Quandaries of School Leadership : Voices From Principals in the Field

This book provides insights into the everyday practices of school leaders as told through the real-life stories of principals. The editors and their contributors blend practice with theory, helping aspiring leaders to discover that school leadership is not simply putting prescribed solutions into action, but a constant encounter with quandaries that demand thinking, responding, and adjusting to the situations at hand. Readers build their capacities to view quandaries from multiple lenses, consider a variety of responses, and draw conclusions based on perspectives that may vary from those initially identified. The chapter authors encourage a sharper self-awareness of what scholars value and envision about education, encouraging them to think about how to navigate decision-making through a variety of theoretical frameworks and practices while balancing their own leadership platform development. Front Matter ....Pages i-xi The Journey Begins (Debra J. Touchton)....Pages 1-7 Understanding Role-Making in Leadership Performance (John Mancinelli, Michele Acker-Hocevar)....Pages 9-36 Developing a Leadership Platform: Using and Understanding the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (Mariela A. Rodríguez)....Pages 37-45 The Ambiguity in Clarifying Expectations (William Ruff)....Pages 47-71 Ethics: Acting Ethically to Promote Each Student’s Academic Success and Well-Being (Teresa Wasonga)....Pages 73-92 Principals Supporting English Learners in US Public Schools (Karina I. Vielma, Gloria Jean Martinez, Mariela A. Rodríguez)....Pages 93-104 Quandaries of Assessment and Accountability (Betty Alford, Julia Ballenger)....Pages 105-125 Emotional Intelligence as a Means to Combat Funding Cuts: Meeting Student Academic Success and Promoting Well-Being in Challenging Financial Times (Rene Guillaume)....Pages 127-141 Elementary School Principals Supporting the Professional Capacity of Teachers (Jennifer Zavala, Venus Valenta)....Pages 143-156 Shared Voice and Vision: Fostering Professional Communities for Student Success (Joyce A. Mundy)....Pages 157-179 Leadership and Resource Allocation in Schools: Applying Micropolitical Perspectives (Chad R. Lochmiller, Colleen R. Pawlicki)....Pages 181-206 Leadership for Change (Donna Augustine-Shaw, Robert Hachiya, Teresa Northern Miller)....Pages 207-223 Leadership Development and the Study of Expertise (Gary Ivory, Rhonda McClellan)....Pages 225-238 Back Matter ....Pages 239-248