About the Book
Make the most of your time—and your leadership
Is your school’s vision getting buried under paperwork? Are goals constantly pushed aside for small emergencies? If you spend more time picking up pieces than putting them together, this is your book. Written by seasoned school principals, this plan of action will get you back to the instructional leadership that made you want this job in the first place.
As educational technology helps you maximize your efficiency, you’ll see improvement where it counts—in teaching, student achievement, morale, and resource management. This comprehensive guide features:
Easy-to-follow, single-topic chapters
Standards–based scenarios and questions
Time management self-assessments
Easily adaptable experiential exercises
Strategies for battling the "silent time thief"
Tailor-made for overworked administrators just like you, you’ll become the leader you want to be—and promote a positive school culture where teachers and students thrive.
"The authors have lived the demanding schedule as school leaders. They provide real advice on how to keep the balance with the demands of school leadership and to give the gift of time to family and self."
-Dr. Tricia Peña, Professor
Northern Arizona University
"This book should be a must read for every practicing or aspiring administrator. The authors take a fresh look at time management issues while maintaining a focus on principles of effective leadership and applications of emerging technology."
-Chris Hubbuch, Principal
Excelsior Springs Middle School, MO
Table of Contents:
Preface
Chapter 1. Time Management and Your Leadership
So Much Time and So Little to Do
Reflecting on Your Time Management
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: A Self-Reflection on Your Time Management: Time Management Self-Assessment Instrument (TMSI)
Chapter 2. Vision, Mission, and Time
Time Management—At the Heart of Leadership; Vision and Mission—At the Heart of Student Success
A School Leader’s Thoughts on Vision, Mission, and Time
Goal Writing
Fostering a School Technology Vision
Seven Habits for Tech-Savvy Principals
Time Management and Tech-Savvy, Instructionally Focused Leadership
Technology Timesavers for Visionary Educators
Time Management and Campus Planning
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 1: Vision, Mission, and Time
Case Study Application: The Madge Simon School
Chapter 3. Leading, Teaching, Learning, and Time
Structure Is the Key to Locking Out the Silent Time Thief
The Instructional Leader
Principles of Instructional Capacity and Maximized Student Learning
Saving Time When Time Counts
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 2: Leading, Teaching, Learning, and Time
Case Study Application: Death by Meeting!
Chapter 4. The Learning Organization: Culture, Climate, Technology, Safety, and Time
Creating a Positive Climate and Open, Time-Efficient Culture
Managing Time and Building a Strong Leading, Teaching, and Learning Environment
Creating Safe, Effective, and Efficient Operations and Management
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 3: The Learning Organization and Time
Case Study Application: As the Sun Sets Slowly in the West, or How to Develop a Learning Community
Chapter 5. Collaboration and Time: Two Keys to Instructional Success
Collaboration—First and Foremost!
Time-Saving Tips and Management Solutions
Collaborating With Students, Parents, and Community Members
The Informed School Community
Finding Time—Making a Difference!
Diversity Enriches the Learning Community
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 4: Collaboration and Time
Case Study Application: If All Feedback Is So Positive . . . ?
Chapter 6. Ethics, Integrity, and Time
Shaping a School
PSEL Standard 2: Ethics and Professional Norms
A School Leader’s Thoughts on Ethics, Integrity, and Time
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 5: Ethics, Integrity, and Time
Case Study Application: The Texting Coach
Chapter 7. The 21st Century Education System: Improvement, Time, and Technology
The Education System Today and Continuous School Improvement
Five Steps to Exceptional Teaching and Learning
Two Essential Principal Resources for Continuous School Improvement
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Self-Reflection on Lens 6: The 21st Century Education System and Time
Case Study Application: Has Our School eVolved?
Chapter 8. Technology: Staying a Step Ahead of the Silent Time Thief
Thoughtful and Selective Technology Integration
Digital Organization: Time Management 101
Working With Digital Tools—Saving Time and Making Hay!
Web Conferencing—A Timesaver to Avoid Death by Meeting!
Final Thoughts
Discussion Questions
Case Study Application: A New Leader, an Old Problem: How to Integrate Technology Into a School’s Culture
References and Further Readings
Index
About the Author :
Learn more about Richard Sorenson′s PD offerings
Richard D. Sorenson, professor emeritus, is the former director of the Principal Preparation Program and chairperson of the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He earned his doctorate from Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi in educational leadership. Dr. Sorenson served public schools for 25 years as a social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal, and associate superintendent for human resources.
Dr. Sorenson worked with graduate students at UTEP in the area of school-based budgeting, personnel, educational law, and leadership development. During his 20-year tenure, he was named The University of Texas at El Paso College of Education Professor of the Year, and he remains an active writer with numerous professional journal publications. Dr. Sorenson continues to author other principal-oriented textbooks. He also developed teacher resource guides, and workbooks in the area of the elementary and secondary social studies curricula. He has been actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), for which he conducted, for a decade, annual new-principal academy seminars.
Dr. Sorenson has been married to his wife, Donna, for the past 48 years and they have two adult children, Lisa (a school counselor with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas) and Ryan (an exercise physiologist in Dallas, Texas); a wonderful son-in-law, Sam (a petroleum engineer in Houston, Texas); and a delightful daughter-in-law, Nataly (executive director of a Christian center in Dallas, Texas) along with four amazing grandchildren: Savannah, Nehemiah, and Amelia, and one little guy, Oliver—all of whom are the pride and joy of his life. Rick and Donna, long-term residents of El Paso, out in the mountain and desert region of “true” West Texas, now reside near their grandchildren in Cypress (northwest Houston), Texas.
Lloyd M. Goldsmith, professor emeritus, earned his EdD in educational leadership from Baylor University. He was a professor for 20 years at Abilene Christian University (ACU), some of those years at ACU (Dallas), where he taught doctoral courses in leadership theory. He also served as an admissions officer as well as a former director of the Principal Preparation Program and department chairperson at ACU. Dr. Goldsmith taught school budgeting, instructional leadership, and leadership theory. He served public schools for 29 years as an elementary science teacher, middle school assistant principal, and elementary school principal.
Dr. Goldsmith and a fellow chemistry professor codirected a program facilitating high school chemistry teachers in developing effective instructional strategies. Dr. Goldsmith served on several state committees for the Texas Education Agency. He also served two terms as president of the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration.
He is an active member at his church and enjoys serving others. He spends time volunteering at his grandchildren’s schools and supporting their activities. He also enjoys traveling and attending ACU sporting events.
Dr. Goldsmith has been married to his wife, Mary, for the past 40 years. They reside near their three children and families in Abilene, Texas. Mary is a retired high school biology teacher, serving students for 41 years. Lloyd and Mary have three adult children—Abigail (active in the PTO where she serves as president) and her husband, Andrew (works in business development for a nuclear research lab), Eleanor (a second grade Title I teacher), and her husband, Kris (a chef, restaurant owner and culinary arts teacher), and Nelson (a licensed professional building inspector) and his wife, Kristen. He also has four grandchildren, Luke, Hilary, Levi, and Oliver. Plus, the Goldsmiths’ have six grand dogs! Life is good!
David E. DeMatthews is an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership and Foundations Department at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He received his PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in the area of educational policy and leadership. Dr. DeMatthews has also served as a high school social studies teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools and assistant principal and special education policy analyst for the District of Columbia Public Schools. Currently, Dr. DeMatthews works with graduate students teaching coursework related to school personnel, curriculum renewal, special education, and educational policy. He represents UTEP as the plenum session representative with the University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA) and has published frequently in a number of research journals including, Teachers College Record, Educational Administration Quarterly, Journal of School Leadership, Leadership and Policy in Schools, Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, and Education Policy Analysis Archives. He is an active educational researcher and has studied school leadership, specifically examining how principals lead for social justice in high poverty urban contexts and in regards to students with disabilities and linguistically diverse students.
Review :
"The authors have lived the demanding schedule as school leaders. They provide real advice on how to keep the balance with the demands of school leadership and to give the gift of time to family and self."
"This book should be a must read for every practicing or aspiring administrator. The authors take a fresh look at time management issues while maintaining a focus on principles of effective leadership and applications of emerging technology."
