This online tool was designed for Michigan educators and provides links to guidelines for engaging in conversations about conferencing with your colleagues. Learn about three different conferencing strategies: reflective questioning, paraphrasing, sharing and modeling. Explore a mentoring story for personal reflection or to share with colleagues. The focus of this tool is on mentoring; however, the collaborative role-playing outlined will strengthen team conversations.

Burley-Allen provides you with a self- teaching guide that is both reflective and introspective. Consider the presented topics: what is listening and what can it do for you?, how you got to be the listener you are, barriers between listener and speaker, listening to yourself, making listening work for you, getting others to listen to you, and putting in all together. For both administrator and teacher, listening is the key to an effective conference. This read will help you hone your listening skills!

Duck and McMahon provide you with an exploration of fundamental concepts and skills associated with communication, inclusive of a practical skills associated with listening, critical thinking, using technology to communicate, understanding non-verbal communication, creating persuasive strategies, and managing group conflict. The success of a conference is reliant on clear communication. This book provides all readers with a reflective and intentional perspective on communication.

McKenna and Walpole have created an informative and simple presentation on conferencing. They review the limited research on conferencing with teachers, provide an overview of the types of conferences and associated purposes, and provide effective conferencing techniques. Use this tool to enhance your knowledge base of conferencing or use it as a tool with colleagues to focus on effective conferencing skills for your entire school.

In this book, Northhouse offers a straightforward introduction to the basic principles of leadership. He provides readers with practical strategies for becoming more effective leaders in organizational settings and in their own lives. Grounded in leadership theory, this applied and reader-friendly book emphasizes the invaluable “how-to” components of leadership. Focusing on developing the unique strengths of the leader, it presents an array of interactive learning tools that help readers identify their leadership preferences, reflect on leadership opportunities and experiences, and strengthen their leadership skills. Administrators and teacher leaders will find this an excellent reflective reading while being provided with research to strengthen communication and a learning culture.

Porterfield and Carnes express an imperative, “it is imperative that school leaders find motivation and resources to create long-range, comprehensive communication plans for their schools and districts”; this book is an excellent resource for administrators who are seeking to create communication plans for their schools and districts. Drawing on years of experience in education and public relations, Porterfield and Carnes present a unique business model for running more effective schools. With a focus on leadership skills such as listening, engaging the community, and managing crises, they provide school administrators with a clear and practical blueprint for success. Principals will find this tool useful!