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Gardening in the Minefield: A Survival Guide for School Administrators
For anyone in school leadership-or anyone who hopes to be-this book is a must read. Seasoned educator Laurel Schmidt tells it like it is about a principal's daily life. From the nitty gritty of hiring, evaluating, and firing staff, to navigating the intricacies of school politics, and managing crises in the glare of the media, she provides a long overdue tool to take control of your life as a school administrator. Schmidt combines insight and humor with use-this-now practicality as she details creative strategies for surviving the daily grind, while honing your vision of a school that works. Follow her lead and learn how to: Gardening in the Minefield offers a refreshingly candid map through the landscape of leadership. As Schmidt confirms, it is a garden out there-if you know where to step.
- GenresEducationLeadership
216 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 28, 2015
A year later, I finally finished this book. The actual school year got in the way. Some very good advice for new administrators. Not all will apply to everyone, but I appreciated this book.
February 1, 2016
About five years ago, the guy that hired me to be an assistant principal shared this book with me, though I'm not sure he ever read it himself. I finally picked it up after making a New Years' resolution that every other book that I read this year would have something to do with my chosen profession of education.
Schmidt's book is full of practical advice on how to be a good school leader. She writes with humor and enthusiasm, and hasn't become jaded after years in education. She shares a number of resources, and the few I've checked out online are still active, even though the book was originally published in 2002. While slightly dated (I found her references to Palm Pilots being great organizational tools especially humorous), much of her advice is timeless. It's a quick read too. I wish I would have read this when it was first handed to me.
Schmidt's book is full of practical advice on how to be a good school leader. She writes with humor and enthusiasm, and hasn't become jaded after years in education. She shares a number of resources, and the few I've checked out online are still active, even though the book was originally published in 2002. While slightly dated (I found her references to Palm Pilots being great organizational tools especially humorous), much of her advice is timeless. It's a quick read too. I wish I would have read this when it was first handed to me.
March 3, 2016
Great tips for education admin/leaders. Truly a survival guide and worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews