Change Leadership: A Practical Guide to Transforming Our Schools.Change Leadership: A Practical Guide to Transforming Our Schools by Tony Wagner, Robert Kegan, Lisa Laskow Lahey, Richard W. Lemmons, Jude Garnier, Deborah Helsing, Annie Howell and Harriette Thurber Rasmussen, Jossey-Bass Education, San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Calif., 2005, 296 pp., $27 softcover soft·cov·er adj. Not bound between hard covers: softcover books; a softcover edition. Change Leadership provides an excellent template (1) A pre-designed document or data file formatted for common purposes such as a fax, invoice or business letter. If the document contains an automated process, such as a word processing macro or spreadsheet formula, then the programming is already written and embedded in the for understanding both the individual and organizational process of change and the relationship between the two. The authors devote most of the text to a hands-on approach for dealing with what they describe as the reinvention of schools. Numerous examples and self-reflection exercises are included. Of special note is the way the authors organize the change process in a logical and sequential fashion. In the authors' view, the most frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: aspect of school improvement is a lack of understanding of the "true problem" with schools. They maintain we have not fully acknowledged that workplace expectations, technology and the basic social structure of our country are vastly different today from when the school structure was developed. As a result, schools need to be reinvented, not merely reformed. The authors state that school change will require a paradigm shift A dramatic change in methodology or practice. It often refers to a major change in thinking and planning, which ultimately changes the way projects are implemented. For example, accessing applications and data from the Web instead of from local servers is a paradigm shift. See paradigm. where schools focus solely on improving student achievement. A new educational framework will be needed based on rigor rigor /rig·or/ (rig´er) [L.] chill; rigidity. rigor mor´tis the stiffening of a dead body accompanying depletion of adenosine triphosphate in the muscle fibers. , relevance and respectful re·spect·ful adj. Showing or marked by proper respect. re·spect  ful·ly adv. relationships. They discuss seven disciplines for
strengthening instruction including the use of real diagnostic data,
developing a shared vision of good teaching and appropriate student
results, accountable collaboration, effective supervision and
professional development.
This text could serve as an excellent guide for superintendents by providing a road map and structure to the extended process of school change. Reviewed by Ronald A. Styron Jr., chair, department of educational leadership and research, University of Southern Mississippi |
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