What is a key requirement for leaders to prepare faculty to deliver rigorous instruction?

The key requirement for leaders to prepare faculty to deliver rigorous instruction is centered around implementing professional development focused on critical thinking. This approach emphasizes equipping teachers with the skills and strategies necessary to foster higher-order thinking skills among their students. Professional development that centers on critical thinking enables educators to design and deliver lessons that challenge students to analyze, evaluate, and create information rather than merely remember facts. This is crucial for creating an environment where rigorous instruction is the norm, as teachers become better prepared to engage students in complex, thoughtful discussions and tasks that elevate their learning experiences.

In contrast, conducting regular staff meetings serves an important administrative purpose but does not specifically enhance teachers’ instructional strategies or focus on critical thinking. Revising the school’s mission statement may provide clarity of purpose, but it does not directly translate into practical instructional strategies for faculty. Increasing classroom sizes to enhance management could lead to logistical challenges and detract from individualized attention, which could compromise the quality of rigorous instruction rather than support it. Therefore, the most effective pathway to achieving rigorous instruction lies in targeted professional development that cultivates critical thinking skills among faculty.