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The Collective Wisdom of Practice

Leading Our Professional Learning From Success

By: Chen Schechter

A Joint Publication with Learning Forward
Forewords by Ellie Drago-Severson and Stephanie Hirsh

Providing a model for how to learn from successes—instead of failures—The Collective Wisdom of Practice introduces an assets-based approach to designing and implementing professional learning and growth.

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9781544385204
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2019
Page Count: 184
Publication date: November 07, 2019

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Review copies may be requested by individuals planning to purchase 10 or more copies for a team or considering a book for adoption in a higher ed course. To request a review copy, contact sales@corwin.com.

Description

Leverage Professional Wisdom with Asset-Based Professional Learning

Many professional learning designs are built on the assumption that we learn best by studying our failures. However, learning from failure often evokes responses of denial, avoidance and the same defensive dynamics that contributed to the failure in the first place. Schechter’s resource, presents the Collective Learning-from-Success approach. This fresh, new, assets-based framework will shift educators’ minds from focusing in isolation on failure to continuously deliberating together, sharing past experiences and best practices, and solving problems related to teaching and learning. Whether you serve as a teacher, school or district leader, or a policy maker, your professional growth will benefit by reflecting on actionable knowledge through collective inquiry.

This book offers educators an opportunity to come together in forming a productive alternative to the learning from failure paradigm. The Collective Wisdom of Practice provides a model for how to learn from successes by providing
• An assets-based approach to designing and implementing professional learning
• Strategies to focus on learning from educators’ past successes
• Multinational case studies, sample learning materials, templates, and tools
• A framework that can be applied to multiple levels, such as grade and subject areas, building level, system level, and
policy level

Grounded in more than 20 years of extensive research in the US and internationally, this approach will have a powerful influence on professional learning. Learn to nurture your wisdom of practice to meet the challenge of preparing students to be co-creators of society.

Author(s)

Chen Schechter

Chen Schechter is a Professor of Leadership, Organizational Development, and Policy in Education. He believes that educators need to be encouraged to embark on the exciting journey of nurturing the remarkable wisdom of practice that characterizes their magical learning moments with our children. Prof. Schechter aims to build bridges and integrate theory with empirical evidence and practice by supporting teachers, principals, superintendents, and policymakers in their professional growth. His research areas include reform implementation, educational change, professional learning communities, organizational learning, collaborative learning from success, educational leadership, leadership development, and systems thinking for school leaders. Prof. Schechter teaches, conducts research, and serves as a professional advisor in numerous international, national, district, and school development projects, with deep commitment to developing bottom-up school leadership and transformative learning and innovation.

Prof. Schechter earned his Ph.D. in K-12 Educational Administration from The Ohio State University and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Educational Administration (JEA), the oldest and most respected leading international journal in the field of educational leadership and management. Prof. Schechter has published his research extensively in a wide range of highly ranked journals and has authored five recent books: The Wisdom of Practice: Leading Learning from Success (2019); Leading Holistically: How Schools, Districts, and States Improve Systemically (2018); The NSSE Yearbook (National Society for the Study of Education) of Columbia University’s Teachers College on Developing Models for Teaching and Learning Self-Regulated Learning (2017); Systems-Thinking for School Leaders: Holistic Leadership for Excellence in Schools (2017); and also Let Us Lead! School Principals at the Forefront of Reforms (2015).

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures

Foreword by Ellile Drago-Severson

Foreword by Stephanie Hirsh

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Chapter 1. Shifting Schools Toward Collaborative Learning Communities

Chapter 2. How to Learn Collectively: Gleaning Wisdom From Professionals’ Problems and Successes

Chapter 3. Juggling Our Mindsets: Educators’ Perceptions of Collective Learning From Success

Chapter 4. The Learning-From-Success Journey: Enacting Wisdom

Chapter 5. The National Program for Learning From Success in Schools

Chapter 6. Switching Gears: Learning From Success and Learning From Problems as a Catalyst to Growth and Change

Conclusion. Let’s Start Our Journey: Enacting Educators’ Successful Wisdom of Practice

References

Index

Reviews

"Schechter provides a refreshing lens for examining and learning from past events by showing what is made possible when teams focus on success rather than harp on failure. If you’re looking to improve the school improvement process, this thought-provoking text just might be the impetus for shifting mindsets from a deficient to an asset-based model."

Jenni Donohoo, Co-author of "Quality Implementation: Leveraging Collective Efficacy to Make 'What Works' Actually Work"

"Roland Barth once pondered, out loud, how many children’s lives might be saved if teachers were to disclose what they know to one another. Schechter highlights the importance of collective learning among educators, proposing a process by which teachers share their wisdom. This wisdom is gleaned through reflection, especially through the framework of learning from success."

Megan Tschannen-Moran, Professor of Educational Leadership
College of William & Mary

"Anyone interested in school improvement will benefit from the wisdom of Chen Schechter's wise analysis in this important volume."

Sam Wineburg, Margaret Jacks Professor of Education and History
Stanford University

"If you were to read just one book on change in schools, Professional Learning Communities, or establishing a positive school culture based on teaching successes, then you need to look no further. The Collective Wisdom of Practice gives readers a comprehensive, thoughtful and believable guideline that takes Lesson Study a step further by demonstrating that the improvements of the clearly focused Learning from Success program is applicable in all schools."

Dr Neil MacNeill
Ellenbrook Independent Primary School, WA, Australia

"The Collective Wisdom of Practice is a look overdue solution for schools in this era of school negativity. As professionals, we all look at improving what we do by reflecting on what works – our successes. So, the obvious question is why doesn’t this occur at a school level. This foundation of this book and the way forward is to do just this. A detailed approach is provided that any school can implement, anywhere."

Dr. Ken Darvall
Tema International School, Ghana

“The Collective Wisdom of Practice explores a Learning-from-Success model that is a powerful and transformational, and will encourage schools that move forward based on identified and proven successes.”

Laura Schaffer Metcalfe, Ed.D.
Mesa Community College

"The Learning from Success model presented in The Collective Wisdom of Practice acknowledges that are many things right about our schools and that we can learn as many lessons from these bright spots as we can from the challenges we have faced. Chen Schechter takes us step-by-step, guiding a thorough analysis of an event or situation and concludes with lessons learned in an actionable frame and language, making it possible to apply those lessons in the future. This book teaches us how to use our learning and celebrate what is true and good about our schools."

Shannon Hobbs-Beckley
Graded American School of Sao Paulo, Brazil

"PLCs are often largely focused on talk rather than action, and the denial, avoidance, and defensiveness that often inhibit the effectiveness of teacher collaboration. However, this book represents a paradigm shift from learning from our failures to learning from our successes. The Collective Wisdom of Practice is a must-read for school principals and for district administrative teams."

Melanie Mares Sainz
Lowndes County Schools, GA

"The Collective Wisdom of Practice provides the necessary information and practical guidance for any school wishing to make positive changes."

Melissa Miller
Farmington Middle School, AR

Other Titles in: Data-Driven Decision Making | School Change, Reform, & Restructuring | Collaboration & Team Building

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Related Resources

Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.