THE EMERGING REFLECTIVE URBAN PRINCIPAL - THE ROLE OF SHADOWING ENCOUNTERS

The article will report on the process and outcomes of shadowing encou nters with urban principals. The authors provided extensive on-site pr ofessional development for 58 school principals with the support of th e Edna McConnell Clark Foundation's Program for Student Achievement be tween 1991 and 1994. The authors developed a Shadowing Encounter Instr ument and procedures to facilitate assiduous reflection among urban pr incipals. The shadowing instrument provides urban principals with oppo rtunities to think critically and reflectively about their practice. T he data gleaned from the shadowing encounter are disaggregated so that the principal can readily see routine daily behaviors across three sp ecific domains: instructional leadership, school management, and stude nt social behaviors. The instrument also assesses the predominant lead ership style of the respective principals, The article will conclude w ith policy recommendations directed to urban school districts and agen cies concerned with the task of facilitating critical reflection among urban school leaders.