Beyond School Improvement

The Journey to Innovative Leadership
Robert D. Davidovich - Consultant
Pauline M. Nikolay - Consultant
Bonnie Laugerman - Arrowhead High School
Carol A. Commodore - Consultant
Beyond School Improvement
November 2009 | 248 pages | Corwin
Create Flyer

Purchase

eBook
ISBN: 9781452273501
Available from January 0001
Paperback
ISBN: 9781412971409
Available from January 0001

Description

"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.

Contents

Foreword by Rick Stiggins

Foreword by Rick Stiggins

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Part I. Leading Beyond Improvement

  • 1. Schools in a Changing World
  • In This Chapter
  • The Need for Improvement
  • Are Our Schools Broken?
  • Trends in the External Environment
  • Two Trends: Getting Better and Becoming Different
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Schools in a Changing World
  • 2. Improvement Is Not Enough
  • In This Chapter
  • Awakening to the Difference Between Improvement and Innovation
  • Improvement Is Not Enough
  • Lorie's Story
  • Schools Working Toward Innovation
  • Vignette 1: Michelle's Story
  • Vignette 2: A Midwestern School District
  • Vignette 3: The Story of SBK High School
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Improvement is not Enough
  • 3. Attributes of Innovation
  • In This Chapter
  • Starting the Journey to Improvement and Innovation
  • Randy’s Story: Looking Beyond Current Practice
  • Key Attributes for Innovation
  • Unwelcome in Command and Control
  • Envisioning Leading Adaptive Systems
  • Self-Organizing Systems
  • Starting the Journey
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Attributes of Innovation
  • 4. Develop the Courage to Leap
  • In This Chapter
  • Innovation Life Cycles
  • The Hero’s Journey
  • Developing the Courage to Innovate
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Develop the Courage to Leap
  • 5. Hold Courageous Conversations
  • In This Chapter
  • Personal Orientation to Change
  • Sue's Story
  • John's Story
  • The Power of Paradoxes
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Hold Courageous Conversations

Part II. Essential Leadership Practices

  • 6. Embrace Dissonance
  • In This Chapter
  • Dissonance in the Natural World
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Embrace Dissonance
  • What Embracing Dissonance Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Embrace Dissonance
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Embrace Dissonance
  • 7. Create Context
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Identity
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Create Context
  • What Creating Context Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Create Context
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Create Context
  • 8. Change Your Field of Perception
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Information
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Change Your Field of Perception
  • What Changing Your Field of Perception Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Change Your Field of Perception
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Change Your Field of Perception
  • 9. Let Ideas Collide
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Order
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Let Ideas Collide
  • What Letting Ideas Collide Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Let Ideas Collide
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Let Ideas Collide
  • 10. Innovate the Way You Lead
  • In This Chapter
  • The Journey Starts With Unlearning
  • The Inner Journey
  • Action Plan for Innovating the Way You Lead
  • Summary

Resource A: Glossary

Resource A: Glossary

Resource B: Essential Leadership Actions

Resource B: Essential Leadership Actions

Resource C: Continuum of Leadership Behavior

Resource C: Continuum of Leadership Behavior

References

References

Index

Index

Description

"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.

Contents

Foreword by Rick Stiggins

Foreword by Rick Stiggins

Preface

Preface

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

About the Authors

Part I. Leading Beyond Improvement

  • 1. Schools in a Changing World
  • In This Chapter
  • The Need for Improvement
  • Are Our Schools Broken?
  • Trends in the External Environment
  • Two Trends: Getting Better and Becoming Different
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Schools in a Changing World
  • 2. Improvement Is Not Enough
  • In This Chapter
  • Awakening to the Difference Between Improvement and Innovation
  • Improvement Is Not Enough
  • Lorie's Story
  • Schools Working Toward Innovation
  • Vignette 1: Michelle's Story
  • Vignette 2: A Midwestern School District
  • Vignette 3: The Story of SBK High School
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Improvement is not Enough
  • 3. Attributes of Innovation
  • In This Chapter
  • Starting the Journey to Improvement and Innovation
  • Randy’s Story: Looking Beyond Current Practice
  • Key Attributes for Innovation
  • Unwelcome in Command and Control
  • Envisioning Leading Adaptive Systems
  • Self-Organizing Systems
  • Starting the Journey
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Attributes of Innovation
  • 4. Develop the Courage to Leap
  • In This Chapter
  • Innovation Life Cycles
  • The Hero’s Journey
  • Developing the Courage to Innovate
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Develop the Courage to Leap
  • 5. Hold Courageous Conversations
  • In This Chapter
  • Personal Orientation to Change
  • Sue's Story
  • John's Story
  • The Power of Paradoxes
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Hold Courageous Conversations

Part II. Essential Leadership Practices

  • 6. Embrace Dissonance
  • In This Chapter
  • Dissonance in the Natural World
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Embrace Dissonance
  • What Embracing Dissonance Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Embrace Dissonance
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Embrace Dissonance
  • 7. Create Context
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Identity
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Create Context
  • What Creating Context Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Create Context
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Create Context
  • 8. Change Your Field of Perception
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Information
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Change Your Field of Perception
  • What Changing Your Field of Perception Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Change Your Field of Perception
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Change Your Field of Perception
  • 9. Let Ideas Collide
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Order
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Let Ideas Collide
  • What Letting Ideas Collide Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Let Ideas Collide
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Let Ideas Collide
  • 10. Innovate the Way You Lead
  • In This Chapter
  • The Journey Starts With Unlearning
  • The Inner Journey
  • Action Plan for Innovating the Way You Lead
  • Summary

Resource A: Glossary

Resource A: Glossary

Resource B: Essential Leadership Actions

Resource B: Essential Leadership Actions

Resource C: Continuum of Leadership Behavior

Resource C: Continuum of Leadership Behavior

References

References

Index

Index

SAGE Publishing Logo

Beyond School Improvement

The Journey to Innovative Leadership

Robert D. Davidovich , Pauline M. Nikolay , Bonnie Laugerman , Carol A. Commodore
Cancel Print

November 2009 | 248 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 27/02/2023 9781412971409 $42.95
Hardcover 27/02/2023 9781412971393 $91.95
Lifetime 27/02/2023 9781452273501 $39.00

"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.


Table Of Contents:

  • Foreword by Rick Stiggins
  • Preface
  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Authors
  • Part I. Leading Beyond Improvement
  • 1. Schools in a Changing World
  • In This Chapter
  • The Need for Improvement
  • Are Our Schools Broken?
  • Trends in the External Environment
  • Two Trends: Getting Better and Becoming Different
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Schools in a Changing World
  • 2. Improvement Is Not Enough
  • In This Chapter
  • Awakening to the Difference Between Improvement and Innovation
  • Improvement Is Not Enough
  • Lorie's Story
  • Schools Working Toward Innovation
  • Vignette 1: Michelle's Story
  • Vignette 2: A Midwestern School District
  • Vignette 3: The Story of SBK High School
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Improvement is not Enough
  • 3. Attributes of Innovation
  • In This Chapter
  • Starting the Journey to Improvement and Innovation
  • Randy’s Story: Looking Beyond Current Practice
  • Key Attributes for Innovation
  • Unwelcome in Command and Control
  • Envisioning Leading Adaptive Systems
  • Self-Organizing Systems
  • Starting the Journey
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Attributes of Innovation
  • 4. Develop the Courage to Leap
  • In This Chapter
  • Innovation Life Cycles
  • The Hero’s Journey
  • Developing the Courage to Innovate
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Develop the Courage to Leap
  • 5. Hold Courageous Conversations
  • In This Chapter
  • Personal Orientation to Change
  • Sue's Story
  • John's Story
  • The Power of Paradoxes
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Hold Courageous Conversations
  • Part II. Essential Leadership Practices
  • 6. Embrace Dissonance
  • In This Chapter
  • Dissonance in the Natural World
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Embrace Dissonance
  • What Embracing Dissonance Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Embrace Dissonance
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Embrace Dissonance
  • 7. Create Context
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Identity
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Create Context
  • What Creating Context Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Create Context
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Create Context
  • 8. Change Your Field of Perception
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Information
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Change Your Field of Perception
  • What Changing Your Field of Perception Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Change Your Field of Perception
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Change Your Field of Perception
  • 9. Let Ideas Collide
  • In This Chapter
  • The Importance of Order
  • Essential Leadership Practice – Let Ideas Collide
  • What Letting Ideas Collide Looks Like in Practice
  • Action Tips – Let Ideas Collide
  • Paradoxical Leaders
  • Summary
  • Team Conversation Starters
  • Self-Assessment: Let Ideas Collide
  • 10. Innovate the Way You Lead
  • In This Chapter
  • The Journey Starts With Unlearning
  • The Inner Journey
  • Action Plan for Innovating the Way You Lead
  • Summary
  • Resource A: Glossary
  • Resource B: Essential Leadership Actions
  • Resource C: Continuum of Leadership Behavior
  • References
  • Index

Recent Product Reviews:

"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.”
Neil MacNeill, Principal, Ellenbrook Primary School, Australia
“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."
Sister Camille Anne Campbell, Principal, Mount Carmel Academy, New Orleans, LA
“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.”
Gayle Wahlin, Director of Leadership Services, DuPage County Regional Office of Education, Downers Grove, IL
"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.”
Douglas Gordon Hesbol, Superintendent, Laraway CCSD 70C, Joliet, IL
"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."
Edie Holcomb, Consultant, Marzano Research Laboratory

Recommendations