Strategic Listening for School Leaders

Dr. Jeannine Tate is principal of Clermont Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia. During her 25 years in public schools, she has served as an elementary school teacher, a middle school teacher, an elementary school counselor, a middle school counselor, an elementary assistant principal, an elementary school principal, and in various central office positions. She is active in the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the International Listening Association and Phi Delta Kappa. She has presented papers internationally and conducts inservice presentations to local, state, and national audiences. This is Dr. Tate's first book with Corwin Press. She received her Ph.D in Education Leadership from George Mason University. Her area of research was in leadership and communication, and her dissertation was on school leaders and the value of listening. She holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Oklahoma State University and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Oklahoma. Her public school endorsements include elementary and middle school teaching; elementary, middle, and secondary school counseling; and elementary and middle school administration. Dr. Dennis R. Dunklee is an Emeritus Professor in the Education Leadership Department in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. During his twenty-five years in public schools, he served as a teacher, elementary school principal, junior high and middle school principal, high school principal, and central office administrator. During his more than twenty years at George Mason University, he taught courses in education law and school leadership and served as an advisor and chair for master's and doctoral candidates in school leadership. Because of his expertise and practical experience, he continues to be frequently called on to consult in the areas of effective schools, school law, administrator evaluation, instructional supervision, school-community relations, problem solving, and conflict resolution. In addition, he continues to be actively involved as a consultant and expert witness in numerous school-related lawsuits nationwide. As a university scholar and researcher, he has published, and continues to publish, textbooks, monographs, and articles on issues in the fields of school law, business management, administrative practice, and leadership theory. He also continues to present papers at international, national, regional, state, and local conferences and is a widely sought-after clinician for inservice workshops. Dr. Dunklee was an invited participant and presenter at the 2005 Oxford (University) Round Table on Education Law: Individual Rights and Freedoms. He received his Ph.D. in school administration and foundations from Kansas State University. His major area of research was in the field of education law, and his dissertation was on tort liability for negligence. He holds a master's degree in elementary and secondary school administration from Washburn University. This is Dr. Dunklee's eighth book for Corwin Press. His other Corwin books are You Sound Taller on the Telephone: A Practitioner's View of the Principalship (1999); If You Want to Lead Not Just Manage (2000); The Principal's Quick Reference Guide to School Law (2002 and 2006, with Robert J. Shoop); Strategic Listening for School Leaders (2005, with Jeannine Tate); Anatomy of a Lawsuit: What Every Education Leader Should Know About Legal Actions (2006, with Robert J. Shoop); and Poverty Is NOT a Learning Disability (2009, with Tish Howard and Sandy Grogan Dresser).

Foreword by Roland S. Barth Preface Introduction Acknowledgments About the Authors Part I: Strategic Listening In Theory 1. Understanding the Basics of Strategic Listening 2. The Listening Process and Different Ways We Listen 3. Barriers to Effective Listening Part II: Strategic Listening in Practice 4. Strategic Listening in Difficult Situations 5. Listening to Your Constituencies and Managing Your Allegiance 6. Strategic Listening to Build Trust 7. An Insider's Look at Strategic Listening in Action 8. Listening to and Presenting Data 9. Considerations for Your Own Practice Resource References Index

"The author's observation and analysis of the various aspects of listening certainly point out the 'art of administration'. Knowing how to listen and accurately interpret what is heard is a true art. Readers should study this very closely." -- Richard Flynn, Assistant Professor "The author understands and listens to the needs of the educational leader and provides useful tools for coping with the diverse needs and challenges of the educational environment." -- Michael Purdy, Professor of Communication "Tate and Dunklee provide insights into the needs of the speakers and strategies to improve listening effectiveness, illustrating how enhancing listening skills would benefit the entire school culture." -- Katherine Taber, Principal