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 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.




Guiding Teams to Excellence With Equity


Book Description

Guide your school through its cultural proficiency transformation Despite the best efforts of equity leaders, our schools suffer from persistent inequities. Guiding the Journey to Excellence with Equity is a must-read for anyone who supports professional learning in our schools. It defines a process of “inside-out” growth that helps develop culturally proficient educators with the facilitation skills needed to navigate the obstacles that arise during equity transformations. Written with an equity lens, this book: Includes a powerful vignette that illustrates common challenges and solutions Focuses on mental models for managing group energy Is grounded in a systems model for personal and organizational transformation Provides tools for planning culturally proficient learning experiences




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.




Leadership for Social Justice


Book Description

Expanded and revised, this reader on key issues in social justice and school leadership is written by leading authorities in leadership and social justice. The accessible and practical text is filled with current information from the field, real-life scenarios and controversies, and student activities -- all while challenging leaders, educators and researchers to be effective advocates for social justice. Demonstrating how the current realities in educational leadership training and in school practices can be refined or reconstructed to better meet students' needs, the book provides an array of ways of understanding the effects of exclusionary practices as well as useful exercises and materials for those who will lead students and staffs to create equitable practices. Recognizing that readers learn through multiple intelligences, Leadership for Social Justice intersperses poetry, quotes, editorial cartoons, evocative writing, and hands-on tools with research, theory, and recommendations for practice. The book is divided into 3 distinct parts: Re-defining Leadership for Social Justice, Preparing Social Justice Leaders, and Next Steps. The revised edition of Leadership for Social Justice is extensively updated and includes two new chapters: one focusing on special education students and one focusing on children in poverty. The new second edition also includes information on possible next steps for school leaders currently in training.




Preparing Globally Competent Professionals and Leaders for Innovation and Sustainability


Book Description

The personal and organizational struggles and accomplishments revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic highlight that innovation is the defining trait of individuals and organizations that thrive in the 21st century. The global health crisis not only accelerated the global geopolitical tensions and disrupted organizations in all sectors, but confirmed the importance of preparing globally competent citizens, professionals, and learners who can effectively respond to the economic, environmental, and digital transformations in the 21st century through lifelong learning and professional development. Leaders today need to not only understand the financial, operational, sociocultural, and historical contexts of regional, national, and global systems, but also to build effective partnerships and trusting relationships with all stakeholders in effective policymaking, fostering an organizational culture that supports innovation and managing risks. Preparing Globally Competent Professionals and Leaders for Innovation and Sustainability is centered on international higher education’s role for the global common good. It critically examines the need for globally competent citizens, professionals, and leaders in the 21st century and higher education’s role in the global common good for a sustainable world. The book presents an evidence-based interdisciplinary framework and promising strategies to allow all learners to develop global citizenship and global leadership while addressing the need to prepare human capital for the global knowledge economy and digital transformation of the 21st century. Covering topics such as accessible education, international higher education, and organizational innovation, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for organizational leaders, executives, faculty and administration of higher education, government officials, human resource managers, industry professionals, researchers, academicians, and students.




Handbook of Research on Social Justice and Equity in Education


Book Description

There is growing pressure on teachers and other educators to understand and adopt the best ways to work with the various races, cultures, and languages that diverse learners represent in the ever-increasing culturally-diverse learning environments. Establishing sound cross-cultural pedagogy is also critical given that racial, cultural, and linguistic integration has the potential to increase academic success for all learners. To that end, there is also a need for educators to prepare graduates who will better meet the needs of culturally diverse learners as well as support their students to become successful global citizens. The Handbook of Research on Social Justice and Equity in Education highlights cross-cultural perspectives, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to promoting cultural competence, equity, and social justice in education. It also explores multiple concepts of building a bridge from a monocultural pedagogical framework to cross-cultural knowledge. Covering topics such as diversity education and global citizenship, this major reference work is ideal for academicians, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, instructors, and students.




Research Anthology on Instilling Social Justice in the Classroom


Book Description

The issue of social justice has been brought to the forefront of society within recent years, and educational institutions have become an integral part of this critical conversation. Classroom settings are expected to take part in the promotion of inclusive practices and the development of culturally proficient environments that provide equal and effective education for all students regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, and disability, as well as from all walks of life. The scope of these practices finds itself rooted in curriculum, teacher preparation, teaching practices, and pedagogy in all educational environments. Diversity within school administrations, teachers, and students has led to the need for socially just practices to become the norm for the progression and advancement of education worldwide. In a modern society that is fighting for the equal treatment of all individuals, the classroom must be a topic of discussion as it stands as a root of the problem and can be a major step in the right direction moving forward. Research Anthology on Instilling Social Justice in the Classroom is a comprehensive reference source that provides an overview of social justice and its role in education ranging from concepts and theories for inclusivity, tools, and technologies for teaching diverse students, and the implications of having culturally competent and diverse classrooms. The chapters dive deeper into the curriculum choices, teaching theories, and student experience as teachers strive to instill social justice learning methods within their classrooms. These topics span a wide range of subjects from STEM to language arts, and within all types of climates: PK-12, higher education, online or in-person instruction, and classrooms across the globe. This book is ideal for in-service and preservice teachers, administrators, social justice researchers, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in how social justice is currently being implemented in all aspects of education.




Education for Social Justice


Book Description

The disparity between excellence and equity is a key issue for education policy and practice. This book is an argument for equity and inclusion in education, based on a model of social justice which is grounded in relationships and learning rather than policies and structures. Countries that combine excellence with equity, where young people experience high levels of wellbeing, tend to be societies with a commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion. There is an increasing recognition that long term educational and social reforms have to focus on issues around social justice if they are to be more than palliative responses. Education for Social Justice looks at the role of relationships on many levels: personal meaning, group or team interaction, the school structure and culture, and cross agency and community involvement and development. The aim of this book is to find a paradigm that can be used to achieve greater social fairness, by finding individual/local solutions still in line with national policies and strategies.




Leadership for Social Justice and Democracy in Our Schools


Book Description

Research shows that students' sense of belonging in their school communities is critically linked to academic achievement. This ninth and final book in The Soul of Educational Leadership series offers practical strategies for promoting socially responsible school cultures that foster greater student engagement and democratic values. A joint publication with the American Association of School Administrators and the HOPE Foundation with contributions from renowned educators Bonnie Davis, Linda Skrla, Randall Lindsey, and others, this book explores the key concepts of respect, equity, and character, and examines tough issues such as: - Reflecting on our own backgrounds and assumptions - Modeling socially responsible behavior - Teaching students to discern injustice - Enacting a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying. Students will shape tomorrow based on what they learn today. This compact guide equips educators to implement democratic practices, act in socially just ways, and impart democratic values to the citizens of the future.