The Principal's Companion

`This book adds extremely relevant knowledge and skills for innovative reformers and for more traditional leaders alike. It provides a solid set of interesting and shrewd suggestions that can be used immediately by practising principals′ - From the Foreword by Kent D Peterson, Professor, Department of Educational Administration, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Despite the administrative leadership training that most principals receive in university courses, their most useful learning doesn′t occur until they are on the job. And the new knowledge - much of it the result of trial and error, success and failure - is gained in relative isolation, simply because there is no one else at that responsibility level within the school. Pam Robbins, an educational consultant and Harvey B Alvy, a practicing principal, offer a well-organized, interactive manual for the role of principal. They have worked with hundreds of schools, educators, and other organizations around the world, collecting data that form the basis for The Principal′s Companion. This easy-to-read book combines the most helpful `tried-and-true′ strategies with the most relevant leadership research and theory. The authors discuss creative leadership and necessary skills, the wide variety of roles played by principals, how to create a `learning community,′ personal and professional issues, and much more. Quotes from practicing principals are included throughout the book, and readers are encouraged to jot down their own reflections about each chapter theme.

The Principal′s Companion is a rare opportunity to `collaborate′ with other principals - an excellent professional resource that will be referred to again and again. Ideal for practicing and aspiring principals, it is also highly useful as a text for administration courses.