This is a story about faith and perseverance. Dr. Shawn Joseph masterfully tells the story of how he maintained his course and conviction despite numerous challenges throughout his life. He engages the reader through his childhood years, college years, and his professional years, culminating as him becoming the first African American superintendent in the city of Nashville and transitioning into a faculty appointment at prestigious Fordham University. His story will no doubt resonate with readers. Furthermore, the connections between the narrator's life and Joseph's story are well made and should inspire readers to persist and keep faith no matter the odds.This is a book that every parent, particularly parents of children of color, should give to their children to help them understand God's promises can be achieved in their life if they maintain their faith and develop an ability to persevere. Individuals seeking leadership roles in educational administration will also learn of the opportunities and challanges that lie ahead should they have the courage to lead for equity.
About the Author: Dr. Shawn Joseph passion for equity and social justice has led him to serve in a number of positions in the world of education. He has been an English teacher, school administrator, central office administrator, and superintendent in Maryland, Delaware, and Tennessee. His work as the superintendent of Metro Nashville Public Schools resulted in schools that are more equitable and accelerated growth for all student groups in both reading and mathematics. He is currently on the faculty of Fordham University in the Department of Educational Administration and Leadership.In 2009, Dr. Joseph was honored by his peers as the National Association of Secondary School Administrator's Met-Life Middle School Principal of the year for the State of Maryland. In 2010, Dr. Joseph was the recipient of the American Educational Research Association's Outstanding Dissertation Award in the area of Educational Leadership. In 2019, Dr. Joseph was selected as the Person of the Year by the Tribune Newspaper in Nashville. His first book, The Principal's Guide to the First 100 Days of the School Year: Creating Instructional Momentum, offers insight into the complexity of the principalship and suggests strategies for focusing on increasing student achievement. In 2019, he plans on publishing the book Finding the Joseph Within, an autobiography which tells the account of his professional journey and how faith and perseverance unleashed favor upon his life. Dr. Joseph earned a doctoral degree in educational administration and policy studies from The George Washington University and a master's degree from The Johns Hopkins University. His bachelor's degree is from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, America's oldest Historically Black College.