Success in conferring with hostile parents is a result of careful planning, understanding human behavior, and frontline experience. This article encourages principals to develop the necessary skills to handle emotion-charged encounters with alienated, calculative, and committed parents. (MLH)

Refutes sociological and anthropological theories about the generation gap held by Kingsley Davis, Margaret Mead, and Ruth Benedict. Argues for a psychological interpretation of intergenerational conflict. The latter is not a product of adult rigidity, but a natural consequence of adult generational responsibility toward youth. (MLH)

Offers a supervision plan designed to help identify teaching deficiencies, assist in planning and managing improvement, and create situations promoting dialogue beween principals and teachers. The plan involves yearly goal setting, pre- and postobservation conferences, and an informal observation process. (MLH)

Principals as change agents must work with teachers to establish a climate conducive to change. Principals should assume an assertive change posture and improve their skills in dealing with various factors influencing change. Teacher discontent with working conditions is a key ingredient in the change process. (MLH)

Based on comments from a woman principal's diary, this article views the building of a healthy school culture as essential to achieving school effectiveness and administrative sanity. Success depends on a clear mission, sound communication patterns, a good leadership team, and effective planning and staff development components. (MLH)

Principals need sensitive measures of school climate to diagnose problems and monitor progress in overcoming them. This article discusses the Effective School Battery developed by Johns Hopkins University and used to describe individual schools in terms of 34 specific aspects of environmental, teacher, and student characteristics. Includes one…

Few instruments exist for measuring community perceptions of local schools. The Social Style Profile Model, originally developed to describe individual behavior, adapts very well to organizations. Knowing a school's perceived social behavior style and its level of versatile behavior makes for improved school management and school-community…

Unless the characteristics of the units accompanying measurements are known, little legitimate evaluation can occur. Educators cannot assume their measurements are valid bases for evaluative statements unless higher level techniques (such as interval and ratio scales) have been employed. Misinterpretation arises from assuming that measurements…

Research on effective teaching, combined with findings of the effective schools movement, is calling for teacher empowerment and new leadership opportunities for principals. This article describes a leadership pyramid embodying symbolic, cultural, instructional, and managerial functions. Principals will still operate at the top (symbolic and…

If the textbook and material selection process is to be adequately supported in school budgets, curriculum directors, teachers, and administrators must be able to defend their requests with high-quality information. This article offers nine suggestions to help build a leadership structure and a database for making appropriate textbook selections.…

According to a study of male and female juniors and seniors, sexual harrassment is a widespread problem receiving little attention from administrators and teachers. School districts without a sexual harrassment grievance procedure are violating civil rights laws protecting students from sex discrimination while at school. Administrators need to…

Administrators of schools without music programs are simply undervaluing this fine art form and depriving students of a great life experience. Schools can accommodate the arts by managing time better and scheduling more periods per day. A strong positive correlation exists beween school excellence and vigorous, dynamic arts programs. Nine…

Section 1983 of the U.S. Constitution provides individuals (including students) with the right to sue persons (including principals) acting "under color of law" for damages incurred in violation of their federal rights. This article examines two corporal punishment cases involving elementary school students involving possible due process…

Instead of confining interschool competition to athletic teams, schools should consider highlighting their students' academic prowess with academic contests. A number of national programs are reviewed, including the Academic Olympiad sponsored by Utah State University and involving seven cooperating school districts in northern Utah. (MLH)

Teachers can help students learn and develop self-confidence by providing both affirmative and corrective oral feedback immediately after a student response. When performed nonjudgmentally, such feedback not only corrects inappropriate responses but also reinforces correct ones. Includes six references. (MLH)