Caring School Leadership

Mark A. Smylie is professor of education emeritus in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago and visiting professor in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Before his work in higher education, Smylie was a high school social studies teacher. Smylie served as secretary-treasurer of the National Society for the Study of Education and as a director of the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. His work has appeared in the American Education Research Journal, Educational Researcher, Educational Administration Quarterly, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy, Journal of School Leadership, and Review of Research in Education. Smylie has worked with schools, school districts, and school administrator and teacher professional associations through joint projects, advising, and school leader development activities. He has served on advisory boards of numerous regional and national professional and policy organizations concerned with education generally and leadership in particular. Smylie's research focuses on school organization, leadership, and change. Joseph F. Murphy is the Frank W. Mayborn Chair and associate dean at Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University. He has also been a faculty member at the University of Illinois and The Ohio State University, where he was the William Ray Flesher Professor of Education. In the public schools, he has served as an administrator at the school, district, and state levels, including an appointment as the executive assistant to the chief deputy superintendent of public instruction in California. His most recent appointment was as the founding president of the Ohio Principals Leadership Academy. At the university level, he has served as department chair and associate dean. He is past vice president of the American Educational Research Association and was the founding chair of the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC). He is co-editor of the AERA Handbook on Educational Administration (1999) and editor of the National Society for the Study of Education (NSSE) yearbook, The Educational Leadership Challenge (2002). His work is in the area of school improvement, with special emphasis on leadership and policy. He has authored or co-authored 18 books in this area and edited another 12. His most recent authored volumes include Understanding and Assessing the Charter School Movement (2002), Leadership for Literacy: Research-Based Practice, PreK-3 (2003), Connecting Teacher Leadership and School Improvement (2005), Preparing School Leaders: Defining a Research and Action Agenda (2006), and Turning Around Failing Schools: Lessons From the Organizational Sciences. Karen Seashore Louis is the Rodney Wallace Professor of Educational Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her area of expertise includes improvement in K-12 leadership and policy over the last 30 years, particularly in urban secondary schools. Louis also conducts research on organizational changes within higher education, with particular attention to faculty roles, and on international comparative policy in educational reform. A past president of Division A of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), she is a widely published author in the field. Recent books include Organizing for School Change, Leadership for Change and School Improvement: International Perspectives, Handbook of Educational Administration, Second Edition, and Organizational Learning in Schools. Louis earned a bachelor's degree in History from Swarthmore College and a doctorate in sociology from Columbia University.

Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction: Four Stories of Caring School Leadership Ana Giving and Taking the Chance Seth No One Graduates Alone Chapter 1: Caring: The Heart of Caring School Leadership A Case for Caring in Schools What Do We Mean by Caring? How Does Caring Work? Cautionary Notes: Problems and Pitfalls of Caring Questions for Reflection and Discussion Chapter 2: A Model of Caring School Leadership Defining Caring School Leadership A Model Considerations for the Practice of Caring Leadership Caring School Leadership and Educational Equity Questions for Reflection and Discussion Chapter 3: Being Caring in Relationships with Students Dynamics of Principal-Student Relationships What Makes Student-Principal Relationships Caring? Practices of Presence Practices of Attentiveness and Inquiry Interpersonal Communication With Students Acting on Behalf of Students Questions for Reflection and Discussion Chapter 4: Cultivating Schools as Caring Communities The Meaning of Caring Community Leadership as Cultivation Approaches to Cultivating Caring and Community Developing Capacity for Caring Community Promoting Enabling Conditions Engaging Parents and Caregivers Questions for Reflection and Discussion Chapter 5: Fostering Caring in Families and Communities Beyond the School Nature of the Work Fostering Caring in Families Fostering Caring in Communities Insights From Community Organizing and Community Development Questions for Reflection and Discussion Chapter 6: Developing Caring School Leadership What Should Be Developed: A Review Development Activities and Experiences Learning From Experience Avoiding the Problems and Pitfalls of Caring Caring for Oneself Questions for Reflection and Discussion References Index

"Caring is fundamental for learning. Ask any child. This book explores caring as a 'quality of relationship' that points educators in the direction of professional involvement to enhance the school and learning experience. Through an exploration of caring as a leadership responsibility the authors not only make the case that caring is crucial to learning, but that every adult in a school makes a difference in the life of every child entrusted to that school." -- James Berryy "Smylie, Murphy, and Louis employ research-based examples to lucidly explain and translate what they mean by 'caring school leadership' and they encourage exploring reflection and redefining school structures to facilitate integrating caring into current practice. They call on leaders to embrace caring by providing a range of approaches that include relying on norms and values of communities served, storytelling, positive modeling, and culturally responsive approaches to do their work." -- Mark Anthony Gooden "Caring School Leadership is what has been missing from both leadership theory and practical leadership studies. Without addressing the questions posed in this book, leaders are left unable to answer a central question: 'Why are you an educational leader?' Beyond the rich and timely theoretical contributions, this work guides practicing school leaders in their journey of becoming caring and nurturing toward the communities they serve." -- Muhammad Khalifa "There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the academy but rest assured that you will find wisdom in this book, which presents a compelling model for caring school leadership. Smylie, Murphy, and Louis offer the most incisive, analytical, and yet practical approach to developing school leaders who are caring leaders. This is an excellent resource for faculty teaching aspiring and current school leaders-a must-read!" -- Pedro Reyes "There are many international contexts today where the 'push-me-pull-me' approach to schooling outweighs the wisdom of compassion. This timely book offers a much-welcomed counter-narrative to that trend. The book is bursting with ideas-not surprising given the track record of the authors. I would encourage school principals to gobble up the book's many insights into the practice of caring leadership. Caring leadership-as the authors argue so powerfully-is a dynamic ministry. It is also the kind of moral endeavor so needed in our troubled times." -- Kathryn Riley "For anyone interested in the difficult and vital work of creating caring school communities, this is a deeply thoughtful, humane and highly practical book. Drawing on a large body of research and the stories and wisdom of practitioners, Caring School Leadership compellingly articulates what caring is, how it functions and why it is at the core of human flourishing in so many aspects of our academic, social, emotional and ethical lives. There are no checklists or 'one size fits all' approaches here. This book provides a vision of caring school leadership that is contextual, fluid, and contingent upon the most basic aspects of human interaction and relationships. It is a vital resource for school administrators interested in both interpersonal and systematic ways of create caring and inclusive communities. It makes me hopeful that many more young people can develop the motivation and skills needed to recognize our shared humanity, support and help others in ways that are true and meaningful, and develop the sustained, caring relationships at the heart of a wonderful life." -- Richard Weissbourd "Finally, a book that gets at the heart and soul of school leadership. Smylie, Murphy, and Louis describe what caring leadership looks and feels like, and how leaders create trust, build relationships, and develop a culture of caring so that students can focus on academics. Our schools need leaders who lead from the heart." -- Jacquelyn Wilson e "Caring School Leadership goes straight to the heart of what it takes to be a great and good leader in today's schools: caring. Smylie, Murphy, and Louis provide a compelling vision for care-centered schools and support this vision with instructive examples and practical guidance. Although meant for the education community, the book provides valuable lessons for anyone in a leadership position in today's complex and demanding world." -- Michelle D. Young