Dealing with the Tough Stuff

The much-needed leadership tips and tools for new school administrators Fledgling school administrators are often ill-prepared for their new leadership role and are frequently left to their own devices to navigate the slippery terrain of school administration. Dealing with the Tough Stuff: Practical Solutions for School Administrators addresses some of the thornier aspects of being an assistant principal such as handling discipline, mediating student conflicts, working with parents, facilitating parent conferences, and working with staff members. This handy guide will teach the tricks of the trade in order to survive and thrive in the job. Filled with the information that is rarely taught but school leaders need to know to be effective administrators Written by John Gabriel and Paul Farmer, two veteran and award-winning school leaders Includes strategies and illustrative examples for dealing with the down-to-earth problems that confront school administrators Practical and insightful, the book covers everything from working effectively with parents and staff to mediating conflicts.

Foreword by Douglas Reeves ix Acknowledgments xiii About the Authors xv Introduction xvii Part One Working with Students 1 One Responding to Student Conflicts 3 Recognize Student Conflicts 4 Mediate Student Conflicts 6 Address Bullying 14 Resolve Student-Teacher Conflicts 23 Two Understanding and Preventing Student Misbehavior 27 Discuss Discipline with Your Staff 29 Review Discipline Data 39 Make Connections 40 Three Dealing with Student Discipline 45 Review Your Referrals 47 Engage Your Students 49 Work with Your Students 55 Four Conducting Investigations 61 Manage Your Investigation 62 Address Postdiscipline Concerns 72 Part Two Working with Adults 79 Five Creating and Maintaining Parent Partnerships 81 Build a Foundation 82 Involve Parents 88 Keep the Focus on the Student 92 Go Above and Beyond 95 Six Facilitating Parent Conferences 99 Before the Conference 100 During the Conference 103 After the Conference 108 Seven Navigating Staff Communication 111 Guide Conversations 112 Focus on Behaviors, Not Attitudes 124 Tend the Grapevine 126 Eight Building Capacity 129 Maintain a Focus on Deep Learning 130 Provide Support for Collaborative Teams 140 Develop Other Leaders 150 Conclusion: Beyond the Tough Stuff 153 References 157 Index 161