All school leaders are required to earn an educational leadership degree and certificate before they begin their work in a school. The aspect they sometimes don't teach in these programs has to do with the heart of school leadership, which can be the most important part. Most school administrators begin the work of school leadership from an emotional place, which is similar to why people want to be a teacher. Sometimes you have an unforgettable teacher or principal who you want to emulate, and sometimes you want to do things better, do things differently. It doesn't matter how you get there; it matters that you begin with the heart, and let it lead most of your work. Of course, all work cannot be accomplished from an emotional base, but how we navigate our relationships with teachers, students, and parents has to start there. This leadership book is organized into sections that focus on work involving the heart, work involving the head, and work that spans both categories. It's a love song to school leadership.
Mary Louise Stahl,PhD, has worked for over 30 years in education, as a teacher, principal, college professor, and writer.
Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: HEART- Others, Self-Care, Character Others 1. Be Kind 2. Be Real 3. Know People 4. Know Their Families 5. Greet People 6. Get Involved 7. Be Fun 8. Show Up 9. Respect the Culture 10. Know Service & Support Staff 11. Grow Leaders 12. Listen Self-Care 13. Support Network 14. Take Care of your Own Health 15. Image/Appearance 16. Stress 17. Family First Character 18. Don't Gossip 19. Have Faith 20. Say Thank You 21. See the Good PART II: HEAD- Book Smart, Street Smart Book Smart 22. Research and Trends 23. Brain Research 24. Study Skills 25. Grit etc. 26. Professional Development Street Smart 27. Do the Job 28. Experience 29. Be Prepared 30. Follow Up 31. Organization 32. Stay Calm- Crisis 33. Review Each Day 34. Sleep on it PART III: HEAD AND HEART- Teachers, Students, Everyone Teachers 35. Staff & Committee Meetings 36. Hiring & Retention 37. MBWA 38. Teacher Observations 39. Instruction 40. Administrative Team Students 41. Special Education 42. Work Well with Parents 43. Adolescence 44. Discipline Everyone 45. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 46. Speak Well 47. Write Well 48. Be equitable 49. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging 50. "Post" Covid Conclusion Appendix Epilogue: Voices from the Field Newsletters References About the Author
