The Principal

Three Keys to Maximizing Impact

By: Michael Fullan

Narrated by: Don Hagen

Over the past two decades, Michael Fullan has written influentially about the change that school and district leaders must bring about as formalized achievement standards and new technology transform how schools are run. What he hasn't done until now is explore and discuss in detail how and why the principal's role itself must change.

Principals are often called the second most crucial in-school influencers (after teachers) of student learning. But what should the principal do in order to maximize student achievement? In The Principal, Fullan explains why the answer lies neither in micromanaging instruction nor in autonomous entrepreneurialism. He also shows systematically how the principal's role must change and demonstrates how it can be done in short order, at scale.

Fullan shows how principals have been boxed into a narrow role that undercuts their ability to develop the whole school. He sheds light on how, in times of crisis, it's all too easy for principals to do the wrong thing - to take actions that are ineffective or even counterproductive, particularly when they don't feel entirely in charge. But even in the toughest of external conditions, he shows, there is always leeway for action. Fullan explains how to choose the right versus wrong drivers - loosening focus on accountability and instead concentrating on capacity building.

The author explains the three key roles that administrators must play in order to have the biggest impact on student achievement - the learning leader, the district and system player, and the change agent. Throughout The Principal are "action items" to help leaders implement Fullan's program effectively as well as provocative discussion questions that enhance the book's usefulness in professional development and leadership courses.

©2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (P)2015 Gildan Media LLC

Must Read

Great book for principals. Short enough to finish in a week and long enough to inspire ideas.

Key points on Principal as a Leader

The book brings up great points on how a principal can be a better leader. Offers great strategies. Worth the read.

very inspiring and concrete for educational leader

easy to digest and follow. It was very inspirational. Good for any educator wanting to structure and drive change to improve culture and student achievement.

The chapters did not align

It's a great book, but the chapters and audio didn't line up. It would have been nice to ensure everything lined up.

Research Based Actionable Direction for Principals

Excellent analysis of the current and future state of the principalship including internal and external forces driving and restraining the principalship. I greatly appreciated the deep and thorough research based backing for the positions the authors take. The direction this book gives for principals and other school leaders is deffinately actionable and achievable. Putting this work in action can deffinately improve the current state of schools and outcomes for teachers and students.