Direct difficult discussions toward successful outcomes every time! For every headteacher who has ever wished for a quick reference guide to keeping challenging conversations on course, the ideal tool is here! Inside are all the skills you need for navigating high-stakes interactions with staff, parents, students, and district leaders and steering them toward win-win solutions. Case studies throughout the book identify the risk areas and provide the steps to mastering techniques for: - Active listening - Assertive communication - Providing effective feedback - Staying calm - Problem solving - Mediation. Also included are scripts, sample dialogues, style inventories, checklists, and resources for practicing skills learned from the case studies. Like having a communications coach in your back pocket, this guide gives tips for building a collaborative culture focused on what matters most--working together to achieve student success.

A Blueprint for Developing Tomorrow's School Leaders Based on two years of research supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Broad Foundation, and the New Schools Venture Fund, The Principal Challenge focuses directly on the causes and cures of the crisis in school leadership. Marc Tucker, Judy Codding, and a stellar list of experts from the United States and abroad paint a revealing portrait of what it means to be a principal now, how and why most graduate schools of education have failed to provide the training principals need, what the military and business sectors do to create and support their leaders and managers, what the state of the art in professional training looks like, what other nations are doing to address this problem, and how to apply the very best practices in the world to solve the crisis in school leadership. This book is honest and hard-hitting. And it offers realistic solutions. Based on the thorough analysis provided by the chapter authors, the editors of The Principal Challenge offer an imaginative proposal for a new kind of institution that will train school principals to be turn-around artists. Drawing on the new forms of executive development programs in our business schools, they propose a similar program for school principals. The approach involves a close collaboration between the new institution and entire school districts, combining face-to-face instruction with web-based delivery. The innovative curriculum they describe, like the best approaches in business and industry, uses carefully developed cases, simulations, games, action projects, seminars and journaling, The editors offer a clear conception of what it might mean to be an instructional leader, a way of thinking about what it takes for a principal to be a strategic thinker, an approach that principals can use to take advantage of the best current thinking on knowledge management and professional development, a conception of the principal as school designer, an emphasis on the use of data to drive planning, and a host of tested ideas that principals can use to lead their schools to better results.

This unique book presents lessons a straight principal-turned-professor has learned through personal experience and research with gay and lesbian high school students. It begins with a young principal acknowledging that he, nor his administrative education program, had given any thought to issues surrounding students’ sexual orientation. However, when a senior in his tiny rural high school came out, the principal started down an unexpected path that would change his outlook on school leadership—and transform his practice. Presented in eight unique stories in students’ own words, we experience their challenges, fears, and triumphs—and see how their schools and the people in them both helped and hurt. Through their poignant, honest, familiar, and often surprising stories, we see how these eight students navigate what Unks (2003, p. 323) calls “the most homophobic institutions in American society.” Their stories also reveal an unexpected, yet vital lesson for educators, policy makers, and all those concerned with meeting students’ needs—that being gay or lesbian in high school does not automatically lead to bad outcomes. The students’ firsthand accounts, along with lessons learned by the once apprehensive principal, show that there is a much more positive, optimistic, and seldom-told story. The book challenges practicing and aspiring school leaders to: •Move beyond what we think we know about gay and lesbian students and see them as unique people with strengths and struggles, gifts and challenges •Examine the unique context of their schools and see how one size solution doesn’t fit all •Understand agency, agendas, and how gay-straight alliances can benefit all students •Summon the courage to transform our mission statements from slogans and live them everyday

With modern globalization and technological improvements, people from different cultural backgrounds have more opportunity to interact. These differences can be seen across various communities, from familial to organizational, so peacekeeping strategies become essential when navigating global communities. Since these various cultures collect in schools, teaching students to become peacemakers by encouraging skills that include intercultural communication, intercultural sensitivity, and intercultural competence are essential for structuring a peaceful and harmonious society. Empowering Multiculturalism and Peacebuilding in Schools is an essential research publication that provides comprehensive research on peacebuilding and multiculturalism in terms of educational organizations as well as the skills that need to be taught to students in order to promote peaceful interaction and inclusivity. Featuring a wide range of topics such as cyberbullying, restorative instruction, and intercultural education, this book is ideal for teachers, academicians, administrators, principals, professional development experts, curriculum designers, researchers, managers, and students.

The principal of Jill and Gwen's school spends the morning on the roof to fulfill his promise that we would if the students read 1,000 books.

"At last we have a book that realistically, empathically, and interestingly describes leadership and the professional development work that needs to accompany it—for principals. It is all here: readings, web sites, theory, practice, helpful forms to use, vignettes of principals. Lindstrom and Speck are both ′insiders′ and ′outsiders′ teaching us in the best of ways how to both think about and act on our new knowledge!" Ann Lieberman, Senior Scholar Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching "This is the book to read! I will recommend it to my colleagues the minute it is off of the press. The authors should be very proud of their work and contribution to a pivotal need in the field. Bottom line: It will help improve what we do for children—our ultimate purpose." Becky J. Cooke, Principal Evergreen Elementary School, Spokane, WA Raise student achievement by developing leadership, teamwork, skills, and knowledge in teachers! Individual teachers have the greatest effect on student performance. Principals, as professional development leaders, are in the best position to provide teachers with the professional development strategies they need to improve their skills and raise student achievement. The Principal as Professional Development Leader guides readers through a step-by-step process to formulate, implement, and evaluate long-term professional development. Authors Phyllis H. Lindstrom and Marsha Speck simplify and focus the function of the principal as professional development leader by providing scenarios, processes, context, and content that principals can use to create an integrated, collaborative learning environment. Aligned with National Staff Development Council standards, this user-friendly resource includes Rubrics, worksheets, and surveys Professional development planners Sample forms for classroom visits and observations Calendars of professional development activities Recommended readings and reflective questions In order to improve learning for all students, this unique text provides the strategies, skills, and tools necessary to build the capacity of professional development within the school. The authors supply practical techniques for analyzing student achievement data, evaluating professional development plans, and achieving a culture of sustained improvement.

The Principal's Hot Seat features video footage of aspiring who are challenged to think on their feet and respond to agitated teachers, angry students, and irate parents in a way that reflects their knowledge of the law, school leadership standards and their own styles. In addition to DVD, the book features background information and a complete transcript of the conversation, allowing for careful analysis of the principal's performance.