| Teachers will have different change experiences, which will lead to different results depending on how the principal, as change leader, leads. Principals have different styles. "Style represents the overall tone and pattern of a leader's approach. Behaviors are a leader's individual, moment-to-moment actions, such as talking to a teacher in the corridor, chairing a staff meeting, writing a memo, and talking on the telephone. The overall accumulated pattern and tone of these behaviors form a person's style" (Hall & Hord, 2001, pp. 130-131). Three different approaches have been identified as Change Facilitator Styles, which include Initiator, Manager, and Responder.
The Initiator has a clear vision of where the school is headed and what is best for students. The focus is on curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The Manager usually has as his first priority keeping the school well organized and running smoothly. Therefore, time is spent on studying and learning more about a change initiative before the school engages in it. The Responder tends to focus on current concerns and perceptions of the teachers and others. Therefore, different change initiatives may be going on in different parts of the school and decisions may be delayed.
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