Human Touch In Education Leadership

Palestini advances a new theory of educational leadership seen through the dual lens of critical theory and the Ignatian vision and its practical implications. A truly novel approach, the author strives to acquaint administrators and students of educational administration with a different way of thinking about education and its administration. Possessing the knowledge and skills of leadership is only half the story, one must also develop a value system or philosophy that guides the leader's actions and provides the leader with the 'human touch.' To advance his theory, the author includes chapters that outline the Ignatian vision of leadership, discuss the critical approach to leadership and the integration of theory and practice, explore an organizational change process, and assess the effective implementation of positivism, the critical theory, and the Ignatian vision. The final chapter contains a practical application of this approach to a case study involving the very controversial topic of education tuition vouchers.

Palestini advances a new theory of educational leadership seen through the dual lens of critical theory and the Ignatian vision and its practical implications. A truly novel approach, the author strives to acquiant administrators and students of educational administration with a different way of thinking about education and its administration.

Robert H. Palestini is dean emeritus and professor of educational leadership at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is also the Director of the Educational Leadership Institute and Center for Urban Catholic Education at SJU. In addition, almost fifty years in the field of education, he has been a science teacher, principal, and superintendent of schools.