Product Description

This reference tool for mastering reflective practice and initiating it in your school offers ideas for reflective practice alone, with partners, in small groups, and schoolwide.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #508994 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 344 pages

Review

"This book is essential to anyone interested in a framework and strategies for supporting a school staff in reflecting on its practice to increase learning at the individual and organizational levels, and subsequently enhancing student learning." 

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Review
"A framework for reflective practice supported by specific illustrations of individual, paired, small group, and whole-school use. A first purchase for anyone interested in promoting professional growth through reflection." (Curriculum Connections, Fall 2006 )

"An easy read that has the power to endlessly renew your hope and potential. The book provides a practical framework that supports educators as they progress through the reflective practices spiral. The resultant web of professional relationships provides students with a safety net of resources that strengthens the school's intervention and instructional resources." (Principal Navigator, May 2007 )

About the Author

Jennifer York-Barr, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, where she coordinates and teaches teacher leadership, staff development, and educational administration.

William A. Sommers is currently the Learning Alternatives director and leadership coach for Spring Lake Park District 12 in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota, consultant, and author. He is the former director of leadership & organizational development for Manor ISD in Texas, the former executive director for secondary curriculum and professional learning for Minneapolis Public Schools, and a school administrator for over 30 years. He has also been a Senior Fellow for the Urban Leadership Academy at the University of Minnesota. Sommers also has served as an adjunct faculty member at Texas State University, Hamline University, University of St. Thomas, St. Mary's University, Union Institute, and Capella University.

Sommers was on the Board of Trustees for five years and past-president for the National Staff Development Council. He has been a presenter in preconferences and conference sessions for 12 consecutive years and continues to work as a senior consultant for NSDC.

Since 1990, he has been an associate trainer for the Center for Cognitive Coaching based in Denver, Colorado. He has been a program director for an adolescent chemical dependency treatment center and on the board of a halfway house for 20 years.

Sommers has co-authored seven books, Living on a Tightrope: A Survival Handbook for Principals, Becoming a Successful Principal: How to Ride the Wave of Change Without Drowning, Reflective Practice to Improve Schools, a Trainer’s Companion, Energizing Staff Development Using Video Clips, Leading Professional Learning Communities, and Principal’s Field Manual. He is currently working on Trainer’s Companion for Habits of Mind (2009).

In addition to writing many articles regarding coaching, assessment, and reflective thinking, he also does training in reflective practice, leadership, organizational development, conflict management, poverty, thinking skills, brain research, and classroom management. From 1970 to the present, he has been in K-12 education as a teacher and principal in urban, suburban, and rural schools. Sommers is a practitioner who integrates theory into the learning opportunities he facilitates.

Jo Montie has her M.A. in Educational Psychology. Her professional work has included serving as a special education teacher, school consultant, and staff development facilitator, and as project coordinator with the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration.

 

Gail Ghere received her M.A. in Special Education from the University of Minnesota, where she is a doctoral candidate in program evaluation with the Department of Educational Policy and Administration, and is the project coordinator for a federal grant that focuses on instructional team collaboration for students with disabilities in inclusionary schools.

 

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Customer Reviews

Poses a challenging, compelling argument
Reflective Practice To Improve Schools: An Action Guide To Educators defines reflective practice (approaches to teaching that require personal commitment to continuous learning and improvement) and discusses how reflective practice and continuous learning can be spread among teachers and applied throughout school systems to create a better educational base for our children's future. Tables, figures, point-by-point bulletins and black-and-white diagrams help illustrate the benefits of reflective practice. Collaboratively written by Jennifer York-Barr, William A. Sommers, Gail S. Ghere, and Jo Monite in an effort to present difficult undergraduate level concepts in clear language that can be easily grasped, Reflective Practice To Improve Schools poses a challenging, compelling argument and is highly recommended for any educator in search tips, tricks, and techniques for self improvement on the job.