Networking Style: How Principals Manage Curriculum Change

The old adage, 'It's not what you know but who you know ... ', has more often been used to explain success in business than success in education. One educational indicator of who you know, 'The old school tie', is well known in business and politics. Recent research on principals managing the complexities of curriculum change in New South Wales schools suggests however that what you know about who you know', is in fact more critical.
Seven case studies of school principals who were involved in curriculum change over a two year period were conducted. The studies disclosed that all of the principals used some form of networking. Networking implies knowing people - knowing about how they teach is necessary for curriculum change.