The School Leader's Guide to Understanding Attitude and Influencing Behavior
Working With Teachers, Parents, Students, and the Community
- Brandt W. Pryor
- Caroline R. Pryor - Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
Theron Schutte, Middle School Principal
Boone Community School District, IA
"The book provides a theoretical base for practical application of strategies that will strengthen beliefs and attitudes that support behaviors that can move a school toward the fulfillment of its educational mission."
David Erlandson, Professor
Texas A&M University
"This book keeps its promises: it is truly a guide for action that will be used by educators, especially educational change agents. Each of the authors comes out of an unusual blend of theoretical sophistication and practical experience that make this book a stimulating intellectual read and a solid manual for practice."
Steven Tozer, Professor of Education
University of Illinois
Why do people behave as they do? What makes them take a stand on a specific issue?
Solving school problems and making policy decisions require that we anticipate how people will feel about an issue or how they will behave. School leaders must understand the values, attitudes, and beliefs brought to different situations. The School Leader's Guide to Understanding Attitude and Influencing Behavior makes it possible for educators to scientifically understand and influence the attitudes and behaviors of diverse constituencies, both inside and outside the school.
Using the Model of Reasoned Action (MORA) enables readers to understand how people form attitudes and make decisions about a wide variety of future behaviors. Armed with this information, educators can change attitudes and influence behavior of teachers, staff, parents, and the community. This excellent resource includes:
- Examples of attitude scales
- A sample questionnaire
- A checklist of steps through an attitude-behavior study
- Tables to organize and report data
- Data analysis presented in an easily-applied manner
“Educational administrators will find the book to be an easily applicable tool for solving many of the dilemmas they face in their schools."
"Finally a book that can serve as a useful tool for aspiring and practicing school leaders. Today's school leader needs strategies and competencies in working with diverse audiences and perspectives. The Pryors have achieved this."
“The business of education is a ‘people’ business; the most successful school leaders are those who have a full understanding of the individuals and groups they lead. This book provides a practical framework that enables school leaders to effectively asses the attitudes and better understand the behaviors of their staff.”
"As a former public school administrator for many years, and now at the university level, I believe principals will find important topics that are though provoking and applicable . . . an excellent tool for administrators."
"This book fills a major void in the literature focused upon educational leadership."
"Given the press for school administrators to implement and manage change, this book provides a framework for identifying why new initiatives are resisted and how best to reduce or eliminate this resistance."
"The book provides a theoretical base for practical application of strategies that will strengthen beliefs and attitudes that support behaviors that can move a school toward the fulfillment of its educational mission."
"Beyond providing a useful framework to examine behavioral changes in schools, this book delves into the details of how attitudinal change occurs and provides the reader with a process for transforming changes in schools."
"Today's principals are in the hot seat. Communities demand excellence for their children. This book helps principals understand how to approach problem-solving and decision-making for successful outcomes."
"An exceptional job of blending theory and practice. Written for the school administrator, it is clear, concise, and useful! It provides a tool that can bring about change and positively impact student performance and achievement."
