Reality Calling: The Story of a Principals First Semester

(Paperback)

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Crafted from authentic experiences shared by principals, Reality Calling: The Story of a Principals First Semester reveals fictional Principal Joe Gentrys first few months on the job. We see his efforts to establish relationships with students, staff and community, handle unexpected (and sometimes unimaginable) events, and pursue the often elusive concept of instructional leadership. Throughout the process, Joe seeks guidance and support from his wife, mentors and two friends, who are also new principals. As the months roll by, he strives to navigate the complex ups and downs of school leadership, find personal and professional balance, apply the standards that govern school leaders and learn from his mistakes.

This extended, real-world case study provides readers an authentic, unvarnished account of a fully-human principal knee deep in what is appropriately called the toughest job in education. The book concludes with Joe and his two principal friends reflecting on lessons learned and setting goals for the second half of the school year -- revealed in this book's companion, Seeking Balance: The Story of a Principal's Second Semester.

Reviews

Dr. Nick Paces Reality Calling: The Story of a Principals First Semester is a must-read for any reader wanting a close-up look at what school leaders can expect on the job. Catch a first-row glimpse as three new principals grapple with a mix of pressing issues and competing priorities from improving instruction to managing myriad e-mails while drawing upon support from and dialogue with one another as they navigate the first crucial semester of the principalship. Reality Calling offers an abundance of ideas and inspiration to new and veteran administrators alike who are poised to make a difference. -- William Sterrett, Ph.D., former principal and author of Insights into Action: Successful School Leaders Share What Works
In her widely-viewed TED talk, University of Houston professor Brene Brown suggested that "maybe stories are just data with a soul." In Reality Calling, Dr. Nick Pace weaves a soulful story, one built with data from his own school leadership experiences and those of other sitting and aspiring school leaders. The story of Joe Gentry's entry into the principalship is real and told vividly by Dr. Pace. Reality Calling is both a great read and a useful resource for sitting and aspiring school leaders, as well as those of us tasked with working with the next generation of school leaders. -- Jonathan D. Becker, J.D., Ph.D., educational leadership associate professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
Reality Calling is a thought-provoking, engaging journey into the principalship. Filled with real-world examples of the issues that principals actually face, this is a must read for anyone contemplating becoming a school administrator. -- Daniel Cox, Ph.D., superintendent, Charles City Community School District, Iowa
Reality Calling is an innovative and creative tool for talking with pre-service principals about how leaders make decisions about life and work in the first year on the job, and the importance of collegial networks for keeping sane. This book is a refreshing alternative to dry, case studies and textbook tales of woe from imaginary practitioners. -- Liz Hollingworth, associate professor, educational policy and leadership studies, University of Iowa
For both emerging and veteran educational leaders, Reality Calling is the fly on the principals wall that brings the unique and fascinating challenges of a principalship to the surface and allows discussion that will guide even the seasoned principal. -- Jeffrey J. Dieken, principal, Hudson High School, Iowa

Author Bio

Nicholas J. Pace is associate professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Northern Iowa. The former social worker, teacher, coach and principal lives in Cedar Falls, IA with his family.