Building Culture: A handbook to harnessing human nature to create strong school teams


Book Description

Building Culture navigates the complex educational landscape and provides a look at school culture, highlighting key aspects of cultivating culture that leads to great pupil outcomes. Rooted in her own experience as a senior leader, Lekha Sharma knows that leaders need not only the what of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy but also the how. How can school leaders bring together the theoretical knowledge they possess and mobilise it on the ground so that they can have a positive and tangible impact on pupil outcomes? Teachers are increasingly equipped with the awareness and knowledge of cognitive psychology but what other areas of psychology could support those that lead those very teachers? And what elements of human nature can we harness to build the kind of school cultures that are conducive to improving outcomes for pupils? Building Culture provides a great start to answering all those questions.




The Power of Teams: How to create and lead thriving school teams


Book Description

In education, resources and time are scarce, yet the demand for performance is sky high. School leaders invest money and labour into improving their schools, navigating trade offs along the way. But what if one of the biggest improvements we could make to our schools was something we already do? What if enhancing teamwork so that school teams thrive, was actually the secret ingredient to success? The Power of Teams explores evidence from across sectors, including education, to find out what high-performing teams share, and how we can adapt the most effective teamwork strategies to the unique environment of a school. The book outlines a model of teamwork factors that contribute to truly thriving teams, with theory, research, tangible actions for school teams, and a range of expert voices who contribute their experience in case studies. Effective teamwork leads to purpose, belonging, trust, learning, and, ultimately, high performance. When we better understand the nuances of how teams can thrive, we discover the real Power of Teams.




Authentic School Improvement for Authentic Leaders


Book Description

Authentic School Improvement for Authentic Leaders charts a full improvement journey of a school from a ‘Requires Improvement’ Ofsted rating, through a second, to a resounding ‘Good’. It reveals the impact that a school leader can have on the motivation and engagement of teachers, parents and pupils and how this translates not just to their overall happiness, but on academic standards and systemic, long-lasting school improvement whilst maintaining their own well-being. Bringing together a wide range of accessible and relatable school improvement practices, the chapters cover all aspects of school leadership, from operational systems to academic standards and staff morale to pupil numbers. Full of strategies, takeaways, observations and anecdotes, the book illustrates that being authentic and leading with integrity is possible for all and provides tangible results that may support positive Ofsted outcomes but are not driven by them. Including a Foreword by Ross Morrison McGill, this is essential reading for all headteachers and senior leaders in primary and secondary, mainstream and specialist, maintained and academy schools.




The researchED Guide to Cognitive Science: An evidence-informed guide for teachers


Book Description

researchED is an educator-led organisation with the goal of bridging the gap between research and practice. This accessible and punchy series, overseen by founder Tom Bennett, tackles the most important topics in education, with a range of experienced contributors exploring the latest evidence and research and how it can apply in a variety of classroom settings. In this edition, Kate Jones considers various principles from cognitive science that can be used to enhance teaching and learning, including cognitive load theory, dual coding theory, interleaving, retrieval practice and spaced practice. Kate has sourced contributions from teachers and researchers including Jade Pearce, Sarah Cottingham, Adam Boxer, Jonathan Firth, Paul A. Kirschner, Pedro De Bruyckere and Lekha Sharma. Kate Jones is a teacher and an experienced leader. She is the author of seven books and is senior associate for teaching and learning at Evidence Based Education.




Leading the High Energy Culture: What the Best CEOs Do to Create an Atmosphere Where Employees Flourish


Book Description

"A clear path to creating an organizational culture where leaders are the constant source of energy that feeds a competitive advantage."---Matt Holt, Vice President Human Resources, Dot Foods, Inc. --




Curriculum to Classroom: A Handbook to Prompt Thinking Around Primary Curriculum Design and Delivery


Book Description

Curriculum to Classroom is the ideal book for senior leaders and curriculum leads who are in the process of establishing, refining and reviewing their school curriculum. It provides an overview of the curriculum design and delivery process in the Primary phase in its entirety. It also provides research-based evidence, practical examples and short/medium and long term solutions for your school in light of the 2014 National Curriculum as well as expert opinions from a number of renowned educators on different elements of the curriculum including: creating a powerful and ambitious vision for your school's curriculum intent; how to promote character development; how best to support and empower subject leads; and the fundamental building blocks in terms of implementation of the curriculum. This book will enable you to consider the many facets of curriculum design and support strategic decision making so your curriculum is meeting and exceeding the expectations of the National Curriculum as well as being unique and bespoke to your school community. An easy-to-read handbook to prompt thinking and reflections on your school's curriculum and provide practical tools and strategies to take it forward.




Culture Re-Boot


Book Description

Packed with hands-on activities, this practical handbook shows you how to be the transformational leader your school needs to enact a culture change and improve student outcomes.







Culture, Mind, and Brain


Book Description

Recent neuroscience research makes it clear that human biology is cultural biology - we develop and live our lives in socially constructed worlds that vary widely in their structure values, and institutions. This integrative volume brings together interdisciplinary perspectives from the human, social, and biological sciences to explore culture, mind, and brain interactions and their impact on personal and societal issues. Contributors provide a fresh look at emerging concepts, models, and applications of the co-constitution of culture, mind, and brain. Chapters survey the latest theoretical and methodological insights alongside the challenges in this area, and describe how these new ideas are being applied in the sciences, humanities, arts, mental health, and everyday life. Readers will gain new appreciation of the ways in which our unique biology and cultural diversity shape behavior and experience, and our ongoing adaptation to a constantly changing world.




Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge


Book Description

This fully revised and updated edition of Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge recognizes that the future of economic well being in today's knowledge and information society rests upon the effectiveness of schools and corporations to empower their people to be more effective learners and knowledge creators. Novak’s pioneering theory of education presented in the first edition remains viable and useful. This new edition updates his theory for meaningful learning and autonomous knowledge building along with tools to make it operational ─ that is, concept maps, created with the use of CMapTools and the V diagram. The theory is easy to put into practice, since it includes resources to facilitate the process, especially concept maps, now optimised by CMapTools software. CMapTools software is highly intuitive and easy to use. People who have until now been reluctant to use the new technologies in their professional lives are will find this book particularly helpful. Learning, Creating, and Using Knowledge is essential reading for educators at all levels and corporate managers who seek to enhance worker productivity.