Teacher Ron Berger discusses his desire for all students to be “craftsmen”–to be proud of their work, and to have work worthy of pride. He argues that craftsmanship is developed naturally within cultures of excellence, and so schools should work first on creating a culture of excellence.
The authors discuss research on essential elements of good leadership, successful leadership development programs, program structures that provide the best learning environments, and policies that sustain good programs.
This article attempts to explain how leadership has an effect on student learning and what the essential ingredients of successful leadership are. The authors suggest that leadership is second only to teaching in its impact on student-learning.
Richard DuFour argues that Professional Learning Communities have a lot of potential, but should focus on these principles to be effective…
Margaret J. Wheatley argues that the chaotic, fluid, and dynamic world of the 21st century demands a fundamental adjustment in how people think. Instead of focusing on providing answers and solutions, she writes, we must be willing to ask questions, admit uncertainty, and listen more than we speak.
This chapter explores the common characteristics of schools that have high poverty rates, high ethnic/racial minority populations, and high academic achievement.
Yale graduate Peter Brand uses statistical analysis to evaluate potential players for the Oakland Athletics. Because of his revolutionary way of thinking about baseball players, Brand sees the potential in…
Jon Saphier and Matthew King assert that school improvement emerges from the strengthening of teachers’ skills, the systematic renovation of curriculum, the improvement of the organization, and the involvement of parents and citizens in responsible school-community partnerships, and that school culture is the foundation for each and can either strengthen or undermine these actions.