2nd Ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2005. Van Harm, Roger E. Preacher, Can You Hear Us Listening? Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/1188/thumbnail.jp

SP 501 Communication as Christian Rhetoric

Holy Bible. (Please choose a translation to work from rather than a paraphrase). Schultze, Q. J. An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. ISBN 08-010-31-516 Schmit, Clayton. The Public Reading of Scripture. Nashville: Abingdon, 2002. ISBN:06-870-45-371 Volf, Miroslav. Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. ISBN 0-310-26574-6https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/2795/thumbnail.jp