Seven Steps to Effective Instructional Leadership [Hardcover]

Elaine K. McEwan-Adkins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0803966652 | ISBN-13: 978-0803966659 | Publication Date: December 10, 1997 | Edition: 1

Become a more effective instructional leader with research-based information and activities.

Editorial Reviews

Review

You won't find a more practical, detailed guide to improving school effectiveness than is contained between the covers of this book! (Leonard O. Pellicer, Dean School of Education )

Few books on school leadership have effectively brought together the best of educational theory and practice for school administrators as Elaine McEwan's Seven Steps to Instructional Leadership has. (Michael Pladus, 1999 MetLife/NASSP National Principal of the Year )

This is an outstanding book with practical, ready to use suggestions as to how to improve teaching and learning in our schools. As practitioners, the students found the books to be researched-based, easy to absorb, clearly defined traits and descriptors, with stories to bring clarity to the traits, and with meaningful reflection activities to focus on present and future practices. (Pauli Nikolay, Adjunct Professor )

The book is an excellent resource for self assessment or a tool for gaining feedback from staff. (The School Administrator, June 2003 )

There is a good balance between the summary of research and references to the aquired wisdom born out of first-hand experience. (School Leadership & Management, February 2004 ) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Elaine K. McEwan is a partner and educational consultant with The McEwan-Adkins Group, offering workshops in instructional leadership, team building, and raising reading achievement. A former teacher, librarian, principal, and assistant superintendent for instruction in a suburban Chicago school district, McEwan is the author of more than thirty-five books for parents and educators. Her Corwin Press titles include Raising Reading Achievement in Middle and High Schools: Five Simple-to-Follow Strategies for Principals, Second Edition (2006), Seven Strategies of Highly Effective Readers: Using Cognitive Research to Boost K-8 Achievement (2004), Ten Traits of Highly Effective Principals: From Good to Great Performance (2003), Making Sense of Research: What’s Good, What’s Not, and How to Tell the Difference (2003), Seven Steps to Effective Instructional Leadership, Second Edition (2003), Teach Them ALL to Read: Catching the Kids Who Fall through the Cracks (2002), and Ten Traits of Highly Effective Teachers: How to Hire, Mentor, and Coach Successful Teachers (2001).

McEwan was honored by the Illinois Principals Association as an outstanding instructional leader, by the Illinois State Board of Education with an Award of Excellence in the Those Who Excel Program, and by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as the National Distinguished Principal from Illinois for 1991. She received her undergraduate degree in education from Wheaton College and advanced degrees in library science (MA) and educational administration (EdD) from Northern Illinois University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Corwin Press; 1 edition (December 10, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803966652
• ISBN-13: 978-0803966659
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,234,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The author understands the challenges of today's principal., July 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Seven Steps to Effective Instructional Leadership (Hardcover)

Elaine McEwan's book is one of the most direct and useful tools I have found for today's principals. The book provides clear descriptions about quality education and a means to self evaluate current practices. I shared the book with my superitendent and we used the material during a summer administrative retreat. The text and the material were accepted by principals from both the elementary and secondary levels. Elain McEwan has captured the aspects of "Quality Education" in a useable and friendly book.

Elaine first brings the focus back to the building principal and the understanding that we are the most important piece of school improvement. The author understands the need for management; however, emphasizes educational, instructional leadership. Dr. McEwan shares the belief as stated in Warren Bennis's writings that the school leader needs to have vision and commitment. Elaine further explains that school leaders need to be knowledgable about! learning theory, curriculum, and effective instruction. The text book provides outlines of the desired components. Identifying desired learning results is a primary step of this books. Elaine McEwan reaffirms the statements of Larry Lezotte in his book "Learning for All." She states, "When our students are successful, we are successful." The author understands we can never expect our staff to grow and expand if we are not supportive and leading. Create direct ways to encourage growth and be a learner with your team. Elaine visits and challenges the reader on creating a culture and climate for maximum learning. She discusses the importance of communicating the vision and raising expectations of staff and families. Elaine McEwan has developed a handbook that should be part of your daily activities.

I have personally been through Covey training, been a candidate and a facilitator at the Indiana Principal's Leadership Academy (IPLA), trained! on "The Instructional Process," TESA, and "! Choice Theory" and find this books a summary of solid educational approaches. The end of the chapter summaries and descriptors created a new awareness and raised my own expectations.

I believe Elaine McEwan is a leading current author for the practicing principal in the field of education. Elaine believes in schools and has the vision of classrooms becoming better and better. You will always be glad that this book is a part of your working collection.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough consideration of reality, September 20, 2007

By 

FizzWiz (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Steps to Effective Instructional Leadership (Paperback)

This book is your typical leadership book written grammatically well. It is written like a reference book, maybe a bit too much. A bit of a hard read for a slow reader. There are many great tips for how a person should be a principal including managing a school and working with faculty, staff, students, parents, and community treating all entities with considerable equality. McEwan's opinions feel a bit too pushed such as how the principal is always the one that makes the difference and that the principal needs to make [seemingly all] teachers leaders, and that a principal must be a leader of leaders. While the model may be true, it may not be feasible to make sure every single teacher is a "leader" in their own sense. Some teachers may be jealous of the principal, some teachers will not get along with other teachers at all and so should non-collaboration between two teachers necessarily be blamed on by the principal? McEwan certainly makes it seem that way. The suggestions of having the principal involved in every aspect of school is great, but her specific numbers for criteria can be questionable. It's not as much of quantity as quality with what you have available. She also does not consider situations where schools are underfunded to begin with and just expects principals to be able to "wave their magic wand" and wallah a good school. If life were only that easy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, December 30, 2011

By 

Christine Kay "CMKaySD" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Seven Steps to Effective Instructional Leadership (Paperback)

I had to buy this for a class I took, and I really enjoyed it. I made lots of notes throughout and learned a lot!