Leadership

An Instructional leader is anyone who accepts responsibility for making and supporting decisions regarding the literacy curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development. Successful and sustained literacy initiatives require involvement of leaders at all levels. This definition of leadership goes beyond the role of a single person to include others with responsibility for student learning.  A literacy culture is how a group acts collectively to address the literacy needs of learners.  To support a strong literacy culture, this group should have a: 

 1.       Shared vision (sense of purpose).

 2.       Shared understanding of what it takes to achieve this vision.

 3.       Common commitment to do what it takes.

 4.       Common set of literacy related practices.

 Literacy leaders must be viewed by colleagues as life-long learners who are knowledgeable in the area of literacy.   Strong collaborative leadership at all levels of schooling – Birth through Grade 12 – is perhaps the single most important determining factor in successfully implementing and sustaining educational change.  

 The Alabama Reading Initiative supports local instructional leaders in the following efforts:

 ·         Aligning practice with the Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders.

 ·         Supporting Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) coaches in following the ARI coach job description.

 ·         Supporting and monitoring all instruction and intervention expectations.

 ·         Establishing, equipping, supporting, and leading a literacy leadership team.

Alabama Standards for Instructional Leaders