Table of Contents
About the Authors xi
Part I Will And Skill
Introduction 1
Will and Skill 2
The Blame Game 6
The "Turnaround" Concept 7
1 The Two Parts of a Positive School Environment 9
Will 9
Skill 11
The Four Zones of a Positive Learning Environment 12
The Need for Philosophical Agreement 15
Embracing Culture and Structure 16
Part II The Will to Lead
2 Conflicting Wills 19
Schools as Microcosms 19
The Importance of a Healthy School Culture 20
Toxic School Culture 22
Collective Commitment to Success for All Students 23
Abolishing Conflicting Wills 28
3 Frustration in a Toxic Culture 31
Insufficient Preparation 32
Overwhelming Conditions 34
The Cycle of Blame 36
A Culture of Complaint 38
Doing to Students Versus Acting With Students 39
Lessening the Frustration 41
4 The School Culture Framework: Creating a Culture of Collaboration 43
The Players 44
Believers and Fundamentalists 45
Collegial and Managerial Cultures 47
Reducing Fundamentalism 52
Building Up the Believers 54
Reversing Perceptions 54
5 Leadership at Every Level 57
Transformational Leaders 57
Teacher Leaders 62
Site Leaders 65
Central and District Leaders 69
State and Federal Leaders 71
Building a Healthy Culture 72
Part III The Skill to Teach
6 Developing a Responsive Pedagogy 75
Aligning the Will With the Skill 77
Skill Is Being Responsive 79
Three Lessons From Hollywood 80
Recognizing the Need for a Responsive Pedagogy 82
Identifying the Audience for Responsive Pedagogy 83
Beware of Deficit Thinking 84
Becoming Skillful 84
7 The Steps to a Responsive Pedagogy 87
Step One: Identify an Area of Instruction for Improvement 88
Step Two: Assess the Quantity and Quality of the Activities Currently Used 92
Step Three: Implement Responsive Activities During Teaching 93
The Art of Juxtapositions 94
Steps for Success 96
8 Responsive Classroom Management 97
Philosophies of Classroom Management 98
The Three P Approach 99
Activities for Responsive Classroom Management 101
Building Responsive Classroom Management 110
9 Responsive Academic Vocabulary 113
Four Key Premises 113
Steps for Responsive Vocabulary Instruction 116
Building Responsive Academic Vocabulary 123
10 Responsive Academic Literacy 125
Engaging Students With Culturally Responsive Texts 126
Using Read-Alouds in the Oral Tradition of Storytelling 128
Using Responsive Literacy Techniques Effectively 131
Building Responsive Academic Literacy 137
11 Responsive Learning Environment 139
A Print-Rich Environment 141
Learning Centers 141
Culturally Colorful Materials 142
Optimally Arranged Space 143
Multiple Libraries 144
Technology 145
Relevant Bulletin Boards 146
Displayed Student Work and Images of Students 147
Building a Responsive Learning Environment 147
Afterword 151
References and Resources 153
Index 159
