Beginning the Principalship: A Practical Guide for New School Leaders

In this Second Edition of Beginning the Principalship, the order of the chapters has been modified in a way that should reflect the kinds of concerns the reader is likely to face in his/her new job. Part I includes material related to the development of technical and managerial skills. Part II now includes information to assist the reader with the process of becoming socialized to his/her new role. Part III is directed toward helping the reader address what research has shown to be one of the most significant issues faced in becoming a formal leader for the first time: self awareness. A new chapter that deals specifically with how the reader can make the most of his/her experience as an assistant principal has also been included. As was true of the First Edition, the chapters of this book offer some insights into how the reader, as a new school principal, might be able to find some ways to "walk the tightrope" between surviving his/her first years on the job and also beginning to serve as a strong and effective instructional leader.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1. Why This Book Is Important 2. A Framework for Understanding the Beginning Principalship Part I: Technical and Managerial Skills 3. A Personal Leadership Checklist 4. Expectations for Technical and Managerial Skills 5. Learning to Lead by Assisting Part II: Socialization 6. Others′ Expectations 7. Learning Your School′s Culture Part III: Self-Awareness 8. Reviewing Personal Values 9. Being a "Boss" 10. Building a Personal Timeline for Learning and Development 11. Building a Support System Suggested Readings

About the Author :
John C. Daresh is professor of educational leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso. Over the years, he has held faculty or administrative appointments at the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and Illinois State University. He has also worked as a consultant on high school reform and administrator professional development for universities, state departments of education, national and state professional associations, and individual schools and districts across the United States, and also in Barbados, Canada, France, Holland, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, and Taiwan. By far, the bulk of Daresh’s international service has been in the United Kingdom where he served an advisor and trainer for the School Management Task Force that developed and promoted support programs for beginning headteachers, the National College for School Leadership, the Welsh Office of Education, the North West Network for Diploma Development in Cheshire, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Lincoln, the University of Hull, CREATE Consultancies, and literally dozens of Local Education Authorities and individual schools across England and Wales. Daresh recently completed three years of service as the lead consultant on principal mentoring programs for the Chicago Public Schools as that megadistrict was faced with the challenge of bringing in mostly inexperienced principals to serve in nearly of the school system’s elementary and high schools.

Review :
"This book delivers on its promise. Both practical and visionary, the book is a perfect fit for principals who have to be both managers and leaders."