Much of what I read as a principal is tied to immediate needs. Emails, reports, data, policies. Each requires attention and often a quick response. While necessary, this type of reading rarely allows time for reflection. Reading for the “Syllabus” section of Principal Leadership magazine has been different. It has created space to pause, think, and engage more deeply with ideas that shape our work in schools.
What I have gained most from this experience is perspective. Reading Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It, by Timothy Shanahan, led me to reconsider literacy practices that have long been accepted as standard. Leveled texts are often used with the intention of meeting students where they are. However, the book pushed me to consider whether those same practices may also limit access to more complex learning. It raised important questions about how we balance support with high expectations.
Willing Warriors: A New History of the Education Culture Wars, by Mark Hlavacik, provided a broader view of the challenges schools face today. The daily tensions around curriculum, instruction, and community expectations can feel immediate, but this text situates those tensions within a longer history. It helped me recognize that many current debates are rooted in larger questions about power, values, and control in education. That understanding has made me more thoughtful in how I interpret conversations about reform.
Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Curriculum and Instruction, by Gholdy Muhammad, offered a different kind of insight. It served as a reminder that schools must attend not only to outcomes, but also to the experiences of students. Joy, identity, and a sense of belonging are not separate from learning. They are essential to it.
Across these readings, one theme stands out. This work does not provide immediate solutions. Instead, it sharpens thinking. It has changed the way I approach decisions, the questions I ask, and the way I listen. It has reinforced the importance of examining not only what we do, but why we do it.
Most importantly, it has helped me remain grounded. At a time when education is often shaped by urgency and competing demands, taking time to read, reflect, and write has been valuable. It has reinforced the importance of thoughtful leadership and the need to stay focused on what matters most for students.
If you’re an NASSP member and PreK–12 principal or assistant principal interested in reading and writing for “Syllabus,” email [email protected]. Readers receive a small honorarium for their written summaries and a free book.
