The eminent Harvard educationalist Howard Garner writes a preface to the Place Model within his Good Project Blog which provides a preface to this timely book. Professional is a slippery term, open to willful abuse, misuse and misunderstanding – as evidenced by the ways in which this chameleon term can be used as both a compliment and an insult. In this book academics from a range of professional fields deconstruct ‘professional’ and reimagine professionals in an age of rapid change where professionals are both increasingly in demand and frequently under threat. Several deploy the lens of Clarke’s Place Model to examine professions including teaching, midwifery, social work, journalism, and optometry. Some papers are empirical and some are based around using the Place Model as a thought experiment. All turn a critical eye on professionals and all find them to be, like all humans, neither devils nor divines (Maya Angelou), but at their best a combination of two indispensable characteristics, trustworthiness and expertise.

The eminent Harvard educationalist Howard Garner writes a preface to the Place Model within his Good Project Blog which provides a preface to this timely book. Professional is a slippery term, open to willful abuse, misuse and misunderstanding - as evidenced by the ways in which this chameleon term can be used as both a compliment and an insult. In this book academics from a range of professional fields deconstruct 'professional' and reimagine professionals in an age of rapid change where professionals are both increasingly in demand and frequently under threat. Several deploy the lens of Clarke's Place Model to examine professions including teaching, midwifery, social work, journalism, and optometry. Some papers are empirical and some are based around using the Place Model as a thought experiment. All turn a critical eye on professionals and all find them to be, like all humans, neither devils nor divines (Maya Angelou), but at their best a combination of two indispensable characteristics, trustworthiness and expertise.

Make change humanly possible When we ask schools to change, we are asking human beings to change and this requires special tools and a human-centered approach. Change the heart of the system by enabling the hearts and minds of those who make schools work. Learn to make sense of challenging change journeys and accelerate implementation with this practical framework that includes human-centered tools, resources and mini case studies. Understand why resistance is to be expected and how to get through it. Discover three different kinds of change strategies and when to use which one Learn how to use the “messy middle” of change, where real transformation happens. "Julie Wilson dares to turn common sense into an action plan. This is an urgent, important book for all educators and parents." Seth Godin, Author "Julie Wilson is both a visionary and a pragmatist. Her book is a wonderfully clear and concise guide for leaders who seek to navigate the road to educational transformation." Tony Wagner, Author

A school leadership model for surviving hyper-change From social media to evolving safety issues to constant school reform, today’s school leaders face unprecedented disruption. How can educators prepare students for a globalized world when many institutions are not ready for the constantly changing 21st century? In Leading Schools in Disruptive Times, Dwight Carter and Mark White draw the blueprint for adaptation. Through the Coping, Adjusting, and Transforming (CAT) strategy, administrators will learn vital methods for keeping pace in the age of hyper-change. • A comprehensive history of disruption in American schools as a lens for understanding accelerated change • Practical exercises and real-life examples for reshaping education in the 21st century • A grounded examination of radical disruptions schools will face in the years to come. If our schools are to survive, it is essential for educators to understand and anticipate disruptions, and use them to maximize education and prepare students for an ever-changing world.

The United States entered the 21st century as the world’s sole superpower. Our diplomatic strength, military might, financial resources, and technological innovation were, and continue to be, the envy of the world. However, in the crucial area of education, the U.S. lags behind many other developed countries. Though the U.S. spends more per student than almost any other country, international exams have demonstrated that we consistently perform well behind countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, and Finland in the areas of reading and math. There are even more worrying elements at play, however. Paramount among these is the fact that the U.S. educational system is becoming ever more stratified. Despite efforts such as the George W. Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the disparity in academic achievement between students from high and low socioeconomic classes continues to grow. The ramifications of this trend are vast. China, Japan, and South Korea understand that well-educated workers are crucial for survival in the competitive global economy. Thus, they are placing enormous emphasis on education, ensuring that their students receive instruction not only foundational reading and math, but are also taught to think creatively and solve problems. Their youth are poised to take on and conquer the world. The U.S., on the other hand, is losing the battle. School systems are using more money but have less to show for it. Test results, especially among the lower socioeconomic classes, are dismal. America has extraordinary natural resources, a solid, functioning democracy, and excellent infrastructure, but unless we can reform our educational system to produce students who are able to take advantage of new technologies and compete in the global economy, we will cede our position as world leader. Its Time for Change: School Reform provides a no nonsense blueprint for reforming The U. S. educational system in a manner that will ensure that it secures its position as the preeminent word leader.

"The rules of the world are changing. It is time for the rules of teaching and teachers' work to change with them." This is the challenge which Andy Hargreaves sets out in his new book on teachers' work and culture in the postmodern world. Drawing on his current research with teachers at all levels, Hargreaves shows through their own vivid words what teaching is really like, how it is already changing, and why. He argues that the structures and cultures of teaching need to change even more if teachers are not to be trapped by guilt, pressed by time and overburdened by decisions imposed upon them. Provocative yet practical, this book is written for teachers and those who work with teachers, and for researchers who want to understand teaching better in the postmodern age.