Deliberate Excellence: Three Fundamental Strategies That Drive Educational Leadership
by S. Dallas Dance, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 2018, 160 pp. with index, $24.95 softcover

In Deliberate Excellence: Three Fundamental Strategies That Drive Educational Leadership, S. Dallas Dance tells his story of transforming Baltimore County Public Schools in Towson, Md., during five years as superintendent.

Under Dance’s leadership, graduation rates improved to nearly 90 percent and graduation gaps narrowed. All elementary grades exceeded national norms for peer districts in reading. That said, this book is far more about leadership skills and processes than specific instructional approaches.

S. Dallas Dance claims that his “success occurred due to one primary reason: my connection and belief in people.” His three leadership strategies focus on committing to equity, supporting change and communicating relentlessly, and have broad application at every level of leadership from the classroom to the boardroom.

Each chapter is well illustrated with a wealth of “principle in action” stories from multiple perspectives — superintendent, principal and everything in between. These stories add context, nuance and credibility to each big picture strategy. Key takeaways are summarized at the end of each chapter.

Deliberate Excellence is an excellent guidebook for developing conditions for learning improvement by motivating, engaging and inspiring. Dance illustrates how, “[t]hrough an authentic connection with people, you can get anything done as a leader … anything!” This book will appeal to school and district leaders at all levels, particularly those entering into new roles or seeking to transform culture. Dance’s engaging style makes this book easy to read and highly informative.  

Reviewed by Larry L. Nyland, 40-year AASA member and recently retired superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, Seattle, Wash.


Digital Portfolios in the Classroom: Showcasing and Assessing Student Work
by Matt Renwick, ASCD, Alexandria, Va., 2017, 161 pp. with index, $25.95 softcover

Digital Portfolios in the Classroom: Showcasing and Assessing Student Work by Matt Renwick is easy to read. Renwick’s writing style is free of educational jargon. The chapters flow in a logical manner and the reader can choose which parts of the digital portfolio to use in his or her work and what to save for another time without feeling as if the author would be judgmental of their choice. 

This text reiterates that assessment is not an event; it is a way to see progress and it is part of a process. There are various types of portfolios and, as Renwick explains each one, the reader is able to discern which type fits the situation in his or her classroom and school. The tenets of strong instruction are timeless; that is fitting regardless of the data point.

As an administrator, this book could be useful for a Professional Learning Community. It would serve as a common text for an educational book club or as a starting point for exploring the adoption of digital portfolios in a classroom, a school or at the district level. To paraphrase the author, it’s about access, purpose and audience, and it is those three elements that make this book practical. 

Reviewed by Hope S. Blecher, curriculum coordinator at Yeshivat He’Atid, Teaneck, N.J., and adjunct professor at Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J. 

Liberating Leadership Capacity: Pathways to Educational Wisdom
by Linda Lambert, Diane P. Zimmerman and Mary E. Gardiner, Teachers College Press, New York, N.Y., 2016, 148 pp. with index, $32.95 softcover

Progressive superintendents and principals are constantly on the lookout for approaches to building leadership capacity in their schools or districts that are both sustainable and collaborative. In Liberating Leadership Capacity, authors Linda Lambert, Diane Zimmerman and Mary Gardiner expand the knowledge base of recent works of educational leadership by blending their own research with specific examples of schools or districts that support their premise.

One of the key components of the book is the several matrices that the authors created to display the varying degrees of leadership capacity and collaboration. In addition, they explored specific examples of leadership capacity and examined the success of each case. In that regard, I would have liked to have the authors probe a little deeper in analyzing why some examples were successful (e.g., the teacher who was charged with bringing Common Core to the school curriculum).

From a school district leadership perspective, the true value of this book lies in the authors' synthesis of prior research with their own and providing concrete examples of applied practice.

Reviewed by Marc Space, superintendent, Grants/Cibola County Schools, Grants, N.M.
 

The Samurai Samba Vinci Way: How to Improve Your Executive Presence, Increase Trust and Lead Your Team at a World-Class Level
by Claudio Toyama, self-published, 2017, 184 pp., $14.99 softcover

Claudio Toyama uses his life experiences as an author, international public speaker and executive coach to build a case for The Samurai Samba Vinci Way. Having lived in several countries with very different cultures, he believes extraordinary leadership requires more than a single mindset. It is by weaving together the best of three cultures that his unique leadership theory emerges. In this book, Toyama presents an interestingly useful approach to thinking about leadership from the inside out. Rather than replicating traditional leadership techniques, The Samurai Simba Vinci Way is a leadership book intended to bring out the best within you. Toyama uses authentic situations to analyze and explain different scenarios a leader may confront in a professional environment. 

Three components make up the Samurai Samba Vinci leader. From the samurai, a reader can develop an appreciation for the Japanese culture’s emphasis on awareness, respect, competency, honor and integrity. The samurai leader resists distractions by frivolous matters and stays focused on one thing at a time. This leadership trait reflects calmness and strength with a focus on clearly established goals. The samba persona originates from the culture of Brazil. With an emphasis on color, fun and play, this component lends a light-hearted and playful aspect to a leader’s style. The Vinci persona originates from the master of innovation, Leonardo da Vinci. This aspect of leadership focuses on creative thinking, entrepreneurialism and exploration. When these three personas are blended, it sets the stage for continuous growth and improvement for leaders and the organizations for which they are responsible. 

The book is intended to help the reader learn how to adapt and evolve in the current globalized world. The author's passion for helping people become better leaders is present from start to finish. Although the experiences presented are not specific to public education, school administrators can learn a great deal about themselves from the stories. One of the stated goals of the book is to propel the reader from working to be the best leader in the world to working to be the best leader for the world. To help with this, the book has web links and references to several online assessments to measure progress as well as tips on how to improve weaknesses. The Samurai Samba Vinci Way is for leaders who want to be more effective while also living a more balanced life. Readers may very well walk away with new insights and the skills necessary to bring that perspective to everything they do. 
 
Reviewed by Jeffrey J. Smith, superintendent, Balsz School District, Phoenix, Ariz.

Why I Wrote this Book ...




“Over the past 20 years, I collected concepts and random thoughts that I found to be wise and that might help me become a more effective superintendent. A file on my desk at home was chock full of Post-it notes with concepts gleaned from mentors and helpful leadership articles. I realized I had collected a career’s worth of wisdom that I thought might benefit others facing daily challenges in the superintendency.”

Howard C. Carlson, superintendent, Wickenburg Unified School District, Wickenburg, Ariz., on writing Accelerated Wisdom: 50 Practical Insights for Today’s Superintendent (Rowman and Littlefield, 2018)