Administrative Passages

The transition from teacher to administration is a critical developmental period in the formation of administrative identity and praxis for which school districts and novices are seldom prepared. While the study of effective schools consistently highlights the importance of administrators in student success, there is little information on how newcomers become effective leaders, how they are supported once they assume these roles, and what individuals and organizations can do to facilitate them. This book examines administrative leadership transitions through the lens of newly appointed assistant principals. "The few books currently available on the role of the school vice principal tend to be thin little survival guides aimed at practitioners working in the sink or swim environment of a new appointment. All the more reason to celebrate the publication of this substantial new book that skillfully addresses the craft knowledge and phenomenology of the transition from teaching to school administration roles, and does so in a scholarly manner --integrating relevant theory and research within an inspired and memorable conceptual framework of epicycles.The outcome is nothing short of ground breaking. This is an important new addition to the literature on the processes of professional socialization." Paul Begley, Professor of Education, Penn State University, USA "This book offers terrific insights into the different challenges one faces in adjusting to the role of the Assistant Principal, and will provide readers with a rich array of strategies regarding the mental, emotional, social, and physical adjustments required for a successful transition." William D. Greenfield, Jr., Professor Emeritus, Portland State University, USA