"Kids who are not succeeding aren't achieving because they aren't bright, but because they haven't had the opportunities and experiences that students in other communities may have encountered. I want people to understand that regardless of a zip code a child lives in, that child has the potential to achieve."

UMBC: Describe the scene - the challenges, really - that faced you when you entered your current elementary school.

EC: The most significant challenge was improving poor student achievement as measured by classroom performance and Maryland's state test . Our third and fifth graders were performing in the bottom 10 percent of students in city schools. That was the most significant and disturbing feature and, as one might expect, there was a high correlation between poor performance and a high degree of disruptive behaviors. Students' behaviors were, as my school community would say, "off the hook." The number of behavioral interruptions to instruction prevented many kids from learning. The inappropriate behaviors were inextricably linked to those children whose learning needs were not being effectively met.

UMBC: How did you go about remedying the situation?

EC: In an effort to identify our educational goals, representative members of our school community participated in a week-long, "mission, vision, key strategy" workshop. We came together to articulate our vision for Brehms Lane. To produce this vision, we identified the needed strategies and how our daily teaching practice needed to change to produce this vision. We came up with ten very powerful strategies, which simply equate to quality teaching that is focused on the diverse needs of all our learners, set in a compassionate, compelling environment in which students understand what they are learning and how they can apply it in their lives.

UMBC: What distinguishes your approach as a principal?

EC: What I've consistently brought to our schools is the ability to help communities define and create a shared vision that serves as a guide for all improvement efforts. The key is shared. The second step is to help develop consensus about what it is we are going to do to improve our instructional program. The third thing, and most importantly, is that we consistently monitor and reflect upon the effectiveness of our strategies in reaching our vision.

Linked to that is the need to facilitate quality professional development that addresses the needs of teachers. It's not just a matter of saying "we're going to create compelling instruction." That's just rhetoric. What we need to do, and what I think I've been able to facilitate, is bring to the teachers the training they need. Principals need to understand that their main job is to help communities clarify their vision for the school and then provide the resources to that community to attain their vision, that's the formula for success.

UMBC: How do you interact with students?

EC: The students are my bosses. I'm there to serve students and their parents. I remain very connected with the students. I eat lunch with the students; I visit with them in their classroom. There's not a day that goes by that I don't walk my entire building and visit in a large number of classrooms, just listening to what the teachers are teaching, how they're teaching and observing the students for signs of learning. I get to know them not just in structured settings, but also in social settings where I can learn more about them, their backgrounds, their needs, their dreams and how I can help them accomplish those dreams.

UMBC: What evidence of turnaround have you seen at your current school?

EC: Last year, in the third grade, we went from 29.9 percent of students passing the reading portion of the state test to 69.8 percent. That ranked us as the sixth most improved school in the city in the third grade. Our math scores increased from 40 percent to 69 percent of students performing at the proficient level. Our fifth grade scores improved but not to the extent of our third grade. What we did was focus on early intervention, and data indicates that really paid off. We're looking now at creating a consistent school-wide instructional program not just in pedagogy, but also in the content being taught.

UMBC: Where did your interest in education come from?

EC: It originated at UMBC, where I remember professors who really inspired me. They allowed me to be creative and I received some high-quality teaching. That impacted me for a very long time. I was very fortunate to receive a senatorial scholarship and I decided to go into teaching for just a couple of years--and here it is 33 years later. Teaching captivated me; it consumed me. Since the first day in the classroom I knew this was where I belonged. I've been blessed with many gifts that are in line with being a good teacher.

UMBC: Many people have written off the Baltimore City school system. What do you want people to know about the reality of the schools and their students?

EC: I want our communities, be it Baltimore City, the state or the country, to understand that kids who are not succeeding aren't achieving because they aren't bright, but because they have not had the opportunities and experiences that students in other communities may have encountered. It is critical to understand that the principals and the teachers in the Baltimore City schools are tremendously committed to our boys and girls and that their resources and opportunities to increase their professional competency have sometimes been limited. I want people to understand that regardless of a zip code a child lives in, that child has the potential to achieve.

UMBC: You still face many challenges. What puts a smile on your face each day you enter your school?

EC: Kids. Kids and teachers who are devoted to kids bring smiles to my face everyday. As evidenced from data in the four schools that I've served, I truly believe that commitment, a shared vision and teacher training pays off in measurable improvements.

UMBC: What lessons do you think other principals can learn from your example?

EC: I believe that principals carry in their heart a commitment to improving achievement and instruction in their schools. I'm not sure I have any specific lessons to share because I think the lessons are within, the expertise is within, that it is just a matter of understanding how to create that shared vision, aligning resources and proving yourself as an instructional leader. To use the words of Thomas Sergiovanni, principals must be "servant leaders." They must be learners and teachers: teachers of students, teachers of teachers and teachers of the community at large.