A Leadership Guide To Navigating The Unknown In Education

Recognizing that education systems have been temporarily paralyzed in the past and likely will in the future—whether it’s because of a natural disaster or a pandemic—this important volume offers critical insights about how schools can effectively carry forward the mission of educating all children even in the face of system turbulence and disruption. Featuring Narratives from expert leaders in urban, rural, and suburban school systems, this book explores important questions about the "new normal" such as the ways in which students can and should learn, how educators can teach and lead effectively, and how schools can carry out important functions beyond their instructional mission. Chapters present inspiring stories of leaders and teachers who have rallied, rebuilt, and problem-solved in face of the pandemic and amid adversity, ultimately providing a roadmap for how it’s possible to rebuild and adjust while preserving the fundamental core of education. Full of takeaways and first-hand insights into how systems and their schools faced turbulence, disruption, and adaptation, this book is a must-read for today’s educators committed to making a positive impact on the students they have the duty to serve.

Understanding the Importance of Educational LeadershipIn today's rapidly evolving world, the role of educational leadership has become increasingly crucial. Educational leaders are the driving force behind the development and implementation of policies and practices that shape the education system. As students, it is essential for us to comprehend the significance of educational leadership and its impact on our learning experiences. Educational leadership refers to the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to lead educational institutions effectively. It involves a range of responsibilities, including creating a vision for the future, setting goals, making informed decisions, and fostering a positive learning environment. Educational leaders, such as principals, superintendents, and policymakers, play a vital role in shaping the quality of education we receive. One of the primary reasons why educational leadership is crucial is its ability to drive positive change within the education system. Effective leaders are instrumental in identifying and addressing the various challenges and issues faced by students and educators. By focusing on improving teaching methods, curriculum development, and student support systems, educational leaders can enhance the overall quality of education. Moreover, educational leadership plays a significant role in promoting equity and social justice within the education system. Leaders who are committed to creating inclusive environments ensure that all students have equal access to resources and opportunities, irrespective of their background or circumstances. By addressing disparities and promoting diversity, educational leaders lay the foundation for a fair and just education system. Furthermore, educational leadership also influences policy development and implementation. Leaders in this field work closely with policymakers to advocate for policies that benefit students and educators. They provide valuable insights and recommendations based on their experiences and expertise, ensuring that policies are aligned with the needs of students and the broader educational community. As students, understanding the importance of educational leadership empowers us to actively engage in our education. By recognizing the role educational leaders play in shaping our learning experiences, we can become informed advocates for positive change. We can collaborate with leaders and policymakers, sharing our perspectives, ideas, and concerns, to contribute to the development of effective educational policies.

The School Leadership Survival Guide: What to Do When Things Go Wrong, How to Learn from Mistakes, and Why You Should Prepare for the Worst is intended as an uncommon guide for school leaders and a resource they can turn to when confronted with issues they might not normally face in typical practice. The book serves as a bridge between research and day-to-day school leadership, and is intended to help leaders and school communities improve in areas they routinely avoid. In this sense, the book is meant as a “go to” resource for principals, those who train and teach them, and scholars. Although authors recognize the complexity of issues raised in the book, each chapter has a “How to” “What to do” or “Why You Should” ethos in order to give the book a unifying structure and help provide a practical translation of research and theory into practice. Some of the issues addressed include: How to elevate student voice; How to navigate religious conflict in the school and community; How to improve support for LGBTIQ students; Why You Should develop a natural disaster plan; How to work against racism in the school and community; How to practice inclusion in the school; How to make a vision and mission come to life; How to manage relationships with difficult people; What to do when there is racial tension in the community; How to learn the history of your school and community—and why that matters; How to guide and support a leadership team, and; What to do in a school with low trust.

What makes a good educational leader? How can you be one? Is a job candidate an effective leader who can work with students and staff in your school or district? According to author Jeffrey Glanz, each of us has natural leadership abilities. Although no single leadership style is better than another, matching a person's style with an assignment leads to success for the person, his colleagues, and the organization. The key is to identify and actualize each person's natural leadership style. Full descriptions of the seven types of leaders--Dynamic Aggressives, Dynamic Assertives, Dynamic Supportives, Adaptive Aggressives, Adaptive Assertives, Adaptive Supportives, and Creative Assertives--afford valuable insight into your own behaviors and the strengths of those around you. Glanz uses vivid, authentic scenarios to illustrate the qualities of each leadership type, and identifies seven virtues that are critical for all leaders and yet are often overlooked in educational leadership programs. An invaluable aid to teachers, supervisors, and district leaders, this book provides questionnaires and focus questions to help you analyze leadership potential in yourself and in colleagues. The author also shows you how to go about the crucial process of matching leadership qualities with specific jobs in the educational system, from teacher to superintendent. Understanding the natural leadership qualities and virtues helps you to create an educational environment that is characterized by excellence. Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book.

In Navigating Uncertainty: Sensemaking for Educational Leaders, the authors present educational leaders with a theoretical perspective and a practical approach to managing the kinds of problems, dilemmas and crises that they face on a daily basis.

In Navigating the Principalship, James P. Spillane and Rebecca Lowenhaupt look at the major challenges of the principal position, examining how new principals adapt to the role, set an instructional agenda, and build cooperation and collaboration. They focus in particular on the dilemmas that mark the principalship—the inevitable, complicated conflicts that arise from a clash of worthwhile values and resist simple solutions, such as - Addressing the demands of various internal and external stakeholders - Accomplishing seemingly limitless tasks in limited time - Sharing leadership duties while maintaining ultimate responsibility for the school and everyone in it - Creating a safe space for teaching and learning while building bridges to the outside world - Balancing work life and home life Based on original research conducted with new principals in an urban environment, and rich with authentic voices discussing real conflicts and proven strategies, this book presents pragmatic ways to manage the most difficult parts of the job. Use it to spark both reflection and action and chart a course for effective, rewarding school leadership.

First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

In higher-ed, there is a widely-held myth that the smartest person in the room should lead. We take for granted that someone who is smart can lead, and when we don't take steps to prepare or develop our people for leadership positions, leaders are more likely to derail. This is a problem, because college and university leaders at all levels increasingly face complex challenges without easy solutions. They are navigating unknown territory. When we lead in the absence of a map, often we rely too heavily on what we already know or think we know well. We fall back on tradition, losing sight of the creativity and the risks we need to take now. We rely more heavily on "smartship" than leadership. We are especially prone to this tendency in higher education because of the unique weight we assign to hierarchy and tradition. This tendency leads to four destructive dynamics, and Pat Sanaghan's new book explores these four in depth and offers specific strategies for countering them. These four include: Derailment of the leader - wherein leaders are often promoted on the basis of academic prowess or past achievement but lack the management training, development, and support needed to succeed. Seduction of the leader - wherein leaders incorrectly believe they are receiving accurate intel about what is happening within their division. Arrogance - wherein we over-emphasize and reward individual achievement rather than encourage leaders to seek broad input and approach complex issues as a team endeavor. Micromanagement - wherein the risk averse culture of higher ed fosters leadership patterns that emphasize control and predictability rather than the risk taking, courage, and empowerment of one's people that leadership in today's higher education requires. EARLY REVIEWS FOR THE BOOK: "Pat Sanaghan has done an excellent job of identifying the unique characteristics of executive positions in higher education and offering a learning agenda that will assure success for university and college leaders. This book should be required reading for any president, and deserves a place on every leader's desk in higher education." - Bob Kustra, President Emeritus, Boise State University "Noting that the academy usually fails to select and prepare leaders with the right traits and experiences, Sanaghan's book is masterful at not only helping leaders prevent derailment and failure, but also at helping new and experienced leaders succeed. This is a wonderful keep-by-your-side manual for higher-ed leaders." - Rebecca Chopp, Chancellor, University of Denver