Preparing Future Leaders for Social Justice


Book Description

In today's Western school systems, white, straight, middle-class and physically-able students reach higher achievements, drop out less, and have a greater chance of learning in higher education institutions than their counterparts who do not possess these characteristics. While many agree that theory, research and practice should be intertwined to support the type of schooling (and society) that values rather than marginalizes, few scholars offer ground-breaking, pragmatic approaches to developing truly transformative leaders. The purpose of this book is to offer a practical, process-oriented model aimed at helping educational leaders to perceive social, political, and economic contradictions and then to take action against the oppressive elements of reality. To this end, this book utilizes transformative andragogy, which leads to a new way of seeing and a new way of being. It is the art and science of helping others to think critically and act responsibly, to examine beliefs, to accept, reject or modify values, and to engage in activism and advocacy with and for others. Therefore, this book is of great value to those who wish to prepare tomorrow's school leaders for their role as promoters of social justice and excellence.




Leadership for Social Justice


Book Description

The purpose of this book series is to promote research on educational leadership for social justice. Specifically, we seek edited volumes, textbooks, and full!length studies focused on research that explores the ways educational leadership preparation and practice can be a means of addressing equity concerns throughout P-20 education. Within this book Leadership for Social Justice: Promoting Equity and Excellence Through Inquiry and Reflective Practice the contributors provide a variety of rich perspectives to the social justice phenomenon from the lens of empirical, historical, narrative, and conceptual designs. These designs reiterate the importance of bridging theory and practice while simultaneously producing significant research and scholarship in the field. Collectively, the authors seek to give voice to empowering, social justice-focused research—an area that continues to garner much interest in the areas of educational leadership research, teaching, and learning. In conjunction with the “theme” of this issue, the chapters offer research from an American perspective and offer suggestions, and implications for the field of educational leadership on both a national and international level. The collection contributes to research, theory and practice in educational and community settings.




Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership


Book Description

This timely and essential book provides a comprehensive guide for school leaders who desire to engage their school communities in transformative systemic change. Sharon I. Radd, Gretchen Givens Generett, Mark Anthony Gooden, and George Theoharis offer five practices to increase educational equity and eliminate marginalization based on race, disability, socioeconomics, language, gender and sexual identity, and religion. For each dimension of diversity, the authors provide background information for understanding the current realities in schools and beyond, and they suggest "disruptive practices" to replace the status quo in order to achieve full inclusion and educational excellence for every child. Assuming that leadership to create equity is a unique practice, the book offers * Clear explanations of foundational terms and concepts, such as equity, systemic inequity, paradigms and cognitive dissonance, and privilege; * Specific recommendations for how to build support and sustainability by engaging colleagues and other stakeholders in constructive dialogues with multiple perspectives; * Detailed descriptions of routines and roles for building effective equity-leadership teams; * Guidelines and tools for performing an equity audit, including environmental scans; * A change framework to skillfully transform your system; and * Reflection activities for self-discovery, understanding, and personal and professional growth. A call to action that is both passionate and practical, Five Practices for Equity-Focused School Leadership is an indispensable roadmap for educators undertaking the journey toward an education system that acknowledges and advances the worth and potential of all students.




Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators


Book Description

Preparing and Sustaining Social Justice Educators spotlights the challenging and necessary work of fostering social justice in schools. Integral to this work are the teachers and school leaders who enact the principles of social justice—racial equity, cultural inclusivity, and identity acceptance—daily in their classrooms. This volume makes the case that high-quality public education relies on the recruitment, professional development, and retention of educators ready to navigate complex systemic and structural inequities to best serve vulnerable student populations. Annamarie Francois and Karen Hunter Quartz, along with contributing scholars and practitioners, present an intersectional approach to educational justice. The approach is grounded in research about deeper learning, community development, and school reform. Throughout the book, the contributors detail professional activities proven to sustain social justice educators. They show, for example, how effective teacher coaching encourages educators to confront their explicit and implicit biases, to engage in critical conversations and self-reflection, and to assess teacher performance through a social justice lens. The book illustrates how professional learning collaborations promote diverse, antiracist, and socially responsible learning communities. Case studies at three university-partnered K–12 schools in Los Angeles demonstrate the benefits of these professional alliances and practices. Francois and Quartz acknowledge the difficulty of the social justice educator’s task, a challenge heightened by a K–12 teacher shortage, an undersupplied teacher pipeline, and school closures. Yet they keep their sights set on a just and equitable future, and in this work, they give educators the tools to build such a future.




Growing for Justice


Book Description

Be the leader you want to see in the world. Educators committed to social justice enter into the work in markedly different ways. Drawing from research with 50 educational leaders from across the United States, Growing for Justice explores how leaders committed to social justice support the growth of others while also developing their own capacities to engage, connect, and lead for change. This groundbreaking book, informed by adult developmental theory and based on a first-of-its-kind study, helps school leaders assess their own strengths and areas for growth—and then take concrete steps toward improvement. Features include: Exploration of meaning-making systems and how they affect leaders’ understandings of diversity, equity, and social justice A research-based, developmental model of justice-centering educational leadership capacities and practices Leaders’ personal stories of growth and development as advocates Planning activities and reflective exercises to drive decision-making, action, and internal capacity-building Wherever you are in your social justice journey, wanting to do better is the first step toward actually doing better. With this book’s help, you’ll outline the supports, stretches, and scaffoldings you need to continually grow for justice.




Leadership for Social Justice


Book Description

This reader on key issues in Social Justice is written by well-known experts in the area and edited by the leading authorities in the field. The book is divided into 3 distinct parts: Re-defining Leadership for Social Justice; Preparing Social Justice Leaders; and Next Steps, to mobilize to action as well as to make information accessible and useful. This book challenges leaders, educators and researchers to be effective advocates for social justice. It demonstrates how the current realities in educational leadership training and in school practices re-create inequities. It provides an array of ways of understanding the effects of exclusionary practices as well as constructive exercises and materials for those who will lead students and staffs to create equitable practices.




Leadership for Equity and Excellence


Book Description

"It brings into focus the many aspects of equity and equality in one source. It makes an excellent base for some meaningful discussion of these issues by those working with aspiring educator leaders, as well as those already in the field." Deborah A. Drugan, Principal General John J. Stefanik Elementary School, Chicopee, MA When true equity prevails, all students can be successful students! Do you dream of success for every student? Do you dream of raising achievement for each and every child to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act? Historically, underserved students—children of color, children from low-income families, English language learners—all deserve to live this dream. Creating an equitable learning environment in which all students thrive is possible—with this guide you can turn dreams into reality for your school. Leadership for Equity and Excellence encourages school leaders and teachers to develop creative strategies for student advancement using tools such as accountability, equity audits, and proactive redundancy. Scheurich and Skrla demonstrate how deeply held beliefs manifest as biases, preventing educators from unlocking their students′ potential. The authors also examine the U.S. education achievement gap, and suggest several concepts for overcoming this gap, such as: Eliminating "can′t" from your vocabulary Using creativity, perseverance, and persistence Envisioning educators as civil rights workers Moving beyond harmful, but entrenched, biases Understanding the cultures and backgrounds of each student Children of color excelling in school . . . children from low-income homes thriving academically . . . classrooms, communities, and even a nation of people becoming truly equal—this is the living dream of today′s educators.




Bending the Arc Towards Justice


Book Description

School districts are experiencing increasing economic, racial, ethnic, linguistic, gender and sexuality, cultural diversity across the United States and globally. With increasing diversity and persistent social inequities widening (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019; U.S. Census Data, 2018), educational leaders face immense challenges and must actively work to build an equitable, healthy school climate. Educational leaders are critical for ensuring positive student outcomes and success, but often report feeling inadequately prepared for current challenges (Coalition for Teacher Equality, 2016; Jordan, 2012; Miller, 2013; Mitani, 2018; Papa, 2007). Unfortunately, growing challenges are contributing to high school administrator turnover rates and shortages (Gates et al., 2006; Jacob et al., 2015; Mordechay & Orfield, 2017) as well as perpetuating social inequities among preK-12 students instead of dismantling them (Beckett, 2018; Fuller, 2012; Manna, 2015; Rangel, 2018; Shankar-Brown, 2015). A research study by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) reveals that public schools with higher percentages of low-income students and students of color are more likely to experience administrative and teacher turnover, which compounds equity issues affecting already vulnerable students (Levin and Bradley, 2019). This book provides educational leaders with a deeper understanding of equity-focused and inclusive leadership practices, while offering intersectional views on social inequalities and stark reminders of the work still ahead. Connecting theory to practice, this book offers needed encouragement and inspiration to both in-service and practicing educational leaders. Rooted in social justice and weaving together diverse voices, this edited volume systematically examines equity-focused PreK-12 and higher education leadership practices. Shankar-Brown (Ed.) calls on educational leaders to collectively rise and mindfully work together to bend the arc toward justice.




School Leadership in a Diverse Society


Book Description

With the increasing amount of diversity taking place in the United States and in our K-12 schools, this book will help school leaders become prepared. It is the school principal who sets the tone for the school culture and provides the vision as to the direction of the organization. Therefore, school principals will ultimately have a great impact in promoting cultural and social diversity. School Leadership in a Diverse Society: Helping Schools Prepare all Students for Success (2nd Edition) will help scholars and practitioners have a better understanding of the increasing amount of diversity that is occurring in American society. This book will give them the tools needed to lead schools to ensure that all students, regardless of their life circumstances and status, are provided a school experience that promotes high academic achievement and a sense of belonging. Today, multiculturalism and diversity preparation are needed in our society, seemingly more so than when schools first made an earnest effort to integrate twenty years after Brown V. Board of Education. Just as it seemed the United States was making significant progress dealing with issues that have plagued this country for hundreds of years, recently, there has been a surge in diversity-related issues (the killing of unarmed African Americans, the unwarranted attacks on Asians, immigration debates, the recent rise of groups that support white supremacy, blackface incidents, increasing wealth divide between the ultra rich and the poor, religious backlash, etc.). These issues should remind us that the struggle for social equity continues into the present moment. Communities must work together to help fight rising intolerance and prejudice within our country and schools.