Synopses & Reviews
"Sergiovanni's book gives life and meaning to the words 'lifeworld' and 'systemsworld'--bringing a new and insightful perspective to the discourse on school reform--and challenges school leaders to gain a more holistic view of students and interaction in the teaching-learning process."--Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director, The National Association of Secondary School Principals
"Once again, Sergiovanni has used his remarkable and unique insight to bring clarity to a major challenge of current leadership--the use of standards. He has managed to contextualize the issue of standards, through looking at the 'lifeworld' of schools, in a way no one else has. This is a fresh and thought-provoking take on a subject school leaders must understand."--Paul D. Houston, executive director, American Association of School Administrators
This inspiring book calls for leaders who act according to the unique culture, values, and needs of their schools. Tom Sergiovanni examines why this "lifeworld" is so vital to school success and shows how local leadership can make the difference in creating healthy, rigorous schools. He explores the crucial link between school character and school improvement. By building institutional character at the local level, principals, superintendents, and policymakers can not only protect the lifeworld of their schools but also craft an educational system based on layered loyalties and shared accountability.
Review
"Leaders who are trying to act according to the unique culture, values, and needs of their schools while also meeting state and national standards will find this inspiring book a welcome addition to their professional libraries." (The School Administrator)
"Sergiovanni gets to the heart of school reform and renewal in this book. He shows how local school communities can construct standards that support serious learning and effective caring for students. This is a must read for anyone involved in education policy or practice today." (Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education, Stanford University, and codirector, National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST), Teachers College, Columbia University)
"Sergiovanni's book gives life and meaning to the words 'lifeworld' and 'systemsworld'—bringing a new and insightful perspective to the discourse on school reform—and challenges school leaders to gain a more holistic view of students and interaction in the teaching-learning process." (Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director, The National Association of Secondary School Principals)
"After Andless debates about systems and standards, here at last is a great book about real character in education. Tom Sergiovanni shows how, worldwide, standards and standardization are squeezing the life out of learning and leading in schools today." (Andy Hargreaves, director and professor, International Centre for Educational Change, University of Toronto)
"Once again, Sergiovanni has used his remarkable and unique insight to bring clarity to a major challenge of current leadership—the use of standards. He has managed to contextualize the issue of standards, through looking at the 'lifeworld' of schools, in a way no one else has. This is a fresh and thought-provoking take on a subject school leaders must understand." (Paul D. Houston, executive director, American Association of School Administrators)
"Sergiovanni makes a powerfully reasoned case for building schools that stick close to their roots, not just because it feels good but because it's the most efficient and productive path to creating a well-educated citizenry. An important contribution at a critical and disturbing time in the history of public education." (Deborah Meier, principal, Mission Hill Elementary School in Boston, and author of The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America From a Small School in Harlem)
"Sergiovanni shows democracy at work in a way that makes theories accessible to all." (Childhood Education, Summer 2002)
Synopsis
Sergiovanni (education, Trinity U., San Antonio, Texas) argues that by building institutional character at the local level, principals, superintendents, and policymakers can protect their schools from political conflicts and craft an education system based on layered loyalties and shared accountability. He draws examples of school reforms from much of the English speaking world.
Synopsis
At a time when sweeping educational mandates, systems requirements, and political conflicts seem to besiege our schools, it becomes clear that school leaders are most effective when they act according to the unique culture, values, and needs of their schools. In this inspiring book, Thomas J. Sergiovanni examines why the "lifeworld" of schools is so vital to school success and shows how local leadership can make the difference in creating healthy, rigorous schools for our children.
The Lifeworld of Leadership explores the crucial link between school character and school improvement. By building institutional character at the local level, principals, superintendents, and policymakers can not only protect the lifeworld of their schools but also craft an educational system based on layered loyalties and shared accountability. Sergiovanni draws from an exhaustive review of school reform initiatives in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand to provide specific and compelling examples of local school leadership at its best. He proposes initiatives that invite all educational stakeholders to lead without compromising the legitimate interests of their schools and communities.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 201-211) and index.
About the Author
THOMAS J. SERGIOVANNI is Lillian Radford Professor of Education and Administration, senior fellow at the Center for Educational Leadership, and founder of the Trinity Principal's Center at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is the author of several books, including Leadership for the Schoolhouse, Building Community in Schools, and Moral Leadership.
Table of Contents
The Lifeworld at the Center.
School Character, School Effectiveness.
Competence and Caring in Action.
Community in a Diverse Society.
Layered Standards and Shared Accountability.
Whole Child, Whole School, Holistic Assessment.
Teachers: Keys to School Improvement.
Deep Change and the Power of Localism.
Leadership, Democracy, and the Lifeworld.