Offers a practical guide for improving schools dramatically that will enable all students from all backgrounds to achieve at high levels. Includes assessment forms, an index, and a DVD.
Uncommon Education traces the evolution of Prescott College. In this compelling work, Samuel Henrie and others reveal what led to the inception of this special institution, the philosophy behind it, and a rare curriculum that includes adventure education, social and ecological justice fieldwork, and other hands-on and unique educational opportunities. "Sam Henrie has made an immense contribution to higher education by chronicling this grand, ongoing adventure in learning. Prescott College's hands-on, feet-in-the-field approach not only makes far more sense than the cattle calls that pass for education at most places, but its amazing resilience and resurrection is one of the most hopeful stories for our times-a true tale of how good ideas really can win if we never give up." -Alan Weisman, Laureate Professor of Journalism, University of Arizona, retired Professor of Writing at Prescott College, author of The World Without Us, Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World, and other works
This book brings an international perspective of school leadership, but this time, examines how such leadership can have a positive impact on students considered to be “unique.” At one time, such students considered “unique” or “special” were often placed in special education programs and/or special schools to address their physical, emotional, and/or mental disabilities. Through legislation and changes in beliefs, many countries have changed approaches with these students from a “warehouse” approach, where such students were placed in special schools, to more of an inclusive approach where such students remain in their particular home school in an environment that was more inclusive and less restrictive. Over the past two decades or so, schools around the globe have been experiencing a significance increase in not only the number of “traditional” types of students needing special services, but a new generation of unique and diverse students, including those with: sexual identity and orientation differences; extreme social and economic inequities; cultural differences, arising from the significant increase in the number of migrant families fleeing unstable nations. Through their educational systems, many nations are moving from compliance and deficit models to support and prevention; they are becoming more inclusive of unique and special students. Thus, the school leader, if provided the opportunity and support, can have a significant impact on the education of and all students by linking their leadership to the acceptance and inclusion of all students, and to ensuring that all adults in the school become responsible for each student.
UnCommon Learning techniques set the stage for mastery and true student engagement Integrate digital media and new applications with purpose and build a culture of learning with pleasure! Let students use real-world tools to do real-world work and develop skills society demands. Be the leader who creates this environment. UnCommon Learning shows you how to transform a learning culture through sustainable and innovative initiatives. It moves straight to the heart of using innovations such as Makerspaces, Blended Learning and Microcredentials. Included in the book: Vignettes to illustrate key ideas Real life examples to show what works Graphs and data to prove initiatives’ impact
This study explores the various ways in which parental involvement can help to increase student academic success. More specifically, this analysis is based on the notions that: 1) parent involvement in inner city schools present unique challenges that are different from the traditional middle class perspective; 2) there is value in a cooperative approach between parents, teachers, and administrators that places the student at the center of each major discussion and decision; and 3) illustrates that parental involvement is a real perspective and not just rhetorical jargon. Although the focus of this book is in increasing parent involvement in inner city schools, readers must be mindful that the ultimate objective for this work and others like it is the successful educating of all children, so that they graduate from high school, and move into higher education, or into the workforce. Parent involvement by itself will not ensure academic success of children, but, combined with many strategies, including a clear understanding of the differences between an inner city school environment and a middle class school setting, effective teaching, sound and relevant curricula, safe and secure learning environment, and visionary leadership, children attending inner city schools can be just as effective as those in middle class school settings.
Leap of Reason is the product of decades of hard-won insights from philanthropist Mario Morino, McKinsey & Company, and top social-sector innovators. It is intended to spark the critically important conversations that every nonprofit board and leadership team should have in this new era of austerity. The authors make a convincing case that the nation's growing fiscal crisis will force all of us in the social sector to be clearer about our aspirations, more intentional in defining our approaches, more rigorous in gauging our progress, more willing to admit mistakes, more capable of quickly adapting and improving--all with an unrelenting focus on improving lives.
Effective and practical coaching strategies for new educators plus valuable online coaching tools Many teachers are only observed one or two times per year on average—and, even among those who are observed, scarcely any are given feedback as to how they could improve. The bottom line is clear: teachers do not need to be evaluated so much as they need to be developed and coached. In Get Better Faster: A 90-Day Plan for Coaching New Teachers, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo shares instructive tools of how school leaders can effectively guide new teachers to success. Over the course of the book, he breaks down the most critical actions leaders and teachers must take to achieve exemplary results. Designed for coaches as well as beginning teachers, Get Better Faster is an integral coaching tool for any school leader eager to help their teachers succeed. Get Better Faster focuses on what's practical and actionable which makes the book's approach to coaching so effective. By practicing the concrete actions and micro-skills listed in Get Better Faster, teachers will markedly improve their ability to lead a class, producing a steady chain reaction of future teaching success. Though focused heavily on the first 90 days of teacher development, it's possible to implement this work at any time. Junior and experienced teachers alike can benefit from the guidance of Get Better Faster while at the same time closing existing instructional gaps. Featuring valuable and practical online training tools available at http://www.wiley.com/go/getbetterfaster, Get Better Faster provides agendas, presentation slides, a coach's guide, handouts, planning templates, and 35 video clips of real teachers at work to help other educators apply the lessons learned in their own classrooms. Get Better Faster will teach you: The core principles of coaching: Go Granular; Plan, Practice, Follow Up, Repeat; Make Feedback More Frequent Top action steps to launch a teacher’s development in an easy-to-read scope and sequence guide It also walks you through the four phases of skill building: Phase 1 (Pre-Teaching): Dress Rehearsal Phase 2: Instant Immersion Phase 3: Getting into Gear Phase 4: The Power of Discourse Perfect for new educators and those who supervise them, Get Better Faster will also earn a place in the libraries of veteran teachers and school administrators seeking a one-stop coaching resource.
Top 10 Pick for Learning Ladders’ Best Books for Educators Summer 2021 A groundbreaking guide to improve teaching based on the latest research in neuroscience, from the bestselling author of A Mind for Numbers. Neuroscientists and cognitive scientists have made enormous strides in understanding the brain and how we learn, but little of that insight has filtered down to the way teachers teach. Uncommon Sense Teaching applies this research to the classroom for teachers, parents, and anyone interested in improving education. Topics include: • keeping students motivated and engaged, especially with online learning • helping students remember information long-term, so it isn't immediately forgotten after a test • how to teach inclusively in a diverse classroom where students have a wide range of abilities Drawing on research findings as well as the authors' combined decades of experience in the classroom, Uncommon Sense Teaching equips readers with the tools to enhance their teaching, whether they're seasoned professionals or parents trying to offer extra support for their children's education.
Uncommon Sense for New Teachers: A Good Beginning is Half the Work is a uniquely written resource for any preservice or new teacher moving into the profession of education. Noted by its author as “the book to read, before deciding what other books to read,” it offers deft perspective on the pressing issues weighing heavily on the minds and hearts of new teachers, including what teachers don’t learn before they start, but should. Written in short-read sections within each unit—relevant topics can be read in any order—each serves as the whisper in one’s head about what one might think, and how to act uncommonly when the next situation arises each day. This book supercharges new teachers, as they apply what they discover in their own way, in any grade, content area, or community.
Effective school leadership depends on developing an understanding of people, organisational learning and organisational processes. However, each school has a unique set of circumstances. Prescriptions for leadership that apply to one school may well not apply to another. Individual Schools, Unique Solutions turns away from the highly prescriptive management practices that often fail to provide a workable solution to specific problems in schools. Adrian Raynor demonstrates that by understanding the process influencing any situation, a creative solution can be achieved. The book draws on systems theory and aspects of complexity theory. While addressing many of the issues commonly faced by headteachers, the principles described are equally important for all levels of school management and the book will be of interest to all those in management positions in schools. Ultimately, this book is about developing effective leadership through understanding and is a guide to thinking afresh rather than looking for another quick-fix prescription.