Beyond School Improvement
The Journey to Innovative Leadership
- Robert Davidovich - Consultant
- Pauli Nikolay - Consultant
- Bonnie Laugerman - Arrowhead High School
- Carol Commodore - Consultant
Foreword by Rick Stiggins
"The authors are grounded educational leaders who have lived the approach to improvement and innovation that they write about. Filled with anecdotal examples, reflection exercises, and practical strategies, this is a very useful and timely resource for educators seeking to understand and influence educational innovation and transformation in the 21st century."
—Michael H. Dickmann, Professor
Cardinal Stritch University
"This book stimulates leaders as they stretch their organization's culture to reveal mental models, consider external trends, and seek creative and energizing strategies that will prepare students for a future we cannot yet define."
—Edie Holcomb, Consultant
Marzano Research Laboratory
Prepare students to succeed in a changing world!
Because the world is constantly evolving, school improvement alone is not enough to prepare students for success in the 21st century. Educators also need to be innovators who nurture a culture of both improvement and innovation.
Based on complexity theory, systems thinking, innovation theory, and years of practical expertise, Beyond School Improvement prepares school leaders to connect with the new science on change and provides skills, practices, and tools for creating and leading dynamic educational systems. The authors discuss four elements of change—dissonance, identity, information, and order—and define five essential practices for leaders:
- Holding courageous conversations
- Embracing dissonance
- Creating context
- Changing your field of vision
- Letting ideas collide
Self-assessment activities, team conversation starters, stories, and examples support leaders as they balance improvement and innovation within themselves, their classrooms, and their organizations.
"The authors are grounded educational leaders who have lived the approach to improvement and innovation that they write about. Filled with anecdotal examples, reflection exercises, and practical strategies, this is a very useful and timely resource for educators seeking to understand and influence educational innovation and transformation in the 21st century."
"The authors contrast improvement of existing practices with a more rigorous and creative push for innovation that introduces new and different practices and structures. In many situations, district and school improvement plans have evolved into the technical work of interpreting data about the past and present, studying research, and creating documents. This book stimulates leaders as they stretch their organization's culture to reveal mental models, consider external trends, and seek creative and energizing strategies that will prepare students for a future we cannot yet define."
"This book is aimed at school based leaders who what to move beyond micro-level tinkering. The authors arm adventurous school leaders to venture boldly into the challenging role of innovative paradigm shifts that have the potential to improve the school’s effectiveness exponentially.”
“This is one of the most important works I have read in a number of years. The author describes the challenges educators face and gives a means to create the best schools ever. It holds the promise of unlocking the future of great schooling in our country."
“This book should be read by all teacher leaders and administrators! It will cause you to rethink the way we are instructing our students today, in preparation for their tomorrow.”
"This book should be sent to leadership programs, organizational programs, boards of education after guidance from the superintendent, superintendents, district office personnel, principals, and all individuals in key leadership positions. Perhaps even to political leaders, especially in local communities.”
Sample Materials & Chapters
Davidovich_BeyondSchoolImprovement_Preface
Davidovich_BeyondSchoolImprovement_Ch1
