Mullen, Carol A. (2004). Climbing the Himalayas of School Leadership: The Socialization of Early Career Administrators. Reviewed by Julie Hasson

Mullen, Carol A. (2004). Climbing the Himalayas of School Leadership: The Socialization of Early Career Administrators. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Education. Pp. 317             ISBN 1-57886-107-1 Reviewed by Julie Hasson Valrico, Florida March 31, 2007 Imagine a journey which is both exhausting and at times frightening. It requires one to envision an entire trail when only small pathways are visible at the time. To quote Carol Mullen, author of Climbing the Himalayas of School Leadership: The Socialization of Early Career Administrators, “Bring along your own sense of adventure and school stories as you vicariously live this leadership narrative that is, of necessity, incomplete in scope, riddled with tension, and open to alternatives” (p. xxii). This is the journey of the early career administrator, which is likened to scaling a summit. Mullen uses the metaphor of a mountain climbing expedition to represent the entry of new administrators into school leadership. Beginning administrators serve as hiking guides who guide the graduate student/preservice administrator on the journey through school leadership. They are presented as ideal guides for aspiring leaders in preparation programs who long to hear what life is really like on the “mountain” that is school administration and its daily trials and tribulations. Through the author’s use of these hiking guides, the skills necessary to prepare for the climb are identified. These skills are broad and encompass everything from basic know-how, or routine administrative tasks, to coping skills. The hiking guides, “early career administrators” to use Mullen’s lexicon, also reveal truths about the way their time on the trails of daily administrative experience is spent. As a first year administrator and graduate student in the state of Florida, Mullen’s study was relevant and of great interest to me. The Early Career Administrator Study Mullen based the ideas for this book on data gathered during a 3-year period. Assistant Principals and principals worked in focus groups with her to assist in the development of a survey entitled “Survey Questions for Early Career Administrators” (See Appendix C, pp. 275-279) that was piloted in the Tampa Bay area. The focus group participants critiqued and responded to Mullen’s survey items and open-ended questions concerning “the nature of work and tasks performed” by beginning school administrators (p.276- See also Mullen & Cairns, 2001). Participants provided thoughts and reflections on their journey into administration that in turn informed the survey and its authenticity. The two basic questions shaping this study were, “What are the most salient areas of administrative leadership currently performed by beginning school leaders in Florida?” and “How can university preparation programs be improved to better socialize aspiring school administrators for their role?” (p. 40). The field-based survey was mailed to 271 administrators identified as serving 2 years or less in their current school leadership roles in the state of Florida. The data were analyzed quantitatively with five core leadership areas (supervision of instruction, school organization, student services, community relations, and school management) weighted differently as supported by the educational leadership literature and the respondent group. Instructional supervision was selected as most important 50% of the time of the major task areas. According to Mullen, “the results from my study indicate that new school leaders devote more time and energy to instructional supervision than anything else in their buildings” (p. 60). The specific duties most highly rated were assisting in interviewing and hiring potential faculty/staff and involvement in Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) and School Advisory Council (SAC). Qualitative data gathered through the survey were also incorporated into the analysis as the insights elicited offered a unique view into the lives of new school leaders. One participant stated, “It was nice to share my experiences with someone who is interested and who will put the information to use to serve other administrators” (p. xxii). Theory-Practice Integration Mullen offers a lens with which to view leadership preparation programs, through that of the early career administrator. The results indicate that the emphasis must be placed not on theory alone but instead on the integration of theory and practice. Knowledge of leadership theories is a necessary foundation for early career administrators. However, many leadership preparation programs offer only a view from the lens of theory without practical experience. This creates a gap between theory and practice. A metaphor of binoculars is used by Mullen to demonstrate how theory and practice should converge. She asks readers to imagine a T on one lens of the binoculars representing theory and a P on the other lens representing practice. According to the author, “This optical instrument focuses both objectives simultaneously, while the focus of the eyepiece is independent” (p. 260). Practice is the “path” (practical experience) on which theory is internalized. There must be time devoted to professional socialization on school sites in the form of job shadowing and performing administrative tasks. Novices need practical experiences that emphasize the challenges of multi-tasking and that expose them to the realities of having to constantly interpret new information. Mullen also explains that context matters. “Context is pivotal in understanding the situation that administrators encounter and experience” (p. 49). The importance of context was emphasized by respondents in the study. One participant stated, “It was interesting to learn from my colleagues how our roles as administrator differ by factors such as level (e.g. primary or secondary), and geographic area” (p.49). Aspiring leaders need to gain leadership experience in the types of student populations which they will serve. Strengths and Limitations The author acknowledges the unique position of early career leaders to guide those who aspire to climb the summit of school leadership and provide valuable perspectives and critical information to the university faculty members who prepare them for the journey. This text serves as a guide to those considering or preparing for a career in administration through case scenarios, lessons, and activities. It is also useful to educators at the university level through discussion using the preparation scenarios and activities at the end of most chapters. It would be an excellent resource for graduate courses in educational leadership. Mullen’s study and participants were limited to the state of Florida, and some of the issues are context-dependent. However, the struggles of early career administrators and the possibilities of improved preparation programs can be generalized throughout the nation and beyond. The need for preparation programs to match the realities of the job of an administrator and the goal of developing leaders who are capacity builders has general relevance for the nation. In my reading of the text, the trekking/mountain metaphor woven throughout enables the reader to become an active participant in climbing the summit of school leadership. As a new administrator, I related to the challenges of the early career administrators who participated in the study. I also shared their frustration at the gap between the theories learned in preparation and the practical duties of the job. Mullen concludes by encouraging new administrators to use the lessons learned from her study on the ascent of their own. She states, “The summit stone is now in your hands, ready for your footprints to be left on Everest. The lessons learned on this backpacking expedition should come in handy. Share with us your own wonderment of life’s mountain climb and ineffable summit” (p. 256). Reference Mullen, C.A., and S.S. Cairns. 2001. The principal’s apprentice: Mentoring aspiring school administrators through relevant preparation. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 9 (2): 125-52. About the Reviewer Julie D. Hasson is a first-year assistant principal at an elementary school in Hillsborouh County, Florida.