Principals and other school leaders must make professional learning a key piece of curriculum reform, not an option or an afterthought. Professional development must become a central part of the profession of teaching. School leaders must also find the right incentives to get everyone involved in professional development. They must provide the right amount of time and the right circumstances for adults to learn. They must model what it's like to be a lifelong learner, someone who is willing to keep up with changes in a profession and apply what has been learned.
Principals are also the direct link between classrooms and the larger school system.
They must ensure that the resources needed to make changes in teaching and learning are available, and that teachers' voices are heard in making district-wide decisions that affect the classroom. The greatest stumbling block in curriculum reform is time. Teachers need time to plan, discuss, coach each other, assess students and their own teaching, collaborate, encourage each other and reflect. Change how time is used, change peoples' responsibilities, or add to the amount of time on the job. While the first step is often to add time at the end of the teaching day, there are other ways to engage teachers in professional learning when their energy and motivation are high.