The Distributed Leadership Toolbox: Essential Practices for Successful Schools [With CDROM]

By Mark E. McBeth

"McBeth provides useful tools to help educators diagnose the distribution of leadership in their schools and shows how these tools can help create powerful leadership for increasing learning capacity in schools."
--Richard Halverson, Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison

"The strengths of this book are the examples (two-minute stories, reflections, etc.) and the reproducible tools provided."
--Bruce Deterding, Principal
Wichita Heights High School, KS

Strengthen your leadership style and capacity to inspire others toward meaningful change.

Experience and research prove that effective leadership is critical for improving school performance, yet reviewing and applying contemporary data to school leadership can be a complex challenge for busy administrators.

In The Distributed Leadership Toolbox, Mark E. McBeth translates current leadership research into a practical framework to help educational leaders improve their practice and positively influence schoolwide performance. Unlike shared leadership, which focuses on delegating responsibilities, distributed leadership fosters a dialogue between school leaders and teachers to uncover the effectiveness of leadership practices in enhancing instruction and student achievement. The author provides case studies and essential tools to help administrators:

Increase the ability to evaluate their leadership practiceDevelop a regular reflective practice to motivate staff and support professional growth Improve their potential to generate and sustain school reform efforts

This guidebook includes helpful notes for facilitators and a CD-ROM with resources and reproducible templates to help you make a significant difference in your school through distributed leadership practices.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1412957176
• ISBN13: 9781412957175
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Corwin Publishers
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Clear assessments of leadership options

Mark E. McBeth's THE DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP TOOLBOX: ESSENTIAL PRACTICES FOR SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS translates current leadership research into a program for change, offering analysis of differences between shared leadership and distributed leadership approaches, Facilitators and leaders in all industries - not just education - receive clear assessments of leadership options and practices, case studies, and keys to motivating staff and furthering school reform efforts.

Setting a new standard in supporting school leaders

McBeth The Distributed Leadership Toolbox (2008) McBeth's book is a practical multimedia resource that sets new standards in education. While the text is excellent, the support for school leaders that has been placed on CD-Rom is invaluable. This book is probably the best resource that one could give a school leader, or an aspirant school leader, because it allows the reader to learn skills and acquire knowledge at his/her own pace. In many cases the school leaders' roles are subverted by immediate crises, which then forces them into a survival type of existence. This book provides timely, high quality support, which facilitates continuous professional leadership learning. Support from Spillane and Halvorson ensures that the book is well grounded in the distributed leadership research. The CD-Rom contains reproducible content from the book and it includes over 35 high quality diagrams and charts- the type that school leaders always need. Among the valuable tools are: Leadership Impact Survey; Identified Leadership Practices; Directional Intentions of Leadership Practices; Tally Log; Reflection Worksheet; Shaping Our reflection; Intentions Versus Actions; New Practice Action-Planning Chart; and lots more. For every school leader, this book is well worth purchasing. In the "old days" we carried around a set of ideas and resources that we could use in school and personnel development processes. McBeth's valuable "toolbox" has replaced most of that.