Educational Leadership and Music

Lessons for Tomorrow’s School Leaders

Edited by:
Terri N. Watson, The City College of New York
Jeffrey S. Brooks, Curtin University
Floyd D. Beachum, Lehigh University

A volume in the series: New Directions in Educational Leadership: Innovations in Scholarship, Teaching, and Service. Editor(s): Noelle Witherspoon-Arnold, University of Missouri-Columbia. René O. Guillaume, New Mexico State University. Emily Crawford-Rossi, University of Missouri.

Published 2017

In this book we considered new territory for educational leadership by looking to music for lessons and inspiration that may inform the next generation of schools leaders. Each chapter focuses on an artist or group whose work serves to refine, extend, and challenge our thinking in regards to educational leadership. You will find a vast array of musical forms of expression analyzed and described by an equally diverse collection of educational leadership scholars and practitioners. There may be some who question the academic appropriateness or relevance of a text such as this one. Our response is that part of our ongoing mission should be to break ourselves out of academic silos and forge meaningful connections between seemingly disparate disciplines. Furthermore, educational leadership stands to gain more by drawing from the arts and specifically musical influences. Finally, music is an obvious part of most of our lives; why not explore the ways in which it impacts us on an academic level and not just a personal level? In sum, we ask that as you read the chapters of this book, you reflect on your own musical tastes and favorite artists.

CONTENTS
Foreword: “Playing the Changes”: Building Strong Communities Through Innovation and Improvisatory Leadership. Introduction. Leadership as Jazz: Critical Servant Leadership and the Music of John Coltrane, Judy Alston. Public Enemy, Education, and Leadership: Muse-Sick or Mess-Age? Floyd D. Beachum. Keeping the Beat: Why Music Drives Leadership and Life, Ira Bogotch and Louis M. Ruccolo. Which Song Do You Hear?: Using Music As Artmaking to Explore Social Justice and Equity in Schools, Christa Boske and Jay Liedel. The Evolution of a Revolution: Leadership Lessons From Al Jourgensen and Ministry, Jeffrey S. Brooks. The Potency of Love and the Power of a Thousand: Reflections on Gustav Mahler and Leadership for Social Justice, Katherine Cumings Mansfield. Beyond Ropar Bar: Transcultural and Transformative Collaborations of the Australian Art Orchestra and the Young Wagilak Group, Fen Leon De Bruin. Tupac Shakur: A Lesson in Critical Reflection, Truth-Telling, and Advocacy, David E. DeMatthews and James Coviello. Insights From the Flow of the Teacha’: Considering Hip-Hop in Education, Sean Dickerson, Omar J. Salaam, and Adrian Anthony. The Leadership Identity Dilemma: Franz Schubert and Winterreise, Lisa Catherine Ehrich and Fenwick W. English. The Missed Education: Leadership Lessons From Lauryn Hill’s Everything is Everything, Soribel Genao and Pedro “Dro” Genao. Improvisation and Leadership: Lessons About Direction and Influence From Sonny Rollins, Stephen Jacobson. “A Fairy Tale in a Song Is No Message”: Leadership Lessons From Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits, Christopher Knaus. Bono: Unapologetically Human, Ellyn Lyle. Kendrick Lamar: An Authentic Leader in the Hip-Hop Community, Samuel Martin, Heather Wynne, and Carlos R. McCray. Jill Scott: A Champion of Affirmation and Empowerment Lessons for Leaders on Mindfulness and Professional Self-Care, Patrice A. McClellan. From “Smooth Operator” to “Young, Gifted, and Black”: Understanding Big Daddy Kane’s Evolution as a Metaphor for a Praxis of Critical Care in Leadership, Alprentice A. McCutchen and Rosa L. Rivera-McCutchen. Faith and Leadership: Elements of Fred Hammond’s Life and Lyrical Influence on the Development of Educational Leaders, Jason McKinney and Kimberly Starks Berglund. Mahalia Jackson Exemplifies Leadership Through Gospel Music and Negro Spirituals, Anthony H. Normore and Gaetane Jean-Marie. The Making of Matisyahu: Music Laying the Foundation for Re-Inspiring Social Justice Work in Education, Azadeh F. Osanloo. Interrogating Punishment Through Race, Raptivism, and Youth Leadership of Jasiri X, Darius Prier. Lessons in Leadership From the “Thunder God”, Whitney Sherman Newcomb, Stephanie Blackburn, and Jason Newcomb. Kirk Franklin: Lessons From Gospel Music for Transformational Educational Leadership, LaBotta Taylor and Mackie V. Spradley. Revolution 9: Lessons in Leadership Provided by the Beatles, Lucas Walsh. Lessons for School Leaders From Sister Sledge: “We Are Family”, Terri N. Watson. Epilogue: “Tell Them About the Dream, Martin”: When Homophily Happens and Music and Educational Leadership Meet Destiny, Ty-Ron M. O. Douglas. About the Editors. About the Contributors.