Introduction to the Principalship

Book excerpt: The second edition of this textbook from respected author team Kaplan and Owings explores how principals can effectively build a culture around student achievement. Introduction to the Principalship, a second edition closely aligned with NELP (2018) standards, helps aspiring principals understand how to develop a vision for improvement, make decisions and manage conflict, build teachers’ capacity, communicate, monitor the organization’s performance, and create a school climate of mutual respect. This important book provides readers with various leadership concepts to inform their practice, as well as the cognitive and practical tools to evaluate and prioritize what leadership actions to take. Each chapter offers opportunities for readers to create personal meaning and explore new ways of doing leadership to advance a positive, person-focused environment. Providing both the theoretical framework and skills for effective practice, Introduction to the Principalship addresses the issues most urgent and relevant for educational leadership graduate students learning how to build a school culture that promotes every student’s success. Fully revised, this second edition includes a new chapter on building your capacity for leadership, expanded discussion of data-informed accountability, equity considerations, and crisis management, and all chapters updated and revised throughout to reflect the latest developments in the field. Special Features: Learning Objectives - chapter openers introduce the topic and initiate student thinking Reflections and Relevance - interactive exercises, role plays, class activities, and assignments that can be used synchronously and asynchronously to deepen and extend student learning Key Takeaways - organized by learning objective, these answer readers’ question, "What about this information is meaningful for me as an aspiring principal?" Suggested Readings - each chapter concludes with annotated suggested readings to extend and deepen discussion of key issues in chapter NELP Standards - each chapter is aligned to the latest school leadership licensure standards Companion Website - includes links to supplemental material, additional readings, video clips with related teaching and learning activities, and PowerPoints for instructors.