Drawing from their coaching and facilitation experience and expertise, the authors of this book offer educators strategies for meaningful conversation in an ever-changing landscape.
Renew your teaching and your passion with this updated bestseller! The teaching life can be hectic, complex, and even lonely. That's why so many educators turn to reflective practice to reenergize their commitment to students-and to themselves. Reflective practice counteracts the effects of professional isolation and instills a personal and communal sense of meaning, renewal, and empowerment. This best-selling book offers research-based and practical ideas and strategies for using reflective practice individually, with colleagues, schoolwide, and even district-wide. Features of the newest edition include: Updated strategies for engaging adults and students and using reflective practices to create equitable outcomes New examples of reflective practice in action A new chapter on the core leadership practices for growing reflective practice A new companion website with resources and reflection protocols When you make reflective practice part of your journey as an educator, your insights benefit everyone-and ensure enhanced learning and development for students. "This book is one of the best in the field. It lends itself to practical solutions if the reader remembers that the gifts of time and relationships are at the center of this work. The book takes a lot of theory and melts it down to hands-on pieces doable in a school or district setting." -Michele R. Dean, Coordinator, Ventura County Indian Education Consortium Ventura Unified School District, CA "The book has broken down reflection into its component parts, cycles, characteristics, and capacities. I applaud the insights and experiences of the authors." -Pat Roy, Senior Consultant Learning Forward
This research-based sequel to Leading Professional Learning Communities focuses on the practical process of implementing, improving, and sustaining PLCs. Appropriate for groups at all stages of PLC development, this field book helps educators improve PLC operations by facilitating individual and group development and growth. The authors provide learning opportunities that generate conversations about adult learning and contribute to supportive conditions that strengthen teacher quality and raise student outcomes.
"An extensive and comprehensive resource for aspiring as well as practicing school leaders at every level. For aspiring school leaders, this book provides a multifaceted look at the complexity of school organizations. For practicing school leaders, the design of the content, the broad array of useful information, the action checklists, the quick-read guidelines, and the extensive references provide readers with a useful guide." -Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director National Association of Secondary School Principals An original, proven approach to help you meet challenges head-on! Research has shown that effective school leadership is a key factor in promoting high student achievement. This very practical, easy-to-use reference draws from leadership lessons learned in both education and business. Written as a field manual for "school CEOs" to facilitate understanding and operating a school as an organization, this book is designed for easy access within a unifying framework to enable flexible use for busy principals. Based on the Organizational Effectiveness Model, the manual offers a blend of background knowledge and practices that are immediately useful, in the context of five elements that are essential to all organizations: Mission, including the central importance of useful metrics Strategies, such as the value of seeing the whole system Structure, including skill with conflict management People, highlighting the usefulness of political savvy Leadership, including the fundamental importance of trust Filled with practical strategies and tools, The Principal's Field Manual is an invaluable resource for helping both new and experienced administrators better understand and effectively operate the school as a vital and dynamic organization.
"An extensive and comprehensive resource for aspiring as well as practicing school leaders at every level. For aspiring school leaders, this book provides a multifaceted look at the complexity of school organizations. For practicing school leaders, the design of the content, the broad array of useful information, the action checklists, the quick-read guidelines, and the extensive references provide readers with a useful guide." -Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director National Association of Secondary School Principals An original, proven approach to help you meet challenges head-on! Research has shown that effective school leadership is a key factor in promoting high student achievement. This very practical, easy-to-use reference draws from leadership lessons learned in both education and business. Written as a field manual for "school CEOs" to facilitate understanding and operating a school as an organization, this book is designed for easy access within a unifying framework to enable flexible use for busy principals. Based on the Organizational Effectiveness Model, the manual offers a blend of background knowledge and practices that are immediately useful, in the context of five elements that are essential to all organizations: Mission, including the central importance of useful metrics Strategies, such as the value of seeing the whole system Structure, including skill with conflict management People, highlighting the usefulness of political savvy Leadership, including the fundamental importance of trust Filled with practical strategies and tools, The Principal's Field Manual is an invaluable resource for helping both new and experienced administrators better understand and effectively operate the school as a vital and dynamic organization.
"Hord is the originator of the triple-headed concept of professional learning communities. Sommers is an experienced administrator and past president of the National Staff Development Council. With the authors' extensive backgrounds in educational evaluation and the implementation of school change and development, they are uniquely equipped to delineate and defend a particular vision of professional learning communities that has educational depth, professional richness, and moral integrity." -From the Foreword by Andy Hargreaves "The most important volume available to help principals undertake the challenging yet exhilarating work of building true communities of professional learning." -Joseph Murphy, Professor Vanderbilt University "The book does not gloss over the challenges that leaders will encounter. The authors draw upon rich research evidence and personal experiences and offer many practical, proven change strategies. This is a valuable resource for any educational leader who wishes to become a 'head learner.'" -Arthur L. Costa, Professor Emeritus California State University, Sacramento "Hord and Sommers create a powerful bridge between the research base on PLCs and practitioner knowledge and action. The book's dual focus on principles and 'rocks in the road' provide a grounded basis for school leaders. A dog-eared copy should be in every principal's office and in every professional developer's tool kit." -Karen Seashore Louis, Rodney S. Wallace Professor University of Minnesota, Minneapolis "The authors' rationale and suggestions will resonate because they come from experience and great insight. The bottom line remains steadfast for these two distinguished educators: you implement a PLC so that teachers learn and students achieve. This text will help educators reach toward that compelling vision." -Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director National Staff Development Council Imagine all professionals in all schools engaged in continuous professional learning! Current research shows a strong positive relationship between successful professional learning communities and increased student achievement. In this practical and reader-friendly guide, education experts Shirley M. Hord and William A. Sommers explore the school-based learning opportunities offered to school professionals and the principal's critical role in the development of an effective professional learning community (PLC). This book provides school leaders with readily accessible information to guide them in developing a PLC that supports teachers and students. The authors cover building a vision for a PLC, implementing structures, creating policies and procedures, and developing the leadership skills required for initiating and sustaining a learning community. Each chapter includes meaningful quotes from the field, "rocks in the road" and ways to overcome them, examples from real PLCs, and learning activities to reinforce chapter content. The text illustrates how this research-based school improvement model can help educators: Increase leadership capacity Embed professional development into daily work Create a positive school culture Develop accountability Boost student achievement Discover how you can grow a vital community of professionals who work together to increase their effectiveness and strengthen the relationship between professional learning and student learning.
Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, is a school improvement model that continues to grow in popularity as a means to build capacity, embed professional development, create a positive school culture, grow accountability, and increase student achievement. This book provides an overview for why PLCs are needed & what they can accomplish.
Memorable Movie Moments That Promote Reflection, Conversation, and Action
"One of the fastest ways to provide an understanding is through a story or a visual. Film clips do both. This book is an invaluable aid to any staff developer who wants to captivate an audience and teach at the same time." -Dr. Ruby Payne, President aha! Process, Inc. "Because our metaphorical minds learn through finding patterns, relationships, and analogies, the use of film clips to illuminate such elusive but enduring values as persistence, courage, empathy, creativity, and hope can accelerate their meanings more powerfully than any lecture, definition, or description." -Arthur L. Costa, Professor Emeritus California State University Sacramento Make training fun, engaging, and rewarding with this powerful and readily available technology! Video and DVD clips give participants an opportunity to explore values and ideas, learn about one another, and, in the process, build a stronger learning community. Energizing Staff Development Using Film Clips is a collection of film and television clips that staff developers can use to encourage discussion and reflection on pertinent, common themes, including courage, communication, change, conflict, creativity, and leadership. Each chapter includes real-life examples of how clips may be used in staff development settings, quotes for extending thinking and discussion, and articles and books that relate to the chapter theme. Each film clip section includes: A synopsis of the scene An explanation of critical themes Start and stop times The length of the clip Suggested discussion questions Contexts for use These stimulating, instructive film clips lead to helpful conversations, create positive plans of action, and promote learning through reflection. Whether planning a team meeting, a faculty meeting, or a training program, leaders and organizations will find a clip to generate conversations about many of the most pressing issues in education.
Memorable Movie Moments That Promote Reflection, Conversation, and Action
"One of the fastest ways to provide an understanding is through a story or a visual. Film clips do both. This book is an invaluable aid to any staff developer who wants to captivate an audience and teach at the same time." -Dr. Ruby Payne, President aha! Process, Inc. "Because our metaphorical minds learn through finding patterns, relationships, and analogies, the use of film clips to illuminate such elusive but enduring values as persistence, courage, empathy, creativity, and hope can accelerate their meanings more powerfully than any lecture, definition, or description." -Arthur L. Costa, Professor Emeritus California State University Sacramento Make training fun, engaging, and rewarding with this powerful and readily available technology! Video and DVD clips give participants an opportunity to explore values and ideas, learn about one another, and, in the process, build a stronger learning community. Energizing Staff Development Using Film Clips is a collection of film and television clips that staff developers can use to encourage discussion and reflection on pertinent, common themes, including courage, communication, change, conflict, creativity, and leadership. Each chapter includes real-life examples of how clips may be used in staff development settings, quotes for extending thinking and discussion, and articles and books that relate to the chapter theme. Each film clip section includes: A synopsis of the scene An explanation of critical themes Start and stop times The length of the clip Suggested discussion questions Contexts for use These stimulating, instructive film clips lead to helpful conversations, create positive plans of action, and promote learning through reflection. Whether planning a team meeting, a faculty meeting, or a training program, leaders and organizations will find a clip to generate conversations about many of the most pressing issues in education.
