Reading & Resources
School Administrator, November 2017


Book Reviews
 
First Things First!: Creating the New American Primary School
by Ruby Takanishi, Teachers College Press, New York, N.Y., 2016, 195 pp., $31.95 softcover

Ruby Takanishi wrote this book to point out the lack of cohesion, continuity and collaboration between early education and the K-12 sectors, and recommend replacing this divide with a unifying vision of instruction.

Takanishi is likewise concerned about inequality in access to pre-K education. Fifty percent of 4-year-old children in the lowest quintile of family income attend public pre-K programs, whereas in the top quintile of family income, 76 percent of 4-year-old children attend private pre-K programs. There is a 32 percent gap in enrollment between children whose parents’ highest level of education was less than a high school degree versus 4-year-old children whose parents have at least a bachelor’s degree.

What should the new American primary school look like? According to Takanishi, there would be a balance in child- and teacher-initiated activities, tenacious family outreach, active, multifaceted and social learning, a foundational academic curriculum on which preschool children can continue to build and preschool education available to all children, beginning at age 3, regardless of the economic circumstances of their families.

Reviewed by Louis Wildman, professor of educational leadership, California State University-Bakersfield
 

Leadership in America's Best Urban Schools
by Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Cynthia L. Uline and Lynne G. Perez, Routledge, New York, N.Y., 2017, 155 pp., $34.95 softcover

San Diego State University has encouraged and supported the development of a center to identify, award and study some of the better urban schools in the country with the National Center for Urban School Transformation designation. Within this text, the authors summarize their visits and findings about 117 good schools that have volunteered. Their criteria are based upon multiple evidences of success highlighting state assessment data, especially as it relates to traditionally underserved students. In general, these schools reinforce other similar research.

The leadership of principals was key, however, “… the principal leaders in these high-performing schools often created leadership opportunities for others and supported them in fulfilling these responsibilities well.” The difference is combined “leadership that promotes outstanding results” — change, improve, clarify roles, and builds capacity to change.

The first half of this book goes over the content and instructional processes for producing schools realizing higher achievement and equity. The base is having a coherent curriculum that is challenging. Then, educators must ensure mastery.

Readers are led through this work with a narrative opening for each chapter to capture their attention, followed by a description of what is done that leads to excellence and equity, a summary and series of self-assessments of what the program is and what it is not, and ends with references. This format aids initial understanding and retention of the components of high-achieving schools.

One particularly interesting finding was that “…district leaders acknowledged repeatedly the great leaders and outstanding teachers in the award-winning schools, but they were not able to articulate a vision for ensuring that more of their urban schools would have great leaders and outstanding teachers who achieved similar or better results.“ This statement suggests that more central office educators might read about Leadership in America’s Best Urban Schools.

Reviewed by Art Stellar, vice president, National Education Foundation, Hingham, Mass.
 

Leadership That Gets Results
by Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review Press, Boston, Mass., 2017, 87 pp., $9.97 softcover

Each volume in the Harvard Business Review Classics series focuses on one “breakthrough idea” that will help transform your practice. They are small (truly pocket size), concise (less than 100 pages) and inexpensive ($10) summaries of seminal leadership ideas that can be read in about an hour.  
 
Daniel Goleman is well known for his work on emotional intelligence. In Leadership That Gets Results, he combines his knowledge of emotional intelligence and corporate culture with leadership strategies that generate bottom-line results.  

“The leader’s singular job is to get results,” says Goleman. He likens leadership styles to golf clubs and says, “We each need a bag full, along with some expertise on when to use each style.”  

He says authoritative and affiliative styles are the most versatile and effective, coercive and pacesetting styles are to be used infrequently and with caution, and coaching and democratic styles are good add-on strategies.

“Effective leaders must play their leadership styles like a pro, using just the right one at just the right time and in just the right measure,” says Goleman. “Leaders who have mastered four or more — especially the authoritative, democratic, affiliative, and coaching styles — have the very best climate and performance results.”

Goleman’s findings come from 3,800 executive interviews correlated to business profitability. He ends the book with a recap of his EQ traits, along with ideas on how to grow emotional intelligence. 

This tiny book is a good value and quick read with lots of tools and summaries at the end.  

Reviewed by Larry L. Nyland, superintendent, Seattle Public Schools, Seattle, Wash.   
 

Lit Up: One Reporter. Three Schools. Twenty-four Books That Can Change Lives
by David Denby, Henry Holt and Company, LLC, New York, N.Y., 2016, 257 pp. with index, $30.00 hardcover
 
Lit Up by David Denby is an argument for why our students need to become readers. The topic is timely, as the English department in the high school often laments, loudly, that students do not or will not read anymore. The issue of students not reading or needing remedial reading once they arrive at the middle/high school level is not only common, but alarming.

As a staff writer for The New Yorker and a film critic, Denby is well-versed in the power of words and the effect the written word can have on an individual. He admits to being an avid reader and came to this investigation after he began to wonder whether today’s teens read for pleasure. 

He uses the book to examine how a handful of educators can bring students to powerful understandings about themselves through developing a love of reading. The reader is introduced to several gifted teachers who manage to get their students to read and deeply understand complex texts. The majority of the discussion is focused on the actual texts being read and, subsequently, the students’ responses. A metamorphosis of maturity in both thought and writing occurs for the students, resulting in a changed perspective that has, hopefully, better equipped them for life outside of school.

Beneath the details regarding the author’s experiences in these classrooms is the message of teacher freedom. Each teacher presented held to their independent reading lists and curriculum based on the goals of what they saw as important for each student. Denby presents an argument for allowing talented teachers to make decisions and do what they do best — engage students in learning through questioning and pushing for active involvement.

As a superintendent, the challenges between curriculum and teacher academic freedom often result in a perceived choice between improved test scores versus learning that changes a student’s life. In each instance, exemplary teachers will reach for the learning that transforms a student in some way. This title caused me to reflect on the message we give to our teachers, that is, if you are going to show up to do the hard work of teaching, shouldn’t your result be more than the test score? Shouldn’t it be to connect and engage with students?

Denby’s profiling of these teachers provides that answer. The interaction between teacher and student is key to powerful learning. Supporting our teachers with the opportunity to create curriculum and teach challenging texts is key to a successful school and district.  

Reviewed by Paula M. Talty, superintendent, Cromwell Public Schools, Cromwell Conn
 

Research on Educational Innovations
by Arthur K. Ellis and John B. Bond, Routledge, New York, N.Y., 2016, 200 pp. with index, $49.95 softcover

Bridging the gap between the empirical and the practical has been a long-standing tension between academe and those responsible for implementation of best practices. Administrators leading educational programs need to be able to rely upon solid knowledge to help them lead curricula in their schools. Research on Educational Innovations by Seattle Pacific University professor Arthur K. Ellis and assistant professor John B. Bond provides a solid resource for educational leaders implementing best practice in their schools.

This text takes a concise, yet complete, look at programmatic innovations currently implemented in schools. Even though this text is in its fifth edition, the programs and interventions covered are timely and reflect up-to-date topics impacting schools across the nation. Flipped instruction, teacher evaluation and student achievement, mastery learning, cooperative learning, and parent and student engagement are some of the important topics covered in this easy-to-read, yet highly informative text.

The authors present content from a perspective that discusses three different levels of research and integrates this unique orientation for the topics presented. This provides a unique view on the different levels of empirical support available to sustain the programs and interventions in schools. There are many texts that present current best practice interventions for school administrators, but this provides a depth of research understanding missing in most others.

State and federal mandates are requiring a greater level of accountability for the interventions employed in educational programs across the nations. As the level of empirical validation of interventions rises, educational leaders need to have support mechanisms to better explain programs and requirements to their stakeholders, both internal and external to the schools. This text is a welcomed addition for administrators supporting instructional decisions in their programs.

Administrators supporting programs through increasing the research-based interventions in their schools need a well-documented reference guide to keep their efforts on track. This text provides a clear backdrop for practitioners as they work to implement evidence-based practices into their programs.

Reviewed by Mark E. Deschaine, assistant professor of educational leadership, College of Education and Human Services, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant Mich.
 

Schools That Deliver
by John Edwards and Bill Martin, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 2016, 241 pp. with index, $39.95 softcover

Some books are easy to review; Schools That Deliver is really hard. It takes a great deal of effort to travel through the vast amount of information presented. 

Bill Martin and John Edwards have written three books masterly woven into one: the first, an examination of why schools exist, what is valued and what makes them a valuable community asset; the second, a study of international education and how effective schools are conducted in a variety of settings; and the third, a detailed discussion of school practices that deliver results for all members of the school community.

Schools That Deliver is not an easy read. An investment in time and effort to read it, however, produces substantial rewards: an appreciation of individual accounts; an understanding of the importance of culture; and an invitation to reflect on one's responsibility to establish schools that deliver. Reading it should be worth six hours of college credit.

The book is supported by international examples and extensive research, and contains an instructive forward by Art Costa, a set of helpful appendices and a comprehensive index.

Reviewed by M. Donald Thomas, consultant, Public Education Support Group, South Salt Lake City, Utah
 

Teaching History Then and Now: A Story of Stability and Change in Schools
by Larry Cuban, Harvard Education Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2016, 264 pp. with index, $32 softcover

Education researcher and historian Larry Cuban revisits his roots in Teaching History Then and Now.    

Cuban, who taught for 14 years in two urban high schools in Cleveland and Washington, D.C. in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, goes back to those schools 50 years later to examine the similarities and differences in the teaching of history and social studies.

Comparing and contrasting teaching scenarios 40 to 50 years apart was interesting, albeit many times disappointing because there were too many similarities. However, when Cuban waxed philosophical and challenged the status quo in his summary, it made you think about your role as an administrator and/or policymaker.

His discussion about the “grammar of schooling” should be a requirement for aspiring administrators. Additionally, the role of teachers in educational change and reform is dissected in a manner that is very thought-provoking.

The book is written for educational historians, teaching and learning departments, educational reformers and others who enjoy the “then and now.”  

Reviewed by Rob Clark, superintendent, Milton-Freewater Unified School District, Milton-Freewater, Ore.
 

What Makes a Leader?
by Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review Press, Boston, Mass., 2017, 60 pp., $9.97 softcover 

Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman is well known for his research on emotional intelligence and the positive attributes of emotionally intelligent bosses. For decades, school leaders have read many of his books such as Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and Primal Leadership: The Hidden Driver of Great Performance. With his background in psychology and his studies of eastern religion, Goleman determined that truly effective leaders are distinguished by a high degree of emotional intelligence. 

Goleman was the first to make famous the term EQ for emotional intelligence as a contrast to IQ for intelligence quotient that has been used for so long as measure of aptitude for leadership in the business world. In Goleman’s view, a person can have the best training, the keenest mind and the most original ideas, but without emotional intelligence, they can never be a great leader. 

In his newest book, What Makes a Leader?, Goleman tells a persuasive story about the link between a company’s success and the emotional intelligence of its leaders. Working with major international companies, he developed tools to evaluate the emotional intelligence of prospective management hires. 

Through this work, he developed competency models that have been used by companies to identify, train and promote likely stars. In this book, he takes his years of experience as a researcher, writer and lecturer, and condenses these concepts down to what he sees as the five key characteristics of highly effective leaders. He shows that businesses and school systems can develop emotional intelligence in their leaders if they take the right approach.   

Goleman professes that even though the level of intelligence of prospective leaders continues to be an important ingredient for companies that want to excel, the recipe is not complete without considering emotional intelligence. The five components of emotional intelligence are: self-awareness (to know one's emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, values and goals, and recognize their impact on others while using gut feelings to guide decisions); self-regulation (controlling or redirecting one's disruptive emotions and impulses, and adapting to changing circumstances); motivation (the drive to exceed beyond expectations); empathy (thoughtfully considering employee’s feelings, especially when making decisions); and social skill (managing relationships to move people in the desired direction). Without a balance of these EQ skills, a leader will not be as successful as they could be. 

Although his writing is intended for business leaders, educators can glean much from his knowledge and experiences. I, personally, have developed several fundamental beliefs about leadership from his writing. What Makes a Leader? is a very concise book that is easy for the busy administrator to consume. Followers of Goleman’s work will not find a great deal of new information, but can gain insights into ways to develop emotional intelligence in themselves and others. Superintendents who want to further the effectiveness of their schools can use the practical concepts of this book to promote emotional intelligence as a “need to have” skill for prospective leaders. 

Reviewed by Jeff Smith, superintendent, Balsz School District, Phoenix, Ariz.
 


ABSTRACTS

Superintendent Contracts

Do large monetary incentives affect how superintendents perform their duties? A doctoral dissertation by Donovan Michael Garletts at Indiana State University examined all Indiana superintendents’ contracts to find a relationship between contractual language and leadership styles.

Surveys collected data on contracted salary, vehicle allowance, retirement contributions and self-reported leadership qualities.

The study found the linear combination of salary and auto allowance predicted a significant proportion of variance in both action and style, and action in terms of authoritarian or empowering leadership.

Copies of “Money and Leadership: A Study of Superintendent Contracts and the Authoritarian or Empowering Leadership Styles and Actions of Superintendents” are accessible from ProQuest at 800-521-0600 or disspub@proquest.com.


Leading for Learning

Superintendents are uniquely positioned at the head of a school system to guide processes and practices related to student learning, according to a doctoral study by Jean M. Neal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The 2016 study examined an exemplary Illinois rural school district using the Leadership for Learning Framework. The research found the superintendent demonstrated behaviors and practices that facilitated professional, student and systems learning.

Neal made recommendations for advancing rural district leaders in evidence-use processes related to student performance.

Copies of “Evidence-use and Role of the Superintendent in Leading for Learning: A Case Study of a Small Illinois Rural School District” are accessible from ProQuest at 800-521-0600 or disspub@proquest.com.
 

 
Why I Wrote this Book ...



“After traveling much of the world, visiting schools and speaking with students, parents, educators and school leaders, I believe we must lead schools differently in the digital age, where all stakeholders are digital natives. I aimed to clearly outline what it means to effectively lead schools in the 21st Century, while also providing all of the necessary resources for the reader. Additionally, I argue that if we do not begin to lead our schools differently, we will have a generation at risk.”

Denver J. Fowler, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy studies, California State University, Sacramento, and AASA member since 2011, on writing The 21st Century School Leader: Leading Schools in Today’s World (Word & Deed Publishing, 2017)
 







BITS & PIECES

Teacher Mentors

A study from the Institute of Education Sciences considered the impact of a two-year program that pairs retired teacher mentors with new teachers.

Researchers evaluated the program for student achievement, teacher retention and teacher evaluation ratings and found that at the end of the first year, student achievement was higher in math and reading.


Personalized Learning

To identify what personalized learning looks like, the RAND Corporation describes the concept and its implementation in a report for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The report considers some of the challenges of personalized learning and how it affects achievement in schools.


Meatless Mondays

To increase the amount of fruits and vegetables on school menus, the National School Lunch Program created a guide to promote a Meatless Monday program.

The guide provides schools with strategies and evaluation criteria. Schools can download promotional posters and graphics.


Early Millennials

A report examining the extent to which high school sophomores in 2002 achieved various milestones of early adulthood 10 years later has been released by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Ninety-six percent of students completed high school and 84 percent had attended postsecondary education by 2012.


Diverse Schools

A report in Child Development found that students in middle schools with multiple ethnic groups of relatively equal size felt safer, less lonely and less bullied.


Quality Systems

Some of the world’s top-performing education systems build effective systems and commit to professionalizing teaching through recruitment, preparation and induction, and elevating the status of teaching, according to a study from the National Center on Education and the Economy’s Center on International Education Benchmarking.


Teacher Characteristics

Nearly half of U.S. public school teachers had a master’s degree and an average of 14 years of teaching experience in 2015-16, according to a new statistical report from the National Center for Education Statistics.


Ed Tech Research

Sixteen best-practice standards of research are presented in an updated guide to research methods, designed to help show that educational technology products are effective and meet current ESSA standards.


Pipeline Lessons

An updated version of The Wallace Foundation report “Building Principal Pipelines: A Job That Urban Districts Can Do” summarizes lessons learned about pipelines over time.

The report describes the four components of pipelines: job standards for principals, high-quality pre-service training, rigorous hiring procedures, and tightly aligned on-the-job performance evaluation and support.


Communications Toolkit

Designed to help educators formulate public communication plans, “The Secret Life of Public Schools” is a comprehensive toolkit that includes templates for op-eds, news releases and back-to-school letters to families and staff.

The toolkit, produced by the Learning First Alliance, includes talking points and sample social media language.


Principal Survey

A study from the National Center for Education Statistics found that there were more than 90,000 public school principals in 2015-16 who worked an average of 58.6 hours a week and earned an annual salary of $95,700.

AASA Campaign Videos

AASA produced a series of nine short videos profiling individual educators discussing why they love public education as part of the I Love Public Education campaign.

Featured are AASA President Gail Pletnick and AASA President-Elect Chris Gaines along with members Mack Bullard (Ga.), Ben Hodge (Ohio), Dawn Linden (Mich.), Alena Zachery-Ross (Mich.), David White (Va.), Bryan Luizzi (Conn.) and Randy Ziegenfuss (Pa.).


Equity Archive

Ten years of School Administrator articles on a wide range of equity subjects are compiled and posted on AASA’s website.

This collection of magazine articles will be updated on an ongoing basis.


Voucher Study

“Public Loss, Private Gain: How School Voucher Tax Shelters Undermine Public Education” is a report by AASA and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy that exposes how state and federal tax policy promotes the privatization of education funding, while simultaneously draining public coffers.

Seventeen states divert a total of over $1 billion per year toward private schools via school voucher tax credits.