Explores basic leadership concepts, demolishes three leadership myths, and advises principals concerning ways to vary their management styles using either directive or interactive behavior. Choice of style depends on the situation and a particular subordinate's degree of readiness or compliance. (MLH)

A recent study explored the relative frequencies and intensity levels of selected stressors on Georgia public secondary school principals and the coping strategies they found most effective. In order of most to least frequently used behaviors, Georgia principals reported physical, mental, psychological, direct, and destructive strategies. Some…

Ten behaviors that can signal that principals are experiencing harmful levels of stress are discussed and possible solutions identified. The behaviors include prioritizing responsibilities inappropriately, responding negatively to work situations, becoming detached, and using time ineffectively. (PGD)

Describes a Saturday School model designed to modify student behavior by subjecting students to experiences that will build a positive self-concept. Students assume full responsiblility for their behavior and receive counseling and a contact or support person to assist them in building positive behavior patterns. (MLH)

Suggests that before secondary principals can deal effectively with discipline problems, they should graph disciplinary incidents according to the school calendar in order to identify peak behavioral problem periods. (JG)

Principals are confronted daily with opportunities to choose either bureaucratic or nonbureaucratic leadership behaviors. Effective principals make a conscious leadership choice, recognizing that the options have paradoxical implications and produce different school cultures. In the process, new administrator role definitions are emerging.…

Few instruments exist for measuring community perceptions of local schools. The Social Style Profile Model, originally developed to describe individual behavior, adapts very well to organizations. Knowing a school's perceived social behavior style and its level of versatile behavior makes for improved school management and school-community…

Citing the problems in California high schools since the passage of a stringent compulsory attendance law, the author presses his thesis that students over the age of 16 should not be forced to attend school. (Editor)

The principal's role must change to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Administrative thinking must shift from efficiency to effectiveness. This article presents an Iceberg Model to enable the administrator to become an instructional leader by building a knowledge base, developing a philosophy and vision, and modifying observable behavior.…

For a beginning administrator, understanding school culture, maintaining a school's cultural elements, and gaining acceptance for building or changing a school's culture are major challenges. Preparation programs blending understanding about school culture with acknowledgment of four developmental stages in an administrator's professional…

Educators, by making aspects of school other than academic achievement desirable, can motivate children to achieve in diverse areas. We need not, and we must not, limit the feeling of school success to the top two-percenters in academic accomplishment. (Author)

Describes a study of California public-school principals aiming to identify important parameters of secondary instructional leadership, estimate their effect on school achievement, and determine whether they are the same for secondary and elementary principals. The ways that principals govern the school, build school climate, and organize the…

A graduate student in educational administration at Florida State University reflects on a practicum to develop leadership skills through role-playing activities. Although this student was effective at active listening, eye contact, voice qualities, and information solicitation, word choices were a problem. Feedback from participating principals…