Educational Leadership in Action ─ A Casebook for Aspiring Educational Leaders

To meet the demands and constraints of the rapidly changing education contexts, educational leaders need the skills to frame problems, identify solutions, and develop strategies to address challenges in their schools.Educational Leadership in Action provides 25 complex, open-ended cases to invoke and stimulate conversation around practical problems and alternative solutions that confront educational administrators today. The organization and unique approach of this compendium allows for flexible use in graduate level leadership courses. It can be used alongside other textbooks to reinforce core concepts, exemplify theory, and provide grounded examples to encourage learning.

• Instead of lengthy and prescriptive cases, this book includes manageable and open-ended cases to encourage critical thinking and place students in position to act, rather than answer leading questions.

• Cases are written by a diverse group of practitioners, offering real-life and complex issues facing school leaders today.

• Cases cover a range of topics, including: teacher evaluations, standards based reforms, contract negotiations, school safety, cultural differences, undocumented students, and social media.

• Part III of the book includes three possible responses to each case written by experts which encourage students to engage in more meaningful discussion.

This book provides aspiring educational leaders with a framework to work through cases, identify problems, develop strategies, and share their solutions in class. This is an invaluable resource for use in courses for aspiring leaders.

Leila Sadeghi is Assistant Professor and Chair in the Department of Educational Leadership at Kean University.