Abstract:

Bill Ferriter, a North Carolina NBCT, says that this book is a “blueprint for administrators interested in … making the transition from building manager to instructional leader.” It provides steps such as considering the reaction of one’s best teacher before making a decision.

Citation: Whitaker, T. (2003). What great principals do differently: 15 things that matter most. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Full Text:

By Todd Whitaker
2003 (115 pp./paperback)
Eye on Education
ISBN: 1-930556-47-0
$29.95

Reviewed by Bill Ferriter
Salem Middle School
Wake County NC Public Schools

At no time in the history of American education has the role of the principal been more challenging. Long having served as a "building manager," principals are now being asked to serve in the often-unfamiliar role of "instructional leader." Providing essential leadership to schools charged with meeting increasingly demanding state and federal mandates is a task that many administrators find daunting.

Furthermore, there are few models of effective school leadership that principals can draw from. While many districts have recognized the importance of professional development for their classroom teachers, they frequently ignore the professional development needs of building-level administrators.

In his book What Great Principals Do Differently, Todd Whitaker works to provide guidance to school leaders. Based on his research as a Professor of Educational Leadership at Indiana State University and his experiences as a principal at the middle and high school level, Whitaker defines 15 essential behaviors of excellent administrators. "Clarifying what the best leaders do," he writes, "and then practicing it ourselves can move us into their ranks."

Among these essential behaviors, Whitaker believes that it is critical for administrators to recognize that "It is the people, not the programs, that determine the quality of a school." With state and federal level demands for accountability pressuring schools, many ineffective leaders scramble to try new programs that promise rapid improvement quickly and easily.

Instead, great principals focus on improving the quality of the teachers within their buildings. By carefully hiring the best teachers, by supporting their efforts and their ambitions, by holding all staff members to high expectations, and by working to carefully support the individual development of each professional, principals impact student achievement.

Great principals also serve as the "filter" for their schools. They demonstrate a sense of calm and confidence that other teachers and staff members can draw from and emulate. They recognize that their interactions with staff members influence how they are perceived by their faculty, as well as the "frame of mind" of their teachers. Carefully choosing their responses, great principals protect their schools from "unnecessary bad news," essentially creating "a more productive environment."

Great principals "treat everyone with respect, every day, all the time." Doing so creates a positive atmosphere. Administrators who set positive tones within their buildings build allies with their teachers and serve as role models for the types of interactions that should occur within the school community. In a demanding profession that offers little extrinsic reward, a welcoming climate characterized by mutual respect is essential.

Another step that great principals take is considering the reactions of their best teachers before implementing any new idea. While seeking input and advice from all staff members is important, great principals recognize that significant change cannot occur within a school without the support of the building's "superstars." Serving as either formal or informal leaders in the school community, these individuals are critical partners for administrators. "They have already earned the respect of their peers," Whitaker writes, "When we can draw on the role models in our own school, the chances of expanding acceptance and implementation [of new ideas] grow exponentially."

Whitaker concludes that, "Being a principal is an amazing profession. It is challenging, dynamic, energizing and draining — but most of all, it is rewarding. Our impact extends far beyond anything we can imagine. We know that our teachers talk about us; so do people throughout our community. We can decide what we want those conversations to be like."

Written in an approachable style, What Great Principals Do Differently is a valuable contribution to the study of school leadership, providing a "blueprint" for administrators interested in shaping those conversations and in making the transition from building manager to instructional leader.

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