SAM: Moving Instructional Leadership Out of the Shadows

I recently took part in a training session for SAMs project Data Collectors. Funded by the Wallace Foundation SAMs

( School Administration Managers) was developed as part of the Alternative School Administration Study (ASAS) conducted by  Mark Shellinger, author and project director. Mark was the facilitator for the training and talked about the principalship being an “interruption-driven” position that usually allows little time f or the instructional leadership role so necessary for increased student achievement.

The SAMs  process allows the principal to focus time on instructional leadership, teaching practice, student learning, and school improvement. It is a data-based change process that holds principals accountable for their use of time on the job. There are a variety of SAMs models:creating a new position, converting an existing position or adding duties to an existing position. Promising results in initial pilot studies prompted the Wallace Foundation to support the development and diffusion of SAMs. Work is underway to replicate SAM projects in 176 schools in eight states including Missouri.

We have 2 schools in Southwest Missouri that are part of the project and there are plans to add 2 or 3 more. Assistant Director Marsha Lay is a trained Data Coach and there are 5 trained data collectors here in the great Southwest including Marsha Lay, Robyn Hagerman, and yours truly.

SAMs: “A complex change process disguised as a simple idea” Dr. Jody Spiro, Wallace Foundation

SAMs is a rigorous process that requires a change from the traditional role of building principal. Research and common sense tells us that observing teacher performance and giving feedback to improve individual and group practice is key to improved achievement and learning for all students. Why is this not how school leaders spend their time?(samsconnect.com) Being football season, let’s talk football. You would not expect the coach of an NFL football team to be sitting in his office while the team is on the field playing an important game! Why then should the principal be bogged down in managerial tasks that pull him/her away from his/her team?

As a side note, I am wondering if someday in the future we can come up with a similar process for ensuring that school counselors are able to spend the majority of their time doing what they’ve been trained to do – counseling and working with kids. While research has shown that fully implemented comprehensive school counseling programs help all students achieve, many counselors are bogged down with scheduling and assessment management tasks that take time away from the guidance and career counseling that benefit kids. I broached this subject with a group of principals at one time and was immediately reprimanded for trying to tell them (principals) what their counselors should be doing. Just a thought to chew on……..

But back to SAMs – I was skeptical of the SAMs project a few months ago when I was first introduced to it – it seemed too much of a break with the traditional principal’s role to be effective within our schools. As I got to know the process better and was able to watch the changes that took place in just one year in 2 Southwest Missouri schools, I became a believer. For more information, check out the web site, samsconnect.com or the latest SAMs newsletter. And, as usual, you are welcomed to contact us here at the office. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.