Lynda Tredway, Matthew Militello, Joseph Flessa
Foreword by: Mónica Byrne-Jiménez
Publication Date: December 24, 2024
Pages: 160
“This is not your typical book on education leadership. Rather than a list of what leaders should and shouldn't do, the authors set a different goal—to create schools where kids are prepared to foster and live in a socially just society. Written for educators who seek to make a positive difference, this book will inspire and provide guidance on how to do so.” —Pedro A. Noguera, coauthor of A Search for Common Ground and City Schools and the American Dream 2
Leading and Learning Together offers a set of evidence-based principles, processes, and protocols that increase equitable access and support educators to breathe joy and justice into schools and communities.
Leadership, coupled with learning, is an ongoing process in which everyone has a participatory role in school or district change efforts. Providing a useful antidote to the plethora of packaged curriculum and external professional development providers, this book focuses on reclaiming agency, advocacy, and inquiry for leaders and teachers in the places they know best—their schools and districts. Doing so requires imagination, cooperation, and transparency. As such, the authors provide evidence from multiple school and district educators who are cultivating change from within by disrupting and dismantling systems and drawing on internal assets to address equity-driven challenges. As a result, educators can and should become researchers of their own practices.
Book Features:
Lynda Tredway is a program coordinator at East Carolina University. Matthew Militello is the Wells Fargo Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership at East Carolina University. Joseph Flessa is an associate dean and a professor in the Department of Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
“The authors do not promise easy solutions. They do promise that by following the practices shared here—from the inside out—we can all lead and learn in ways that help us reclaim who we are and who we are becoming.”
—From the Foreword by Mónica Byrne-Jiménez, executive director, University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA)
“Any experienced teacher, principal, and superintendent knows in their heart of hearts that changes externally foisted upon educators might get media attention, but such reforms too often have a short shelf life. Yet changing schools from within is hardly a stroll in the park. The authors of Leading and Learning Together understand fully the challenges of changing schools from within. They offer both practitioners and researchers a conceptual guide anchored deeply in both research and intimate knowledge of how U.S. schools work. Leading and Learning Together will help those educators committed to improving their schools from within negotiate these complexities. And that is a gift to educators.”
—Larry Cuban, professor emeritus, Stanford University
“Leading and Learning Together is not your typical book on education leadership. Rather than a list of what leaders should and shouldn't do, the authors set a different goal—to create schools where kids are prepared to foster and live in a socially just society. With such an ambitious goal the authors draw on their vast experience to describe how those who aspire to lead schools can undertake this work guided by pragmatism, vision, and values that affirm the humanity of those they lead. Written for educators who seek to make a positive difference in their schools and society, this book will inspire and provide guidance on how to do so.”
—Pedro A. Noguera, dean, Rossier School of Education, Distinguished Professor of Education, University of Southern California
“Have you ever felt a desire to transform your leadership but didn’t know how? This book is for you. Leading and Learning Together: Cultivating School Change from Within describes a transformative process of educational leaders—starting from listening to those they lead and valuing wisdom from within the community—in order to drive practice and decisions that hold meaning and relevance to people and places. The book details leaders and their journeys in breaking away from the joyless hum-drum of institutional patterns to uplifting the voices of those on the margins. Learn from others how their experiences in giving and receiving regular attention to practice transformed their ability to lead for equitable outcomes by looking, listening, learning, and leading from within.”
—Diane Lau-Yee, principal, San Francisco Unified School District
"This book validates the deep knowledge and expertise of teachers, leaders, and all those connected to our schools. The heart of this work lies in leading and learning together—a collaborative spirit that unlocks the power of community to design schools centered on equity, belonging, and the boundless possibilities that lie within all learners."
—LaShawn Routé Chatmon, executive director, National Equity Project
“Through using the tools and resources described in this book, our educators have learned to use authentic classroom experiences as real-time student performance data. Their work with this text has resulted in a measurable impact on student learning and engagement. As researchers with meaningful experiences as classroom teachers, Lynda Tredway, Matthew Militello, and Joseph Flessa honor the complicated work of change and offer clear strategies that will immediately resonate with teachers and school leaders.”
— Kelly McGuire -凱立 · 麥奎爾 Superintendent - 校监 New York City Public Schools, District 2
"As a former superintendent of the fifth-largest district in the USA, Leading and Learning Together is a must-read for every executive cabinet. The book reimagines educational change for school districts by sharing insight on reinvesting in the collective power of those closest to the issues—our educators. The authors provide invaluable guidance, backed by evidence from
numerous school and district change efforts, making this book a practical resource for all educational leaders. This book stands out as a beacon of hope and practicality in an era where professional development often falls short. It is an essential read for anyone committed to fostering meaningful and sustainable educational change in their respective school district."
—Jesus F. Jara, Former Superintendent of Clark Nevada County School District; President, J. Jara Associates, LLC
Contents
Foreword ix
Appreciations xi
Introduction 1
Our Stories 3
Leading and Learning Together 4
Structure of the Book 6
Part I: The Capacity We Need to Cultivate Change
1. The Leadership Pivot: From Single to Many 11
Disciplinary Approaches to Leadership 11
Circular Leadership 13
Leadership for Social Justice 16
Conclusion 17
Resources and Tools for Chapter 1 17
2. The Pedagogy of Trust: Setting the Necessary Conditions 18
Gracious Space 19
Dynamic Mindfulness 22
Arts Integration 23
Personal Narratives 23
Addressing Conflict 27
Organizational Meetings: In-Person and Virtual Learning Exchanges 29
Conclusion 30
Resources and Tools for Chapter 2 31
3. Community as Text: Harnessing the Assets of People and Place 32
Community Learning Exchange Axioms 33
Ecologies of Knowing 34
Our Communities as Text 36
The Role of Storytelling: Pláticas and Testimonios 38
Conclusion 41
Resources and Tools for Chapter 3 42
Part II: Changes in Practice
4. Practitioner-Research in Action 45
Leaders and Teachers as Practitioner-Researchers 45
Community Learning Exchange Pedagogy and Protocols 47
Liberatory Design: Modes, Mindsets, and Actions 56
Conclusion 61
Resources and Tools for Chapter 4 61
5. Evidence-Based Observations 62
Equitable Access and Rigor 64
Instructional Antidotes: Tried-and-True Practices 67
Useful Observation Processes 68
Conclusion 78
Resources and Tools for Chapter 5 78
6. Effective Conversations, Not Feedback 79
Shifting to Post-Observation Conversations 81
Effective Conversation Guide 82
Results of Engaging in Effective Post-Observation Conversations 87
Analysis of Post-Observation Conversations 89
Resources and Tools for Chapter 6 91
7. Authentic and Meaningful Professional Learning 92
Transfer to Classroom Practices: Temporary or Permanent? 94
Reimagining District and School Leadership 101
Conclusion 105
Resources and Tools for Chapter 7 105
8. Leading and Learning With Joy and Justice 106
Glossary 112
Appendix A: Resources 115
Appendix B: EdD Dissertations of Practitioner-Researchers 117
Appendix C: General Resources for Leading and Learning Together: Cultivating School Change From Within Community Learning Exchange 122
References 123
Index 137
About the Authors 145
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