Human Side of School Change

Robert Evans is a clinical and organizational psychologist and director of the Human Relations Service in Wellesley, Massachusetts. A former high school and preschool teacher, he has consulted with hundreds of schools and districts throughout America and around the world and has worked extensively with teachers, administrators, school boards, and state education officials.

"A unique, superb, and penetrating analysis of the human side of educational change. Evans knows the human realities of change and portrays them vividly in both individual and organizational terms. His discussion of hope and realism in the final chapter is a gem." (Michael Fullan, dean, Faculty of Education, University of Toronto) "Evans certainly understands what gets in the way of real school change and what the simple, key elements are that can make it happen. No board member, superintendent, or school principal should make one more decision or host one more meeting without reading this book." (Judy Cunningham, principal, South Lake Middle School, Irvine, Calif.) Evans has written a realistic yet hopeful book that sets a new standard for providing the leadership needed to implement school improvements. An engaging and much-needed update of the critical, but often overlooked, human side of change. (Thomas J. Sergiovanni, Lillian Radford Professor of Education and senior fellow, Center for Educational Leadership, Trinity University) School leaders will find this book realistic about the difficulties of change, rich in practical advice about school improvement, and useful in showing how to transcend the limits of their own experience to practice effective leadership. (Thomas W. Payzant, superintendent, Boston Public Schools)

• Introduction xiThe Author xviiPart One: The Nature of Change1 Changing Paradigms 32 The Meanings of Change 213 The Culture of Resistance 40Part Two: Dimensions of Change4 Implementation: Tasks of Transition 555 Substance: New Agendas, Old Problems 746 Staff: Understanding Reluctant Faculty 917 Setting: Assessing Organizational Capacity 1198 Leadership: Old Paradoxes, New Promise 145Part Three: Leading Innovation9 The Authentic Leader 18310 Clarity and Focus: The Power of Concentration 20611 Participation — Without Paralysis 22912 Recognition: Reversing the Golden Rule 25413 Confrontation: Avoiding Avoidance 27214 Reach and Realism, Experience and Hope 289References 301Index 311