Evidence-based and engaging, with key takeaways for practitioners in every chapter, this book addresses the existing knowledge gap about how school leaders can effectively develop, support, and sustain networks within and across schools. It is crucial reading for school leaders, system leaders and education researchers working close-to-practice.

Children in today's world are inundated with information about who to be, what to do and how to live. But what if there was a way to teach children how to manage priorities, focus on goals and be a positive influence on the world around them? The Leader in Meis that programme. It's based on a hugely successful initiative carried out at the A.B. Combs Elementary School in North Carolina. To hear the parents of A. B Combs talk about the school is to be amazed. In 1999, the school debuted a programme that taught The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Peopleto a pilot group of students. The parents reported an incredible change in their children, who blossomed under the programme. By the end of the following year the average end-of-grade scores had leapt from 84 to 94. This book will launch the message onto a much larger platform. Stephen R. Covey takes the 7 Habits, that have already changed the lives of millions of people, and shows how children can use them as they develop. Those habits -- be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek to understand and then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw -- are critical skills to learn at a young age and bring incredible results, proving that it's never too early to teach someone how to live well.

Facebook, Twitter, Google...today's tech-savvy students are always plugged in. However, all too often their teachers and administrators aren't experienced in the use of these familiar digital tools. If schools are to prepare students for the future, administrators and educators must harness the power of digital technologies and social media. With contributions from authorities on the topic of educational technology, What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media is a compendium of the most useful tools for any education setting. Throughout the book, experts including Will Richardson, Vicki Davis, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Richard Byrne, Joyce Valenza, and many others explain how administrators and teachers can best integrate technology into schools, helping to make sense of the often-confusing world of social media and digital tools. They offer the most current information for the educational use of blogs, wikis and podcasts, online learning, open-source courseware, educational gaming, social networking, online mind mapping, mobile phones, and more, and include examples of these methods currently at work in schools. As the book clearly illustrates, when these tools are combined with thoughtful and deliberate pedagogical practice, it can create a transformative experience for students, educators, and administrators alike. What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media reveals the power of information technology and social networks in the classroom and throughout the education community.

A practical guide for school leaders and managers seeking concrete strategies for professional improvement Leading a learning community is a challenging endeavor that rewards those who build social-emotional and adaptive leadership competencies. In The Noble School Leader, veteran school leader and leadership coach Matthew Taylor delivers an inspiring and enlightening exploration of the mindsets that support leaders to thrive, as well as those that just get in the way. It is a field guide to creating learning conditions that make transformative growth happen in schools. In this book, readers will: Uncover the most common internal obstacles that hold all school leaders back, from teacher leaders to superintendents Apply the core domains of emotional intelligence and create personal growth plans using the invaluable 5 Square tool Surface core values and drivers that shift mindsets and behaviors Set goals and plans for challenging leadership moments Written for school leaders and managers seeking concrete techniques for building social-emotional and adaptive leadership competencies, The Noble School Leader is also an indispensable resource for any K-12 teacher, administrator, or professor with an interest in education and emotional intelligence.

Jeffrey Zoul and Anthony McConnell know from personal experience that the role of school principal is one of the most challenging and the most rewarding in education. Using relatable stories and real-life examples, the authors reveal ten core values that will empower you to work and lead with excellence.

Educational researchers, policy-makers and practitioners are increasingly focusing their attention on Professional Learning Networks in order to facilitate teacher development and encourage school and school system improvement. However, despite the understanding that PLNs can contribute significantly to improving teaching practice and student achievement, there are key challenges regarding their use. These challenges include: ensuring PLNs can provide opportunities for generating and sharing knowledge within schools enabling teachers and professionals to direct their own development helping individuals change their practices through inquiry-led approaches facilitating partnerships which work across a variety of stakeholders In this new edited volume, Brown and Poortman evaluate these challenges from both a theoretical and practical approach. A multitude of perspectives from a team of international contributors covers: the importance of Professional Learning Networks the use of evidence within PLNs the impact of inter-school networks international cases of networks and communities the promotion and sustainability of PLNs Also featuring case studies and exemplars to contextualise sustainable learning networks, Networks For Learning is an accessible and thoroughly-researched book, which will be essential reading and a valuable resource for researchers, teachers and school leaders who are interested in developing professional learning networks.

ConnectED Leaders is a call to action for superintendents and school system leaders to grow lead and engage in professional leadership networks. The book is based on principles developed in our professional roles as authors, a district superintendent, educational researcher, non-profit leader, leadership development expert, and a K-16 branding consultant for education and business and our personal roles and as friends, siblings, co-workers and parents. The position we claim in highlighting professional leadership networks is grounded in our work and experience. Our belief in professional leadership networks leads us to collaborate upon the superintendency’s need to employ a strategy of growing professional networks, a first book in today's literature. We intend to help superintendents, novice or veteran, and other school system leaders recognize the importance of collaboration through professional leadership networks at a critical point in public education. With the call for more leadership collaboration and less isolation in today’s schools, we offer school system leaders essential principles of networking, that will help them develop and engage in strategic opportunities of collaboration as a means to strengthen and improve the superintendency, their school district organization, and their students’ success.

New teachers need support from their peers and mentors to locate resources, information, new ideas, emotional support, and inspiration. This timely book explains the research and theory behind social networks (face-to-face and online), describes what effective social networking for educators looks like, reveals common obstacles that new teachers face in establishing support networks, and offers valuable practical advice. The author follows the stories of four first-year teachers, illustrating the significant impact that social support networks can have on teachers’ lives and challenging common misconceptions of professional support. This book offers action guides to help teachers become “intentional networkers,” including a companion website with tools for networking and collaboration. This is a must-have resource for pre- and in-service teachers. Book Features: Research-based frameworks on teachers’ social networks and professional support.Suggestions for mentors, teacher educators, and school administers on how to help new teachers to effectively develop their social networks.A companion website that will offer discussion forums, resources, and networking tools. “Dr. Baker-Doyle’s book adds an interesting and timely facet—the role of social networks—to the always important discussions about how new teachers can excel in their work. Her research will be of value to those who do professional development with educators and to practitioners alike.” —Susan Fuhrman, President of Teachers College, Columbia University and the National Academy of Education “Without question, this book is a major contribution to the public and academic conversation on school reform and teacher development. But more importantly, it is destined to improve the professional life of any teacher that reads it.” —Marc Lamont Hill, Teachers College, Columbia University

The persistent challenge of achieving excellence and equity within education systems has renewed interest in generating context-specific solutions through localised school networks. But how can successful school networks be developed? Based around the lifecycle of a network, this book traces the development of a network from its initial inception, exploring the ways in which it can be sustained and remain capable of meeting the future challenges faced by schools and their communities. The book explores a series of important issues facing school leaders, including: the benefits of investing time and energy in networks with other schools and communities the particular problems faced by schools and the education system which are best tackled by network-based solutions the advantages for schools and communities of engaging with collaborative reform agenda the ways in which networks can be managed, and the differences between leading a school or a team and a network the elements which make an effective network. The book draws on UK and international research to discuss the development and leadership of networks and to outline a number of tried-and-tested leadership approaches. In addition, the authors draw on their own experience and research to provide accounts of real networks to expose the realities of networking. Each chapter tackles a key leadership issue and ends with a series of tools to support those leading and facilitating networks tackle these in practice. This book will be of interest to practising school leaders, network co-ordinators, postgraduate students and those researching educational leadership and school improvement.

"The Teachers Network, one of the most effective professional development organizations in education, has much to teach us. Ellen Meyers and her colleagues explain how supporting, connecting, and investing in teachers provides the best hope for our nation′s public schools. Their invaluable work, distilled to its essence in these pages, creates opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively with colleagues, to learn from one another about how to teach better, and through that professional growth to remain committed to education. The authors show us how to do it." —Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Stanford University "The Power of Teacher Networks provides a ringing clarion call for teacher collaboration and for grounding educational policy in the real world of the classroom and the school. Part how-to manual for building teacher networks and part chronicle of the authors′ successful work, this book sets forth a vision for the transformation of our nation′s schools through the development of teacher voices." —Randi Weingarten, President American Federation of Teachers "Essential for anyone interested in the future of public education in America. Embedded in the notion that teachers are the solution, not the problem, this book explores how teachers can create a vision, find a voice, manage a growing network, and make a difference. Surely there is nothing more important as we grapple with how best to move forward." —Bill Cirone, Superintendent Santa Barbara County Education Office, CA "When teachers network, they become a social force for the good of society and each child in their classrooms. This book is a must-read for anyone who cares about teaching and teacher development." —Mary M. Brabeck, Dean and Professor of Applied Psychology Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University Foster high-quality teaching and leadership through teacher networks! When connected through inter-school networks, teachers can communicate with each other and share invaluable information and ideas across district and state boundaries, ultimately enhancing both their own effectiveness and student learning. This step-by-step guide shows you how to create, manage, and sustain a teacher network or grow an existing one, and provides an easily adaptable model developed by The Teachers Network. The book includes teacher vignettes and director and advisors′ experiences in managing a network, plus a wealth of worksheets, tools, and resources to get you started. Practical guidelines illustrate how networks can: Support new teachers, reduce teacher isolation, and increase retention rates Share the benefits of collaborative group work, including action research Enhance professional practice and nurture teacher leaders Connect teachers to the goals and ideals that drew them into education Teachers working together can not only make a significant impact on their school communities, but also strengthen the influence that teacher leaders can have in the wider arena of educational policy.