Improve Learning by Building Community

John C. Daresh is professor of educational leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso. Over the years, he has held faculty or administrative appointments at the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, the University of Northern Colorado, and Illinois State University. He has also worked as a consultant on high school reform and administrator professional development for universities, state departments of education, national and state professional associations, and individual schools and districts across the United States, and also in Barbados, Canada, France, Holland, Israel, Turkey, South Africa, and Taiwan. By far, the bulk of Daresh’s international service has been in the United Kingdom where he served an advisor and trainer for the School Management Task Force that developed and promoted support programs for beginning headteachers, the National College for School Leadership, the Welsh Office of Education, the North West Network for Diploma Development in Cheshire, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Lincoln, the University of Hull, CREATE Consultancies, and literally dozens of Local Education Authorities and individual schools across England and Wales.Daresh recently completed three years of service as the lead consultant on principal mentoring programs for the Chicago Public Schools as that megadistrict was faced with the challenge of bringing in mostly inexperienced principals to serve in nearly of the school system’s elementary and high schools. Jane Lynch currently serves as the faculty leader of the Department of Business, Information Technology, and Enterprise at All Hallows Catholic College in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. Prior to this appointment, she served as a teacher at Sandbach High School in Cheshire. Her route to the field of education did not follow a traditional path. Her undergraduate degree at Keele University was in law and economics, resulting in a career as a solicitor supported by postgraduate study at Christleton Law College in Chester.Her interest in working more directly with young people led to a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education in Business Studies (Secondary) at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she later pursued advanced graduate work in educational management. She left the world of law and business to follow her strong interest in education, and the last 21 years of her professional life have been devoted to that focus. Lynch’s work in program development in business and enterprise has become increasingly recognized across England, where she has been invited to serve on a number of panels and committees seeking to forge stronger links among schools and the world of business. She was recently provided with a leave from her work at Macclesfield to support educational program planning with the Cheshire County Educational Office.She has also continued her national role of participating in numerous projects dedicated to developing young people’s employment skills. She serves as a consultant in enterprise education in Cheshire; as the leader of the Northwest England Business, Administration, and Finance (BAF) Diploma Network; as the Enterprise Learning Partnership coordinator for Cheshire and Warrington; and as the chair of the BAF Diploma County Forum.

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbout the Authors1. It All Begins With YouGeneral Information About Educational PlatformsA Normative Use of a PlatformReturning to Motley Elementary SchoolPoints for PracticeReferences2. Creating a Shared VisionDeveloping a VisionArticulating the VisionImplementing the VisionMonitoring the VisionCreating a Vision: Returning to Carpenter Middle SchoolChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferences3. Foundations for Community BuildingDefinitionsOperationalizing Community Beyond StructureReturning to the Administrative Team at Ridgmoor Middle SchoolChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferences4. Focusing on Culture Is More Than Good MannersOn Climate and CultureDevelopment of Culture and Climate ResearchPutting the Theory Into PracticeReturning to ManchesterChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferences5. Studying Your External EnvironmentAnalytic FrameworkHistorical Thumbnail for the Riverport Community and Hilley High SchoolStructural Dimension of RiverportHuman Resource Dimension of RiverportPolitical Dimension of RiverportSymbolic Dimension of RiverportBack to PeteChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferences6. Working With Community Groups and ParentsParent ConcernsCommunity ConcernsReturning to Cheshire SchoolChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferenceAdditional Suggested Resources7. Seeing Your Invisible HeroesSecurity StaffOffice WorkersCustodial StaffFood Service WorkersChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferences8. Services in the CommunityStudents in Physical DangerDrug or Substance AbuseStudent Mental or Physical HealthFamily TurmoilReturning to La Casa Blanca Schools and Bustamente ElementaryChapter SummaryPoints for Practice9. Support From Central AdministrationWhat Makes It Hard to Change Schools?Key People to Keep InformedChapter SummaryPoints for PracticeReferencesIndex

"At last, we have a book that provides practical, day-to-day advice for what school administrators need to attend to when establishing a learning community. Daresh helps school leaders understand the importance of their personal values about shared leadership as well as the individuals within the school, district, and community who are essential to building a shared learning community. The wealth of examples and school-based scenarios illustrate how these ideas translate into practice. A wonderful resource for a book study for teachers and principals."