List of Figures and Tables Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Section I 1. Why Reframe Professional Lives of Educators? 2. Essential Structure for Reframing Professional Life in Schools 3. Essential Processes for Teamwork 4. Managing Change Successfully 5. Barriers and Pitfalls Section II 6. School Culture and Climate 7. Data Analysis 8. Family and Community Partnerships 9. Curriculum and Instruction 10. Technology 11. Professional Development References Index
"Educators and policymakers need to add to their toolbox for implementing reform this outstanding new book by Kilgore and Reynolds. It is rare to find such a well-written volume that explains how to reorganize schools into more effective enterprises using clear examples grounded in rich scientific studies. For those faced with how to make things happen and work smarter, this excellent book delivers on both." -Barbara Schneider John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University Transform your school's culture from the inside out You're stunned by the increase in student absenteeism this year and wonder what is causing it. There may be multiple factors, but few administrators have the luxury of investigating them all. From Silos to Systems provides specific application steps for engaging all staff in a systematic approach to dealing with the various causes of schoolwide problems. School leaders who have used this approach find numerous benefits: Teachers have a way for their voices to be heard. Principals spend less time trying to integrate all the concerns of various advisory groups. Strong cross-cutting ties that spur collaboration emerge among teachers. Educators realize more dramatic results from their efforts. The book also includes current research on developing a positive school climate, improving professional learning opportunities, utilizing data analysis to identify and resolve instructional and behavior issues, and the effective use of technology in schools.
Sally Kilgore is president and CEO of Modern Red SchoolHouse Institute. Her work has appeared in Education Leadership, Harvard Education Review, and American Sociological Review. In the early 1980s, she coauthored High School Achievement with Thomas Hoffer and the noted scholar, James S. Coleman. She has served on the editorial boards of the American Education Research Journal, Sociology of Education, and Review of Research in Education. In the 1980s, she served as the director of the office of research (OERI) for the U.S. Department of Education. During the 1990s, she served on the advisory board for the National Center for Education Statistics. She served on the faculties of Emory University, University of Cincinnati, and Huston-Tillotson College and as an adjunct at Vanderbilt's Peabody School of Education. Karen Reynolds has served as an organizational consultant and facilitator to businesses and schools for over 20 years. While working with MRSH, she has coached teams and principals in large inner city, suburban, and rural districts across the United States. She specializes in helping administrators and school leadership teams design and guide the improvement efforts in their schools. She also works individually with principals as they lead their schools through changes and transitions. She currently serves as the lead facilitator in the federally funded research initiative: Systems Leadership in Middle Schools. Over the course of twenty years, Reynolds grew to understand school improvement issues from a variety of perspectives: as a classroom teacher, an administrator at both the elementary and secondary level, and, finally as a central office administrator.