7 Mindshifts for School Leaders

Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems
First Edition
Connie Hamilton
Joseph M. Jones - Superintendent, New Castle County Vocational Technical School District
T. J. Vari - Assistant Superintendent, Appoquinimink School District
7 Mindshifts for School Leaders
October 2022 | 232 pages | Corwin
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eBook
ISBN: 9781071871089
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781071871065
Available from January 0001

Description

With the right approach, no problem is unsolvable.

How do you approach and solve problems in education that have been around so long that they just feel…normal? Perpetual issues—numeracy, reading ability, equity, grading, and teacher retention—are often continually managed, but not solved like the crises they are for future sustainability.

This innovative guide introduces seven mindshifts that will help you engage with your community, access diverse resources, embrace radical new ideas, create equity, and chart a course of school improvement to solve those “unsolvable issues” so that your students and teachers learn and grow. Features include

  • Seven adaptable models—one per mindshift—for finding your own solutions to perennial problems
  • Stories highlighting the successful implementation of each mindshift
  • Discussions to help you match mindshifts to particular problems
  • Technical tips and reflection questions

Persistent problems in education can only be solved if we approach them as the crises that they are. This book gives you the tools you need to become a new kind of school leader—one empowered to not just deal with the outcomes of perennial complex issues, but extinguish them altogether so that your students can thrive.

Contents

Foreword by Joe Sanfelippo

Foreword by Joe Sanfelippo

Preface: From Flawed Thinking to New Mental Shifts

Preface: From Flawed Thinking to New Mental Shifts

Introduction: Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems

Introduction: Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems

Mental Shift #1: Leading with a Crisis Mindset

Mental Shift #1: Leading with a Crisis Mindset

Mental Shift #2: Leading with a Battleground Mentality

Mental Shift #2: Leading with a Battleground Mentality

Mental Shift #3: Leading With a Beginner’s Mind

Mental Shift #3: Leading With a Beginner’s Mind

Mental Shift #4: Leading with an Octopus Approach

Mental Shift #4: Leading with an Octopus Approach

Mental Shift #5: Leading with a Disciplined Tunnel Vision

Mental Shift #5: Leading with a Disciplined Tunnel Vision

Mental Shift #6: Leading with a Yes, And Attitude

Mental Shift #6: Leading with a Yes, And Attitude

Mental Shift #7: Leading with a Go With What Is Known Response

Mental Shift #7: Leading with a Go With What Is Known Response

Conclusion: Leading to Maximize Disruption

Conclusion: Leading to Maximize Disruption

Description

With the right approach, no problem is unsolvable.

How do you approach and solve problems in education that have been around so long that they just feel…normal? Perpetual issues—numeracy, reading ability, equity, grading, and teacher retention—are often continually managed, but not solved like the crises they are for future sustainability.

This innovative guide introduces seven mindshifts that will help you engage with your community, access diverse resources, embrace radical new ideas, create equity, and chart a course of school improvement to solve those “unsolvable issues” so that your students and teachers learn and grow. Features include

  • Seven adaptable models—one per mindshift—for finding your own solutions to perennial problems
  • Stories highlighting the successful implementation of each mindshift
  • Discussions to help you match mindshifts to particular problems
  • Technical tips and reflection questions

Persistent problems in education can only be solved if we approach them as the crises that they are. This book gives you the tools you need to become a new kind of school leader—one empowered to not just deal with the outcomes of perennial complex issues, but extinguish them altogether so that your students can thrive.

Contents

Foreword by Joe Sanfelippo

Foreword by Joe Sanfelippo

Preface: From Flawed Thinking to New Mental Shifts

Preface: From Flawed Thinking to New Mental Shifts

Introduction: Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems

Introduction: Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems

Mental Shift #1: Leading with a Crisis Mindset

Mental Shift #1: Leading with a Crisis Mindset

Mental Shift #2: Leading with a Battleground Mentality

Mental Shift #2: Leading with a Battleground Mentality

Mental Shift #3: Leading With a Beginner’s Mind

Mental Shift #3: Leading With a Beginner’s Mind

Mental Shift #4: Leading with an Octopus Approach

Mental Shift #4: Leading with an Octopus Approach

Mental Shift #5: Leading with a Disciplined Tunnel Vision

Mental Shift #5: Leading with a Disciplined Tunnel Vision

Mental Shift #6: Leading with a Yes, And Attitude

Mental Shift #6: Leading with a Yes, And Attitude

Mental Shift #7: Leading with a Go With What Is Known Response

Mental Shift #7: Leading with a Go With What Is Known Response

Conclusion: Leading to Maximize Disruption

Conclusion: Leading to Maximize Disruption

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7 Mindshifts for School Leaders

Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems

Connie Hamilton , Joseph M. Jones , T. J. Vari
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October 2022 | 232 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 01/02/2026 9781071871065 $37.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781071871089 $35.00

With the right approach, no problem is unsolvable.

How do you approach and solve problems in education that have been around so long that they just feel…normal? Perpetual issues—numeracy, reading ability, equity, grading, and teacher retention—are often continually managed, but not solved like the crises they are for future sustainability.

This innovative guide introduces seven mindshifts that will help you engage with your community, access diverse resources, embrace radical new ideas, create equity, and chart a course of school improvement to solve those “unsolvable issues” so that your students and teachers learn and grow. Features include

  • Seven adaptable models—one per mindshift—for finding your own solutions to perennial problems
  • Stories highlighting the successful implementation of each mindshift
  • Discussions to help you match mindshifts to particular problems
  • Technical tips and reflection questions

Persistent problems in education can only be solved if we approach them as the crises that they are. This book gives you the tools you need to become a new kind of school leader—one empowered to not just deal with the outcomes of perennial complex issues, but extinguish them altogether so that your students can thrive.


Table Of Contents:

  • Foreword by Joe Sanfelippo
  • Preface: From Flawed Thinking to New Mental Shifts
  • Introduction: Finding New Ways to Think About Old Problems
  • Mental Shift #1: Leading with a Crisis Mindset
  • Mental Shift #2: Leading with a Battleground Mentality
  • Mental Shift #3: Leading With a Beginner’s Mind
  • Mental Shift #4: Leading with an Octopus Approach
  • Mental Shift #5: Leading with a Disciplined Tunnel Vision
  • Mental Shift #6: Leading with a Yes, And Attitude
  • Mental Shift #7: Leading with a Go With What Is Known Response
  • Conclusion: Leading to Maximize Disruption

Recent Product Reviews:

As our world changes, we must also change the way we think about leading, teaching, and learning. 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders offers practical strategies for how to make meaningful change to positively impact school communities for the better. This is a must-read book for all school leaders.
Starr Sackstein, Mastery Portfolio, LLC
7 Mindshifts for School Leaders is a stand-out game-changer! Hamilton, Jones, and Vari offer real-time ideas and examples to support you with current leadership strategies. They provide a blueprint for implementing effective change to bolster student achievement.
Matthew X. Joseph, X-Factor EDU
Hamilton, Jones, and Vari empower school leaders to craft new solutions for age-old problems. This framework is an inspiring pathway and highly doable. Each new lens offered is complemented with a plethora of relatable examples, strategies, and resources.
Aubrey Patterson, Warm Demanders Inc.
The seven mindshifts shared by Hamilton, Jones, and Vari give current and upcoming school leaders a fresh way to think about the unique problems their schools are facing. The easy-to-read format offers the models and mindsets school leaders need to develop solutions to issues such as classroom management, achievement gaps, teacher retention, and more. It is a must-read for all leaders.
Nathan Maynard, the Restorative Group
In 7 Mindshifts for School Leaders, Connie, Joe, and TJ lay the foundation for how leaders of the next generation will need to think differently to effect change and impact our schools. Reading this book is the first step in creating the mindsets needed to fight decades-old battles in education. Let’s start the revolution!
Salome Thomas-EL

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