A Head Full of Ethos

Book excerpt: Written by Armando Di-Finizio, A Head Full of Ethos: A holistic guide to developing and sustaining a positive school culture is a head teacher's insightful account of how to go about developing a shared vision and blending it into a school's culture and day-to-day running.When one or more aspects of a school's running or curriculum breaks down, all too often the leadership team will jump from one idea to another in a bid to remedy the problem. This, however, can lead to blurred vision and possible confusion. Leaders may then wonder why the remedies aren't working and are likely to scramble for more, hopefully better, ideas.Armando Di-Finizio, however, believes that the key to success lies in the school's ethos and in the daily manifestation of its underpinning principles.In A Head Full of Ethos, Armando weaves his experiences and the lessons he's learned from three decades of successful school leadership into an engaging illustration of the principles which have supported him in his varied settings. In so doing, he explores the key elements that contribute to nurturing a positive school ethos and cultivating a healthy teaching and learning environment.The book examines the many interconnected cogs of a sustainable ethos - an ethos which will become the driving force in inspiring the school's students to flourish and its staff to grow professionally. In turn, it empowers school leaders at all levels with the means to take more ownership of what they do, and imbues them with more courage in relation to their convictions and decision-making.Suitable for middle and senior leaders in all school settings.