Creating an Excellent School

Creating an Excellent School
Author: Hedley Beare
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 340
Release: 2018-05-11
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1351041525

Originally published in 1989. The pursuit of excellence is much discussed with reference to education, but the question remains, ’How can a school become excellent?’ This book demonstrates that excellence depends on good management which, in turn, depends not only on a clear understanding of good management theory, but on the ability to translate theory into practice. The authors offer profound insights into three crucial areas of leadership: culture, structure, and public accountability. Drawing on areas outside education, such as advertising and business, they discuss many innovations that are already current - flexitime, the vertical curriculum, mastery learning, community support - and depict ways in which these can be brought together into a total educational experience. More strikingly, however, they look ahead, examining the potential changes to our concept of schooling: for instance those brought about by the growth of information technology. This book emphasises that at the heart of outstanding schooling are visionary leadership, a clear sense of purpose, and creatively conceived and flexible support structures.

Creating Outstanding Classrooms

Creating Outstanding Classrooms
Author: Oliver Knight
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 432
Release: 2013-10-15
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1134508018

This timely new book outlines a whole-school approach to embedding a sustainable model of teaching and learning that puts the learner at the heart of the system. It provides an entire framework for ensuring all students achieve above their expectations; incorporating school vision, teacher professional development, assessment models, school culture, leadership and management, and core classroom practices. It takes what the current research suggests does – and does not – work and builds it into a practical approach that has been tried, tested and proven to work. Each section incorporates the research, a model of how this can be embedded across a school and then a training section that allows senior leaders in schools to teach the skill-set to others to ensure it can be embedded and reviewed. Covering all aspect of teaching and learning including curriculum design, teacher practices, assessment and leadership, the book features: a clear planning framework that is easy to implement; subject based case studies to exemplify good practice; diagrams to clarify and consolidate information; training activities throughout each chapter, also available to download at www.routledge.com/9780415831178. Designed to be used as a training tool for both new and established teachers, this book is essential reading for senior leaders that want to equip their teachers with the skills and knowledge to create a school of outstanding classrooms.

Building School 2.0

Building School 2.0
Author: Chris Lehmann
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2015-07-31
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1118222679

Ninety-five propositions for creating more relevant, more caring schools There is a growing desire to reexamine education and learning. Educators use the phrase "school 2.0" to think about what schools will look like in the future. Moving beyond a basic examination of using technology for classroom instruction, Building School 2.0: How to Create the Schools We Need is a larger discussion of how education, learning, and our physical school spaces can—and should—change because of the changing nature of our lives brought on by these technologies. Well known for their work in creating Science Leadership Academy (SLA), a technology-rich, collaborative, learner-centric school in Philadelphia, founding principal Chris Lehmann and former SLA teacher Zac Chase are uniquely qualified to write about changing how we educate. The best strategies, they contend, enable networked learning that allows research, creativity, communication, and collaboration to help prepare students to be functional citizens within a modern society. Their model includes discussions of the following key concepts: Technology must be ubiquitous, necessary, and invisible Classrooms must be learner-centric and use backwards design principles Good technology can be better than new technology Teachers must serve as mentors and bring real-world experiences to students Each section of Building School 2.0 presents a thesis designed to help educators and administrators to examine specific practices in their schools, and to then take their conclusions from theory to practice. Collectively, the theses represent a new vision of school, built off of the best of what has come before us, but with an eye toward a future we cannot fully imagine.

The Strategic School

The Strategic School
Author: Karen Hawley Miles
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2008-05-29
Genre: Education
ISBN: 145229304X

"How you spend your resources really does speak to the ethics, morals, and values about what is important. I use these ideas each day to help schools leverage their resources in strategic and creative ways to meet students′ needs." —Mary Nash, Assistant Superintendent Boston Public Schools, MA "A powerful new lens for looking at school resources by fundamentally changing the question from ′How much money do schools need to succeed?′ to ′How well are resources being used to ensure student success?′" —Richard Murnane, Economist and Professor Harvard Graduate School of Education Strategically reorganize school resources to support instructional and performance priorities! How can schools best use the resources they already have? That question is at the heart of this inspiring book for school and district administrators challenged with increasing student performance without additional funding. Exploring the link between purposeful resource allocation and academic achievement, Karen Hawley Miles and Stephen Frank demonstrate how educational leaders can develop successful and strategic schools by assessing how well they use all available resources—people, time, and money—and by creating effective alternatives to meet goals. The authors use their extensive research with urban schools and districts to present case studies of schools that successfully reorganized resources to implement the "Big 3 Guiding Resource Strategies": improving teaching quality, creating individual attention, and maximizing academic time. The Strategic School offers planning guides, checklists, worksheets, and strategies aligned with ISLLC standards to help leaders: Assess current resource use in new ways that go beyond the typical budget review Organize resources more creatively and flexibly Craft a master schedule that works Connect resource allocation to student and school performance

Celebrate High School

Celebrate High School
Author: Cheryl Bastian
Publisher:
Total Pages: 136
Release: 2015-09-10
Genre:
ISBN: 9780692485972

Home educating high school is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It is a journey unique to every student; an quest documented through specific paperwork requested or required by employers and college admission offices. How is a young adult's distinguishing education and exemplary character communicated in a resume, on a transcript, or through portfolios? Celebrate High School equips parents and students of any educational philosophy with easy-to-follow explanations, ready-to-use examples, and experiential narratives from families who have successfully walked the home education high school path. This book was purposefully written and specifically designed from the author's personal experience and research, as well as her and her husband's work with homeschooling families spanning more than twenty years.In the first chapter, Magnificent Make-A-Difference Middle School, parents are equipped with practical tips to help middle schoolers manage their time, organize their work and living space, and find resources. This chapter prepares the parent for Chapter 2, Navigating the Middle School Academic Maze; Chapter 3, Middle School Record Keeping; and Chapter 4, Future Possibilities. Chapter 5 encourages parents to look at the student's long term goals to plan with the end in mind and finish well. By the end of Chapter 5, parents are ready to dig into Chapter 6, Meeting College Admission Requirements. Chapter 7 outlines specific details for High School Record Keeping including course work and credits, writing course descriptions, creating and formatting transcripts, obtaining and documenting community service and extracurricular activity hours, compiling a reading list, requesting letters of recommendation, and preparing for testing and college entrance. The Finishing Well chapter closes the book with words of encouragement for parents in the last year of homeschooling high school. Celebrate High School helps parents celebrate the accomplishments, the efforts, the time, and the energy put forth by the student and the family. It is an opportunity to look back and appreciate the people who poured into and shaped the life of the graduate--the parents, grandparents, mentors, and other significant individuals. Celebrate High School entreats parents to celebrate not only the academic achievements, but also the discovery of the student's strengths and how those strengths have the potential to impact future employers, campuses, the nation, and the world.Parents who have used Celebrate High School say:"Entering high school at home was an easy transition for us thanks to Cheryl's book, Celebrate High School. Easy step-by-step instruction for developing a four-year plan, writing course descriptions, understanding graduation requirements, and creating transcripts make this resource invaluable. With this book, Cheryl's many hours of research and experience is right at your fingertips.""Celebrate High School covers essential details to successfully navigate homeschooling through the middle and high school years. I appreciated the easy-to-read format as well as the wisdom Celebrate High School imparted, offering our family freedom in selecting courses that allow our children to develop their strengths while building a competitive transcript."

The NEW School Rules

The NEW School Rules
Author: Anthony Kim
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2018-01-06
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1544323204

Actions to increase effectiveness of schools in a rapidly changing world Schools, in order to be nimble and stay relevant and impactful, need to abandon the rigid structures designed for less dynamic times. The NEW School Rules expands cutting-edge organizational design and modern management techniques into an operating system for empowering schools with the same agility and responsiveness so vital in the business world. 6 simple rules create a unified vision of responsiveness among educators Real life case studies illustrate responsive techniques implemented in a variety of educational demographics 15 experiments guide school and district leaders toward increased responsiveness in their faculty and staff

Doing School

Doing School
Author: Denise Clark Pope
Publisher: Yale University Press
Total Pages: 230
Release: 2008-10-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0300130589

This book offers a highly revealing and troubling view of today's high school students and the ways they pursue high grades and success. Denise Pope, veteran teacher and curriculum expert, follows five motivated and successful students through a school year, closely shadowing them and engaging them in lengthy reflections on their school experiences. What emerges is a double-sided picture of school success. On the one hand, these students work hard in school, participate in extracurricular activities, serve their communities, earn awards and honours, and appear to uphold school values. But on the other hand, they feel that in order to get ahead they must compromise their values and manipulate the system by scheming, lying, and cheating. In short, they do school, that is, they are not really engaged with learning nor can they commit to such values as integrity and community. The words and actions of these five students - two boys and three girls from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds - underscore the frustrations of being caught in a grade trap that pins future success to high grades and test scores. Their stories raise critical questions that are too important for parents, educators, and community leaders to ignore. Are schools cultivating an environment that promotes intellectual curiosity, cooperation, and integrity? Or are they fostering anxiety, deception, and hostility? Do today's schools inadvertently impede the very values they claim to embrace? Is the success that current assessment practices measure the kind of success we want for our children?

Make Your School Awesome

Make Your School Awesome
Author: Jennifer Viaud
Publisher: Bookbaby
Total Pages: 108
Release: 2021-09-08
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781098379407

Are your teachers and paraprofessionals feeling uninspired? Do you feel each school year has become the same boring routine? Does the morale in your building need a little boost? It's time to mix things up and showcase the dedicated and talented staff you work with. Make Your School Awesome will provide teachers, school leaders, and parent volunteers with creative ideas and events that will make your school's vibe rock! This guide will help educators to build a fun and cohesive school environment for students and staff alike. Most importantly, it will help transform your school into the happy place it deserves to be.

Create a Culture of Kindness in Middle School

Create a Culture of Kindness in Middle School
Author: Naomi Drew
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2017-10-02
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1631981609

Practical, research-based lessons for middle school educators to teach students pro-social attitudes and behaviors to prevent bullying. Create a Culture of Kindness in Middle School focuses on positive and pro-social attitudes and behaviors that build a respectful and compassionate school environment, while also addressing the tough issues of prejudice, anger, exclusion, and bullying. Through role-playing, perspective-taking, sharing, writing, discussion, and more, students develop the insights and skills they need to accept differences, resolve conflicts peacefully, stop bullying among peers, and create a community of kindness in their classrooms and school. Based on survey data gathered by the authors from more than 1,000 students, the book’s research-based lessons are easy to implement and developmentally appropriate. Digital content includes student handouts from the book.

Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy

Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy
Author: Kelly-Ann Allen
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2021-04-29
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1000363090

Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy: Adaptable Policy for Teachers and School Leaders provides an extensive set of free-to-use policies for building better schools. The policies included in this book cover a broad range of popular topics for schools that are not readily accessible, and each policy is built on theory, driven by research, and created by experts. Each policy is based on substantial evidence, and this is ensured through the inclusion of contributors who are active and highly reputable in their respective field. Most schools are obliged to write and maintain policy, and not all school leaders have the required skills, time, or expertise to do this effectively. Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy: Adaptable Policy for Teachers and School Leaders is a time-saving resource for schools. It aims to address the reported research-to-practice gap in education by delivering accessible evidence-based practice in a ready-to-use adaptable format. All policies within this book are designed to be adapted and tailored to the unique diversity and needs of each school as reflected by the context and the people that make up the school community. This book is relevant to every person who works in a school – worldwide. Users of this book can rest assured that each policy has been carefully formulated from the current understandings of best practice. This is a practical innovation and an example of how schools can use research evidence in their day-to-day practices. "The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license."