Gordon A. Donaldson – författare

Does a school respond in knee-jerk fashion to hourly stimuli or does it have a purposeful design structuring its life? The school's principal directly influences the answer to this question. Gordon Donaldson puts aside current books and courses which neatly compartmentalize the ideal principalship. Instead he examines the everyday realities of the position. Donaldson captures the insides of the job--the principal's interpersonal work life. Drawing from his own experience and contemporary studies, he identifies and examines three crucial functions of high school leaders: choosing activities that serve the school's purposes, identifying and enlisting capable partners, and developing and maintaining productive relationships. As our expectations for principals and their schools rise, and as current literature continues to prescribe unrealistic roles for principals, Learning to Lead takes a new look at the principal's fundamental function--facilitating faculty and staff to teach and nurture children. This is a hands-on source for academicians and graduate students examining the organizational dynamics of secondary schools and leadership.This detailed study of the complex factors impinging on the American high school principal begins with a synopsis of current knowledge. It then describes the three functions, making use of extensive primary data collected from the author's faculty and staff. The final three chapters explore themes that have emerged from the preceding examination of leadership dynamics: lessons for successful fulfillment of each leadership function, paradoxes complicating a principal's effort to order and rationalize his/her world, and personal qualities necessary for successful high school leadership. Donaldson closes with recommendations for the education and continuing development of principals. This volume portrays a school principal within his school context and introduces a method of gathering feedback about leadership effectiveness from school faculty and staff.

"A real contribution to an over-discussed subject.... This book reaches below the surface to the real issues and relationships that confront principles in their orchestration of the daily affairs of teachers, parents, and students." --Harold Howe II, former president of the Ford Foundation for Education and Public Policy Based on the work of the prestigious Harvard Principal's Center, this book shares some of the "sense" that practicing principals have made of their own complex experiences. The authors offer real-life case examples of typical leadership dilemmas in such areas as student discipline, teacher assessment, fiscal management, parental involvement, and schoolwide planning.

Based on a study of a group of teachers and principals, this book details the Maine Academy for School Leaders' programme which argues that there is a direct correlation between leadership effectiveness and the improvement of student performance. The authors explore the soundness of the programme's innovative ideas by following closely the results gained by the study group.

"These stories are remarkable in their clarity, drama, passion, and insight. Most of all, they are remarkable because they are the voices of practicing school leaders. This is an experience far too rare in our profession: a conversation about writing about school practice among practitioners. I was moved by the courage of these educators and by what they had to say."From the Foreword by Roland BarthFounder of the International Network of Principals′ CentersHarvard UniversityThis small but powerful book will inspire all educators who seek an elusive dream: to create schools that function more productively and humanely for children and adults.A dedicated group of Maine educators--teacher leaders, teaching principals, and principals--wanted to lead their schools toward this dream. They first met at the Maine Academy for School Leaders (MASL) in 1992 to share their experiences and frustrations and to help each other improve their understanding and practice of educational leadership. In the years since then, they have made remarkable progress. This stimulating book recounts the journeys and describes the enlightening discoveries made by ten of the MASL participants.Through a series of stories as varied as the schools and the groups they represent, you see how MASL participants successfully forged working teams out of faculty groups greatly divided by philosophies and personal histories. These pioneering educators developed many new skills, including the ability to respond more constructively to angry and demanding parents and colleagues.These are their stories, personal accounts of the twists and turns of their evolving identities as leaders. Each of these vignettes shares one goal: to make sense of the toughest leadership challenges so that all of us can see the path more clearly. Throughout this unique book, you will recognize challenges that you too are facing. You′ll also see challenges that lie ahead of you and, as a result, will be better prepared to handle them when the time comes. Designed as a companion to Becoming Better Leaders, every page of this book is a sobering yet compelling lesson in educational leadership.

"These stories are remarkable in their clarity, drama, passion, and insight. Most of all, they are remarkable because they are the voices of practicing school leaders. This is an experience far too rare in our profession: a conversation about writing about school practice among practitioners. I was moved by the courage of these educators and by what they had to say."From the Foreword by Roland BarthFounder of the International Network of Principals′ CentersHarvard UniversityThis small but powerful book will inspire all educators who seek an elusive dream: to create schools that function more productively and humanely for children and adults.A dedicated group of Maine educators--teacher leaders, teaching principals, and principals--wanted to lead their schools toward this dream. They first met at the Maine Academy for School Leaders (MASL) in 1992 to share their experiences and frustrations and to help each other improve their understanding and practice of educational leadership. In the years since then, they have made remarkable progress. This stimulating book recounts the journeys and describes the enlightening discoveries made by ten of the MASL participants.Through a series of stories as varied as the schools and the groups they represent, you see how MASL participants successfully forged working teams out of faculty groups greatly divided by philosophies and personal histories. These pioneering educators developed many new skills, including the ability to respond more constructively to angry and demanding parents and colleagues.These are their stories, personal accounts of the twists and turns of their evolving identities as leaders. Each of these vignettes shares one goal: to make sense of the toughest leadership challenges so that all of us can see the path more clearly. Throughout this unique book, you will recognize challenges that you too are facing. You′ll also see challenges that lie ahead of you and, as a result, will be better prepared to handle them when the time comes. Designed as a companion to Becoming Better Leaders, every page of this book is a sobering yet compelling lesson in educational leadership.

"A book for our times—a useful and usable book that places collaboration at the center of school improvement. Donaldson and Sanderson make an important contribution to the building of professional community in schools." Thomas J. SergiovanniLillian Radford Professor of Educational Administration and Senior Fellow Center for Educational Leadership Trinity University Donaldson and Sanderson show you how to help your entire staff discover a common goal--improved learning for students—and move toward it together. The authors give you insightful, step-by-step guidance on exactly how to accomplish this. Learn how you can increase the effectiveness of your teaching staff so that every student benefits by improved learning. Encourage teachers′ personal growth by encouraging them to use creative teamwork to find alternate solutions to tough school problems. Bring staff together to address complicated school concerns as a group. Build your student-oriented school from the inside by encouraging everyone to work toward better instruction. This book is designed to help parents, teachers, principals, and other school staff work together more easily to teach kids better. Find out how collaboration can: Build and reinforce common educational goals Dramatically raise teaching levels Boost teachers′ leadership skills Enrich your school′s culture by keeping decision-making on site Involve parents with their children′s′ education Dozens of great, simple ideas and strategies help you turn common, pressing school challenges into opportunities for effective working together. Find out how bringing parents into the equation can further enhance students′ learning experiences. Use the thoughtful, real-life examples provided in each chapter to build a unified teaching and learning community at your school. Let the down-to-earth, practical advice here help you and your staff begins working together more effectively--and your students will reap the reward of a better education.

"A book for our times—a useful and usable book that places collaboration at the center of school improvement. Donaldson and Sanderson make an important contribution to the building of professional community in schools." Thomas J. SergiovanniLillian Radford Professor of Educational Administration and Senior Fellow Center for Educational Leadership Trinity University Donaldson and Sanderson show you how to help your entire staff discover a common goal--improved learning for students—and move toward it together. The authors give you insightful, step-by-step guidance on exactly how to accomplish this. Learn how you can increase the effectiveness of your teaching staff so that every student benefits by improved learning. Encourage teachers′ personal growth by encouraging them to use creative teamwork to find alternate solutions to tough school problems. Bring staff together to address complicated school concerns as a group. Build your student-oriented school from the inside by encouraging everyone to work toward better instruction. This book is designed to help parents, teachers, principals, and other school staff work together more easily to teach kids better. Find out how collaboration can: Build and reinforce common educational goals Dramatically raise teaching levels Boost teachers′ leadership skills Enrich your school′s culture by keeping decision-making on site Involve parents with their children′s′ education Dozens of great, simple ideas and strategies help you turn common, pressing school challenges into opportunities for effective working together. Find out how bringing parents into the equation can further enhance students′ learning experiences. Use the thoughtful, real-life examples provided in each chapter to build a unified teaching and learning community at your school. Let the down-to-earth, practical advice here help you and your staff begins working together more effectively--and your students will reap the reward of a better education.