Linda Sienkowicz

Linda Sienkowicz, Principal of Piccolo Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois, discusses the strategies she used to encourage risk-taking among her staff and the effects of her leadership. Excerpted from video footage recorded for NCREL's Urban School Leadership case studies.

"Even the teachers who worked through your teachers weren't doing what was needed to produce the outcomes that we were all expecting. What actually caused the change was a staff development idea that we had, and that was to bring a consultant to our school to work in the classroom with four teachers. So as a result of that very intentional training, finally one of those four teachers decided to make that jump, and she said, "okay, I'm going to try cooperative learning," and I said fine, I support you. So, when this teacher decided to make this jump, everyone was watching her, and they were watching me. Almost a whole school year had to pass and then it became a domino effect. Basically every teacher here now is experimenting with something. They now feel that it's okay, they can try."

This Critical Issue summary was researched and written by Kent Peterson, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Date posted: 1995