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Fearless Conversations School Leaders Have to Have

by Vera J. Blake and Irving C. Jones Sr.
Foreword by Bill DaggettFearless Conversations School Leaders Have to Have

Step out of Your Comfort Zone and Really Help Kids
To meet the needs of today’s learners, fearless leadership is required to support and empower the adults who work with these learners. Anchored in research, Fearless Conversations is a guide to recognizing and using strategies that encourage staff to work at their full potential, build trust, and strengthen collegiality. Strong, courageous, focused, collaborative leadership is a win-win approach for all stakeholders. Readers will find

  • interviews and case studies to illustrate effective practice
  • strategies to help them move from traditional methodologies toward stronger transformational leadership
  • vignettes and examples to ignite additional thinking to facilitate achievement for all students

Written for aspiring, new, and experienced school leaders, this is a must-read for anyone who wants practical strategies that they can use immediately to build a culture of learning and improve academic achievement for all students.

Chapters

  1. Creating and Sustaining a Viable Work Environment
  2. Crafting and Supporting Strong Missions and Visions
  3. Improving Through Effective Feedback
  4. Increasing Parent and Community Stakeholder Partnerships
  5. Managing and Sustaining an Organized, Productive, Ever-Changing School Culture
  6. Boosting Collegial Climates by Providing Embedded Professional Development
  7. Planning for Success

 

Book Reviews

“Fearless Conversations School Leaders Have to Have is a professional “toolbox” for aspiring as well as experienced school administrators and teacher leaders or any educator who cares about meeting the needs of today’s student learner. Drs. Jones and Blake have provided a book that is clear and engaging. It is loaded with real-world advice. How to address difficult issues in a leadership role, for example, is presented in a realistic perspective through real-life examples, vignettes, and personal reflections that come not only from the authors themselves but also from school leaders currently in the field. These proven strategies bring credibility to the authors’ work. I highly recommend this book. It is a practical guide that can help school leaders stay on the forefront of success in their schools.”

Linda PinchamAssociate ProfessorRoosevelt UniversityChicago, IL

“Given how quickly our increasing diverse world is changing, there are few more urgent challenges than engaging leaders in effective communication strategies that build functional relationships that transform schools and education systems. Fearless Conversations School Leaders Have to Have is seasoned with scenarios that all leaders will undoubtedly encounter in their leadership journey, and provides practical guidelines that light the path for school leaders who are building the collective school experiences for all learners. Rooted in compelling examples, and coupled with engaging approaches, the authors provide a blueprint for fearless communication in our increasing diverse schools.”

Sherida BrittDirector Learning Solutions and ServicesAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)Alexandria, VA

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Areas of Expertise

Developing, Coaching and Enriching Leadership Skills; Differentiated Instruction; Classroom Management that Works; Art and Science of Teaching; What Works in Schools; Effective Student Engagement

Fearless Conversations

Fearless Conversations School Leaders Have to HaveThe new book “Fearless Conversations School Leaders Have to Have” is now available on Amazon.com.