Conversations with Principals: Issues, Values, and Politics

Conversations With Principals: Issues, Values, and Politics is a unique compilation of interviews with principals at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Unlike any other text in Educational Administration, this book allows students the unusual opportunity to experience the inner voice of principals as they discuss the many decisions they make and the multitude of people they must engage.   

Key Features:

• Places students at the front line of leadership: This book provides a simple, straightforward, and honest view of the realities of the principalship as experienced by those who assume these roles. Each chapter offers a rare view into the minds of educational leaders as they honestly discuss their feelings and strategies behind their leadership practices.
• Provides personal profiles and school demographic data: The professional background of each principal is given so students can better understand their journey from an educator to a leadership position. In addition, each interview conveys a different school situation to demonstrate the complexity of the profession and allow readers to understand how different school contexts impact and affect decisions that are made.
• Connects students to the material: At the conclusion of each chapter, comprehensive and probing questions, role playing activities, and leadership projects engage readers and connect them to the role of principal. An analysis section provided after each interview reflects on the leader′s approaches and decision-making in a theoretical context that helps students link theory to application in a very practical and relevant way.

Intended Audience: This is an excellent supplementary text for a variety of graduate courses in Educational Administration such as Introduction to School Administration, Educational Leadership, Principalship, Foundations in Educational Organization, Effective Leadership, and Organizational Dynamics of the American Educational System.

Dr. Andrew Dubin is Professor of Educational Administration in the Department of Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies (DAIS) in the College of Education at San Francisco State University. He received his Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School and has worked as teacher, Dean of Discipline and Grade Advisor in New York City, abroad as a teacher and drama specialist at Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogota, Colombia, South America, and as a Principal and Superintendent for the International School in Lahore, Pakistan.  In 1994, he was Headmaster for the International American School in Rome, Italy.  He is published nationally and internationally, has worked as an Educational Consultant, Lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Program Coordinator in Educational Administration at University of California at Irvine.  He also directed a teacher training program for returning Peace Corps Volunteers at SFSU. Dr. Dubin has developed the Educational Administration Leadership Institutes in San Francisco, San Mateo County and is currently directing the Marin County Leadership Institute.