Lifescaping Practices in School Communities

"Our goal as educators is to promote ALL children's core gifts. Lifescaping Practices in School Communities inspires practitioners to transcend mired systems that reify the status quo in our schools and provides a road map through language and action that harnesses the strengths and voices of our wonderfully diverse communities. As we move from polarization to inclusion, this publication encourages us to move toward a common vision through inclusive practices."-Rose Borunda, Ed.D., professor, California State University, Sacramento; Master of Science, Counselor Education, Doctorate, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

"Lewis and Winkelman escape the narrow vision of education that has held schools in its grip recently. Instead, they invite educators and help professionals to soar. Their concept of lifescaping is a big enough vision to inspire education, rather than mere schooling, and becoming somebody distinctive, rather than just fitting in. Their contributors have, moreover, practical suggestions about how to get there, including the use of appreciative inquiry and participatory action research."- John Winslade, PhD, professor, California State University, San Bernardino.

"This book addresses a missing piece in calls for closing achievement gaps. The authors examine student support through a lens of student wellness and an ecological approach to program development, bringing fresh air to discussions of what works. Highlighting action research and appreciative inquiry points the way towards continuous improvement in serving the academic, personal/social, and career development needs of youth. Packed with useful resources and good sense, this volume should become a staple in counselor education and student support programs."-Lonnie L. Rowell, PhD, associate professor, School of Leadership and Education Sciences, University of San Diego; lead editor, International Handbook of Action Research

"This scholarly book provides a state-of-the-art, and much needed, contribution to a wide range of school communities: administrators, practitioners, and graduate trainees. The expertly written text successfully infuses theoretical, clinical, and empirical findings into a coherent, well-structured mosaic. It is my belief that this comprehensive work greatly enhances our knowledge of action and participatory research and, therefore, should make a welcome addition to school administration and counseling libraries."-Hanoch Livneh, PhD, LPC, professor emeritus, Counselor Education, Portland State University Fellow; American Psychological Association