The Moral Imperative of School Leadership

Review
"Excellent book, not only for principals, but for all educators who believe that the 'moral imperative is in the hands of school leaders.'"

Review
"As one has come to expect from this eminent writer this is a highly readable, well structured, and acceeible text that is above all postitive. Indeed...many will find the work inspirational."

Book Description
Foreword by John I. Goodlad"Fullan shows how moral leadership can reinvent the principalship and bring about large-scale school improvement. This is a masterfully crafted and accessible book by North America's foremost expert on change."Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Lillian Radford Professor of EducationTrinity University, San Antonio, TX "Fullan challenges all who work in education to rethink the critical role of the principal as school leader in the current era of accountability.  With clarity and insight, he offers a series of strategies to reshape the culture and context of leadership in schools to create learning communities where both students and teachers can excel."Paul D. Houston, Executive DirectorAmerican Association of School Administrators "Once again, the writing of Michael Fullan is a tour de force. The Moral Imperative of School Leadership is a must read for those who want to make a difference!"Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive DirectorNational Association of Secondary School Principals The time has come to change the context of school leadership!The role of the principal is pivotal to systemic school change. This is the fundamental message in Michael Fullan's new book, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, which extends the discussion that began in his earlier publication, What’s Worth Fighting for in the Principalship? The author examines the moral purpose of school leadership and its critical role in "changing the context" in which the role is embedded. In this bold step forward, Fullan calls for principals to become agents as well as beneficiaries of the processes of school change. In an effort to make the position more rewarding and exciting, he shifts the principal’s role from one of a site-based superman or superwoman, and recasts it as one in which principals figure prominently both within their school and within the larger school system that surrounds them. Concepts explored in-depth include:Why "changing the context" should be the main agenda for the principalship Why barriers to the principalship exist Why the principal should be seen as the COO (chief operating officer) of a school Why the role of the principal should figure more prominently within the system What individuals and the system can do to transform school leadership to a powerful new forceThe challenge, and moral imperative, for today's principal is to lead system transformations to resolve the top-down/bottom-up dilemma that exists in systemic change. To end the exodus from the principalship, and for great school leaders to evolve in large numbers, the time to redefine the position is now!

Book Info
Text extends a discussion began in an earlier publication, 'What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship?' The moral purpose of school leadership is examined, and its critical role in changing the context in which it is embedded. Sees the role of the principal as pivotal to systemic school change. Softcover, hardcover available. DLC: School principals--Professional ethics.


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The plummeting conditions under which school principals work, and the soaring demands being put upon them, convinced Fullan (education, U. of Toronto) that the advice to them in his 1997 What's Worth Fighting For was no longer adequate. Primarily for school principals and heads, but also policy makers, he argues that leaders with a moral imperative can realize it only by developing leadership in others. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


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