Are You Sure You're the Principal? 2/e

Susan Villani has been training teachers and administrators to become more effective instructors and leaders for over 30 years. A member of WestEd's Learning Innovations, Villani specializes in consulting and professional development in the area of mentoring and induction programs for new teachers and principals, and collaborative coaching training for math and literacy coaches, as well as mentors. Villani has worked with thousands of new and experienced teachers and administrators who have reported improvement in their practice and heightened job satisfaction, resulting in improved academic performance of tens of thousands of students. Villani chaired the Teacher Quality Initiative of the New York Comprehensive Center. Also, as coordinator for Project ACROSS (Alternative Certification Route with On-going Support Systems), Villani has worked with over 100 New Hampshire teachers seeking alternative certification and with their mentors. She also worked with district educators through two technology support teacher centers that enhance teacher effectiveness for New Hampshire teachers. Villani consulted with and provided professional development for Maine educators to design and implement a statewide new-teacher mentoring program linked to the new Maine Teaching Standards. In collaboration with the New York State Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, she helped districts and other service providers meet the new state law requiring mentoring programs for new teachers. Such work helps increase teacher retention and quality. Villani also works with school principals and district administrators throughout the East Coast to help them enrich their practice and heighten their effectiveness with faculty and staff. Embedded in all of Villani's work is a commitment to help all educators be culturally proficient, thereby being sensitive to and addressing the needs of all students and their families, as well as school and consulting staff. Villani is the author of Are You Sure You're the Principal? Guiding New and Aspiring Leaders, and Mentoring and Induction Programs That Support New Principals. In 2007, Villani coauthored, with Kathy Dunne, Mentoring New Teachers Through Collaborative Coaching: Linking Teacher and Student Learning and the accompanying facilitation and training guide. Villani frequently presents at national and regional conferences. Prior to joining WestEd in 2000, Villani was a school principal for 21 years and served as an adjunct faculty member at Lesley University for more than 10 years. She received a BA in business administration from Harpur College of Arts and Sciences, S.U.N.Y. at Binghamton, an MEd in elementary education from Tufts University, and an EdD in educational administration from Northeastern University.

Foreword by Roland S. Barth Preface About the Author Introduction 1. Are You Sure You're the Principal? First Impressions Larger Than Life The Look of Leadership A Little Respect 2. Working Through Conflict Saving Face The Pain of Ostracism and the Power of Understanding Knowing When to Hold and When to Fold What's Worth Fighting For Diversity in the Principal's Office Establishing Credibility Lessons Learned 3. Communicating Who We Are and What We Believe Using Symbols to Convey Values She Smiles Too Much Being Clear Expressing Outrage Telling Our Truths How We Are Known Accepting Ourselves 4. Building Community Making All Students Feel Part of the Community Acceptance Based on Being Hiring New Teachers and Promoting Teacher Development What We Have in Common Lonely at the Top Sharing Leadership: When and How 5. Advisors, Mentors, and Allies Demonstrating Caring Seeking or Accepting Support The Serendipity of Mutual Mentoring Passing the Torch and Sharing Its Light 6. Reflecting on a Career: Committing to Pursue Professional Passion Am I in the Right Place Doing the Work I Want to Be Doing? My Choices and Yours People Whose Work Is Featured in the Sudy Guides Study Guide for All Chapters Study Guides for Individual Chapter References Index

"Through the use of stories, Susan Villani brings to life the essence of school leadership. For those aspiring to be school principals, this book brings into focus the realities of serving in a leadership role. A must-read for tomorrow's principals!" -- Gerald Tirozzi, Executive Director "Susan Villani offers stories and vignettes that capture the deepest questions and concerns faced by new and aspiring principals and reminds readers that they are not alone; others have faced these challenges and survived to tell the story." -- Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director "An engaging storyteller, Villani models the caring, compassionate, and reflective practice that characterizes effective principals. A vivid picture of authentic leadership emerges as we experience Villani's sometimes painful, yet always instructive actions recounted with humor and grace. We are privileged to witness the emotional as well as the cognitive side of Villani's journey to greater self-awareness, and to benefit from the voices included in the study guide." -- Mary Forte Hayes, Executive Director