THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP IN MATHEMATICS: CASES OF URBAN REFORM

This chapter presents chronicles the history and practices of leadership development in the Jefferson Elementary School District in urban Phoenix, Arizona. It describes major dilemmas facing teachers, administration, and parents as they grappled with changing demographics, administration, and curricular mandates. The chapter also describes major opportunities that arose as a result of the district brokering relationships with Universities and Federal agencies. It provides musings on what worked and why, such that the intellectual residue of it work results in a plausible model of leadership development that can be transported to other districts facing similar pressures and opportunities. To identify potential leaders for the effort, an invitation was sent out to all teachers to apply for the Mathematics Task Force. The reforms and funding for professional development in the Johnson era during the 1960s created large numbers of institutes and projects with specific focus on content or particular approaches to pedagogy.