Other resources:
A new addition from Lyle:
Bolman, L. & Deal, T. (1992). Leading and managing: Effects of context, culture and gender. Educational Administration Quarterly, 28(3), 314-329.
Brewer, C. (2011). School leaders as political strategists: William Boyd’s contributions to our understanding of the politics of leadership. Peabody Journal of Education, 86 (4), 450-463.
Writer’s abstract: William Boyd's contributions to the education field's understanding of the political nature of school leadership are formidable. In this article, I describe the growth and development, over a roughly 30-year time span, of his key insight that successful school leaders should have the capabilities of a political strategist and that the actualization of this capacity is related to school leaders’ political and policy context. The perennial question of “who governs education” was central to Boyd's work and his various answers are important touchstones for today's educational leaders.
Buster, W. (2004). Why school leaders need poets. Leadership, 33 (4), 16-19.
This article focuses on why school leaders need poets or poetry. Importance of vision in a leader; Tasks faced by school leaders; Examples of poems that can inspire school leaders; Use of inspiration from poets in school leadership.
Chrispeels, J., Martin, K. (2002). Four school leadership teams define their roles within organizational and political structures to improve student learning. School Effectiveness& School Improvement, 13 (3), 327-366.
Writers abstract: A shift in educational policy and practice is to involve teachers in school reform. Many reform programs require school leadership teams for involving teachers, yet few studies have examined how teachers take up such new roles and responsibilities. Using the dual conceptual lenses of open-systems and micro politics, we investigate how four middle school teams engaged with their colleagues to construct an identity, assume leadership roles, and situate themselves in their schools. We argue that the influence of training enabled teams to assume four roles: communicators, staff developers, problem-solvers, and leaders of change. The findings suggest that teams and educational leaders need to recognize the influence that existing organizational structures have on teams and the actions they are able to take. The results also indicate that knowledge of the organizational structure as well as micro political dynamics can serve as leverage points for constructing their roles and initiating change.
Close, P. (2013). Developing political astuteness: a leadership coaching journey. School Leadership and Management, 33 (2), 178-196.
Writer’s abstract: This paper argues that political astuteness, or the ability to use political skills in the service of ethical judgements, is a complex yet essential element of school leadership development that is under-emphasized in the leadership coaching literature. It also suggests that exploring the responsible use of power requires a narrative approach which, in turn, demands certain conditions of the coaching relationship. Drawing from the author's research and teaching, the paper makes an original contribution to the field by introducing a conceptual framework for ‘politically astute’ leadership coaching, using a narrative approach. In keeping with this approach, the framework is presented through the representative construction of a professional development story. The implications of this story for school leadership coaching are then discussed and some provisional conclusions drawn.
Crow, G., Weindling, D. (2010). Learning to be political: new english headteachers’ roles. Educational Policy, 24 (1), 137-158.
Writer’s abstract: The current focus on instructional leadership within a high stakes accountability environment has frequently ignored the political role of school leaders. This article examines the perceptions of a group of new English headteachers to determine the features of their political role and their process in learning this role. The investigation is part of a larger study of new headteacher socialization that used a qualitative design with multiple case studies. The study found that these new headteachers confronted internal political issues, such as weak teachers, staff conflicts, resistance to change, and conflicts with parents as well as external issues, such as those involving governmental entities, the press, and the union. In responding to these political issues, the headteachers used trial and error, mentors/role models, and information gathering. The article ends with a discussion of the sphere of political activity among school leaders and the tactics for learning how to think and act politically. Implications for leader preparation and future research are also identified and discussed.
Da Marto, S. (2004). Finding the words to lead the way. Leadership, 33 (4), p.7.
This short article introduces a series of articles in "Leadership" magazine on the similarities between poetry and leadership in schools. How administrators are like poets; Use of poetry in school leadership; Importance of reading or writing poetry in education.
Glanz, J. (2010). Justice and caring: power, politics and ethics in strategic leadership. International Studies in Educational Administration, 38 (1), 66-86.
Writer’s abstract: the underlying motif of this paper is to highlight a prominent theoretical and methodological flaw present in many discussions dealing with strategic planning and research in strategic leadership in general; that is, the absence of attention to the ethical implications of proposed strategies, and the role power, politics and ethics have on leading strategically. The paper underscores social justice and caring perspectives necessary from which to frame strategic initiatives. In terms of methodology and approach this reflexive paper critically reviews and examines extant literature in the field of strategic leadership, including prescriptive strategies advocated in the field of practice. Reflection and analysis of strategic leadership, at large, forms the core of this conceptual paper. Supporting previous research, this paper finds that the field of strategic leadership, characterized as incipient and diffused, would benefit from mindful attention to the study of ethics with a focus on viewing strategic initiatives in schools and communities from a social-justice and caring lens. Going beyond a review of the field, much of the paper views strategic leadership, in its various stages or manifestations, through a paradigm of social justice and an ethic of caring absent, for the most part, in writing and research in the field.
Heifetz, R., Linsky, M. (2004). When leadership spells danger. Educational Leadership, 61 (7), 33-37.
This paper focuses on the exercise of adaptive educational leadership. Differences between technical and adaptive challenges; Importance of partnership in building political power on the basis of personal relationships; Advantages of working with opponents.
Richardson, L. (2002). Poetry of school leadership. Leadership, 31 (4), p.38.
This article focuses on the importance of communication in educational leadership. Presentation of ideas to motivate community action; Ability of school administrators to communicate like poets; Influence of restraint and economy on selectivity in words.
Richardson, L. (2004). The transformational power of poetry. Leadership, 33 (4), 8-10.
This paper focuses on the transformational power of poetry and how it can be used by school leaders like school administrators. Use of poems as reference points; Use of poetry to inspire self and others; Importance of poetry in communication.
Rothman, D. (2004). A place for poems. Leadership, 33 (4), 12-15.
This paper focuses on the importance of poetry in school leadership among school administrators and teachers. Use of reading and writing poetry as part of the Central California Writing Project; Need for improvement in the teaching of writing poetry; Importance of poetry in restoring hope among school administrators and faith in their efficacy.
Shipps, D., Kafka, J. (2009). Introduction to the special issue on the new politics of educational leadership. Peabody Journal of Education, 84 (3), 279-282.
An introduction to the journal is presented in which the authors discuss an article on political influences in education leaders, educational leadership and school micropolitics.
Shura, M. (2011). Why education leaders must become political animals. Education, 30 (32), 21-22.
Writer’s abstract: The author comments on educational leaders and how they must work more to engage with the political community in order to have a better position from which to enact educational change. It is noted that educational leaders must become aware of the political climate, the electoral community surrounding them, and the elected officials. The infrastructure of the local community is also something with which the leader should be familiar.
Snowber, C. (2005). The mentor as artist: a poetic exploration of listening, creating and mentoring. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnerships in Learning, 13 (3), 345-353.
Writer’s abstract: In this article I integrate the process of the artist with the practice of mentoring. The acts of listening to inquiry into their lives and research. Particular attention is made to the context of working with graduate students in a faculty of education. I specifically draw on arts‐based educational research methods to explore a poetic way of articulating the connection between the art of mentoring, leadership and art‐making. Highlighted is the relationship between a deep listening to ourselves and to each other as integral to expanding the notion of research to one of including our own lives as art‐works. Connections are made through poetic form to the natural world and the notion of mentoring as an invitation to the art of co‐creating.
Tooms, A., Kretovics, M., Smialek, C. (2007). Principal’s perception of politics. International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice, 10 (1), 89-100.
Writer’s abstract: this study is an effort to examine principals’ perceptions of workplace politics and its influence on their productivity and efficacy. A survey was used to explore the perceptions of current school administrators with regard to workplace politics. The instrument was disseminated to principals serving public schools in one Midwestern state in the USA. Results show that administrators see workplace environments as happier without politics, but there is a recognized need for leaders to be politically savvy in order to assure successful leadership. Additionally, when administrators become more seasoned (surpassing the ten year mark as a school leader) the concept of political savvy shifts to a less significant level of importance. While this study focused on US school administrators, the practical implications from this work centre on a focus related to principal training within the areas of politics and socialization.
Vecchione, P. (2004). The artistry of communication. Leadership, 33 (4), 23-25.
The article focuses on the importance of poetry among school leaders, like school administrators and teachers. Nature of poetry that makes it useful for leaders; Differences between the experience of writing poetry from other literary forms; Experiences of some teachers who have tried poetry in their classrooms.
Question:
Select one journal publication and comment on how it lends support to this week's assigned reading in Effective School Leadership
A new addition from Lyle:
Bolman, L. & Deal, T. (1992). Leading and managing: Effects of context, culture and gender. Educational Administration Quarterly, 28(3), 314-329.
Brewer, C. (2011). School leaders as political strategists: William Boyd’s contributions to our understanding of the politics of leadership. Peabody Journal of Education, 86 (4), 450-463.
Writer’s abstract: William Boyd's contributions to the education field's understanding of the political nature of school leadership are formidable. In this article, I describe the growth and development, over a roughly 30-year time span, of his key insight that successful school leaders should have the capabilities of a political strategist and that the actualization of this capacity is related to school leaders’ political and policy context. The perennial question of “who governs education” was central to Boyd's work and his various answers are important touchstones for today's educational leaders.
Buster, W. (2004). Why school leaders need poets. Leadership, 33 (4), 16-19.
This article focuses on why school leaders need poets or poetry. Importance of vision in a leader; Tasks faced by school leaders; Examples of poems that can inspire school leaders; Use of inspiration from poets in school leadership.
Chrispeels, J., Martin, K. (2002). Four school leadership teams define their roles within organizational and political structures to improve student learning. School Effectiveness& School Improvement, 13 (3), 327-366.
Writers abstract: A shift in educational policy and practice is to involve teachers in school reform. Many reform programs require school leadership teams for involving teachers, yet few studies have examined how teachers take up such new roles and responsibilities. Using the dual conceptual lenses of open-systems and micro politics, we investigate how four middle school teams engaged with their colleagues to construct an identity, assume leadership roles, and situate themselves in their schools. We argue that the influence of training enabled teams to assume four roles: communicators, staff developers, problem-solvers, and leaders of change. The findings suggest that teams and educational leaders need to recognize the influence that existing organizational structures have on teams and the actions they are able to take. The results also indicate that knowledge of the organizational structure as well as micro political dynamics can serve as leverage points for constructing their roles and initiating change.
Close, P. (2013). Developing political astuteness: a leadership coaching journey. School Leadership and Management, 33 (2), 178-196.
Writer’s abstract: This paper argues that political astuteness, or the ability to use political skills in the service of ethical judgements, is a complex yet essential element of school leadership development that is under-emphasized in the leadership coaching literature. It also suggests that exploring the responsible use of power requires a narrative approach which, in turn, demands certain conditions of the coaching relationship. Drawing from the author's research and teaching, the paper makes an original contribution to the field by introducing a conceptual framework for ‘politically astute’ leadership coaching, using a narrative approach. In keeping with this approach, the framework is presented through the representative construction of a professional development story. The implications of this story for school leadership coaching are then discussed and some provisional conclusions drawn.
Crow, G., Weindling, D. (2010). Learning to be political: new english headteachers’ roles. Educational Policy, 24 (1), 137-158.
Writer’s abstract: The current focus on instructional leadership within a high stakes accountability environment has frequently ignored the political role of school leaders. This article examines the perceptions of a group of new English headteachers to determine the features of their political role and their process in learning this role. The investigation is part of a larger study of new headteacher socialization that used a qualitative design with multiple case studies. The study found that these new headteachers confronted internal political issues, such as weak teachers, staff conflicts, resistance to change, and conflicts with parents as well as external issues, such as those involving governmental entities, the press, and the union. In responding to these political issues, the headteachers used trial and error, mentors/role models, and information gathering. The article ends with a discussion of the sphere of political activity among school leaders and the tactics for learning how to think and act politically. Implications for leader preparation and future research are also identified and discussed.
Da Marto, S. (2004). Finding the words to lead the way. Leadership, 33 (4), p.7.
This short article introduces a series of articles in "Leadership" magazine on the similarities between poetry and leadership in schools. How administrators are like poets; Use of poetry in school leadership; Importance of reading or writing poetry in education.
Glanz, J. (2010). Justice and caring: power, politics and ethics in strategic leadership. International Studies in Educational Administration, 38 (1), 66-86.
Writer’s abstract: the underlying motif of this paper is to highlight a prominent theoretical and methodological flaw present in many discussions dealing with strategic planning and research in strategic leadership in general; that is, the absence of attention to the ethical implications of proposed strategies, and the role power, politics and ethics have on leading strategically. The paper underscores social justice and caring perspectives necessary from which to frame strategic initiatives. In terms of methodology and approach this reflexive paper critically reviews and examines extant literature in the field of strategic leadership, including prescriptive strategies advocated in the field of practice. Reflection and analysis of strategic leadership, at large, forms the core of this conceptual paper. Supporting previous research, this paper finds that the field of strategic leadership, characterized as incipient and diffused, would benefit from mindful attention to the study of ethics with a focus on viewing strategic initiatives in schools and communities from a social-justice and caring lens. Going beyond a review of the field, much of the paper views strategic leadership, in its various stages or manifestations, through a paradigm of social justice and an ethic of caring absent, for the most part, in writing and research in the field.
Heifetz, R., Linsky, M. (2004). When leadership spells danger. Educational Leadership, 61 (7), 33-37.
This paper focuses on the exercise of adaptive educational leadership. Differences between technical and adaptive challenges; Importance of partnership in building political power on the basis of personal relationships; Advantages of working with opponents.
Richardson, L. (2002). Poetry of school leadership. Leadership, 31 (4), p.38.
This article focuses on the importance of communication in educational leadership. Presentation of ideas to motivate community action; Ability of school administrators to communicate like poets; Influence of restraint and economy on selectivity in words.
Richardson, L. (2004). The transformational power of poetry. Leadership, 33 (4), 8-10.
This paper focuses on the transformational power of poetry and how it can be used by school leaders like school administrators. Use of poems as reference points; Use of poetry to inspire self and others; Importance of poetry in communication.
Rothman, D. (2004). A place for poems. Leadership, 33 (4), 12-15.
This paper focuses on the importance of poetry in school leadership among school administrators and teachers. Use of reading and writing poetry as part of the Central California Writing Project; Need for improvement in the teaching of writing poetry; Importance of poetry in restoring hope among school administrators and faith in their efficacy.
Shipps, D., Kafka, J. (2009). Introduction to the special issue on the new politics of educational leadership. Peabody Journal of Education, 84 (3), 279-282.
An introduction to the journal is presented in which the authors discuss an article on political influences in education leaders, educational leadership and school micropolitics.
Shura, M. (2011). Why education leaders must become political animals. Education, 30 (32), 21-22.
Writer’s abstract: The author comments on educational leaders and how they must work more to engage with the political community in order to have a better position from which to enact educational change. It is noted that educational leaders must become aware of the political climate, the electoral community surrounding them, and the elected officials. The infrastructure of the local community is also something with which the leader should be familiar.
Snowber, C. (2005). The mentor as artist: a poetic exploration of listening, creating and mentoring. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnerships in Learning, 13 (3), 345-353.
Writer’s abstract: In this article I integrate the process of the artist with the practice of mentoring. The acts of listening to inquiry into their lives and research. Particular attention is made to the context of working with graduate students in a faculty of education. I specifically draw on arts‐based educational research methods to explore a poetic way of articulating the connection between the art of mentoring, leadership and art‐making. Highlighted is the relationship between a deep listening to ourselves and to each other as integral to expanding the notion of research to one of including our own lives as art‐works. Connections are made through poetic form to the natural world and the notion of mentoring as an invitation to the art of co‐creating.
Tooms, A., Kretovics, M., Smialek, C. (2007). Principal’s perception of politics. International Journal of Leadership in Education: Theory and Practice, 10 (1), 89-100.
Writer’s abstract: this study is an effort to examine principals’ perceptions of workplace politics and its influence on their productivity and efficacy. A survey was used to explore the perceptions of current school administrators with regard to workplace politics. The instrument was disseminated to principals serving public schools in one Midwestern state in the USA. Results show that administrators see workplace environments as happier without politics, but there is a recognized need for leaders to be politically savvy in order to assure successful leadership. Additionally, when administrators become more seasoned (surpassing the ten year mark as a school leader) the concept of political savvy shifts to a less significant level of importance. While this study focused on US school administrators, the practical implications from this work centre on a focus related to principal training within the areas of politics and socialization.
Vecchione, P. (2004). The artistry of communication. Leadership, 33 (4), 23-25.
The article focuses on the importance of poetry among school leaders, like school administrators and teachers. Nature of poetry that makes it useful for leaders; Differences between the experience of writing poetry from other literary forms; Experiences of some teachers who have tried poetry in their classrooms.
Question:
Select one journal publication and comment on how it lends support to this week's assigned reading in Effective School Leadership