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Creating an Excellent School

Author : Hedley Beare

Publisher : Routledge

Page : 340 pages

File Size : 49,79 MB

Release : 2018-05-11

Category : Education

ISBN : 1351041525

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Book Description

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.



Standards of Mind and Heart

Author : Peggy Clohessy Silva

Publisher : Teachers College Press

Page : 180 pages

File Size : 50,44 MB

Release : 2002-04-05

Category : Education

ISBN : 9780807742129

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Book Description

This is the remarkable story of the creation of a new kind of high school that truly aspires to educate all students to high standards. Believing that a deeply personalized culture can prevent the senseless violence that has invaded many public schools, educators at Souhegan High School in Amherst, New Hampshire set out to create a safe, caring, and academically rigorous school. In this volume, Silva (a teacher) and Mackin (a principal) chronicle their experiences as they worked through the many challenges that ultimately resulted in this extraordinarily successful school. Featuring their honest reflections and the voices of other participants, this book: -- Portrays a real public high school (not a small alternative school) that is successfully implementing most of the reform practices recommended by national reform models. -- Demonstrates how schools can strike a balance between the need for stricter safety measures and the social and emotional needs of each student, thus avoiding violent outbursts in schools. -- Details the school's structure, curriculum, professional culture, and systems of accountability for all students in a heterogeneous, inclusionary setting. -- Describes the use of teaming, advisory groups, exhibitions, and senior projects. -- Provides a working model of the "Breaking Ranks" recommendations, including the importance of "personalization" and democracy in education.



Building School 2.0

Author : Chris Lehmann

Publisher : John Wiley & Sons

Page : 306 pages

File Size : 13,31 MB

Release : 2015-07-31

Category : Education

ISBN : 1118222679

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Book Description

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.



Celebrate High School

Author : Cheryl Bastian

Publisher :

Page : 136 pages

File Size : 37,99 MB

Release : 2015-09-10

Category :

ISBN : 9780692485972

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Book Description

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."



A School Leader's Guide to Excellence

Author : Carmen Fariña

Publisher : Heinemann Educational Books

Page : 0 pages

File Size : 23,38 MB

Release : 2014

Category : Education

ISBN : 9780325060927

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Book Description

"The first priority for school leaders is to understand that problems cannot define a vision nor become its end point. Instead, they are opportunities to include stakeholders in formulating the vision." - Carmen Farina and Laura Kotch This updated edition of A School Leader's Guide to Excellence models exactly how current Chancellor of New York City Public Schools, Carmen Farina, and former Executive Director of Professional Development for the New York City Department of Education, Laura Kotch, transform struggling schools and make good schools great. Carmen and Laura "believe that conversations and collaboration work better than competition and isolation, and that excellence can be shared and replicated. The building blocks of what works well in one classroom or school can be exported to build consistency and community across classrooms and schools." Their plan shows precisely how to envision success and share your plan, collaborate inside your building and outside it to build the momentum for change then focus everyone's energy toward accomplishing even your highest goals.



The Strategic School

Author : Karen Hawley Miles

Publisher : Corwin Press

Page : 233 pages

File Size : 10,55 MB

Release : 2008-05-29

Category : Education

ISBN : 145229304X

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Book Description

"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



What Effective Schools Do

Author : Lawrence W. Lezotte

Publisher : Solution Tree Press

Page : 292 pages

File Size : 40,77 MB

Release : 2011-09-15

Category : Education

ISBN : 1936765225

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Book Description

This guide helps educators implement a continuous school improvement system through application of the seven correlates of effective schools. The authors discuss each correlate, update the knowledge base, and incorporate practical ideas from practitioners in the field. A comprehensive description of practices enables educators to build and sustain a school culture that accommodates the learning expectations and needs of all students.



Creating the Effective Primary School

Author : Roger Smith

Publisher : Routledge

Page : 246 pages

File Size : 37,33 MB

Release : 2003-12-16

Category : Education

ISBN : 1135727244

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Book Description

A key role for primary school leaders is to develop strategies for promoting and ensuring high quality learning. This practical and accessible handbook has been written by an experienced primary leader, and will offer anyone seeking guidance on creating or maintaining a more effective primary school with a valuable and friendly resource. Extensive coverage in this book includes: * using organisation and leadership to create a positive ethos * developing good relationships and creating teams * managing the curriculum and raising pupil achievement * the role of targets and planning in raising achievement * fostering successful teaching and good classroom management and relationships * working with the inspection process * performance management * dealing effectively with stress and time management. Launching the new Kogan Page Primary Essentials series, this book will be welcomed by any primary leader who is seeking to develop their pupil's and their school's strengths and expectations.



Handbook of School Improvement

Author : Jo Blase

Publisher : Corwin Press

Page : 241 pages

File Size : 19,60 MB

Release : 2010-03-30

Category : Education

ISBN : 1452230765

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Book Description

Learn how successful principals make a difference in their school’s performance! Based on a ground-breaking study and numerous firsthand accounts, this illuminating book captures unique perspectives from 20 outstanding principals, representing a wide range of urban and rural schools. This resource includes: The nine personal characteristics that help principals lead high-performing schools Practical strategies for balancing both administrative responsibilities and instructional leadership Guidance on using a systems-development approach to support excellence at every level Discussion of the use of research and data for school improvement Tips and suggestions from effective principals, along with recommended resources for further learning



Building Better Schools with Evidence-based Policy

Author : Kelly-Ann Allen

Publisher : Routledge

Page : 317 pages

File Size : 38,33 MB

Release : 2021-04-29

Category : Education

ISBN : 1000363090

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Book Description

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."