Heart of School Leadership - by Mary Louise Stahl (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

All school leaders are required to earn an educational leadership degree and certificate before they begin their work in a school. The aspect they sometimes don't teach in these programs has to do with the heart of school leadership, which can be the most important part. Most school administrators begin the work of school leadership from an emotional place, which is similar to why people want to be a teacher. Sometimes you have an unforgettable teacher or principal who you want to emulate, and sometimes you want to do things better, do things differently. It doesn't matter how you get there; it matters that you begin with the heart, and let it lead most of your work.
Of course, all work cannot be accomplished from an emotional base, but how we navigate our relationships with teachers, students, and parents has to start there. This leadership book is organized into sections that focus on work involving the heart, work involving the head, and work that spans both categories. It's a love song to school leadership.

Review Quotes

"Mary Louise Stahl is the wise, compassionate mentor all school leaders need. She understands what's essential, what will never go out of style, is the human bedrock of leadership: kindness and authenticity, the ability to listen and the determination to never give up. The Heart of a School Leader is an invaluable, necessary companion for anyone who wants to be a more effective leader." --Mick Cochrane, Creative Writing Program Director and former English Chair, Canisius College, author Sport and The Girl Who Threw Butterflies

"As the title suggests, The Heart of School Leadership is a book on - you guessed it - school leadership, and Mary Louise Stahl certainly knows her stuff when it comes to her subject matter. But what really struck me as I read this book was how accessible it is, how much heart the author put into it, how deeply she cares about this topic, and how much of what she writes can be applied to leadership in general. This book is a gem." --Tiffanie DeBartolo, author of "God-Shaped Hole", "Sorrow", and CEO of Bright Antenna Records

"As long as there have been schools, there have been school leaders, but Mary Louise Stahl's experience-based insight lets us see educational leadership in a fresh way. The Heart of School Leadership feels deeply connected to real life, and is as compulsively readable as it is illuminating. Her readers will get the sense that Stahl's students have been in good hands, and that this book will help pass these valuable ideas to new leaders." --Janet M. McNally, Associate Professor Canisius College & Writer

About the Author