Leadership Matters in the Education of Students with Special Needs in the 21st Century
Leadership Matters in the Education of Students with Special Needs in the 21st Century

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2017-09-01

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 1641130105

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This book provides a practical focus and framework for establishing insightful leadership that will enhance the learning of students with exceptionalities in the 21st century by discussing critical leadership dimensions and topics by leading academics. Topics discussed include the following: shifting leadership paradigms for all students in general and special education, district leadership strategies for implementing individualized academic and behavioral student interventions, preparing leaders to work with students with diverse learning needs, critical leadership roles for regular classroom teachers in educating learners with special needs, innovative leadership to increase school completion and graduation of general and special education learners, why psychologists need to be a part of the school leadership team, the importance of culturally responsive leadership in general and special education, the role of school leaders in helping learners with physical and health impairments, school leadership for all students in rural schools, the use of technology by leaders to improve special education services, an international example model of leadership in general and special education, and future perspectives of leadership in special education. Leadership Matters in the Education of Students with Special Needs in the 21st Century is a critically needed addition to the successful education of students with exceptionalities as it provides much needed and innovative leadership perspectives for effective instructional practices for today's students with special needs. The book can be a model for best practices for school district leadership teams challenged by the multifaceted needs of students with exceptionalities.

Author:

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published:

Total Pages: 507

ISBN-13: 1036407950

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Special Education
Special Education

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing

Published: 2024-04-26

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1837534667

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This volume is an excellent resource for special education professionals who teach and serve learners with disabilities, and other related professionals involved in the educational process such as administrators, school counsellors, and psychologists.

Enhancing Partnerships in Special Education
Enhancing Partnerships in Special Education

Author: Tachelle Banks

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2021-01-01

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13: 1648022960

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This book provides readers with a comprehensive description of procedures and practices that can enhance special education collaboration, consultation and cooperation in classroom learning environments and ancillary educational services. Experts in the field of special education provide detailed information on critical topics such as fostering the collaboration between regular education and special education teachers. Detailed discussions also focus on the role of mental health providers in special education, and the innovative use of technology in enhancing partnerships in general and special education. Unique chapters include the psychologist in the special education process, the role of the government as a partner to enhance special education services, and the vital role that principals play as school leaders to insure that special education students garner the necessary services to maximize their learning potential. Lastly, the critical roles that speech and language and physical education specialists play are discussed with regard to optimizing the overall development of students with special needs.

Special Education During the Pandemic
Special Education During the Pandemic

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2024-06-01

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13:

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The COVID-19 pandemic triggered, and continues to trigger, many changes in K-12 education—some major, like learning remotely from home, and some minor, like sitting farther apart on the school bus. While most students have had routines interrupted, the children perhaps most affected by that disruption are students with special education needs. The challenges we currently face should not undermine what we have accomplished over the last 60 years to protect students with disabilities and those from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. Instead, we must take an honest, proactive and collaborative approach to the challenges laid bare. To do so, we must reckon with the fact that during a pandemic that disproportionately impacted traditionally marginalized communities and people with disabilities, we collectively dropped the ball for students receiving special education services, and we need to consider the continued consequences. Further, we must acknowledge that many students with disabilities have found virtual and remote learning to be more liberating and accessible for their learning strengths, needs, and preferences. This text addresses how we must reconcile disparate realities of the special educational experience during pandemic. Students, parents, teachers, and school officials must align themselves together so that they can provide necessary services and support systems to students with disabilities during unpredictable times. These efforts will help leverage opportunities to disrupt, improve, and ignite educational experiences and opportunities for our children and youth, particularly those with disabilities.

Viewpoints on Interventions for Learners with Disabilities
Viewpoints on Interventions for Learners with Disabilities

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing

Published: 2018-05-18

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1787430898

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This volume focuses on divergent perspectives and innovative interventions known to maximize the fullest potential of people with exceptionalities. Emphasizing that intervention strategy objectives must always be to meet individual learners unique needs, contributions reflect where we are and where we are going in the field of special education.

Reducing Hate Through Multicultural Education and Transformation
Reducing Hate Through Multicultural Education and Transformation

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2023-04-01

Total Pages: 119

ISBN-13:

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Reducing Hate through Multicultural Education and Transformation is a book that reminds us that we live in a complex world; and at micro and macro levels, the demography is changing and people are worried about the current state of affairs, their future, and the future of their children. At local, national, and global levels, there appears to be unsteadiness, crises, and struggles in our economies, politics, and societies. Disruptions, disasters, and deaths are visible at all spectra of our lives; and our leaders seem unready, unwilling, underprepared, and unprepared to bring us together to solve our problems for the common good. Even when we make efforts to respond to human differences and multicultural valuing, they seem to be half-baked cakes that are unready for consumption; and there continues to be visible hateful actions that devastate our sacred existence. While these hateful actions have filtered into our families, schools, communities, nation, and world, we pretend to solve them by engaging in phony community relations, fraudulent multiculturalism, and unreasonable “wokeness” to masquerade our inefficiency, inflexibility, prejudice, and jaundiced views. Reducing Hate through Multicultural Education and Transformation provides cutting edge solutions for innovative educators and leaders. Yes, hate is a controversial construct that is rarely researched, studied, and discussed in education. The reason is that teachers and related professionals are supposedly very liberal people who cannot hate their culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, parents, and colleagues. And, the lingering question is, can a teacher who is always liberal be also hateful? This question seems legitimate; and, to answer it, we must look deeper into traditional presumptions. The reality is that White educators and professionals who dominate the educational profession are human-beings who live in their respective White dominated communities. As a result, they teach or lead people who they do not know very well. If not, why should CLD individuals continue to experience hateful misidentifications, misassessments, miscategorizations, misplacements, and misinstructions in school programs? And, why should disproportionate placements of CLD learners with special education needs, gifts and talents, and emotional/behavioral problems continue to be burning issues in education? This book provides outside-the-box solutions!

Special Education for Young Learners with Disabilities
Special Education for Young Learners with Disabilities

Author: Festus E. Obiakor

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing

Published: 2019-01-07

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 1787560422

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This volume looks at current and future innovations in teaching young learners with disabilities. It covers physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders.

School Leadership in a Diverse Society
School Leadership in a Diverse Society

Author: Carlos R. McCray

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2021-09-01

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 1648025757

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With the increasing amount of diversity taking place in the United States and in our K-12 schools, this book will help school leaders become prepared. It is the school principal who sets the tone for the school culture and provides the vision as to the direction of the organization. Therefore, school principals will ultimately have a great impact in promoting cultural and social diversity. School Leadership in a Diverse Society: Helping Schools Prepare all Students for Success (2nd Edition) will help scholars and practitioners have a better understanding of the increasing amount of diversity that is occurring in American society. This book will give them the tools needed to lead schools to ensure that all students, regardless of their life circumstances and status, are provided a school experience that promotes high academic achievement and a sense of belonging. Today, multiculturalism and diversity preparation are needed in our society, seemingly more so than when schools first made an earnest effort to integrate twenty years after Brown V. Board of Education. Just as it seemed the United States was making significant progress dealing with issues that have plagued this country for hundreds of years, recently, there has been a surge in diversity-related issues (the killing of unarmed African Americans, the unwarranted attacks on Asians, immigration debates, the recent rise of groups that support white supremacy, blackface incidents, increasing wealth divide between the ultra rich and the poor, religious backlash, etc.). These issues should remind us that the struggle for social equity continues into the present moment. Communities must work together to help fight rising intolerance and prejudice within our country and schools.

Leadership Matters
Leadership Matters

Author: W. Joseph King

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2022-01-04

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 1421442450

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Leadership matters more than ever in this turbulent moment in American higher education. During these unprecedented times, glaring internal inefficiencies, communication breakdowns, and an overriding sense of cultural inertia on many campuses are too often set against a backdrop of changing consumer preferences, high sticker prices, declining demand, massive tuition discounting, aging infrastructure, technological and pedagogical alternatives, and political pressure. Strategic leadership in such a complex environment needs to be exercised in nuanced ways that differ from those embraced by corporate cultures. In Leadership Matters, W. Joseph King and Brian C. Mitchell argue that the success of higher education institutions depends on strategic leaders who can utilize the strengths of their institutions and leaders to balance internal pressures, shifting demographics, global education needs, and workforce preparation demands beyond the college gates. Drawing on their extensive experience, the authors guide senior administration, trustees, and presidents on how to lead during immense financial, demographic, and social challenges. King and Mitchell believe that, to survive, colleges must be well run—flexible, effective, and forward thinking. The authors begin with a fundamental premise—that colleges and universities must evolve and adapt by modernizing their practices, monetizing their assets, focusing on core educational strategies, and linking explicitly to the modern world. Discussing a broad range of leadership positions, including presidents, provosts, and board chairs, Leadership Matters touches on strategic planning, management and operations, stakeholder relations, campus and community, accreditation and athletic conferences, and much more. The authors offer an optimistic assessment based upon frank and stark conclusions about what colleges must do—and must not do—to remain relevant in the coming decades.