In this indispensable book for K–12 leaders, Harvey Alvy offers a thoughtful roadmap and guidance to help educators select, implement, and assess school- or districtwide initiatives that actually
work.
The book is filled with a wealth of resources—action checklists, principles to guide educators, and in-depth questions and protocols—for engaging in collaborative professional development activities that strengthen teaching and learning practices and improve student achievement.
Alvy discusses in detail the six "red flags" that educators confront daily and a set of countervailing strategies (six practical guidelines) to pursue meaningful reforms, initiatives, and innovations:
Red Flags
The Narrative Trap
Overpromising and Overloading
Minimizing the Enormous Difficulty of Implementation
Eyes off the Prize
Historical Amnesia
The Business “Solution”
Guidelines
Building a Collaborative Learning Community
Effectively Using Human, Fiscal, and Material Resources
Respecting the Change Process
Sustaining a Coherent School Mission and Vision
Embracing Timeless and Eclectic Teaching Practices
Championing and Empowering the Underserved
Selecting and implementing reforms, initiatives, and practices wisely is key if we truly want the best for our students—and skipping the necessary planning and forethought can be catastrophic.
Fighting for Change in Your School: How to Avoid Fads and Focus on Substance
is the book every educator needs to ensure the former and prevent the latter. The time to address these challenges is now.