John Daresh's Beginning the Assistant Principalship provides you with excellent tools to navigate your way as a new administrator. Full of ideas for you to use in your work, this valuable new resource helps you ask yourself the important questions, find answers, and develop strong plans of action. Some significant topics to help you in your new job include:

] building a platform

] developing leadership skills

] carrying out management skills

] maintaining balance and perspective

] knowing your job

] using effective disagreement to your advantage

] building your profile as a leader

] listening, listening, then listening some more

Whether your intention is to eventually assume the principalship using your current job as a kind of internship, or if you have decided to make the assistant principalship a career, this excellent book considers a wide variety of topics to help you succeed.

John C. Daresh, Ph.D. is Professor of Educational Leadership and the Director of the Principal Preparation Program at the University of Texas, El Paso. A consultant for school districts, universities and state departments of education nationally and internationally, he also has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, holding both faculty and administrative positions. His extensive career in education began with working in public and private schools.

Acknowledgments
About the Author
Dedication
1. Neither Fish Nor Fowl
Problem with Definition
The Invisibility Factor
So Why Do the Job?
Plan for the Book
References
Additional Suggested Readings
2. It Begins With Values
Case Study: Because I Believe It¿s the Right Thing to Do
Building a Platform
What Do You Do With the Platform?
Your Personal Plan
References
Additional Suggested Readings
3. A Personal Leadership Checklist
Leadership Skills
Another Approach to Leadership Analysis
So What Is Educational Leadership?
Your Personal Plan
References
Additional Suggested Readings
4. Carrying Out Your Management Skills
Apparent Contradictions
Formal Requirements
Informal Tasks
Throughout the Year
Planning for the School Year
Before the Year Begins
After the Year Starts
Toward the End of the Year
Building a Personal Plan
5. Cool Your Ego
Maintaining Balance and Your Perspective
Talk With Your Principal
Count to Ten ... Again and Again
Closing Thoughts
Summarizing the Chapter
6. Assist the Principal
Know Your Job
Communication is the Key
Developing an Action Plan
Summarizing the Chapter
7. Reflect Before Talking and Acting
Why?
Why Not?
Tips for Effective Disagreement
Summarizing the Chapter
8. Listen, Listen ... Then Listen Some More
Listen Before Deciding
Can You Listen Too Much?
A Few Tips
Summarizing the Chapter
9. Ask to do More
Building Your Profile as a Leader
Where Do You Begin?
Volunteering to do More
Summarizing the Chapter
10. Stay Alive Professionally
Read, Read, Read
Summarizing the Chapter
11. Stay Positive
Positive Attitude is a Career Builder
Final Observations
Index