The first year as a principal is filled with self-doubt. As one already knows, there is no book or guide that can fully prepare someone for what the principal's position entails. All first-year principals have to learn by doing. In this article, the author discusses five keys to success that will guide and help first-year principals with the…

Tina Nolan presents a call to action for current and future leaders to assume a new role as change leaders for the museum education profession. This article puts forth a series of recommendations and strategies for repositioning museum educators from the margins of their institutions to the center. Included among these recommendations are…

For the last few decades, improving learning space has generally meant renovations to existing space, because raising new buildings has simply not been within most public or private institutions' budgetary capacity. But sometimes, the opportunity to oversee the development of a new building occurs. The dean who is given such an important project…

If school leaders are to bring about successful reform, they must thwart the forces that have conspired against it since the 19th century. In this article, the author identifies six "conspirators" against thoughtful school practice and offers practical suggestions for rooting them out. The six conspirators are: (1) The tendency to view schools as…

Leadership, or "the position or function of a leader; ability to lead; an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction; the leaders of a group," enables women to make societal change. Astin and Leland (1991) interviewed women leaders and noted that they are "Predisposed to leadership by their heritage, perhaps, or propelled by their special…

Brief reviews of six notable education books selected by the editors of "American School Board Journal." Includes books such as Rachel Simmons's "Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls," Jonathan Schorr's "Hard Lessons: The Promise of an Inner City Charter School," Peter Irons's "Jim Crow's Children: The Broken Promise of the…

This article documents the top 10 things we learned in our transition from being a faculty member to becoming a department chair. We were recruited as department chairs in the same year and quickly recognized each other as administrative colleagues. During our "internship" in the chair position we frequently identified lessons we were learning,…

Points out the importance of play for child development and indicates characteristics of effective adult participation in children's play settings. (Author/RH)

Leading organizational change is like climbing a mountain. Transformational leaders must prepare to lead change, understand the process and nature of change, and provide the essential gear so that those involved can be successful. The author draws on the literature and personal experiences as a hiker and change leader to provide a guide for…

For productive follow-up of meetings and seminars, an executive summary can be invaluable. Such a post-meeting synopsis enables leaders to reinforce important meeting content which can lead to greater productivity for the participants. Strategies for creating and using an executive summary include: (1) selecting a summarizer to write down and…

Throckmorton P. Wallow's guidance was, and still is, crucial to the success of presidents at so many of the very worst colleges. Now Thomas Reeves "discovers" the handbook, in which Wallow laid out his comprehensive strategy for instilling inferiority in faculty, reducing their drive for distinction, and keeping them at bay; for insuring straight…

Surveyed group workers to assess their perceptions of philosophically ethical guidelines for group leaders and for exercises in groups and their perceptions of guideline implementation in actual practice. Responses indicated that professionals believe more strongly in ethics philosophically than they perceive themselves actually practicing these.…

Focuses on some important aspects of managing training activities, such as arranging program logistics, obtaining/hiring program resource people, preparing budgets and plans, training and supervising personnel and managing leadership. (CSS)

Two groups of students were taken on the same canoe trip and overnight outing. The unpleasant experience of the first group taught the leaders some important lessons about briefing, organizing access, checking gear, and preparedness in general that were used to make the second outing a success. (TD)

Describes characteristics and nature of games, which are a type of experiential learning useful for personal and group development. Discusses the four phases of game sessions (planning, introducing, action, and debriefing or processing); roles that leaders must enact to be effective; and some common problems that leaders encounter. (TD)