Humor can be a powerful, productive tool to help teachers succeed in the classroom. Humor cultivates spirit, alleviates stress, improves communication, and diffuses conflict. Reviews types of humor (satire, cheerfulness, eccentricity, and sarcasm), discusses humor's classroom uses and benefits, and shows how school leaders can introduce humor into…

Reports on survey of 566 mostly secondary school principals and assistant principals to determine their professional development needs to improve the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Finds that while most principals understand the basic elements of IDEA, many had little or no knowledge of the legislation.…

Describes common characteristics of effective leaders, such as insight, strong interpersonal skills, self-growth, flexibility, and communications. Includes examples of effective leadership provided by an assistant superintendent, a middle-school principal, and an elementary-school principal. (PKP)

Precepts from Machiavelli's "The Prince" are used in giving advice to chief residents on how to balance their responsibilities in working for the welfare of both the housestaff and the institution. Subject discussions include the difficulties of introducing change, setting good examples, and supervising former colleagues and peers. (GLR)

Offers a small business person's guide to nichemanship and ideas about ending a speech, selection of a committee, and managers' behavior. (BB)

The effective leadership literature fails to present a clear understanding of the principal's relationship to the curriculum. Principals must understand the enacted curriculum process, not just the official curriculum, and work with teachers to negotiate curriculum meaning. Empowerment involves trust, open dialogue, a collaborative support system,…

If Nietzsche's definition of truth means anything, it means that changes in what we do and in the way we think follow changes in the way we talk. All who aspire to positions of leadership must recognize the potentially enormous influence of inspiring redescriptions of the advancement of higher education. (MLW)

Using faculty recollections of Burton Blatt's tenure as Dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University, this article considers how Blatt was able to have such a powerful impact on his faculty, and what can be learned about the concept of leadership of academic organizations from his legacy. (IAH)

In a recent survey of outstanding school administrators, 70 middle-school administrators acknowledged the importance of student well-being, staff collegiality, higher expectations, innovative attitudes, school climate, risk-taking, professional activities, values, and institutional mission. The ability to facilitate others' growth and create a…

Argues that the deputy headteacher is well-placed to exercise curriculum leadership within the collegially run (British) primary school. Identifies key factors in developing the deputy headteacher's role and investigates them empirically. Deputy headteachers, while being prepared for curriculum leadership in some areas, require much more specific,…

The principal as all-knowing patriarch and problem-solver is passe. Today's principals must be team builders who can inspire a diverse group of professionals to cooperate. Principals need a leadership vision and strategic planning skills. Superintendents should teach principals how to dream creatively, conduct environmental scans, assess…

Describes an action research project studying a process to improve communication about managerial performance in a (Scottish) college of further education. The project comprised training, implementation, and evaluation phases. Responses during evaluation and training phases suggest that the most appropriate role for the observer-appraiser is…

Investigated the effects of written-upward appraisal reports (feedback) and performance reviews on the supervisory behavior of 96 managers. Results indicate that managers who received feedback did not improve their supervision more than managers who did not receive feedback. Discusses problems and provides recommendations for the design of an…

Despite his legendary exploits, Odysseus' approach to leadership would render today's educational leaders ineffectual. Successful school administrators nurture their team's good ideas, monitor the environment, stay flexible and alert, study history, and remain responsible. Advocates of site-based management must also beware competing priorities,…

Outlines popular cooperative learning models to acquaint administrators with their titles, developers, and major program characteristics. Provides guidelines for determining observational focus and feedback for teachers. By understanding differences between a teacher-directed and cooperative learning lesson, administrators recognize teacher…