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Gardening in the Minefield: A Survival Guide for School Administrators
Gardening in the Minefield A Survival Guide for School Administrators Author:Laurel Schmidt For anyone in school leadershipor anyone who hopes to bethis book is a must read. Seasoned educator Laurel Schmidt tells it like it is about a principal's daily life. From the nitty gritty of hiring, evaluating, and firing staff, to navigating the intricacies of school politics, and managing crises in the glare of the media, she provides a long ... more »overdue tool to take control of your life as a school administrator.Schmidt combines insight and humor with use-this-now practicality as she details creative strategies for surviving the daily grind, while honing your vision of a school that works. Follow her lead and learn how to:
plant the seeds for your vision and maintain your course
weed out the worst, hire the best
nurture productive relationships with parents, board members, and staff
cultivate effective strategies for improving instruction
root out efforts to undermine your leadership
stamp out stress with simple techniques that work at work
master the communication glut-email, voicemail, and the in-box.
Gardening in the Minefield offers a refreshingly candid map through the landscape of leadership. As Schmidt confirms, it is a garden out thereif you know where to step.« less