15 things good principals do language bar

Paperback: 130 pages
Publisher: Eye on Education, (January 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1930556470
ISBN-13: 978-1930556478
Item Dimensions: 22.1 x 15.2 x 1 cm
Weight: 205 g

Download: Fifteen Things That Matter the Most in the Making of Great Principals

15 things good principals do



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15 things good principals do

Good school principals do good things:

1. When. When they greet everyone with a smile and a happy "Good Morning."

2. When they call out the name of the person they greet in the morning.

3. When they visit each classroom everyday to look in on the students.

4. When they walk the halls of the school to see that everyone is in class.

5. When they talk to the school custodian and ask about his/her family.

6. When they walk around the play areas and talk to the students.

7. When they make the day's announcements over the sound system with a cheerful tone of voice.

8. When they act with gently when called out on the school grounds to see how badly a child might have been hurt.

9. When they speak kindly in a call a parent whose child has been behaving badly.

10. When they greet and say goodbye to students who have to get on the school bus to go to their homes.

11. When they go to the lost and found box to get a child a jacket to keep him or her warm when they go out to the play area on a cold day.

12. When they have a parent conference with a mother whose child has been ill with swine flu.

13. When they speak softly to students as a bad storm approaches the school and they can't send them home at the regular dismissal time.

14. When they cheerfully announce that the school year has ended and they will come back to their new teachers next fall.

15. When they speak kindly to the students to say goodbye when they retire from the principalship.

15 things good principals do

What Great Principals Do Differently - 15 Things that Matter Most



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15 things good principals do

Authors:
Todd Whitaker; Bill Ferriter-Reviewer

Year of Publication:
2003

Abstract:
Bill Ferriter, a North Carolina NBCT, says that this book is a “blueprint for administrators interested in … making the transition from building manager to instructional leader.” It provides steps such as considering the reaction of one’s best teacher before making a decision.

Citation: Whitaker, T. (2003). What great principals do differently: 15 things that matter most. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.


Full Text:
By Todd Whitaker
2003 (115 pp./paperback)
Eye on Education
ISBN: 1-930556-47-0
$29.95

Reviewed by Bill Ferriter
Salem Middle School
Wake County NC Public Schools


At no time in the history of American education has the role of the principal been more challenging. Long having served as a "building manager," principals are now being asked to serve in the often-unfamiliar role of "instructional leader." Providing essential leadership to schools charged with meeting increasingly demanding state and federal mandates is a task that many administrators find daunting.

Furthermore, there are few models of effective school leadership that principals can draw from. While many districts have recognized the importance of professional development for their classroom teachers, they frequently ignore the professional development needs of building-level administrators.

In his book What Great Principals Do Differently, Todd Whitaker works to provide guidance to school leaders. Based on his research as a Professor of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University and his experiences as a principal at the middle and high school level, Whitaker defines 15 essential behaviors of excellent administrators. "Clarifying what the best leaders do," he writes, "and then practicing it ourselves can move us into their ranks."

Among these essential behaviors, Whitaker believes that it is critical for administrators to recognize that "It is the people, not the programs, that determine the quality of a school." With state and federal level demands for accountability pressuring schools, many ineffective leaders scramble to try new programs that promise rapid improvement quickly and easily.

Instead, great principals focus on improving the quality of the teachers within their buildings. By carefully hiring the best teachers, by supporting their efforts and their ambitions, by holding all staff members to high expectations, and by working to carefully support the individual development of each professional, principals impact student achievement.

Great principals also serve as the "filter" for their schools. They demonstrate a sense of calm and confidence that other teachers and staff members can draw from and emulate. They recognize that their interactions with staff members influence how they are perceived by their faculty, as well as the "frame of mind" of their teachers. Carefully choosing their responses, great principals protect their schools from "unnecessary bad news," essentially creating "a more productive environment."

Great principals "treat everyone with respect, every day, all the time." Doing so creates a positive atmosphere. Administrators who set positive tones within their buildings build allies with their teachers and serve as role models for the types of interactions that should occur within the school community. In a demanding profession that offers little extrinsic reward, a welcoming climate characterized by mutual respect is essential.

Another step that great principals take is considering the reactions of their best teachers before implementing any new idea. While seeking input and advice from all staff members is important, great principals recognize that significant change cannot occur within a school without the support of the building's "superstars." Serving as either formal or informal leaders in the school community, these individuals are critical partners for administrators. "They have already earned the respect of their peers," Whitaker writes, "When we can draw on the role models in our own school, the chances of expanding acceptance and implementation [of new ideas] grow exponentially."

Whitaker concludes that, "Being a principal is an amazing profession. It is challenging, dynamic, energizing and draining — but most of all, it is rewarding. Our impact extends far beyond anything we can imagine. We know that our teachers talk about us; so do people throughout our community. We can decide what we want those conversations to be like."

Written in an approachable style, What Great Principals Do Differently is a valuable contribution to the study of school leadership, providing a "blueprint" for administrators interested in shaping those conversations and in making the transition from building manager to instructional leader.


15 things good principals do

What Great Principals Do Differently: Fifteen Things That Matter Most/Practical Advice for Principals



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15 things good principals do

What Great Principals Do Differently: Fifteen Things That Matter Most by Todd Whitaker. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye On Education. © 2003. 117 pages. ISBN 1-930556-47-0.

Practical Advice for Principals by Albert Lee Snow. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. © 2003. 103 pages. ISBN 0-8108-4594-6.

Educational leadership is built with knowledge acquired from many sources. Self-evaluation and experience solidify leadership. Todd Whitaker does an exceptional job in What Great Principals Do Differently by presenting 15 important ways effective principals set themselves apart. As a veteran principal, this book allowed me to look within myself deeply.

Whitaker does not present a "cookie cutter" method of leadership. He does prompt selfreflection during each chapter. As I read his chapter on change, I hit rewind in my mind and reviewed a recent semester full of change. It helped me realize my own challenges. Whitaker's research, practical experience, and core beliefs create the soul of the book. The material held my interest throughout and caused me to reflect.

Albert Lee Snow's approach in Practical Advice for Principals is much different than Todd Whitaker's. Snow uses 64 strategies to assist principals in designing their approach to the principalship. This book is much more prescriptive in its format. As I read the book, I felt as if I was reading a recipe for successful administration. At the conclusion of each chapter, activities are listed to extend learning.

Because educational leadership varies from person to person, I cannot dismiss the fact that Snow's thoughts will work for some. His strategies are sound and built on experience. I would caution readers to be certain to pick and choose. Do not assume that every strategy is set in stone.

Leadership styles can be altered and tweaked. However, your personal style is an enormous part of your personality and your core beliefs. Each author shares viewpoints from his own perspective and experiences. Nothing in either book is new, though the thoughts are written to tantalize and help you contemplate.

Linda Lawrence has been in education for nearly three decades. Her first love is special education, which she taught for 15 years. As a middlelevel administrator, she has served as an assistant principal and principal in Indiana and Illinois.

15 things good principals do