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Keys to Success for Urban School Principals

Second Edition
By: Gwendolyn J. Cooke

Urban principals face unique challenges that deserve unique solutions.

This accessible manual offers powerful tools and practical guidance to ensure that principals meet the challenges of urban environments and succeed as school leaders. Research-based strategies show you how to initiate, stabilize, and sustain effective practices in your school. This edition examines the challenges of the current educational environment and links the ISLLC standards to seven keys of leadership:

Control
Caring
Change
Charisma
Communication
Curriculum
Courage

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Product Details

Grade Level: K-12
ISBN: 9781412940931
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2006
Page Count: 176
Publication date: March 19, 2014

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Description

"A must read for practitioners of educational leadership and students alike! Offers powerful strategies, recommendations, and resources to successfully lead school reform. The checklists are invaluable tools to bring about the cultural shift needed to focus all stakeholders on teaching and learning."
—Roy F. Davenport, Principal, Alfred E. Beach High School, Savannah, GA

Urban principals face unique challenges that deserve unique solutions.

How can urban principals meet the challenge of educating students in environments that routinely include poverty, violence, aging infrastructure, lack of funding, cultural differences, and high levels of turnover? This accessible manual offers powerful tools and practical guidance to ensure that urban principals succeed as school leaders.

Gwendolyn J. Cooke provides tried-and-true, research-based strategies for initiating, stabilizing, and sustaining effective practices. Each chapter includes reflective thinking activities to help school leaders assess needs, and set and achieve goals. This second edition examines the challenges the current educational environment and links the ISLLC standards to seven keys of leadership:

Control: manage the school community by building consensus
Caring: create a school climate that invites students to learn, grow, and explore
Change: use effective strategies to implement constructive change processes
Charisma: cultivate your own charismatic potential
Communication: strengthen your ability to communicate in different settings
Curriculum: provide instructional leadership by harnessing the power of curriculum
Courage: find the courage needed to take risks that will move your school forward

Use these proven strategies to increase your leadership capacity and effect real change in your school!

Key features

Presents seven keys of leadership—Control, Caring, Change, Charisma, Communication, Curriculum, and Courage
Links the keys of leadership to ISLLC standards
Offers numerous vignettes and examples throughout
Provides research-based strategies for developing leadership skills
Includes reflective thinking activities that promote effective practices

Author(s)

Gwendolyn J. Cooke

For over 36 years, Gwendolyn J. Cooke has served learners by delivering high quality education in schools and universities. Prior to being named Deputy Superintendent of Kansas City, MO School District, she worked in senior level positions in these urban districts: Warrensville Heights, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Savannah, GA and Baltimore, MD. For a decade, Cooke directed programs and services for urban and rural schools at the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Certified to train others in the use of many of NASSP’s professional development programs for school leaders, Cooke's areas of expertise include leadership development of school administrators, gifted and talented education, standards-based school reform, multicultural education, NCLB regulations, parent and community involvement, and educating special education and economically disadvantaged children.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction

1. Control: Managing the School Community

2. Caring: Addressing the Affective Domain of Leadership Success

3. Change: Leading in a New Direction

4. Charisma: Leading With Personality

5. Communication: Sharing Vision and Commitment for Success

6. Curriculum: The Tool for Instructional Leadership

7. Courage: Risk Taking and Responsibility

Resource: School Leadership Styles Instruments

Bibliography

Index

Reviews

"An outstanding guide for school leaders. Offers powerful strategies, recommendations, and resources to successfully lead school reform. A must-read for practitioners of educational leadership and students alike!"

Roy F. Davenport, Principal
Alfred E. Beach High School, Savannah, GA

"This book definitely makes a contribution to the field of urban school leadership. It blends research with practical application very well."

Rosalind Pijeaux Hale, Professor of Education
Xavier University of Louisiana

Other Titles in: Urban Education | Principalship

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Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.