Life after the ACSA/Harvard Principals' Center Summer Institute: a look at principals' reflective practice

Abstract

This case study of three elementary school principals examines a professional development strategy which addresses the desire to build reflection into the daily routine of the site administrator. The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)/Harvard Principals' Center Summer Institute is an intensive, two-week professional development program which encourages reflection by facilitating discussions and activities which relate relevant research to practical application. This research attends to a main component of the summer experience--the reflection--and examines its incorporation into the principals' practice. The researcher employed a methodology which included semi-structured interviews of the three principals, their key teachers, and their superintendents. Documents, such as the Institute's curriculum and principals' reflective essays, enhanced the data gained from the personal interviews.