Transforming School Climate and Learning

Foreword by Raymond J. McNulty Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction: Bringing Our Schools Into Balance Beyond Bullying, Beyond Compliance Getting Beyond Piecemeal Problem Solving The Rational for This Book: School Climate as a Key to School Safety, Student Motivation, and Academic Achievement Guideposts for School Leaders: Administrators, Teachers, AND Students Organization of the Book Why Read This Book? Students and Teachers as Partners in Transforming School Climate 1. School Climate: The Heart and Soul of a School Making Meaningful Improvement in Schools Why Is School Climate Important? School Climate and Effective Schools Essential School Climate Factors We All Want Respectful Schools What Teachers and Students Mean by Respect Beeper Studies: Our Original Research on Respectful Schools The Respect Continuum: A Practical Theory of Respect The Disrespect Side of the Continuum The Respect Side of the Continuum How Schools Use the Respect Continuum Initial Success in One District Looking Beyond Stopping Misbehavior Making It Real: A Real-Life Respectful School Conclusion Book Study Questions 2. The SafeMeasures Process: A Student-Led, Collaborative Action Research Process Sarason's Research on School Change Balancing Adult and Student Leadership The SafeMeasures Process: An Overview Bandura's Research on Self-Efficacy Looking Deeply at Collaborative Action Research Emancipatory Research Making It Real: School Climate Improvement Conclusion Book Study Questions 3. Stage One: Everyone Is a Leader: Empowering Students and Teachers The Dignity of Expertise Getting Started Administrative Support Is Essential The Adult Design Team: Membership and Roles National School Climate Standards as a Guide to Action Selecting a Diverse Team of Student Leaders Challenges to Choosing a Diverse Team of Student Leaders Making it Real: Student Leadership Training Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage One Book Study Questions 4. Stage Two: Including All Voices: School Climate Data Collection The Importance of Data What Gets Measured Is What Gets Done Some Potential Problems With School Data Collection What and How to Measure What to Do With Data When Students Become School Climate Researchers The Power of Qualitative Data The Value of Quantitative Data Making It Real: Elementary School Student Researchers Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage Two Book Study Questions 5. Stage Three: Thinking Together: Data Analysis and Goal Setting Internal or External Locus of Control: Whose Responsibility Cognitive Dissonance: Wrestling With Data to Construct Meaning No Fault, No Blame Words or Numbers? Analyzing Data With Students Using Quantitative Data Effectively Goal Setting With Student Leaders Why Students Lead the Way: Student and Teacher Data Analysis and Goal Setting Faculty Data Analysis and Goal Setting The Work of Goal-Based Action Teams Making It Real: Data Analysis and Goal Setting With Chain Reaction Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage Three Book Study Questions 6. Stage Four: Making Change Happen: Action Planning and Project Development Action Planning: Where Change Begins No One Best System School Climate Action Teams: Working Effectively With Colleagues Action Planning Steps Using the Respect Continuum as a Guide to Action Moving Toward the Positive Respectful Teaching Balanced Leadership: Adults and Students Joining Forces for Change Making It Real: The Backpack Project Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage Four Book Study Questions 7. Stage Four Specifics: Action Projects to Promote Respectful Teaching and Learning Changing School Climate Through Respectful Teaching Engagement Strategies That Work Providing Students With Choices Authentic, Applied, Real-World Learning Altering the Schedule to Provide Learning Opportunities Making It Real: Sugata Mitra's Hole-in-the-Wall Project Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage Four Specifics Book Study Questions 8. Stage Five: Moving Forward Together: Sustainability and Continuous Improvement Change Is a Process, Not an Event Key Elements of Sustainable Change Closing the Gaps Dignity and Respect The Best People Working on the Problem Socially Based and Action-Oriented Change Enhance, Extend, and Empower Make a Multiyear Commitment Formative Assessment: A Critical Part of the Process Aligning School Climate and Learning: Demonstrate a Balanced Approach Guideposts for Sustainability Making It Real: Talking Walls Conclusion Simple Summary: Stage Five Book Study Questions 9. The Road Ahead: Transforming School Climate and Learning When Will the Time Be Right? Continued Resistance, Growing Hope School Climate As a Coherent Framework for Understanding Schools Implications for School Leaders, Teachers, and Students Conclusion Book Study Questions List of Appendices Appendix A: From Violence to Empowerment: A Respect Continuum Appendix B: Sample School Climate Data Summary Appendix C: Example of Student Goals and Evidence of Need: Elementary School Data (Grades 3-6) References Index