Effective Communication for District and School Administrators

This book is a unique and necessary contribution to the literature on school administration. Research, theory, and practice were melded to produce a book that can be used as a primary or supplemental text or as professional growth resource for practitioners.

List of contents

Preface
Chapter 1: Communication Basics
·Introduction
·Communication Characteristics
­Form
­Flow
­Status
­Action
­Symmetry
·Theoretical Perspectives
­Classical theories
­Human relations theories
­Systems theories
·Synthesis
·Reflective questions

Chapter 2: Communicating Competently
·Introduction
·Communicative behavior
­Institutional dimension
­Personal dimension
·Avoiding common problems
­Insufficient forethought
­Organizational constraints
­Personal constraints
­Inadequate evaluation
·Complementary and Relational Communication
·Communicative competence
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 3: Leadership and Relationships
·Introduction
·Understanding Leadership
­Leadership, management, and administration
­Formal versus informal leadership
·Importance of Relationships
­Communicative behavior and relationships
­Relationships matter
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 4: Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Critical Thinking
·Introduction
·Problem Solving
­Problem framing
­Stages
·Decision Making
­Types of decisions
­Group decision making
·Critical Thinking
­Language and communication
­Reflection
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 5: Organizational Communication
·Introduction
·Schools as Loosely Coupled Organizations
­Schools and coupling
­Advantages and disadvantages of loose coupling
­Contemporary perspective
·Communication Networks
­Formal versus informal networks
­Bridges or buffers
­Beneficial properties
­Constructing and applying evidence
­Evaluating networks
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 6: School Governance and Democratic Administration
·Introduction
·Citizen Involvement in School Governance
­Democratic localism
­Representative democracy
­Current conditions
·Democratic Administration
­Historical context
­The second coming
­Democratic administration and communication
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 7: Climate, Culture, and the Learning Organization
·Introduction
·School Climate
­Elements
­Closed and open climates
·School Culture
­Elements
­Effects
­Culture and communication
­Why culture change is difficult
·School as a Learning Organization
­Organizational learning
­A learning culture
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 8: Initiating and Sustaining Planned Change
·Introduction
·Contemporary School Reform
­1983-1989
­Post 1989
·Change Processes
­Empirical-rational
­Power-coercive
­Normative-reeducative
·Process Issues: Involvement and Communication
­Inclusiveness
­Communicating appropriately
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 9: School Partnerships
·Introduction
·Understanding Partnerships
­Definition
­Levels of Autonomy
­Operational Characteristics
·Motives
­Community stakeholders
­Educators
­Collaborating organizations/groups
·Why Partnerships Succeed or Fail
­Effective Practices
­Potential Pitfalls
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 10: Managing Conflict
·Introduction
·Organizational Conflict
­Defining conflict
­Conflict in schools
·Sources, Types, and Contaminants
­Sources and types
­Contaminants
·Management System and Strategies
­System
­Strategies
·Conflict Management and Communication
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 11: Conducting a Referendum Campaign
·Introduction
·Key Administrative Responsibilities
·Verifying the need
·Marketing
·Conducting the Campaign
­Organization
­Process
­Potential pitfalls
­Evaluating outcomes
·Importance of Communication
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

Chapter 12: Relationships with Media Personnel
·Introduction
·Working with Journalists
­Preparation
­Making relationships positive
·Initiating Media Coverage
­Press releases
­Press conferences
·Electronic Media Interviews
­Video
­Audio
·Crisis Communication
­Before the crisis
­During the crisis
­After the crisis
·Synthesis
·Reflective Questions

About the author

By Theodore J. Kowalski

Summary

This book is a unique and necessary contribution to the literature on school administration. Research, theory, and practice were melded to produce a book that can be used as a primary or supplemental text or as professional growth resource for practitioners.

Product details

• Authors: Theodore J Kowalski, Theodore J. Kowalski
• Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.09.2015
• EAN: 9781475808858
• ISBN: 978-1-4758-0885-8
• No. of pages: 224
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education > Education system; Social sciences, law, business > Media, communication > Communication science