Partnership Communication

[Page 208]In Impact Schools, all forms of professional learning, including principal observations and leadership, instructional coaching, workshops, and teams are coordinated to have a powerful positive impact on how teachers teach and how students learn. But aligning professional learning is not enough to create the outcomes we all want. If schools are to become Impact Schools, all change leaders—administrators, coaches, teachers, anyone in a school who supports improving instruction—must communicate effectively. A leader will sink or swim, more often than not, based on how effectively she communicates.

What is true in the workplace is true in the rest of our lives. Much of the happiness and sadness we experience flows from our ability to communicate. Many of our most joyous moments involve sharing ...