Reality Calling: The Story of a Principal’s First Semester

Crafted from authentic experiences shared by principals, Reality Calling: The Story of a Principal’s First Semester reveals fictional Principal Joe Gentry’s first few months on the job. We see his efforts to establish relationships with students, staff and community, handle unexpected (and sometimes unimaginable) events, and pursue the often elusive concept of instructional leadership. Throughout the process, Joe seeks guidance and support from his wife, mentors and two friends, who are also new principals. As the months roll by, he strives to navigate the complex ups and downs of school leadership, find personal and professional balance, apply the standards that govern school leaders and learn from his mistakes. This extended, real-world case study provides readers an authentic, unvarnished account of a fully-human principal knee deep in what is appropriately called the toughest job in education. The book concludes with Joe and his two principal friends reflecting on lessons learned and setting goals for the second half of the school year -- revealed in this book's companion, Seeking Balance: The Story of a Principal's Second Semester.

Table of Contents:
Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 – March: Looking to Lead Chapter 2 – June: Moving On Chapter 3 – July: First Impressions Chapter 4 – August: Laying a Foundation Chapter 5 – Mid-August: Here Come the Teachers Chapter 6 – Late August: There’s Nothing Like the First Day of School Chapter 7 – Early September: Baptism of Fire Chapter 8 – Mid-September: Searching for Rhythm Chapter 9 – Late September: D-Day Chapter 10 – Early October: The Unusual is Routine Chapter 11 – Mid-October: Definitions and Personalities Chapter 12 – Late October: Stepping Forward, Stepping Back, Staying Even? Chapter 13 – Homecoming: Black, White and Gray Chapter 14 – Early November: Fights, Fatigue, Poems and Prayers Chapter 15 – Mid-November: The Media, The Mentee, The Abyss and The Bandit Chapter 16 – December: A Better Way? Chapter 17 – Mid-December: Looking Back, Looking Ahead References

About the Author :
Nicholas J. Pace is associate professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Northern Iowa. The former social worker, teacher, coach and principal lives in Cedar Falls, IA with his family.

Review :
Dr. Nick Pace’s Reality Calling: The Story of a Principal’s First Semester is a must-read for any reader wanting a close-up look at what school leaders can expect on the job. Catch a first-row glimpse as three new principals grapple with a mix of pressing issues and competing priorities — from improving instruction to managing myriad e-mails — while drawing upon support from and dialogue with one another as they navigate the first crucial semester of the principalship. Reality Calling offers an abundance of ideas and inspiration to new and veteran administrators alike who are poised to make a difference. In her widely-viewed TED talk, University of Houston professor Brene Brown suggested that "maybe stories are just data with a soul." In Reality Calling, Dr. Nick Pace weaves a soulful story, one built with data from his own school leadership experiences and those of other sitting and aspiring school leaders. The story of Joe Gentry's entry into the principalship is real and told vividly by Dr. Pace. Reality Calling is both a great read and a useful resource for sitting and aspiring school leaders, as well as those of us tasked with working with the next generation of school leaders. Reality Calling is a thought-provoking, engaging journey into the principalship. Filled with real-world examples of the issues that principals actually face, this is a must read for anyone contemplating becoming a school administrator. Reality Calling is an innovative and creative tool for talking with pre-service principals about how leaders make decisions about life and work in the first year on the job, and the importance of collegial networks for keeping sane. This book is a refreshing alternative to dry, case studies and textbook tales of woe from imaginary practitioners. For both emerging and veteran educational leaders, Reality Calling is the fly on the principal’s wall that brings the unique and fascinating challenges of a principalship to the surface and allows discussion that will guide even the seasoned principal.