Overview

By Kathy Checkley

"When a school becomes a true MI school, every aspect of its program and curriculum changes," writes New City School principal Thomas R. Hoerr in his ASCD book Becoming a Multiple Intelligences School (2000). Managing such sweeping change obviously requires effective leadership.

In this course, you'll explore which of the multiple intelligences, when honed, can enhance a leader's competence. You'll also consider how other intelligences not included in MI theory are key to effective leadership. And you'll explore Douglas Reeves's research on leadership characteristics that contribute to improved student achievement. This six-lesson course does not attempt to be a how-to guide for leaders. Instead, the ideas presented will allow course participants to explore various perspectives on effective leadership. We believe that if school leaders better understand how people learn, they can make better decisions about curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development. Moreover, if school leaders deepen their understanding of how to develop leadership traits that have been shown to be effective, student learning will be enhanced.

(ASCD PDOnline Course, 2007)