You are here

The Daily Practices of Successful Principals
Share
Share

The Daily Practices of Successful Principals


Courses:
Principalship

November 2011 | 192 pages | Corwin

A grab-and-go guide for busy principals

While many books outline the attributes of successful school leaders, few describe how those traits manifest in daily practice. The Daily Practices of Successful Principals goes beyond the outward picture of excellence and provides a compendium of daily practices used by successful principals in various settings. Written by former administrators who have walked in your shoes, this handy guide's strategies are based on interviews with successful leaders and are applicable in multiple contexts. Inside you will find guidelines for:

  • Examining your values, educational platform, and personal style
  • Establishing learning as a common purpose
  • Identifying and leading school change
  • Effectively managing staff and student relationships
  • Developing teacher leaders

The authors understand that principals are expected to have the patience of Job, the tenacity of Atlas, the compassion of Mother Teresa, and a sense of humor. The recommended daily practices will help you stay focused on the most important things—leading effectively, promoting student achievement, and making a positive difference in students' lives.


 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
Preface
 
I. Personal
 
1. Tip 1 Personal Strategies
 
2. Tip 2 Begin With a Vision
 
3. Tip 3 Know Yourself; Know How You are Perceived
 
4. Tip 4 Resonate Confidence
 
5. Tip 5 Master Your Emotions
 
6. Tip 6 Maintain a Work-Life Perspective that Sustains Your Well-Being
 
II. Operational
 
7. Tip 7 Fan Flames of Positive Deviance
 
8. Tip 8 Improve Education from the Inside: Empower Teachers
 
9. Tip 9 Hire the Best and Maximize their Talents
 
10. Tip 10 Use a Team Approach: Think WE Instead of I
 
11. Tip 11 Honor the Role of the Classroom Teachers
 
12. Tip 12 Do the Right Things—Be Accountable
 
III. School Community
 
13. Tip 13 Create Trusting Relationships
 
14. Tip 14 Context Matters: Adjust your Leadership to School Population
 
IV. Teaching and Learning
 
15. Tip 15 Establish Learning as a Common Purpose
 
16. Tip 16 Be a Leader of Teaching and Learning
 
17. Tip 17 Link Professional Development with Teaching and Learning
 
18. Tip 18 Invest Time in Developing Teacher Leaders
 
19. Tip 19 Reflect on Your Success
 
Index

“Just as The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Possner has become the classic textbook for graduate schools in leadership, The Daily Practices of Successful Principals will become the classic publication for practicing school principals. The material is straightforward, easy to read, and provides valuable information to all principals who wish to become even more effective. Readers will not be disappointed.”

Kenneth Arndt, Superintendent
Community Unit School District 300, Carpentersville, IL

“The book’s strengths are its balance on theory and practice – as well as its insistence reflecting on one’s own values, behaviors and habits – the questions and activities are thought-provoking and just make sense.”

Sheri Epstein, Principal
Thornlea Secondary School, Thornhill, ON, Canada

“An excellent resource for administrative licensure programs. The organization of the material and predictability of each section make it easy to follow and comprehend. The information is compiled in such a way that those new to administration can easily grasp some essential skills and strategies for successful leaders.”

Betty Flad, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership
Lewis & Clark College, Portland, OR

The Daily Practices of Successful Principals is a great resource for principal network meetings or roundtable discussions. The reflective questions and practical tools give the reader a head start on thinking about their own success as instructional leaders. Using this book as a basis for developing parts of one’s annual performance review makes sense.”

Bonnie Tryon, Former Principal
School Administrators Association of New York, Latham, NY

“If you are a new principal looking for some practical strategies to establish yourself in the community you are about to serve, this book has practical strategies to implement and thought-provoking questions to reflect on as you move forward.”

Leslie Standerfer, Principal
Estrella Foothills High School, Goodyear, AZ
Key features

For each Feature – what is the Feature, and what is the benefit for the principal?

· Offers coaching points and practical strategies that are currently being used by successful principals. The strategies are accompanied by supports that will help readers implement them in their schools.

· Questions for reflection will help readers assess their current practices and design a step-by-step action plan for improvement.

· The book is organized around four essential focus areas for new and veteran principals: Section 1- Personal, Section 2- Managerial, Section 3- Community, and Section 4-Teaching and Learning.

Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781452269245

Paperback
ISBN: 9781412959865
$39.95

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.