The Potency Of The Principalship Action Oriented Leadership At The Heart Of School Improvement

This book examines the diverse responsibilities of the 21st century principal, who is tasked with continuous school improvement. Recognizing that principals must lead educators and staff in all facets of school life, this book reviews research-based strategies, practices and theories that can be readily translated into the enhanced praxis. The authors present an in-depth analysis into principal identity, working effectively with families, how a collaborative school culture can offer dividends, helping teachers educate an increasingly diverse student body, and successful instructional leadership approaches. Additional emphasis is placed on school law, teachers’ unions, hiring and evaluation, budgeting, curriculum and program assessment, professional development, and the use of technology. Notably, throughout their investigation, the authors bear in mind cutting-edge practices that can be employed in these areas to leverage the best from schools and those that inhabit their halls. The reader will be left with an expanded understanding of principal practices that directly and indirectly improve student achievement as well as a resource section for further consideration and use.

This book explores the growing crisis in school safety and security.

This book examines the critical issues associated with the topic of social justice in primary and secondary education. Understanding the challenges related to educational inequity requires a comprehensive and systematic re-examination of educational reform; specifically, this book defines social justice education, offers different perspectives from major thought leaders and examines the challenges faced by different populations when it comes to receiving equal opportunity and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on programs, approaches and strategies to increasingly teach tolerance, respect, and understanding within and between these groups and members of the majority culture. The focus, then, will be on educational practices designed to prepare students from diverse backgrounds to be active, contributing, and fully participatory members of our contemporary society. This book is most appropriate for preservice and veteran teachers, school and educational psychologists, related special education service professionals, educational administrators, guidance counselors, graduate education professors, policymakers, parents, and student leaders who wish to gain a better understanding of how social justice can and should become a valuable part of the educational landscape.

Empathic Teaching: Promoting Social Justice in the Contemporary Classroom is written for those who are committed to employing social justice practices in the classroom. The intent is to educate the next generation to value tolerance and to have respect and empathy for others in society. While this tome will largely focus on understanding the role that equity should play in P-12 education, it will do so with an acute awareness that there are myriad factors that influence student engagement and the motivation to learn. Although some of the subjects under consideration have been written about elsewhere broadly, this tome will offer a unique contribution by examining each from a social equity perspective. As schools move to ensure a more inclusive and well-rounded student body, this book will be a substantial asset to anyone interested in advancing a social justice agenda.

Contemporary society has imposed a set of unrealistic and confusing rules for men over 18 to follow. With post-adolescent men experiencing lower rates of academic success at the post-secondary level and escalating rates of violence perpetrated by this age group, jobs, careers and life itself are in crisis. These men in transition have emotional, social, academic, and career struggles that affect every aspect of their lives. Masculinity in the Making: Managing the Transition to Manhood; therefore, will examine these issues and offer strategies and examples of what is possible for the post-adolescent male; more specifically, attention will be paid to theories and health issues specific to this population, social and cultural issues, academic and career interventions, aggression and violence, and media portrayals. The reader will be left with a deep and clear understanding of the needs of men as well as how mentoring and counseling can provide them with the support needed to be successful and productive members of society.

The Soul of the Schoolhouse: Cultivating Student Engagement’s primary focus is to help readers understand the many, diverse factors that make up engaged learning and students’ motivation to learn. The authors acknowledge the importance of cognitive aspects of education and the techniques that skilled educators use to enhance the learning process; such information is contained in chapters on motivation and models of thinking about how to engage those in our schools. This tome also reflects the essential and interrelated nature of emotional, social, spiritual, and relational elements of engagement in the learning process. As such, chapters of this book cover such topics as educational leadership for engaged learning, school-community connections, co-curricular activities, models of curriculum design, and school law and policies that bolster student learning, as well.

The third edition of this bestseller offers first-person accounts from teachers who share the influential strategies of outstanding principals who empowered them.

Capturing insights from 20 successful principals, this illuminating book presents real-world strategies that help school leaders refine their administrative skills and generate dramatic improvements in schoolwide achievement.