Description
Book SynopsisAfter her school wins the coveted United States National Secondary Education Award, a school principal embarks upon an educational odyssey. The principal discovers that the reasons for winning the award are a sham! As her school falls apart, she begins to reflect on the stagnant school organization and the ineffective prescriptions for improvement. She wonders why as a democratic nation, American schools do not model the practice of democracy for students. The principal begins her quest to unearth the flaws in her own thinking about the way schools work in her quest to create more democratic schools. Endeavoring to understand how systems really work, the principal puts her new ideas into practice and shares with the reader the lessons learned from past practices. This book presents a guide for principals in the form of rules that suggest that educational leaders must ask themselves why they do what they do. It also takes readers through a series of vignettes focused on how principals can practice democracy in the schoolhouse, while challenging themselves and their school community.
Trade ReviewA provocative guide to leading school change and to transforming schools into democratic learning communities. -- Robert Evans, author of
The Human Side of School Change and Seven Secrets of The Savvy School Leader
This book features a compelling guide for principals in navigating the '10 rules' of educational leadership while helping to define a new, comprehensive role for principals as 21st century school leaders. It offers a practical balance between theory and practice and as such, is sure to be extremely useful for novice and experienced principals alike. In addition, it presents an inspiring narrative that champions the role of education in preserving democracy and freedom. -- Gail Connelly, executive director, National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
Principals as Maverick Leaders is itself maverick-like. It offers a non-traditional view on the art and practice of leading schools. The concepts addressed are linked to many years of experiential practice but are viewed through the lens of the classical thinkers and philosophers. The conversational dialogue is an interesting medium for linking today's realities of leading schools with the great philosophers. This book would serve as a good resource in higher education for an educational philosophy course or an organizational theory course. -- Gerald N. Tirozzi, Ph.D., executive director, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
The narrative structure of Principals as Maverick Leaders guides readers to re-think classical theories in terms of the challenges of contemporary school reform strategies. Those principals who embark on this journey through interdisciplinary intersections will find that they have created a roadmap for their enriched professional reflection and have arrived at a new vision of integrated nature of meaningful transformation of our educational organizations. -- Marylu A. Coviello, retired high school principal and chief school administrator
A revolutionary look from inside our school system. When the people who really care about our schools read this book, they might bring about the very changes needed to make our public schools what they were originally intended to be—a democratic institution. What a concept! -- Jona Henry, retired high school teacher
If you have ever reflected upon our schools as complex structures and questioned the reasons our schools have evolved into stagnant organizations, this is a book that will have immense meaning for you. Chirichello and Walker have written an inspirational book of stories and reflections that capture the essence of schools as democratic, integrated, and complex organizations. It is relevant, real-life, and provides hope for those who have asked, 'Why am I doing this?' It is a must read for current and future school leaders and anyone else truly interested in improving the culture of schools and the teaching-learning process. I plan to use this book as required reading in my graduate leadership and organizational culture classes. -- George F. Sharp, Ed.D., retired superintendent and assistant professor, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
This book is a MUST read for all potential school administrators; especially those who see themselves as 'trailblazers', 'risk takers', or 'innovators' who are truly interested and committed to reform. As a principal and superintendent, I would put this book on the required reading list for all of the administrators in my district. It is an outstanding practical guide for those who wish to become a successful educator. -- George Blek, Ed. D., retired principal and superintendent
At last! 'The road less traveled' takes us on a fresh, new approach to the education of our children. Wonderful ideas that will strengthen and secure our democracy. -- Roslyn Fallick, retired teacher and school administrator
Table of Contents
Part 1 Part One-The Principal as Classical Mechanic Chapter 2 Rule 1 Ask Yourself Why Society Schools Children Chapter 3 Rule 2 Flush Out Your Theory of Organization Chapter 4 Rule 3 Probe the Mechanical Universe Chapter 5 Rule 4 Examine How You Know What You Know Chapter 6 Rule 5 Modify the Theory of the Mechanical Universe Chapter 7 Rule 6 Know Thyself Chapter 8 Rule 7 Understand the Ontology of Control Chapter 9 Rule 8 Never Accept the Convenience of Control Chapter 10 Rule 9 Know the Difference between Parts and Wholes Chapter 11 Rule 10 Observe the Interactions of People, Data, Systems, and Theory Part 12 Part Two Chapter 13 Taking the Quantum Leap Chapter 14 Vignette One Lessons Learned: Drive Fear from the Workplace Chapter 15 Vignette Two Lessons Learned: Conversation Leads to Dialogue Chapter 16 Vignette Three Lessons Learned: Build Culture through Shared Beliefs Chapter 17 Vignette Four Lessons Learned: Listen to the Shareholders Chapter 18 Vignette FiveLessons Learned: It's All about the Whole Thing Chapter 19 Vignette Six Lessons Learned: The Yin in the Yang Chapter 20 Vignette Seven Lessons Learned: Unbundling Structures to Fit Students Chapter 21 Vignette Eight Lessons Learned : Understand Interactions: People, Data, Systems, and Theory Chapter 22 Vignette Nine Lessons Learned: Use Data to Uncover Deep Seeded Dilemmas Chapter 23 Vignette Ten Lessons Learned: Sketch a Human Face Over the Data Chapter 24 Vignette Eleven Lessons Learned: Transform Possibilities into Actualities Chapter 25 Vignette Twelve Lessons Learned: Get Buy-In from the Shareholders Chapter 26 Vignette Thirteen Lessons Learned: The Collective Approach Triggers Success Chapter 27 Vignette Fourteen Lessons Learned: The Flaw in Every Plan Chapter 28
