Leadership Matters


Book Description

This updated edition of 'Leadership Matters: How Leaders at All Levels Can Create Great Schools' improves the educational outcomes for children by empowering educational leaders in national, regional and local contexts to examine, refine and develop their management skills. Revised and expanded, with new diagrams and graphics, the author takes an in-depth and diagnostic approach, encouraging leaders at all levels in schools to think about their own personal qualities; their specific situation; their own leadership actions; and their own overall leadership approach. 'Leadership Matters is one of the books I return to most frequently. It s a text for our time a epoch when leaders need, more than ever, to know what they stand for, what their non-negotiable principles are, how to communicate in a range of forms to a range of audiences, and how to sustain ourselves emotionally, morally, when times turn grim.' -- Geoff Barton, incoming general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders




Trust Matters


Book Description

Make your school soar by escalating trust between teachers, students, and families Trust is an essential element in all healthy relationships, and the relationships that exist in your school are no different. How can your school leaders or teachers cultivate trust? How can your institution maintain trust once it is established? These are the questions addressed and answered in Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools, 2nd Edition. The book delves into the helpful research that has been conducted on the topic of trust in school. Although rich with research data, Trust Matters also contains practical advice and strategies ready to be implemented. This second edition expands upon the role of trust between teachers and students, teachers and administrators, and schools and families. Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools also covers a range of sub-topics relevant to trust in school. All chapters in the text have questions for reflection and discussion. Engaging chapters such as "Teachers Trust One Another" and "Fostering Trust with Students" have thought-provoking trust-building questions and activities you can use in the classroom or in faculty meetings. This valuable resource: Examines ways to cultivate trust Shares techniques and practices that help maintain trust Advises leaders of ways to include families in the school's circle of trust Addresses the by-products of betrayed trust and how to restore it With suspicion being the new norm within schools today, Trust Matters is the book your school needs to help it rise above. It shows just how much trust matters in all school relationships—administrator to teacher; teacher to student; school to family—and in all successful institutions.




Indispensable


Book Description

The author helps readers figure out which leaders matter, why, and when - and what lessons they can learn from those who do matter. Leaders from politics and business are profiled, they include: Abraham Lincoln, Neville Chamberlain, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, Jamie Dimon, Al Dunlap, Sir Jacky Fisher, and Judah Folkman.




Principals Matter


Book Description

Research has shown that strong principal leadership is critical to developing effective school partnerships that include diverse school, family and community members. This book provides administrators with a clear road map for initiating partnership programs that are goal-focused, equitable, and sustainable. In this research-based resource, the authors highlight the work of principals who have cultivated successful partnerships across many settings to show other school leaders how they can develop the necessary supportive school cultures. Examining the administrator's role in the success and quality of home-school partnerships and student outcomes, this guidebook: • Synthesizes research on principal leadership, school and community partnerships, and urban education reform • Discusses the role of fathers in children’s learning and working with families that live in poverty, are linguistically diverse, or have children with disabilities • Offers practical recommendations for evaluating and refining partnership programs to ensure they are linked with student achievement goals




Principal Matters


Book Description

Leadership is not easy. It requires motivation, action, and courage. Principal Matters is a great resource for motivation and practical strategies for principals or school leaders who want to invest in self-growth that leads to flourishing service, instead of burnout. William D. Parker offers insights from over twenty years of experience as an educator, and over ten years as a school administrator. You are invited to this one-on-one conversation to learn how to better understand your purpose, lead others, influence change, and successfully manage the challenges of school leadership. Whether you are an aspiring principal or leading your own building or district, you will find Principal Matters both inspiring and instructive. One reader called it, "Chicken Soup for the Principal's Soul!" Read ahead for insight into how to lead with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork! Here's some feedback from some others who recommend the book: "Will is a great storyteller, and his use of these connections makes this book easy to read but also memorable. His focus on 'purpose'-going beyond what you do in school-is something that all leaders should really consider if they are going to make a difference in both their professional and personal lives." -George Couros, Principal, founder of ConnectedPrincipals.com, and an Innovative Teaching, Learning and Leadership consultant "Will generously shares experiences from his personal and professional life to remind principals of the big picture as well as the small details that are essential to the success of our school communities...Being a school leader can be lonely work, as the role of principal is only truly understood by those who have served in the position. Mr. Parker has utilized his time occupying the principal's office to develop practical yet inspiring tips for administrators. I'm excited to politely steal many of his great ideas with my own students and staff this school year!" -Rachel Skerritt, Principal of Eastern Senior High School, a D.C. Public School. 2013 Principal Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education "Will writes with passion, conviction and insight. This book will equip you with the tools you'll need to face the frustrations you're sure to encounter as an educator, while enabling to you find renewed purpose and meaning as you influence your students to be the best they can be." -Daniel Wong, author of The Happy Student "This book explains the why of school leadership, not just the how. If you want to understand the right motives for school leadership and the steps to being a successful principal, you should read, Principal Matters by William D. Parker." -Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus and Soup This book captures the essence of effective teamwork and leadership. A great read for school administrators!"-Annette Breaux, educator, co-author with Todd Whitaker of The Ten Minute Inservice




High-Impact Leadership for High-Impact Schools


Book Description

What is a high-impact school? One which achieves higher than expected results. And how do those schools achieve those results? The principal is the critical element in determining the kind of impact the school will have on its students. This book presents specific knowledge and practical strategies for school leaders to help them reach high standards of excellence. It focuses on these five areas of action: 1. It's about the mission, not the mission statement; 2. High expectations for each and every student; 3. Building communities of learners; 4. Teachers are the silver bullet; and 5. Creating a coherent system for continuous improvement.




School Leaders Matter


Book Description

This book outlines practical steps that both government and schools can implement to significantly reduce the demands placed upon school leaders. It also provides highly effective tools and strategies to enable school leaders to reflect upon and improve their own wellbeing. Packed full of research-led approaches this book: Examines school leader burnout, what causes it, how to recognise it, and how to prevent it Reflects on why school leaders fail to prioritise their own needs and how this can be addressed Provides a comprehensive framework for schools to support leader thriving and resilience Shares effective, evidence-based coping strategies for leaders. This is a must-read book for all school leaders and those looking to support and improve school leader wellbeing.




Teaching Matters Most


Book Description

A laser-beam focus on improving instruction to improve learning If we want to change how students write, compute, and think, then teachers must transform the old “assign-and-assess” model into engaging, coherent, and rigorous instruction. The authors show school leaders how to make this happen amidst myriad distractions, initiatives, and interruptions. Unlike other books that stop at evaluating teachers and instruction, this work demonstrates how to grow schools’ instructional capacities with a three-step process that involves: Envisioning what good teaching looks like Measuring the quality of current instruction against this standard Working relentlessly to move the quality of instruction closer and closer to the ideal




Leadership Makes the Difference but Leaders Matter


Book Description

ABOUT LEADERSHIP MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BUT LEADERS MATTER The book “Leadership Makes the Difference but Leaders Matter” is a 367-page book written by Prof. Goski Alabi, one of Africa’s leading Full Professor in total quality management, and a scholar in leadership who serves on several public, corporate and international boards and committees. Prof. Goski is President of the African Council Distance Education (ACDE), Chair of the African Network for internationalization of Education (ANIE), Founder and Consulting President of Laweh University College, Founding Dean of the School of Graduate Studies University of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Member of the ISO Committee on Consumer Policy, four times national delegate to the World Health Assembly, Member of the National Codex Committee, a certified member of the Europe – Africa- Caribbean Liaison Committee (COLEACP) Inter Professional Association who served as a framework consultant to the EU-COLEACP for Good Company Practices on the Pesticides Initiative Program (PIP). She also consulted for the Ministry of Trade and Industry on the National Quality Awareness Project as a lead consultant. She has offered training and consultancy services on quality management and strategic planning to the Bank of Ghana, the Public Services Commission, the Architects Registration Council. of Ghana and the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development (EiABC). She also offered several other consultancy services to the Association of African Universities, (AAU), the African Union Commission, as well as the European Union Commission among a few to mention. Prof. Goski has also led and participated in several Work Bank, DFID and EU Commission Projects successfully. As a regulator, who worked with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of Ghana she audited several organizations from micro-to multinational level and also audited several national and international public and private universities for the then National Accreditation Board and the African Union Commission’s Quality Rating Mechanism. Prof Goski was “The Lecturer”, Keynote speaker at the prestigious Oxford University’s Sir David Watson Memorial Lecture at the Human Welfare Conference (https://www.gtc.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/events-series/human-welfare-conference/human-welfare-conference-2019/2019-david-watson-memorial-lecturer-professor-mrs-goski-alabi/). She is also author of the seminal book “Managing for Excellence in the 21st Century, the Total Quality Approach” which appeared in the New York Times in August 2017. Prof Goski has taught leadership at the Graduate level (Masters level) for 12 years and has condensed the knowledge and experiences gathered into the book, “Leadership Makes the Difference but leaders Matter”. The must-read book presents both practical and theoretical perspectives about how we can use leadership to create and deliver value for both the individual and common good in the twenty-first century. The book also challenges our thoughts about leadership to provide a key insight for today’s leaders. The aim of Leadership Makes the Difference but Leaders Matter is to bring us to question our held assumptions about leadership to improve our leadership skills. It shows striking differences between the concept of leader and leadership and argues that though leaders’ matter, leadership makes the difference in bringing about necessary and constructive change, which is the ultimate goal of leadership. Leadership Makes the Difference but Leaders Matter explains that being in a leader’ s position does not guarantee leadership, and that leadership itself is a concept of shared influence which begins not with influence but ideas and vision, and centers around communication and actions, with trust, power, influence, commitment and competence as core pillars. It also discusses trust and the sources of power as the main avenues for negotiating power in leadership. Are you driven to lead or driven to leadership? Leadership Makes the Difference but Leaders Matter is for Scholars, Practitioners, Governments and Trainers.




Mapping Leadership


Book Description

Drawing on twenty years of research in school effectiveness, this book presents a distributed model of task-based school leadership that leads to continuous school improvement. The book outlines the tasks school leadership teams must focus on to improve teaching and learning, grouped into the following five domains: Focus on Learning Monitoring Teaching and Learning Building Nested Learning Communities Acquiring and Allocating Resources Maintaining a Safe and Effective Learning Environment Recognizing that the principal is a single actor in a complex web of activity influencing student learning, the focus is not only on the principal’s role but on a range of leadership and instructional practices to be shared across the leadership team (including APs, counselors, teachers, and support personnel). These tasks, organized into 21 subdomains, have been demonstrated through extensive research to contribute to improved student learning.