Norman   Weston
 
Rank: Associate Professor, Educational   Leadership Department

Location: North Shore   Campus

Office Phone: (224) 233-2000 x2287

Office Fax: (847) 465-5629

Email Address: nweston@nl.edu
 



EDUCATION 

Degree: PhD

Institution: University   of Illinois at Chicago

Field: Curriculum Design
 
PROFESSIONAL STATEMENT

Today educational leaders are being encouraged   to transform their schools into learning   communities that provide students and staff with a renewed sense of meaning   and purpose to their work. Schools can be transformed only by attending   to the needs of both teachers and students. In Developing Educational Leaders: A Working Model: The Learning   Community in Action (2002, Norris, Barnett, Basom &   Yerkes) Linda Lambert defines leadership "as a reciprocal   process where a community of learners inspires both individual and   group development" (p. vii). NLU’s masters and doctoral   degree programs in educational leadership address the above by (1)   focusing on district-wide school improvement while working to create   a professional ethos and comprehensive learning community; (2)   directly linking professional development of teachers to student   achievement, and (3) developing opportunities for teacher leadership.   21st Century school leadership is less role-bound, less hierarchical,   more reciprocal, more problem-focused, and more community-centered.   These characteristics, imbued with the core values of the National   College of Education (social justice, multiculturalism, equity and progressive   education, set our course.
 
 
 
CURRENT COURSES I TEACH
 
•    EDL610 Entry Portfolio Development for Superintendent   Endorsement
•    EDL699 Dissertation Completion
•    EDL546 Perspectives on and Administration of   Educational Policy
•    EDL624 Professional Development and School   Change
•    EDL622 Curriculum Planning, Organization and   Evaluation
•    EDL510 Leadership and Organizational Development   of Schools
•    EDL512 Communication and Technological Skills   for School Leaders
•    EDL552 Administration of the Curriculum
•    EDL553 Supervision of Instruction
•    ESR508 Research for School Leaders
     
 
 
PUBLICATIONS (RECENT)
 
Weston, N. (2001). Building a learning community   through teacher action   research: Honoring teacher wisdom in three Chicago public schools. In Redding, S. &   Thomas, L.G., (Eds.). The   community of the school (pp. 97-111). Lincoln, IL:   The Academic Development Institute.
 
Fischer, J. & Weston, N. (2000). Action   research and school reform: Lessons fromChicago,   Curitiba, and Santiago. In Burnaford, G., Fischer,   J., & Hobson, D. (Eds.)Teachers   doing research: The power of action through inquiry. NJ: Erlbaum.
 

PRESENTATIONS (RECENT)
 
 Weston,   N. & Best, R. (2008, March). Partnering   for Change: A Model     School-University Partnership   Focused on Teacher and Student Learning. Paperpresented   at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association(AERA),   New York.  
 
Weston, N., Caron, W., Dugan, K.,   Dunleavy, C., Elish, R., Pingitore, S., Purcell, J.,&   Royer, M. (March, 2008). Writing   and Acting with One Voice: The Collaborative   Educational Leadership Dissertation and School Change. Paperpresented   at themeeting of the   American Educational Research Association(AERA),   New York.
 
Weston, N., Watkins, O., Tafel, L., &   Kahl, M. (March, 2008). The EducationalLeadership   Dissertation: A Vehicle for Personal Transformation and SchoolChange.   In T. Purinton (Chair), Extending   the Debate on the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership:   Transmission Vs. Transformation. Symposium conducted at themeeting of theAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA), New York. 
 
Weston, N., Hawthorne, E., Streedain, R., &   Best, R. (Feb., 2004). Building   aSchool/University   Partnership: Top-Down & Bottom Up. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Association   of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE),Chicago, IL.
 
 
 
WORK IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY
 
2003   - 2007     Project Evaluator and Research   Coordinator, Pilsen and Little Village Arts and Education   Collaborative: To Improve Academic Achievement of At-Risk Children   and Youth, Chicago     Public Schools
 
2001   - 2003     Member, Lindop   School Dst. 92, Comprehensive School   Reform Planning Committee, Broadview,     IL
 
1998   - 2000     Research Advisor, Professional Growth   Committee, Glencoe District #35, Glencoe, IL.
 
1997   - 2000     Action Research Advisor, Illinois Alliance   for Achievement Network,Annenberg Small   Schools Challenge Grant for Bethune, Spry, and Piccolo Schools,   Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, IL.
 
 
 
RESEARCH INTERESTS
 
Curriculum Theory & Design; Teacher Action   Research; Teacher Leadership; Professional Development;   School/University Partnerships
 
 
 
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
 
•     American Educational Research Association   (AERA)
•    Co-chair, Classroom Inquiry, Division B:   Curriculum Studies 2000-2001
•    Association for Supervision and Curriculum   Development (ASCD)
•    Institute for Democracy in Education (IDE)
•    Illinois Association for Supervision   and Curriculum Development (IASCD)