Hands-On Leadership Tools for Principals

by Calabrese, Raymond L.; Short, Gary; Zepeda, Sally J.

• ISBN13: 9781883001155
• ISBN10: 1883001153
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1996-01-01
• Publisher: Eye on Education

Summary

This book provides you with 55 leadership tools, 24 step by step procedures, and 13 pitfalls to avoid..to help you become a more effective school principal. It explains the concrete steps you must take to achieve your goals as the leader of your school.

Table of Contents

ABOUT THE AUTHORS	iv	(7)
INTRODUCTION	xi
1 LEADERSHIP	1	(26)
Introduction	3	(1)
The Principal as Leader	4	(1)
Essential Leadership Skills	4	(4)
Acquisition of Skills	8	(1)
Organization of a Committee to Analyze Instructional Issues	8	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Organizing a Committee	8	(6)
Organizing and Conducting a Faculty Meeting	12	(1)
Conducting a Faculty Meeting	12	(2)
Determine the Need to Meet	12	(2)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Ensuring a Quality Faculty Meeting	14	(3)
Step 7--The Principal Needs to Meet with the Chair of the Faculty Meeting	17	(2)
Organization and Facilitation of a Focus Group	19	(3)
When to Form a Focus Group	20	(1)
Criteria for Participation in a Focus Group	20	(1)
Guidelines for Facilitating a Focus Group	21	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Facilitating a Focus Group	22	(2)
Step 2--Determine Who Should be Invited to Participate	22	(2)
Case Study	24	(3)
2 SCHOOL DISCIPLINE	27	(24)
Introduction	29	(1)
Purpose of Discipline	30	(1)
Collecting Data	30	(6)
Preparation for Gathering Data	31	(1)
Requirements for a Survey Instrument	32	(3)
Formal Collection and Analysis of Data	35	(1)
Discipline Policy	36	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Discipline Policy	36	(3)
Discipline Hearings	39	(1)
Common Discipline Hearing Mistakes	40	(8)
The Principal Acts Arbitrarily	40	(1)
The Principal Accuses the Student	40	(1)
The Student is not Given a Right to Tell His or Her Side of the Story	41	(1)
The Student is not Fairly Treated	41	(1)
The Student is not Treated Justly	42	(1)
The Principal Allows Personal Bias to Cloud a Discipline Decision	42	(1)
The Principal Does Not Follow the Discipline Policy	42	(1)
The Principal is too Lenient or too Severe	43	(1)
The Principal Supports the Teacher at all Costs	43	(1)
The Principal Does Not Confer with the Teacher	44	(1)
The Principal Does Not Involve the Student's Parent	44	(4)
Case Study	48	(3)
3 EXCELLENCE	51	(24)
Introduction	53	(1)
Improving Excellence	54	(1)
The People	55	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Identifying Member Strengths	55	(5)
Defining Common Ground	60	(1)
Common Mistakes in Identifying Values	61	(3)
Assuming That All Values Are Relative	61	(1)
Assuming That There Are No Common Values	62	(1)
Assuming That One's Values Are the Only Values	62	(1)
Not Involving the Entire Community	63	(1)
Not Staying with the Process Long Enough to Identify Core Values	63	(1)
Imposing One's Own Values	63	(1)
Compromising Values to Reach Agreement	64	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Identifying Common Values	64	(2)
Developing a Common Vision	66	(4)
Criteria of Vision Effectiveness	67	(1)
A Vision must Inspire	67	(1)
A Vision Challenges all Members of the Organization	67	(1)
A Vision Stands the Test of Time	68	(1)
A Vision is Evolutionary	68	(1)
A Vision Guides Members During Times of Chaos	68	(1)
A Vision Empowers	69	(1)
A Vision Exists in the Future	69	(1)
A Vision Is Achieved Through Thousands of Small, Often Insignificant, Decisions	69	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Developing a Vision	70	(2)
Case Study	72	(3)
4 INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION	75	(28)
Introduction	77	(3)
Essential Leadership Skills	78	(1)
Acquisition of Skills	79	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Understanding Past Supervisory Practice--Knowing the Context	80	(4)
The Supervision of Instruction	84	(2)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Clinical Supervision	86	(6)
Guidelines for a Postobservation Conference	92	(4)
Allow for 30-60 Minutes of Uninterrupted Time	92	(1)
Have All Data Ready for the Conference	93	(1)
Refrain from Making Any Qualitative Statements	94	(1)
Guide the Teacher into Self-Learning	94	(1)
Use the Conference to Initiate a Conversation about Teaching	94	(1)
Use the Conference to Encourage the Teacher to Generate a Plan	94	(1)
End the Conference with an Offer of Assistance	95	(1)
Use the Conference to Chart Future Target Goals for Professional Development	95	(1)
Come to Agreement about the Major Themes of the Observation	95	(1)
Ethics and Instructional Supervision	96	(3)
Formal Ethical Guidelines	97	(2)
Informal Ethical Guidelines	99	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Developing an Ethical Ethos	99	(1)
Case Study	100	(3)
5 UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCHOOL'S CULTURE	103	(30)
Introduction	105	(1)
School Culture Inventory	106	(4)
Formal Documents	106	(1)
Mission Statement	106	(1)
Policy Statements and Programs for Students	107	(1)
Programs for Teachers	107	(1)
Physical Plant	108	(1)
Analysis of Formal Data	108	(2)
The Principal's Role as Cultural Leader	110	(1)
Essential Leadership Skills	111	(1)
Acquisition of Skills	111	(1)
Affecting Culture through Hiring	112	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Acclimating Newcomers	112	(7)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Working With the Community in Developing a Mural	119	(7)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Instituting Recognition Programs	126	(3)
Case Study	129	(4)
6 CURRICULAR LEADERSHIP	133	(32)
Introduction	135	(1)
The Principal as an Instructional Leader	136	(3)
Essential Leadership Skills	137	(1)
Acquisition of Skills	138	(1)
Launching the Textbook Adoption Process	138	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Providing Leadership, Guidance, and Support in the Textbook Adoption Process	139	(13)
Examining Schoolwide Curricular Issues	152	(2)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Exploring a Curricular Issue	154	(2)
Offering a New Elective Course	156	(2)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Developing New Curriculum	158	(3)
Case Study	161	(4)
7 PARENTS	165	(20)
Introduction	167	(1)
Working With Parents	168	(3)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Developing and Maintaining Effective School-Parent Relations	171	(4)
Deflating Tense Situations with Parents	175	(2)
Assessing Parent Attitudes Toward School	177	(4)
Case Study	181	(4)
8 UNDERSTANDING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL	185	(32)
Introduction	187	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to the Preparation Process	188	(26)
Case Study	214	(3)
9 STEERING THE CORRECT COURSE	217	(24)
Introduction	219	(1)
Clarification of Foundation Values	220	(1)
A Step-By-Step Approach to Determining Foundation Values	221	(5)
Conceptualization of a Personal Vision	226	(6)
Creation of a Mission	232	(1)
A Step-By-Step Aprroach to Making Mission into a Common Activity	232	(5)
Case Study	237	(4)
Reader's Recommendations for the Toolbox	241