Distributed Leadership.

Distributed Leadership. DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP. James P. Spillane. San Francisco San Francisco(săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden :Jossey-Bass, 2006. 119 pp. Softcover soft��cov��er?adj.Not bound between hard covers: softcover books; a softcover edition.. $22.00. "A distributedperspective offers an alternative way of thinking about leadership inschools by foregrounding leadership practice and by suggesting thatleadership practice is constructed in the interactions between leaders,followers followerssee dairy herd. and their situations" (p. 26). This is the theory behindthis book intended for anyone in a leadership role or someone who wishesto serve as a change agent. The author, James P. Spillane, is TheSpencer T. and Ann W. Olin Chair in Learning and Organizational Changeat Northwestern University Northwestern University,mainly at Evanston, Ill.; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1855 by Methodists. In 1873 it absorbed Evanston College for Ladies. , Professor of Human Development and SocialPolicy, Professor of Learning Sciences, and Fellow at the Institute forPolicy Research. Furthermore, he's the author of StandardsDeviation: How Schools Misunderstand mis��un��der��stand?tr.v. mis��un��der��stood , mis��un��der��stand��ing, mis��un��der��standsTo understand incorrectly; misinterpret. Education Policy (2004) andnumerous journal articles. The book is organized in four chapters. The author shares variousexperiences from his five-year "Distributed Leadership Study."The first topic addressed is "The Nature of theBeast--Understanding Leadership." Spillane then discusses"Leader-Plus Aspect," which details who takes responsibilityfor particular leadership routines and functions. He also covers"Practice Aspect," which highlights interactions involvingformal leaders, informal leaders, and followers as well as theirsituation. Finally, Spillane addresses "A Distributed Perspectiveon and in Leadership Practice" in order to discuss how leadingschools involves more than the leadership of the school principal. Distributed Leadership is a practical book that takes a look at howleaders, followers, and their situations enable effective change intheir schools. Distributed Leadership is not another book of guidelinesor "quick fix" steps to improve school leadership. It is a newway of thinking, a framework for leaders to use to evaluate their ownleadership practices and move away from the theory that schoolleadership starts and finishes with the person at the principal'sdesk. The essential key piece of wisdom shared in Distributed Leadershipis how to provide all stakeholders StakeholdersAll parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. with a voice, collaborating andsharing among leaders and followers about their situations, resulting inreshaping leadership from the inside out rather than outside in. Alsoincluded are examples of activities that various principals have usedthat make the connection to distributed leadership, such as: BreakfastClub & Five-Week Assessment (Adam's School); Writing FolderReview (Hillside School); Real Men READ (leadership routines connectedto teaching and learning); and Teacher Evaluations(Practice-Aspect-Collective distribution). These activities supply thereader with "real world" experiences that demonstrate the"Distributive dis��trib��u��tive?adj.1. a. Of, relating to, or involving distribution.b. Serving to distribute.2. Perspective." The book enables leaders of all genres to examine their ownleadership practices and think about a new approach to leadership. Whycontinue practicing leadership the same old way that you've alwaysdone it and get the same old results? The author encourages us to make adifference, try a new way of thinking and practicing leadership, and getthe results that we want by rethinking and reworking school leadership.Reviewed by Angeline H. Flowers, Assistant Principal, Broward CountyPublic Schools Broward County Public Schools, a public school district in Broward County, Florida, claims to be the largest fully-accredited school district in the United States, and is the sixth-largest overall. During the 2006/2007 term, the District served 262,616 students. , and current Ph.D. student at Barry University HistoryBeginningsBarry University began as a result of by Patrick Barry's (Bishop of St. Augustine, FL) and Mother M. Gerald Barry's (Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian) dream of establishing an institution of higher education, one in which , MiamiShores, FL