20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them

by Marilyn L. Grady

Overview

By surveying both teachers and administrators, and applying her own experiences as both teacher and a principal, Grady examines crucial errors from several key categories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761946014
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	01/08/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.31(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Marilyn L. Grady, is professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is the author or coauthor of 23 books, including From Difficult Teachers to Dynamic Teamwork (2009) with Brock, Getting it Right from the Start (2009) with Kostelnik From First Year to First Rate (2007) with Brock, 194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals (2006), 20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them (2004) and Launching Your First Principalship (2004) with Brock. Her research areas include leadership, the principalship, and superintendent-board relations. She has more than 175 publications to her credit. She is the editor of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Her editorial board service has included Educational Administration Quarterly, International Studies in Educational Administration, International Journal of Learning, Rural Educator, Journal of At-Risk Issues, Journal of School Leadership, Advancing Women in Leadership On-Line Journal, Journal for Rural School and Community Renewal, International Journal of Learning, and Journal for a Just and Caring Education. She is the recipient of the Stanley Brzezinski Research Award, NCPEA’s Living Legend Award, the Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence, UNL’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and UNL’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Status of Women.

Grady coordinates an annual conference on women in educational leadership that attracts national attendance and is in its ^24th year. She has been an administrator in K-12 schools as well as at the college and university levels. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and her doctorate in educational administration with a specialty in leadership from The Ohio State University.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Acknowledgments
About the Author
I. The People Skills
Mistake 1: Interpersonal Shortcomings
Mistake 2: Communication Flaws
II. The People
Mistake 3: Neglecting the Professionals
Mistake 4: Mismanaging Parents
III. The Principal
Mistake 5: Being Too Bossy
Mistake 6: Inconsistency
Mistake 7: Displaying Weakness
IV. The Job
Mistake 8: Endless Work
Mistake 9: Mismanaging Time
V. Tasks
Mistake 10: Ignoring the Preparation
Mistake 11: Displacing Goals
Mistake 12: Decision-Making Dilemmas
Mistake 13: Change Dilemmas
Mistake 14: Professional Development Vacuum
Mistake 15: Failing to Supervise
VI. Personal Issues
Mistake 16: Forgetting the Family
Mistake 17: Ignoring Health Issues
Mistake 18: Succumbing to Stress
Mistake 19: Etiquette Gaffes
VII. Fatal Attractions
Mistake 20: Errors of Judgment
VIII. The Leader's Response
Response 1: Never to Err Again?
Response 2: Over the Horizon
Resource A: Building Visibility in the Community
Resource B: Verbal Skills Self-Assessment
Resource C: Principal Access Self-Assessment
Resource D: Principal Self-Assessment
References

Editorial Reviews

I quickly learned that the situations I faced were similar to other principals’ experiences. The answers to my dilemmas were based on common sense and experience such as the examples in this book.

Barbara Marchese

"The information presented is true to life; school principals will see themselves on every page. The strategies presented to 'fix' or avoid our mistakes really do work! You don't have to be a new principal to benefit from this one. "

Kaye Peery

"An excellent resource for principals to examine their effectiveness. "

Principal Navigator

"I wish this book had been written many years ago to help me with my first principal's position. It is an indispensable resource for new and seasoned principals to avoid the pitfall of administration. "

Ron Joekel