Category: Leadership

School Leadership through the Seasons

School Leadership through the Seasons: A Guide to Staying Focused and Getting Results All Year By Ann T. Mausbach and Kimberly Morrison (Routledge/Eye On Education Book, 2016 – Learn more) Reviewed by Mary Langer Thompson The co-authors of...

A Leadership Framework That Includes Teachers

Whitaker, Zoul and Casas present a clear four-part framework to build leadership skills, stressing the importance of having a vision and taking the first step. Educator Laura Von Staden notes the standards relate both to teachers and to leaders identified by title.

Blending Leadership: Leading Online and Off

Stephen Valentine and Reshan Richards outline core beliefs they believe can strengthen leadership by blending online and face-to-face communication. Mary L. Thompson notes the technical information may become dated quickly but finds the response to change valuable.

Leading with Focus Will Improve Schools

Emphasizing content-rich curriculum, traditional literacy activities, and soundly structured lessons, Mike Schmoker’s “Leading with Focus” provides a guide for teacher leaders, principals, and others that can improve student achievement, says principal Matt Renwick.

199 Tips Help You Be a Successful Principal

Curious about the “Cart of good and evil” (Tip #153)? Retired principal Mary Thompson finds lots to like in Francy Fleck’s tips for succeeding in the challenging position of school leader. Quotations and research support the tips, and Thompson offers a rich sample.

A Practical Resource for School-Based Leaders

Principals and other school based leaders will find succinct, useful discussions of building level concerns in Williamson and Blackburn’s The Principalship from A-Z. Educational leadership professor Margaret Jones-Carey also recommends the book’s online resources.

BRAVO Principals Lead Through Relationships

BRAVO Principal, with its reflection questions and support exercises, is an effective resource for keeping school leaders centered on what matters most to promote the success of each of our students in our learning organizations, writes MS principal Dennis Schug.

7 Elements of Effective Leadership in Education

Douglas Reeves advocates 7 interdependent elements of leadership – purpose, trust, focus, leverage, feedback, change, and sustainability – to change schools for the better. Coach Rita Platt will revisit the elements throughout the year to spark more reflection.

Effective Principals Must Listen, Learn & Lead

Russell Quaglia advocates for “principal voice” using a creative Three L’s framework, surfacing our awareness of things that we know are good leadership practices. Former principal Rick Jetter finds Quaglia’s tips and take-aways thoughtful and easy to implement.

How to Build a Vibrant School Culture

Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker do a phenomenal job of taking the reader on a guided journey to define, assess, and learn to transform a school culture, says principal Doug Dunn. School Culture Rewired includes surveys, culture-building strategies and much more.