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Student-Centered Leadership
Student-Centered Leadership offers a timely and thoughtful resource for school leaders who want to turn their ideals into action. Written by educational leadership expert Viviane Robinson, the book shows leaders how they can make a bigger difference to the quality of teaching and learning in their school and ultimately improve their students' performance. This book is based not on fad or fashion but on the best available evidence about the impact of different types of leadership on student outcomes. The book includes examples of five types of leadership practice as well as rich accounts of the knowledge and skills that leaders need to employ them with confidence. Filled with practical lessons, clear information, and much inspiration, Robinson encourages leaders to experiment with changing how they lead so they can transform their schools for the better. Student-Centered Leadership is part of the Jossey-Bass Leadership Library in Education series. Praise for Student-Centered Leadership "Student-Centered Leadership shines with clarity and practical, powerful ideas. Add this book to your leadership library."—Michael Fullan, author, The Six Secrets of Change and Leading in a Culture of Change "Viviane Robinson's compelling book is both evidence based and profoundly practical."—Steve Munby, chief executive, National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services, England "This book will be an equally important resource for individual school leaders, professional developers, and administrator-preparation programs. There will be two copies on my shelf—one to loan and one for my own reference."—Karen Seashore Louis, Regents Professor, University of Minnesota
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 8, 2018
Clear Model for Leadership in Education
For any aspiring or working practitioner. Robinson outlines the skills and knowledge leaders must have (which includes how teaching and learning work) with the five research-based descriptors of what the work must include. Excellent companion to “Instructional Rounds in Education” which she cites in the conclusion. I will be reading and referencing this book again and again.
For any aspiring or working practitioner. Robinson outlines the skills and knowledge leaders must have (which includes how teaching and learning work) with the five research-based descriptors of what the work must include. Excellent companion to “Instructional Rounds in Education” which she cites in the conclusion. I will be reading and referencing this book again and again.
April 9, 2021
Challenging thoughts
Although the author's ideas are challenging to the everyday leader attempting to address every aspect of leadership I do believe in keeping the main thing the main thing. School purpose is the progression of all children and therefore as part of a team, the leader needs to ensure that teaching and learning is the main thing.
Although the author's ideas are challenging to the everyday leader attempting to address every aspect of leadership I do believe in keeping the main thing the main thing. School purpose is the progression of all children and therefore as part of a team, the leader needs to ensure that teaching and learning is the main thing.
August 5, 2026
The title of the book was exactly what I was looking for. I was not disappointed and got the answer about what five dimensions of leadership actions have the most impact on student outcomes.
In my opinion, the author could have structured the chapters more clearly and summarized the topics more stringently. That's why I rated it with only three stars.
In my opinion, the author could have structured the chapters more clearly and summarized the topics more stringently. That's why I rated it with only three stars.
December 28, 2019
This was a fabulous book on leadership behaviors that have had a statistical impact on student's academic performance. It was clearly, written and easy to follow. It was a quick read. It's one that I will keep on my shelf and use to continue to guide my leadership.
March 15, 2019
Great school leadership model
Solid, useful framework for leadership actions that move student learning. Open to learning conversations, clear purpose, goals and vision, PLC work.
Solid, useful framework for leadership actions that move student learning. Open to learning conversations, clear purpose, goals and vision, PLC work.
December 31, 2019
Excellent book - combines a lot of research into a practically written book that is very useful for school instructional leaders.
July 18, 2020
Filled with lots of ideas on how to create change.
October 7, 2019
A solid leadership book, like much of the Edu Leadership writing landscape she leans quite heavily on Marzano and Hattie’s Meta-meta-analysis, if you don’t put too much stake into these two scholars work you will likely find some elements of this book a challenge. Indeed, the five elements she explores are based around ‘effect sizes’, so her entire book is intrinsically tied to the meta-meta-analysis or meta-analysis approach, something that is being increasingly challenged within the educational literature.
Putting that minor point aside, she provides a strong case for different elements of leadership and explores reasonably interesting anecdotes consistent with these themes, these anecdotes are not entertaining in themselves but provide context and illustration to the broad umbrella ideas being presented.
She uses references relatively sparingly, citing the majority of key, well-known figures. When she does provide embedded quotes, these are when the book becomes its most engaging as they often provide real teacher and leader voice into the book, to break up the relatively dry elements of the book.
The general thrust of the book is the five dimensions of ‘student-centred leadership’, the goal of this form of leadership is to move beyond the simple managing and continuation of the school and to set goals in relation to directly improving student outcomes. She does note that this is a significant challenge for leaders who have up until relatively recently been focused on managerial outcomes and what is often referred to as ‘Neo-Taylorist’ ideas of educational management. Indeed, I have argued elsewhere, that this has led many leaders towards the desire to accept Marzano and Hattie’s work for the simple and clearly qualitatively presented ideas that they offer to leaders now focussed on instructional leadership.
The five practical elements are as follows:
Dimension 1: Establishing Goals and Expectations – The manner in which setting realistic and SMART goals is explored and the focus on learning goals at the expense of accountability goals is suggested.
Dimension 2: Resourcing strategically – Importantly and accurately, a great deal of this chapter focusses on sensitivity to the fact that resourcing naturally involves the hiring, firing and promotion of teachers.
Dimension 3: Ensuring quality teaching – Her contention here is that consistency in teaching and learning is important and that this can be achieved through a way that does not impede or challenge teacher autonomy.
Dimension 4: Leading teacher learning and development – This is the biggest and most challenging element of the book, leaders as instructional leaders and people actively engaged in the same professional development as their teachers. Notably, she does not provide any awareness or knowledge of best practice around instruction, beyond the references to other’s synthesises of extant literature.
Dimension 5: Ensuring an Orderly and Safe Environment – This is perhaps not something that most Australian teachers and leaders would see as important, indeed, many of her examples seem to smack of American exemplars. But in light of increasing violence aimed at principals and leadership in Australia, perhaps this is something worth further consideration.
Overall, as far as leadership books go, this was dry but very effective. The core ideas are hard to disagree with and hold weight. The examples and vignettes were reasonably interesting and illustrative but not in the same lead of the New York Times Bestseller list worthy books that you may be accustomed to. The book is reasonable in length and does not drag over elements and ideas unnecessarily. I look forward to purchasing and reading her newest book ‘Reduce Change to increase improvement’.
Putting that minor point aside, she provides a strong case for different elements of leadership and explores reasonably interesting anecdotes consistent with these themes, these anecdotes are not entertaining in themselves but provide context and illustration to the broad umbrella ideas being presented.
She uses references relatively sparingly, citing the majority of key, well-known figures. When she does provide embedded quotes, these are when the book becomes its most engaging as they often provide real teacher and leader voice into the book, to break up the relatively dry elements of the book.
The general thrust of the book is the five dimensions of ‘student-centred leadership’, the goal of this form of leadership is to move beyond the simple managing and continuation of the school and to set goals in relation to directly improving student outcomes. She does note that this is a significant challenge for leaders who have up until relatively recently been focused on managerial outcomes and what is often referred to as ‘Neo-Taylorist’ ideas of educational management. Indeed, I have argued elsewhere, that this has led many leaders towards the desire to accept Marzano and Hattie’s work for the simple and clearly qualitatively presented ideas that they offer to leaders now focussed on instructional leadership.
The five practical elements are as follows:
Dimension 1: Establishing Goals and Expectations – The manner in which setting realistic and SMART goals is explored and the focus on learning goals at the expense of accountability goals is suggested.
Dimension 2: Resourcing strategically – Importantly and accurately, a great deal of this chapter focusses on sensitivity to the fact that resourcing naturally involves the hiring, firing and promotion of teachers.
Dimension 3: Ensuring quality teaching – Her contention here is that consistency in teaching and learning is important and that this can be achieved through a way that does not impede or challenge teacher autonomy.
Dimension 4: Leading teacher learning and development – This is the biggest and most challenging element of the book, leaders as instructional leaders and people actively engaged in the same professional development as their teachers. Notably, she does not provide any awareness or knowledge of best practice around instruction, beyond the references to other’s synthesises of extant literature.
Dimension 5: Ensuring an Orderly and Safe Environment – This is perhaps not something that most Australian teachers and leaders would see as important, indeed, many of her examples seem to smack of American exemplars. But in light of increasing violence aimed at principals and leadership in Australia, perhaps this is something worth further consideration.
Overall, as far as leadership books go, this was dry but very effective. The core ideas are hard to disagree with and hold weight. The examples and vignettes were reasonably interesting and illustrative but not in the same lead of the New York Times Bestseller list worthy books that you may be accustomed to. The book is reasonable in length and does not drag over elements and ideas unnecessarily. I look forward to purchasing and reading her newest book ‘Reduce Change to increase improvement’.
April 6, 2013
This title was the subject of a year-long administrative professional development. I found the material to be very timely. As I write this review, the book is somewhat disjointed because I have read it over the course of the entire school year. I think I would have gained more out of it if I had read it more quickly rather than piecemeal. That being said, Robinson's ideas are presented clearly and definitely have a place in today's school atmosphere.
September 6, 2014
'When the students feel that teachers know and care about them, they feel more connected to the school, and their emotional engagement provides a platform from which teachers can more readily foster their cognitive engagement with tough intellectual work'.
(Viviane Robinson - Student Centered Leadership)
(Viviane Robinson - Student Centered Leadership)
September 22, 2016
This is a must-read for any political leader or educator who wants to understand which leadership practices actually advance student achievement. Dr. Robinson is smart, articulate, and a respected expert whose work deserves much more visibility in the current discussions on improving public education.
May 30, 2014
Really good (for those who have a job like I do).
October 15, 2013
Wish I was related! Great book and I cannot wait to fully implement many of the things she shares in this book.
Want to Read
February 18, 2013i need read the book!!!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews