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Updated Edition of Bestseller

The Portable Mentor

A Resource Guide for Entry-Year Principals and Mentors

Second Edition
By: Frederick A. Lindley

A focused, organized approach to help first-year school leaders succeed and grow on the job!

Written in a conversational style, this practical handbook helps entry-level principals and their mentors navigate through the first days and months of a principalship. Designed around the nine-month school year, this book incorporates the revised 2008 ISLLC standards and emphasizes organization, communication, nurturing the mentoring relationship, and using a balanced approach to leading and managing. This second edition includes:

Ten core characteristics of successful strategies for improving student achievement
New "A-to-Z tips" on topics such as delegating, equity and fairness, grace under pressure, time management, and NCLB

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-12
ISBN: 9781412949019
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2008
Page Count: 224
Publication date: September 18, 2008

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Description

"The book is full of strategies and tips. Principals, those wanting to be principals, and those mentoring principals will find this book very useful."
—Nancy M. Moga, Principal
Callaghan Elementary School, Covington, VA

"First-year principals need a mentor, and if one is not readily available, then this book helps fulfill the need. I found myself answering the questions, filling in the blanks, or considering how a scenario played out."
—Ann Porter, Principal
Lewis and Clark Elementary School, Grand Forks, SD

A focused, organized approach to help first-year school leaders succeed and grow on the job!

Based on more than 40 years of experience as an educator, principal, and principal mentor, Frederick Lindley defines the role of a successful school principal as an effective leader with strong management skills. Written in a conversational style, this portable guide helps entry-level principals and their mentors navigate through the first days and months of a principalship.

Designed around the nine-month school year, this book incorporates the revised 2008 ISLLC standards and emphasizes organization, communication, nurturing the mentoring relationship, and using a balanced approach to leading and managing. Readers will also find information on short-term and long-term administrative responsibilities and help in planning for the second year as principal. This second edition includes:

Ten core characteristics of successful strategies for improving student achievement
New "A-to-Z tips" on topics such as delegating, equity and fairness, grace under pressure, time management, and NCLB
Recommended reading resources for extended learning in each chapter
A chapter focused on support for the principal-mentor

The second edition of The Portable Mentor is an ideal professional growth resource that is always conveniently at hand to help school leaders successfully meet the challenges of their jobs.

Author(s)

Frederick A. Lindley

Frederick A. Lindley is an adjunct instructor at the University of Dayton. He has worked in higher education for the past seven years, following a 36-year career in Ohio public schools, with 34 years as a school principal. During the past five years, Lindley has served as the coordinator of the Southwest Region of the Ohio Department of Education "Entry-Year Principal" project. This project entails mentoring new principals while guiding them toward the completion of performance-based portfolios that comply with the ISLLC standards. Lindley also serves as the project’s chief writer of curriculum for training principal mentors. Additionally, Lindley is a writer and Web designer for the distance learning Principal Licensure program at the University of Dayton. He received his doctorate from Miami University of Ohio.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Part I. Defining the Job

1. Which Way Is North?

2. How Do You Organize the Contents of Your Garage?

3. Will These Six Standards Work for You?

Recommended Readings Related to "Defining the Job"

Part II. Doing the Job

4. An Overview of Tasks Entry-Year Principals Need to Accomplish

5. Tasks to Be Accomplished Before the School Year Begins (July-August)

6. Tasks to Accomplished as the School Year Begins (The First Day of School)

7. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (Each Week)

8. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (Each Month)

9. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (September)

10. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (October)

11. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (November)

12. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (December)

13. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (January)

14. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (February)

15. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (March)

16. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (April)

17. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (May)

18. Tasks to Be Accomplished as the School Year Progresses (June)

19. Tasks to Be Accomplished for the Next School Year (July-August)

Recommended Readings Related to "Doing the Job"

Part III. Deciphering the Job

20. Fred's Handy-Dandy "A to Z" List of Tips for the Entry-Year Principal

21. Things Momma Never Told Me About Working With People

22. Communication Skills That People Talk About, but...

Recommended Readings Related to "Deciphering the Job"

Part IV. Mentoring the Mentor

23. Determine Expectations

24. Build and Maintain the Mentoring Relationship

25. Help Your Mentee Survive on the Job

26. Help Your Mentee Improve on the Job

27. Promote Your Mentee's Professional Growth Through ISLLC-Based Scenarios

28. Help Your Mentee Prepare to Document Her or His Leadership

Recommended Readings Related to "Mentoring the Mentor"

References

Index

Reviews

"A nice, quick look at the complex role of the principal. The strengths of the book lie in its inherent utility to the field."

Edward J. Drugo, Principal
Latrobe Elementary School, PA

"A great how-to book, informative, easy to read, and well organized. This book is helpful to those seeking to understand the principalship and for those preparing future principals. Anything that can help the novice principal learn the tricks of the trade is a valuable tool!"

Kevin R. Fitzgerald, Principal
Caesar Rodney High School, Camden, DE

"First-year principals need a mentor, and if one is not readily available, then this book helps to fulfill the need. I found myself answering the questions, filling in the blanks, or considering how a scenario played out."

Ann Porter, Former Principal
Lewis and Clark Elementary School, Grand Forks, ND

"The book is full of strategies and tips. It can be read quickly and kept on the desk as a reference tool! Principals, those wanting to be principals, and those mentoring principals will find this book very useful."

Nancy M. Moga, Principal
Callaghan Elementary School, Covington, VA

Other Titles in: Principalship | Leadership | Principal Mentoring, Induction & Coaching

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Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.