Mel West – författare

Despite consistent improvements in the school systems of over recent years, there are still too many children who miss out. It is not only children from disadvantaged backgrounds attending hard-pressed urban schools that the system is failing - even in the most successful schools there are often groups of learners whose experience of schooling is less than equitable.As a result of their close involvement with a group of schools serving a predominantly working-class community over five years, the authors of this book offer an analysis of how marginalisation within schools can arise, and provide suggestions for responding to this crucial policy agenda. They propose a teacher-led inquiry strategy that has proved to be effective in moving forward thinking and practice within individual schools. However, their research has shown that using the same strategy for system change is problematic within a policy context that emphasises competition and choice. Learning from this experience, the authors analyse the factors that inhibit the collaborative approach needed to reduce inequities that exist between the schools, in order to formulate proposals that can move the system as a whole towards more equitable provision.In Developing Equitable Education Systems, the authors focus on the way teachers’ sense of ‘fairness’ can become a powerful starting point, helping individual schools to inquire into and develop their own practice and provision. They provide practical suggestions for practitioners about ways of working that can create a greater sense of equity within particular school contexts, and highlight the barriers to a wider strategy for reducing system inequities that reside in local and national policies and traditions.At a time when government policies in many countries move to extend the diversity of educational provision - for example, through the introduction of charter schools in the USA, free schools in Sweden and academies in England - the authors also include a set of recommendations that offer a timely warning against the fragmentation of school systems in the misguided belief that competition benefits all children. They suggest that a more sensible approach would be to avoid situations whereby the improvement of one school leads to a decline in the resources available to, and subsequently the performance of, others.

Despite consistent improvements in the school systems of over recent years, there are still too many children who miss out. It is not only children from disadvantaged backgrounds attending hard-pressed urban schools that the system is failing - even in the most successful schools there are often groups of learners whose experience of schooling is less than equitable.As a result of their close involvement with a group of schools serving a predominantly working-class community over five years, the authors of this book offer an analysis of how marginalisation within schools can arise, and provide suggestions for responding to this crucial policy agenda. They propose a teacher-led inquiry strategy that has proved to be effective in moving forward thinking and practice within individual schools. However, their research has shown that using the same strategy for system change is problematic within a policy context that emphasises competition and choice. Learning from this experience, the authors analyse the factors that inhibit the collaborative approach needed to reduce inequities that exist between the schools, in order to formulate proposals that can move the system as a whole towards more equitable provision.In Developing Equitable Education Systems, the authors focus on the way teachers’ sense of ‘fairness’ can become a powerful starting point, helping individual schools to inquire into and develop their own practice and provision. They provide practical suggestions for practitioners about ways of working that can create a greater sense of equity within particular school contexts, and highlight the barriers to a wider strategy for reducing system inequities that reside in local and national policies and traditions.At a time when government policies in many countries move to extend the diversity of educational provision - for example, through the introduction of charter schools in the USA, free schools in Sweden and academies in England - the authors also include a set of recommendations that offer a timely warning against the fragmentation of school systems in the misguided belief that competition benefits all children. They suggest that a more sensible approach would be to avoid situations whereby the improvement of one school leads to a decline in the resources available to, and subsequently the performance of, others.

First Published in 2001. This is the second edition of this school’s improvement handbook of staff development activities by the IQEA (Improving Education for All) project. This book is not about what changes should be introduced into a school but rather about creating the conditions for supporting those changes which schools or individuals believe should be introduced. To be effective at managing change schools and teachers need to modify the internal conditions of the school at the same time as introducing changes in teaching or curriculum. The book therefore provides ideas and materials to help colleagues in school to create such conditions and suggests a strategic approach.

First Published in 2001. This is the second edition of this school’s improvement handbook of staff development activities by the IQEA (Improving Education for All) project. This book is not about what changes should be introduced into a school but rather about creating the conditions for supporting those changes which schools or individuals believe should be introduced. To be effective at managing change schools and teachers need to modify the internal conditions of the school at the same time as introducing changes in teaching or curriculum. The book therefore provides ideas and materials to help colleagues in school to create such conditions and suggests a strategic approach.

Despite consistent improvements in the school systems of over recent years, there are still too many children who miss out. It is not only children from disadvantaged backgrounds attending hard-pressed urban schools that the system is failing - even in the most successful schools there are often groups of learners whose experience of schooling is less than equitable.As a result of their close involvement with a group of schools serving a predominantly working-class community over five years, the authors of this book offer an analysis of how marginalisation within schools can arise, and provide suggestions for responding to this crucial policy agenda. They propose a teacher-led inquiry strategy that has proved to be effective in moving forward thinking and practice within individual schools. However, their research has shown that using the same strategy for system change is problematic within a policy context that emphasises competition and choice. Learning from this experience, the authors analyse the factors that inhibit the collaborative approach needed to reduce inequities that exist between the schools, in order to formulate proposals that can move the system as a whole towards more equitable provision.In Developing Equitable Education Systems, the authors focus on the way teachers’ sense of ‘fairness’ can become a powerful starting point, helping individual schools to inquire into and develop their own practice and provision. They provide practical suggestions for practitioners about ways of working that can create a greater sense of equity within particular school contexts, and highlight the barriers to a wider strategy for reducing system inequities that reside in local and national policies and traditions.At a time when government policies in many countries move to extend the diversity of educational provision - for example, through the introduction of charter schools in the USA, free schools in Sweden and academies in England - the authors also include a set of recommendations that offer a timely warning against the fragmentation of school systems in the misguided belief that competition benefits all children. They suggest that a more sensible approach would be to avoid situations whereby the improvement of one school leads to a decline in the resources available to, and subsequently the performance of, others.

Despite consistent improvements in the school systems of over recent years, there are still too many children who miss out. It is not only children from disadvantaged backgrounds attending hard-pressed urban schools that the system is failing - even in the most successful schools there are often groups of learners whose experience of schooling is less than equitable.As a result of their close involvement with a group of schools serving a predominantly working-class community over five years, the authors of this book offer an analysis of how marginalisation within schools can arise, and provide suggestions for responding to this crucial policy agenda. They propose a teacher-led inquiry strategy that has proved to be effective in moving forward thinking and practice within individual schools. However, their research has shown that using the same strategy for system change is problematic within a policy context that emphasises competition and choice. Learning from this experience, the authors analyse the factors that inhibit the collaborative approach needed to reduce inequities that exist between the schools, in order to formulate proposals that can move the system as a whole towards more equitable provision.In Developing Equitable Education Systems, the authors focus on the way teachers’ sense of ‘fairness’ can become a powerful starting point, helping individual schools to inquire into and develop their own practice and provision. They provide practical suggestions for practitioners about ways of working that can create a greater sense of equity within particular school contexts, and highlight the barriers to a wider strategy for reducing system inequities that reside in local and national policies and traditions.At a time when government policies in many countries move to extend the diversity of educational provision - for example, through the introduction of charter schools in the USA, free schools in Sweden and academies in England - the authors also include a set of recommendations that offer a timely warning against the fragmentation of school systems in the misguided belief that competition benefits all children. They suggest that a more sensible approach would be to avoid situations whereby the improvement of one school leads to a decline in the resources available to, and subsequently the performance of, others.

First Published in 2001. This is the second edition of this school’s improvement handbook of staff development activities by the IQEA (Improving Education for All) project. This book is not about what changes should be introduced into a school but rather about creating the conditions for supporting those changes which schools or individuals believe should be introduced. To be effective at managing change schools and teachers need to modify the internal conditions of the school at the same time as introducing changes in teaching or curriculum. The book therefore provides ideas and materials to help colleagues in school to create such conditions and suggests a strategic approach.

First Published in 2001. This is the second edition of this school’s improvement handbook of staff development activities by the IQEA (Improving Education for All) project. This book is not about what changes should be introduced into a school but rather about creating the conditions for supporting those changes which schools or individuals believe should be introduced. To be effective at managing change schools and teachers need to modify the internal conditions of the school at the same time as introducing changes in teaching or curriculum. The book therefore provides ideas and materials to help colleagues in school to create such conditions and suggests a strategic approach.

Los autores presentan una serie de actividades de reflexión-acción que consideran necesarias para sustentar los procesos de innovación y mejora del aula. Es un libro práctico para quienes se dedican a tareas de asesoramiento educativo en los centros y, en particular, para los asesores de formación permanente del profesorado. También es de gran utilidad para los equipos docentes comprometidos con su trabajo, que perciben la necesidad de introducirse en una dinámica de innovación y mejora ante una sociedad que cambia a un ritmo acelerado y que demanda nuevas respuestas a los nuevos desafíos de su tiempo. Los autores identifican y describen seis condiciones básicas para la mejora efectiva del trabajo en el aula: relaciones auténticas basadas en la calidad y la apertura: límites y expectativas de actuación y conducta de los alumnos: acceso de los docentes a los materiales pertinentes para poder planificar para enseñar: repertorio docente o conjunto de estilos y modelos de enseñar según el alumno, el contexto, el currículo y los resultados deseados: colaboraciones pedagógicas con profesionales de dentro y fuera del aula, y la capacidad de cada profesor para reflexionar sobre la enseñanza. En el libro se ofrecen ejercicios, perfectamente secuenciados, a través de los cuales se pueden lograr esas condiciones, al mismo tiempo que se sugieren ideas para que cada escuela pueda elaborar su propia estrategia de mejora del trabajo en las aulas.

Un libro esencial para la formación de equipos docentes y para todos aquellos que desean mejorar la calidad de la educación, para todos, en las instituciones educativas. Este manual, basado en un Proyecto de mejora de la calidad de la educación para todos, IQEA (Improving the Quality of Education for All), ofrece todo un plan de actividades, basadas en la experiencia y pensadas para quienes han asumido la responsabilidad de innovar el trabajo en sus escuelas. La obra proporciona ideas y materiales para ir buscando y creando las condiciones que apoyen aquellos cambios que las escuelas o los individuos consideren imprescindibles, a fin de lograr la mejora y la eficacia escolar. Para ello es necesario que tanto los centros como el profesorado, hagan su propio diagnóstico y modifiquen las condiciones internas de la escuela, al mismo tiempo que los métodos de enseñanza o el currículo. Los autores identifican seis condiciones para lograr el cambio en la escuela: crear un clima de investigación-reflexión sobre la práctica docente: adquirir un compromiso de planificación colaborativa: lograr la participación de todos, en los proyectos y las decisiones de la escuela: prestar especial atención a la formación permanente y el desarrollo profesional del profesorado: crear estrategias de coordinación y, finalmente lograr una función de liderazgo eficaz, implicando el claustro en estas tareas.

Collaboration and networking have recently come to the fore as major school improvement strategies in a number of countries. A variety of initiatives, from government and other agencies, have encouraged collaboration and led to a lot of practical activity in this area. However, at present there are no texts in education that explore collaboration and networking from both a theoretical and practical perspective. In this book, we aim to provide a theoretical background to educational collaboration, drawing on research and theory in policy studies, psychology and sociology, leading ultimately to a typology of networks. This theoretical base will be tested in the discussion of a number of case studies referring to specific initiatives such as the Federations programme, multi-agency collaboration and Networked Learning Communities. Lessons for practice will be drawn and presented in terms of factors internal and external to the school. The key issue of network leadership will be addressed here as well.