Essential Lessons for School Leaders

Keep these heartfelt gems top of mind

This gold mine of wisdom from top education researcher and the best-selling author of Turning Around Failing Schools and Connecting Teacher Leadership and School Improvement contains key tips and strategies every school leader should know. Award-winning professor and former school administrator Joseph F. Murphy's concise and instructive lessons will help you stay focused on what matters most as you navigate the hectic world of high-stakes testing and accountability:

• It really is all about the kids
• Optimism is essential
• Caring counts a lot
• Listen—let people finish talking
• Don't confuse excuses and explanations

Each lesson is coupled with context in a few sentences taken from Murphy's extensive real-world experiences. This collection is ideal for use in daily reflections, speeches, staff meetings, presentations, or as a gift to anyone who works with children.