Possibilities of the Impossible - Portia S. Bonner

Possibilities of the Impossible

Obstacles of Educational Reform, Nets, Trenches, Sinkholes and Cisterns
Buch | Softcover
210 Seiten
2022
Rowman & Littlefield (Verlag)
978-1-4758-6422-9 (ISBN)
37,40 inkl. MwSt
Four metaphors are used to describe the realities of how the educational system affects students.
Using metaphors of nets, trenches, sink holes and cisterns, this book shows instances of the obstacles that hinder academic success for our children. The purpose of this book is to bring an awareness of what is broken in our educational system by looking at leadership and reform efforts in the midst of relationships, sustainability of reform efforts in economic unpredictability, the impact on the future workforce, and what is needed to overcome obstacles. A second purpose is to engage educators, in particular leadership, in thought provoking conversations around building the trusting relationships amongst stakeholders that is necessary for effective, transformative and successful school districts.

The book introduces three case studies of three school districts that, in the form of short vignettes, share stories of how relationships can impact the climate and culture of a district. This book will contribute significantly to the establishment of trusting relationships that empower educational leaders to work through reform efforts for the good of their communities and help future leaders persevere and not fall into despair in their leadership journey, but instead learn along the way.

Portia S. Bonner, PhD, is a veteran educator serving over the span of 30 years in multiple capacities, from school teacher to superintendent of schools. As an agent of change, she has assisted underperforming schools and districts in their directional focus of improvement and building partnerships with their community.

Preface

Chapter 1: Leading Unwanted Change When Change is Needed!

Section 1: Leading Change

Section 2: Rationale for Change: Because Everyone is Not Achieving!

Section 3: What’s Holding Us Down?

The Setting

Chapter 2: A Story of Three School Districts

Section 1: District 1 – Transitioning District

Section 2: District 2 – The Shore

Section 3: District 3 - Northwest

Nets

Chapter 3: Nets That Capture

Section 1: What’s Captured Our Children?

Section 2: Institutional Structure and Tradition

Section 3: Leadership at the Helm

Section 4: Teachers Collective Bargaining and the Rule to Work

Chapter 4: Nets That Hold

Section 1: Teachers’ Expectations, Beliefs and Mindsets

Section 2: Students’ Cultural Diversity and Generational Differences

Section 3: Parents Involvement, Engagement and Presence

Section 4: Community of Have and Have Nots

Trenches

Chapter 5: The Trenches – Leadership and Reform Efforts in the Midst of

Relationships

Section 1: In the Trenches

Section 2: Board of Education and the Superintendent

Chapter 6: More Important Relationships

Section 1: Central Office and School Building Staff

Section 2: Community, Parent and School District

Section 3: Policy Makers and Systemic Institutionalization

Sinkholes

Chapter 7: Sinkholes – Sustaining Reform Efforts During Political Tension

Section 1: Sinkholes

Section 2: Political Tide and Turnover in School and District Leadership

Chapter 8: Economic Unpredictability and Funding

Chapter 9: Ever Changing Pedagogical Approaches and the Curriculum Recycled

Section 1: Pedagogy, Curriculum and Assessment

Section 2: School Safety, Climate and Culture

Section 3: Family Relationships and Partnerships

Section 4: Technology- Blended Learning, STEM & Personalized Learning

Chapter 10: Accountability

Cisterns

Chapter 11: Cisterns: Empty Wells That Are Not Being Replenished

Section 1: Cisterns

Section 2: Teaching to the Middle and Lower Levels

Section 3: Cultivating the Prison Pipeline

Chapter 12: Workforce and Talent Development

Section 1: Preparing Students for the Future

Section 2: Globalization – Interdependence, Interconnected and Competitive

Breaking and Filling

Chapter 13: Breaking the Nets, Filling the Trenches, Sinkholes and Cisterns

Section 1: Visualizing the Perfect Scenario of Educational Utopia

Section 2: Rigorous Curriculum Embedding 21st Century Skills

Section 3: Accountability

Section 4: Leadership

Section 5: Partnership and Forward Thinking

Chapter 14: Overcoming the Hierarchy of Power

Section 1: What to Do?

Section 2: A House in Order Cannot Be divided

Denouement

Chapter 15: Denouement – Overcoming Obstacles and the Possibilities that Prevail

Section 1: Entry Into Superintendence

Section 2: Falling Short of the Right Fit

Chapter 16: What Do We Say?

District’s Response to Addressing Nets, Trenches, Sinkholes and Cisterns

Chapter 17: District One – Interweaving Coalitions and Strengthening the Mesh

Chapter 18: District Two – Embattlement of the Casted Net

Chapter 19: District Three – Building the Framework for a Strong Foundation

Chapter 20: Possibilities

Section 1: Moving Away from Traditionalism

Section 2: Improving Relationships through Communication

Section 3: Qualities of Future Leaders

Section 4: Revelation in the Metaphors

Bibliography

Erscheinungsdatum
Verlagsort Lanham, MD
Sprache englisch
Maße 154 x 219 mm
Gewicht 318 g
Themenwelt Sozialwissenschaften Pädagogik
ISBN-10 1-4758-6422-1 / 1475864221
ISBN-13 978-1-4758-6422-9 / 9781475864229
Zustand Neuware
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