The Assistant Principal 50: Critical Questions for Meaningful Leadership and Professional Growth
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ASCD bestseller! Baruti Kafele turns his attention to assistant principals in a book designed to spark reflection and clarify the influence of this often misunderstood role.
You’re an Assistant Principal. Whatever your status—the sole AP in your school, one of two or more APs in your school, a career AP, an AP aspiring to the principalship—yours is one of the most misunderstood and underutilized positions in education. Positioned between teachers and the principal, you are an instructional leader. However, you are not the leader of the school. Therefore, you must carefully navigate your way to ensure that you thrive in your role without “stepping on the toes” of your principal.
In The Assistant Principal 50, award-winning, four-time principal Baruti Kafele presents reflective questions that encompass the breadth and depth of the assistant principalship—from finding your leadership “lane” to thriving and being an asset to your principal. Kafele infuses the book (which also includes guidance and insights for principals and aspiring assistant principals) from beginning to end with personal anecdotes and accounts of both failures and successes from his years as an assistant principal. He arms you with tools and insights that will drive you to view the assistant principalship as critical to the climate and culture of your school as well as to student achievement.
You, assistant principal, play a critical role in your school’s success. The questions that Kafele asks you to consider will aid you as you hone your leadership skills toward becoming an effective leader in your school.
Publisher : ASCD
Publication date : May 11, 2020
Language : English
Print length : 128 pages
ISBN-10 : 1416629440
ISBN-13 : 978-1416629443
Item Weight : 5.6 ounces
Dimensions : 5.8 x 0.5 x 8.7 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #32,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3 in Education Administration (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,135 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers say
Customers find this assistant principal guide to be an amazing resource, with one noting it’s a must-read for all levels of experience. The book is very easy to read, with one customer highlighting how the chapters are laid out in a clear manner. Customers appreciate its reflective nature.
8 reviews for The Assistant Principal 50: Critical Questions for Meaningful Leadership and Professional Growth
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Original price was: €29.€18Current price is: €18.
Constance S. Sherrod –
Run and Grab Your Copy!
As I prepare to transition into an administrative role for the upcoming school year, this resource has helped me reframe my thoughts and perspectives regarding the role of the Assistant Principal. This book is an easy read with reflective, thought- provoking questions for the Assistant Principal. I appreciate the transparency and authenticity of this resource. Please go and grab a copy; you wont be disappointed! This book should be a required text for the those educators seeking to be building level administrators. #APandNewPrincipalsAcademyFam â¤ï¸âð¥â¤ï¸âð¥â¤ï¸âð¥â¤ï¸âð¥
Stephanie S. –
A MUST for all levels of experience!
Love this book on audible! Narrators voice pleasant to listen too. Highly recommend for AP at any level of experience!
Benjamin –
One of the most prominent voices in educational leadership
Principal Kafele is, without a doubt, one of the most prominent voices in educational leadership today. A former teacher and principal, Baruti Kafele is now an independent consultant who travels around the country helping all kinds of schools improve their systems and practices to increase student academic achievement.Principal Kafele is a frequent collaborator of ASCD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), one of the educational leadership association with the largest membership in the world. He is also very active in Social Media (he has his own website and a dedicated youtube channel, and he is found in twitter and facebook), where he is currently (May – Aug 2020) offering a FREE Leadership Academy for Aspiring Assistant Principals. This Academy supports this book, which is an excellent guide to those who are aspiring Assistant Principals, or who are already in the job (and even Principals) so they can understand their role better.Unfortunately, in the words of Principal Kafele, the A.P. is the most misunderstood role in education. And he is right. An A.P. should NOT be the dean of students. He/She should NOT be the disciplinarian. He/She should NOT be the cafeteria supervisor. An Assistant Principal, in essence, is in a school building to ASSIST the Principal in INCREASING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. Therefore, he is instructional leader #2 (behind the Principal). An effective Assistant Principal belongs in the classroom supervising teachers, so he/she can build teacher capacity and make an ACADEMIC difference in students.I have read The Aspiring Principal 50, and I appreciate Principal Kafele knowledge and expertise in the subject. His style is direct and based on inquiry, meaning, he poses 50 questions (thus the title) for you to reflect on your role as an Assistant Principal, with the goal of increasing academic achievement and, ultimately, making a difference in the school you lead. I would encourage anybody in the business of educational leadership to read his books. I also appreciate he does not sell you fluff. You may be thinking his books are ‘short.’ But you shall never judge a book by its cover! It is my experience that most books are 250 pages, out of which 150 are fluff. I rather read Kafele’s books because in every page, in every line, I find truth!Peace!
Amazon Customer –
Good for a future AP currently involved in school discipline
Good book that poses a lot of interesting points of view to consider, but there is A LOT of discussion around the role of the administrator as a disciplinarian. As someone in a building where discipline is NOT an APâs job, it felt excessive and irrelevant.
Nikia Garland –
Educational Soul Food
Principal Kafele does it again with The Assistant Principal 50: Critical Questions for Meaningful Leadership and Professional Growth. This book is packed with his fiery enthusiasm and wide expanse of knowledge. I truly appreciate how he provides and breaks down a âplethoraâ of scenarios, questions and dilemmas that we are sure to face in the role of administrator. Many of which Iâve never given thought to before. He shares his many âKafeleismsâ as I like to refer to them about his career in education, as both a student and a professional educator . He always provides the necessary historical aspect to foster a complete understanding on any given subject. And he keeps it all the way ð¯! I also participate in the FREE weekly AP Academy that can be found on his Twitter, YouTube and Facebook pages and I walk away each week feeling deeply reflective. I am thankful that he is so willing to sow into other educators-sadly not a common occurrence in our field. I view him as my virtual mentor. His positivity is contagious. Not only has he enlarged my territory and built my confidence in myself as a potential AP, he has fueled my desire to make my dream a reality. Principal Kafele wants to see everyone win! He is a true pillar of excellence in education.
Kindle Customer –
Good read
Easy to read and filled with reflection.
SDM-ATX –
FINALLY – A book for APs, Aspiring APs & Principals who want to support APs!
Principal Kafele is right – the Assistant Principalship is often an overlooked and misunderstood leadership position. We are not just disciplinarians, or we shouldn’t be! We should benefit our school’s climate, culture, and, as he says, “move the academic needle”.Not only did he write this book for us but he coupled it with free weekly PD to thread out the 50 critical questions discussed in the book & has shifted our learning to current events as the world around us (literally!) has shifted in major ways due to our two pandemics: COVID19 & Racism.So, don’t just get this book, but join us on Saturdays for his AP Leadership Institute (FB, Twitter or Youtube) or watch later on his YouTube channel, School Leadership Thoughts.
B. Tookes –
Just what the doctor ordered!
I was searching for years for a book on Assistant Principalship and Principal Kafele provided the medicine. Straight to the point! If you need to reflect on your leadership style this is the book for you. He gives you pointers to assist in you journey to land that Assistant Principal interview and job. Though his guidance your confidence will increase and to learn through the tough process of landing the job! Thank you Principal Kafele!