Essential Lessons for School Leaders
- Joseph Murphy - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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.
"Joseph Murphy has artfully captured the essence of educational leadership through a series of essays that extrapolate the truths as well as the myths about what leadership is and is not. This book reflects the powerful lessons learned by the author from his experiences as a school leader and an educator."
“What a great book. I enjoyed this so much and remember many conversations with Murphy about some of these lessons. This will be a bestseller.”
“I am enjoying reading your book so much! There is such truth and beauty in your words of wisdom!”
"Joe Murphy has gifted all of us with a fun read and a wonderful source of reflection."
"School leadership as learning is about the relationship between and among people. Essential Lessons for Schools Leaders provides current and aspiring leaders with an abundance of thoughtful corollaries to guide purposeful leadership for improving the lives of students."
“In Essential Lessons for School Leaders, Murphy shares powerful insights from his extensive work with educators across the country. This book teaches important professional and personal lessons, while often making us smile. Readers may recognize many leaders they have encountered, making this a perfect gift for leaders both inside and outside of the schoolhouse.”
"The author’s wisdom and wit are engaging and entertaining, causing the reader to alternate between smiling and nodding, pausing and pondering, and rereading and reflecting. Essential Lessons for School Leaders is a testimony to the author’s deep knowledge of school cultures and his reflection on his rich and broad professional experience."
"Murphy's Essential Lessons for School Leaders will impress readers from the outset as they quickly learn they have found a book they will continue to return to for advice on how to lead successfully and avoid leadership mistakes."