The Daily Practices of Successful Principals

A grab-and-go guide for busy principals While many books outline the attributes of successful school leaders, few describe how those traits manifest in daily practice. The Daily Practices of Successful Principals goes beyond the outward picture of excellence and provides a compendium of daily practices used by successful principals in various settings. Written by former administrators who have walked in your shoes, this handy guide′s strategies are based on interviews with successful leaders and are applicable in multiple contexts. Inside you will find guidelines for: Examining your values, educational platform, and personal style Establishing learning as a common purpose Identifying and leading school change Effectively managing staff and student relationships Developing teacher leaders The authors understand that principals are expected to have the patience of Job, the tenacity of Atlas, the compassion of Mother Teresa, and a sense of humor. The recommended daily practices will help you stay focused on the most important things—leading effectively, promoting student achievement, and making a positive difference in students′ lives.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Authors Preface I. Personal 1. Tip 1 Personal Strategies 2. Tip 2 Begin With a Vision 3. Tip 3 Know Yourself; Know How You are Perceived 4. Tip 4 Resonate Confidence 5. Tip 5 Master Your Emotions 6. Tip 6 Maintain a Work-Life Perspective that Sustains Your Well-Being II. Operational 7. Tip 7 Fan Flames of Positive Deviance 8. Tip 8 Improve Education from the Inside: Empower Teachers 9. Tip 9 Hire the Best and Maximize their Talents 10. Tip 10 Use a Team Approach: Think WE Instead of I 11. Tip 11 Honor the Role of the Classroom Teachers 12. Tip 12 Do the Right Things—Be Accountable III. School Community 13. Tip 13 Create Trusting Relationships 14. Tip 14 Context Matters: Adjust your Leadership to School Population IV. Teaching and Learning 15. Tip 15 Establish Learning as a Common Purpose 16. Tip 16 Be a Leader of Teaching and Learning 17. Tip 17 Link Professional Development with Teaching and Learning 18. Tip 18 Invest Time in Developing Teacher Leaders 19. Tip 19 Reflect on Your Success Index

About the Author :
Barbara L. Brock is a professor of education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She has held a variety of positions in education, including education department chair, director of school administration, elementary principal, and K-12 teacher. She presents nationally and internationally on topics of beginning teacher induction, leadership succession, teacher and principal burnout, and educators with disabilities. She is coauthor with Marilyn Grady of Principals in Transition: Tips for Surviving Succession, From First-Year to First-Rate: Principals Guiding New Teachers, Rekindling the Flame: Principals Combating Teacher Burnout, Avoiding Burnout: A Principal’s Guide to Keeping the Fire Alive, and Launching Your First Principalship. She has published in a number of journals, including The Journal of the Mid-Western Research Association, Educational Considerations, Connections, Clearinghouse, and Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. She received her bachelor of arts degree in art education from Briar Cliff University, a master of arts with a specialty in school administration from Creighton University, and a doctorate in administration, curriculum, and instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Marilyn L. Grady, is professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is the author or coauthor of 23 books, including From Difficult Teachers to Dynamic Teamwork (2009) with Brock, Getting it Right from the Start (2009) with Kostelnik From First Year to First Rate (2007) with Brock, 194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals (2006), 20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them (2004) and Launching Your First Principalship (2004) with Brock. Her research areas include leadership, the principalship, and superintendent-board relations. She has more than 175 publications to her credit. She is the editor of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Her editorial board service has included Educational Administration Quarterly, International Studies in Educational Administration, International Journal of Learning, Rural Educator, Journal of At-Risk Issues, Journal of School Leadership, Advancing Women in Leadership On-Line Journal, Journal for Rural School and Community Renewal, International Journal of Learning, and Journal for a Just and Caring Education. She is the recipient of the Stanley Brzezinski Research Award, NCPEA’s Living Legend Award, the Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence, UNL’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and UNL’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Status of Women. Grady coordinates an annual conference on women in educational leadership that attracts national attendance and is in its 24th year. She has been an administrator in K-12 schools as well as at the college and university levels. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and her doctorate in educational administration with a specialty in leadership from The Ohio State University.

Review :
“Just as The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Possner has become the classic textbook for graduate schools in leadership, The Daily Practices of Successful Principals will become the classic publication for practicing school principals. The material is straightforward, easy to read, and provides valuable information to all principals who wish to become even more effective. Readers will not be disappointed.” “The book’s strengths are its balance on theory and practice – as well as its insistence reflecting on one’s own values, behaviors and habits – the questions and activities are thought-provoking and just make sense.” “An excellent resource for administrative licensure programs. The organization of the material and predictability of each section make it easy to follow and comprehend. The information is compiled in such a way that those new to administration can easily grasp some essential skills and strategies for successful leaders.” “The Daily Practices of Successful Principals is a great resource for principal network meetings or roundtable discussions. The reflective questions and practical tools give the reader a head start on thinking about their own success as instructional leaders. Using this book as a basis for developing parts of one’s annual performance review makes sense.” “If you are a new principal looking for some practical strategies to establish yourself in the community you are about to serve, this book has practical strategies to implement and thought-provoking questions to reflect on as you move forward.”