Cultivating Imagination in Leadership
Transforming Schools and Communities
Gillian Judson editor Meaghan Dougherty editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Teachers' College Press
Published:24th Mar '23
Should be back in stock very soon
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£110.00(9780807768051)

This comprehensive book provides a theoretical understanding of how imagination contributes to effective leadership, as well as practical tools all educational leaders can employ to cultivate their imaginations and the imaginations of others in their communities. To support these goals, book chapters offer multiple perspectives on what imagination is, why it is essential for educational leaders, and how it can be developed. Contributions by leadership scholars and school-based leaders are organized around three themes: exploring possibilities, poetics of memory, and imagination’s role in social justice and equity. Each section opens with a leadership story that shows how a school leader developed and used imagination to create solutions to real problems. Contributors to this volume were invited to read each other’s work and share their questions and thoughts. This work can now be used by individuals or within formal or informal learning communities to expand, deepen, and apply concepts. Expanding on Kieran Egan’s theory of Imaginative Education, this book will help current and future leaders employ imagination to make sense of and address the day-to-day challenges they encounter.
Book Features:
- Brings together empirical and conceptual research on imagination’s varied roles in educational leadership.
- Provides practical strategies and implementable techniques for cultivating leadership imagination.
- Demonstrates what cognitive tools all leaders can use to deepen their understanding of issues, to emotionally and imaginatively engage their school communities, and to support equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Offers easy-to-use activities and guidelines for applying imagination to key leadership processes and practices.
- Includes “Cultivating Curiosity, Conversation, and Imagination” sections at the end of chapters to stimulate individual reflection and collaborative discussion. <
“District leaders and their teams will find Cultivating Imagination in Leadership a refreshing alternative to the conventional leadership thinking and problem solving that contributes to being 'stuck.' I recommend this book for district leaders who are interested in cultivating and employing the power of imagination within their communities. It is an excellent resource that provides both a theoretical understanding and the practical tools to assist leaders in envisioning and communicating what is possible.”
—AASA School Administrator
ISBN: 9780807768044
Dimensions: 229mm x 156mm x 11mm
Weight: 306g
216 pages