• Development of standards-based leadership skills through an interactive process of theory and authentic field experience
 • Included: 60 detailed project units for learning experiences in specific standards-related areas of educational leadership
 • Adaptable to all approaches to educational leadership training

From the Introduction:

"This book is different from a theory textbook or a collection of case studies that… provide only vicarious experience. This book uses an integrated theory/field-based model of school leadership professional development that combines traditional, theory-based analyses with related field-based experience….It places all prospective administrators in active roles in schools and in school communities through the suggested project units in order for them to make sense of theory and experience. "

"[I]n-service and pre-service school leaders [using this program] will read, listen, observe, reflect, and write about traditional theories and partake in a series of authentic experiences. They will become involved in schools and participate collaboratively with colleagues. They will use theory-based content to think about school problems and then act in school settings to improve teaching and learning and continuously refine…their personal administrative practice."

Project Units: Each project unit helps develop a specific standards-aligned competency with project work under these headings: Competency, Guiding Principle, Theory, Challenge, Survey and Inquiry, Identification of Need, Setting Objective, Planning Action, Implementing Plan, Reflecting on Outcome, Self-evaluation, Comments, Reflections and Further Action, and References.