Industry Reviews
"More than a leadership text for individual stakeholders, It's Not Rocket Science provides an opportunity for teams to apply a sequence of practical strategies enabling sustainable student achievement and transformation. In times of uncertainty and competing agendas, this coherence-maker promotes teachers as leaders and collaborators, focussing on precise, bitesized achievable steps that lead to goal achievement and school progress. The 'self-propelling' methodology outlined in this book promotes a culture of internal commitment and inclusion, drawing everyone into the plan with role clarity and expectation. Schools often have a high impact on individual students and cohorts, however, it is the whole school collective efficacy required for sustainable success that this book will ensure." - Tim Hardy, Head of Leading and Learning, Catholic Education Parramatta Diocese, New South Wales, Australia
"The aim of the authors was 'to make the complex work of improving student learning and outcomes, at least, somewhat simpler'. In my view, they have succeeded in this goal! In my 'practitioner-researcher' role I have facilitated innumerable development projects and appraised 112 principals. I have always exhorted the employment of a collaborative action research based, cyclical, approach to development and improvement. The 'School Improvement Cycle' model outlined in this book deeply aligns with several elements of an action research approach and, as such, helps leaders in schools to provide depth and structure when grappling with problems and enacting improvement and change. It's Not Rocket Science is a highly practical book, designed to both provide step by step guidance and practical examples of application in schools. The strength of the book lies in the way that the latter examples as case studies are used in subsequent chapters to illustrate each step of the School Improvement Cycle model. Detailed descriptions are provided (particularly the inclusion of clear evidence of specific outcomes) for each step in a way that is often missing in many books associated with improvement models. The use of very specific examples of employment of data from the case studies in decision making points in the model is a highlight. The importance of authentic, genuinely inclusive, collaboration at each step in the model is included in Chapter 11. In my experience even the best laid steps in a plan/model, quickly fold without such significant collaboration and subsequent ownership of change. This topic is worthy of an accompanying book on its own and I encourage the authors to consider that." - Professor Eileen Piggot-Irvine, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand Adjunct Professor, Royal Roads University, Canada
"The Swedish Education Act states that school principals should systematically pursue equitable results, through data collection of student outcomes among other things. Administrative tasks and the requirement for documentation risk taking time away from the school's main mission; that the students should acquire and develop knowledge. My experience as a former Head of School is that many schools struggle with abstract and overarching goals that sometimes lack the student perspective, and without first having thought about how to measure knowledge development. The school leader needs to create conditions (time and tools) throughout the school year, to follow up and reflect on the process of goals and activities always from the student's perspective. This is what It's Not Rocket Science delivers: guidance on how to do this." - Vera Sandin, Education Consultant, Stockholm, Sweden
"What a breath of fresh air! It's Not Rocket Science: A Guide to the School Improvement Cycle by Linda Bendikson and Frauke Meyer offers school leaders a uniquely practical insight into a set of research-informed principles and easily applied strategies for leading successful school improvement. As they reflect on the research-informed insights provided throughout the book, everyday leaders in everyday schools will discover that leading improvement is not a mystical undertaking after all. It's Not Rocket Science skillfully combines relevant and up-to-date research with clear insights and pragmatic approaches, resulting in a step-by-step model of school improvement which is further enriched and informed by relevant case studies. It's Not Rocket Science is a book that schools leaders at all career stages will find informative, accessible and above all else, useful! Get it, apply it . . . transform your school's leadership!" - Richard Newton, Senior Leadership Consultant, Tui Tuia Learning Circle, University of Auckland
