You Sound Taller on the Telephone: A Practitioner′s View of the Principalship

Dennis Dunklee's book, "You Sound Taller on the Telephone" tells the story of principal Grant Sterling's daily adventures through his career of principal through several schools. The story reads much like novel rather than a textbook for a graduate-level educational administration course (thanks, Dr. Allison!). This feature makes the book a particularly fun read--even for non-educators. The stories range from the predictable to the outlandish. What does a principal do, for example, when a gypsy curses a pregnant teacher's unborn baby? Reflective questions close each chapter. Readers witness Sterling's "situational leadership" method in which he changes his behavior to address many management issues similarly to an actor. Sterling uses behaviors as tools. When resolution of a problem calls for anger, reserve, playfulness or assertiveness, Sterling exhibits the behavior in order to facilitate the problem at hand. Since he's acting out these behaviors people tend to believe him. The composite of these behaviors create an aggregate impression, purposefully controlled to get a desired result. In a profession where seemingly irrational actions have to be interpreted and resolved, Grant Sterling adapts himself to the situation through common sense, situational management and smart guessing.

I bought this book because I needed it for my education administration class. I thought it would be another boring book that I would read because I had to. I was pleasantly surprised as I started reading it. The book takes you through a story of a principal and all of the incidents he had to go through. I read the entire book in three days. The story captured my interest. I was reading it for pleasure, not because I had to. I looked forward to reading it every one of those three days. I enjoyed it very much!!!!

This story of Grant Sterling, a fictitious (?) public school principal, reads like a novel as it tells the so-strange-they-must-be-true anecdotes of Sterling's work life. By developing this funny, caring, and slightly imperfect character to follow through his career as principal in several different schools, the author creates an engaging case study of leadership in action. Readers may not agree with what Sterling does--but he will make them think, react, and probably both laugh and cry! Prospective school leaders will get a glimpse at the challenges they will face, parents will gain insight into why principals do what they do, and others interested in education and leadership will be entertained-- as well as stimulated to think. And ALL readers will wish, with some wistful nostalgia, that THEY would have been lucky enough to have had a principal like Grant Sterling!

I never knew the job of pricipal included so many "hats". Sterling's adventures can both teach and entertain any reader....even those who just want to read this book for fun, and not just as a textbook ( lucky students ). This book should be sold in popular bookstores, not just at the University !!! Super book.

Not being a teacher or principal, I didn't expect to particularly enjoy this book, but I was delighted to find it funny, touching, and just plain enjoyable! Sterling is a wise and yet humanly flawed main character, who shows us what a challenge it is to meet the day to day rigors of a job most of us take for granted.