Advice from the Principal’s Desk: 5 Pillars of School Leadership is a fresh, new take on school leadership from award-winning former school administrator and professor of education Dr. David Franklin. In the book, you’ll find the tools and strategies that veteran school administrators need to succeed in their roles. You’ll learn how to increase attendance and parental involvement in student affairs, minimize suspension, navigate budget cuts, and more.
The author explores five key areas that school leaders cannot neglect and examines how busy school leaders should spend their extremely limited time. You’ll also discover: - Strategies you can deploy to best support your students and other stakeholders - How to navigate the often-conflicting demands of parents, teacher unions, and governing bodies - How to best use and implement technology to support your work and create a positive and productive school environment
An ideal resource for current and aspiring K-12 principals and school administrators, Advice from the Principal’s Desk is packed with the research, real-world examples, and practical techniques that education professionals need to improve the results of their leadership.
Table of Contents
Introduction xi
Pillar I: Leadership 1
Chapter 1: Becoming 3
Chapter 2: Principal Leadership Matters 7
Chapter 3: Setting the Tone 13
Chapter 4: A Top-down Approach Versus Collaborative Approach 19
Chapter 5: Be Seen 23
Chapter 6: Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) 31
Chapter 7: Looking at the Right Data 37
Tales from the Principal’s Desk 41
Pillar II: Instruction 47
Chapter 8: Instruction Matters 49
Chapter 9: It’s Not How Much Time, But What You Do with It 53
Chapter 10: Shifting from Teacher-Led to Teacher-Facilitated Instruction 59
Chapter 11: Classroom Observations (Walkthroughs and Instructional Rounds) 67
Chapter 12: Implementing Instructional Technology 73
Chapter 13: Assessment for Learning 81
Tales from the Principal’s Desk 87
Pillar III: Community 93
Chapter 14: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore 95
Chapter 15: School and Community Research 97
Chapter 16: Using Social Media in Schools 101
Chapter 17: Know Your Neighborhood 109
Chapter 18: Connecting with the Community 113
Chapter 19: One Call per Day 119
Chapter 20: Video Conferencing for All 123
Tales from the Principal’s Desk 127
Pillar IV: Attendance 131
Chapter 21: Get to School, Ferris! 133
Chapter 22: Get Butts in Seats 137
Chapter 23: Conducting Home Visits 141
Chapter 24: Creating Attendance Plans That Work 145
Chapter 25: Holding Parents Accountable 151
Tales from the Principal’s Desk 157
Pillar V: Culture 161
Chapter 26: Culture Is Everything 163
Chapter 27: Inclusion for All 171
Chapter 28: Creating a Safe Environment 183
Chapter 29: Sharing Your Own Story 191
Chapter 30: Creating a Collaborative Culture from the Ground Up 195
Tales from the Principal’s Desk 201
Conclusion 207
References 213
Acknowledgments 217
About the Author 219
Index 221
