Dealing with such productivity improvement programmes as action learning, quality circles, inter-firm comparisons and business clinics, this book also offers information on the most important areas in which productivity can be improved and on techniques field-tested in developing countries.

The book is a pragmatic departure from unachievable idealism and is replete with examples of insightful originality amply demonstrated by the selection of themes and their down-to-earth treatment

The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.

This is the most comprehensive School Development overview text ever written. In the first part of the book, Dalin sets the stage for a discussion of how schools can improve in the 21st century by providing a detailed historical review of reform in Europe and North America. He explores the dilemmas faced by decision-makers facing up to pressure for change, and provides world-wde examples of attempts at decentralization. The middle part of the book gives an overview of the theoretical basis for school improvement. It examines whether schools bahave differently from other types of organization. Institutional leadership and management are put under the microscope, with particular emphasis placed on the role of the principal in school improvement. The book concludes with a brilliant analysis of change strategies. It uses practical studies as well as referring back to the contextual framework and theoretical basis provided earlier. Strategies are reviewed on three levels of change: individual, organizational and those which target the entire system. School Development: Theories and Strategies is the culmination of many years' work by one of the acknowledged experts in the field. Its significance for all those who have an interest in furthering educational standards cannot be overestimated.

The aims and origins of decentralization are examined and its effects on school flexibility, accountability, and productivity are explored in some depth. Administrators and others tell their stories. This volume offers an analysis of how school-based management works.

This is a true story. As you turn the pages of this book, I hope you will become outraged and disappointed in our Public Education System. This book is written in a diary format, and chronicles my years as an educator at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, New Jersey, for almost 25 years. During this period, I witnessed despicable student behavior and unforgiveable administrative decisions. It is our responsibility as a community and a society to say, "No More" to a bureaucratic system that allows for a blatant mismanagement of funds, out-of-control students, and a disregard for every student to secure a quality education that prepares them for the future. It is not my intention to cast a cloud on all those dedicated individuals who view teaching as a noble profession or parents who guide their children to do their best, or students that persevere in an atmosphere of chaos. It is rather my intention and hope, that you the reader will gain insight and first-hand knowledge about the "real occurrences" in one urban public high school. After reading this book... You decide if We are Ruining a Nation!