Professional References

 If you have an article, book, or website that has made a difference for you please send it to me and I’ll be  happy to add it to the list!

90% combined minority, at least 90% free or reduced lunch, and at least 90% successful on standardized assessments

Math-in-CTE Resources

Reinventing the American High School for the 21st Century

• Full Text
• Executive Summary

Colorado's Pipeline to College

• CollegeinColorado.org Chart
• Committee for Economic Development Report
• The Bell Policy Center Report
• HigherEdInfo.org Research
• HigherEdInfo.org Website
  

GWHS's Newsweek Rankings

• 2006 (# 124)
• 2005 (# 92)
• 2004 (# 92)
• 2003 (# 198)

Today's young leaders grew up in the glow of television and computers; the leaders of their grandparents' generation in the shadow of the Depression and World War II. In a groundbreaking study of these two disparate groups-affectionately labeled "geeks" and "geezers"-legendary leadership expert Warren Bennis and leadership consultant Robert Thomas set out to find out how era and values shape those who lead. What they discovered was something far more profound: the powerful process through which leaders of any era emerge. Geeks and Geezers is a book that will forever change how we view not just leadership-but the very way we learn and ultimately live our lives. (Source: Amazon.com)

Bronfenbrenner, Urie. (2006). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and      Design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

To understand the way children develop, Bronfenbrenner believes that it is necessary to observe their behavior in natural settings, while they are interacting with familiar adults over prolonged periods of time. His book offers an important blueprint for constructing a new and ecologically valid psychology of development. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Burkhardt, G. (2004). NCREL’s Position Statement on Closing the Achievement Gaps. Retrieved      April 25, 2004, from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory at      http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/0103/haycock.html.

Today, the phrase "closing the achievement gaps" has become popular—even faddish. Yet a growing body of literature is examining the causes, conditions, and explanations for the achievement gaps. Even better, attention is focusing on the various strategies that can reduce the achievement gaps and on the real schools and districts that effectively are narrowing the gaps. NCREL is committed to engaging in innovative and rigorous research on the achievement gaps, and in exploring and testing new tools and strategies that help close the gaps.  (Source: ncrel.org)

Collins, J. (2001). Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't. New      York: Harper Business

Collins's philosophy is summed up in one noteworthy phrase from the book -- "Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice." Anyone who wants to make the right choices for their business will find Good to Great instructive, accessible, and well worth reading. It is sure to be a business book that will be consulted and referred to for years to come. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com, Sunil Sharma)

Deal, T. & Peterson, K. (1999). Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership. San      Francisco: Josey Bass.

"Deal and Peterson marinate the reader in a wealth of stories, anecdotes, case studies, and strategies— all of which vividly illustrate how school leaders can shape the culture of their schools in order to make an impact on student learning and achievement. This book is a must read for school leaders at all levels."

—    Karen M. Dyer, executive director, Chicago Academy for School Leadership (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Dufour, R. (2003). Building a Professional Learning Community. The School Administrator; May,      2003.

To be a school superintendent in the United States today is to feel the pull of conflicting demands and competing ideologies. The demands of different interest groups are often readily apparent—for example, parents who want smaller class sizes versus taxpayers who want cuts in the budget. Perhaps less obvious to those who never have served as a superintendent are the conflicting images of the very nature of the position. Should the superintendent be the forceful leader who implements his or her personal vision of how a school district and its individual schools should operate, or should the contemporary superintendent embrace site-based management and encourage the staff of each school to identify and pursue the issues most relevant to them? Should the desire for equity and equal opportunity lead superintendents to champion uniformity and consistency throughout the district, or should the realization that change occurs one school at a time lead superintendents to support the freedom and autonomy at each school that inevitably lead to differences between sites?  (Source:  aasa.org)

Dufour, R. (2004). What is a "Professional Learning Community"? Educational Leadership, v 61, n 8,     pp 6-11.

The author points out that the concept of the professional learning community, although currently in vogue, is not widely understood. He discusses three principles of true professional learning communities: a commitment to ensuring that students learn, a culture of collaboration, and a focus on results. Only if school staff members do the hard work necessary to implement these principles, he writes, will their school become an effective professional learning community.  (Source:  ascd.org)

Dufour, Richard & Eaker, Robert E. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best      Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington: Solution Tree.

To be a school superintendent in the United States today is to feel the pull of conflicting demands and competing ideologies. The demands of different interest groups are often readily apparent—for example, parents who want smaller class sizes versus taxpayers who want cuts in the budget. Perhaps less obvious to those who never have served as a superintendent are the conflicting images of the very nature of the position. Should the superintendent be the forceful leader who implements his or her personal vision of how a school district and its individual schools should operate, or should the contemporary superintendent embrace site-based management and encourage the staff of each school to identify and pursue the issues most relevant to them? Should the desire for equity and equal opportunity lead superintendents to champion uniformity and consistency throughout the district, or should the realization that change occurs one school at a time lead superintendents to support the freedom and autonomy at each school that inevitably lead to differences between sites?  (Source:  aasa.org)

Hord, S.M. (1997). Professional Learning Communities: Communities of Continuous Inquiry and             Improvement. Austin: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Over the past several decades, both the public and education professionals have been vocal in their demands for new programs and practices in education. Simultaneously, these advocates have acknowledged that educators must come to an intimate understanding of the process of change in order for implementation to be successful and for the promises of new practices to be realized. During this period, an abundance of improvement processes were introduced to school practitioners in the hope that change would become less uncertain.  (Source: sedl.org)

Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Horner, H. (2000). A School Wide Approach to Student Discipline. School      Administrator.

An alternative to get-tough measures that shows promise for dealing effectively with disruptive students with disabilities. Robert Horner is a professor of special education, University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore. George Sugai is a professor of special education at University of Oregon. Howard Horner is a former superintendent and principal in Oregon.  (Source:  aasa.org)

Marzano, R. J., Gaddy, B. B., & Dean, C. (2000). What Works in Classroom Instruction. Aurora,      CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

This study identifies nine instructional categories that strongly affect student achievement:  1)  Identifying similarities and differences, 2)  Summarizing and note taking, 3)  Reinforcing effort and providing recognition, 4)  Homework and practice, 5)  Nonlinguistic representations, 6)  Cooperative learning, 7)  Setting goals and providing feedback, 8)  Generating and testing hypotheses, 9) Activating prior knowledge.  (Source:  mcrel.org)

Oakley, Ed & Krug, Doug. (1994). Enlightened Leadership. New York: Fireside.

Everyone from corporate managers to small business owners can get a stalled organization up and running by using these result-oriented techniques for implementing change. The authors have helped BellSouth, Texaco, Hewlett-Packard, and other organizations create a "change-friendly" environment. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Oppenheimer, Todd. (2003). The Flickering Mind: The False Promise of Technology in the      Classroom and How Learning Can Be Saved. New York: Random House.

Oppenheimer visited dozens of schools nationwide - public and private, urban and rural - to present the compelling tales that frame this book. He consulted with experts, read volumes of studies, and came to strong and persuasive conclusions: that the essentials of learning have been gradually forgotten and that they matter much more than the novelties of technology. He argues that every time we computerize a science class or shut down a music program to pay for new hardware, we lose sight of what our priority should be: "enlightened basics." Broad in scope and investigative in treatment, The Flickering Mind will not only contribute to a vital public conversation about what our schools can and should be - it will define the debate. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Pagano, Barbara, & Pagano Elizabeth & Lundin, Stephen. (2003). The Transparency Edge: How      Credibility Can Make or Break You in Business. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Today's leading organizations have seized on the concept of transparency as the key to gaining the confidence of investors, employees, and customers—and gaining profits. In The Transparency Edge, leadership expert Barbara Pagano demonstrates that transparency is more than an excellent policy—it is a powerful management skill that managers can learn and use to make themselves and their organizations more competitive. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Payne, Ruby K. (2004). A Framework for Understanding Poverty (4th edition). Highlands, TX: aha      Process, Inc.

People in poverty face challenges virtually unknown to those in middle class or wealth--challenges from both obvious and hidden sources. The reality of being poor brings out a survival mentality, and turns attention away from opportunities taken for granted by everyone else.

Since 1995 A Framework for Understanding Poverty has guided hundreds of thousands of educators and other professionals through the pitfalls and barriers faced by all classes, especially the poor. Carefully researched and packed with charts, tables, and questionnaires, Framework not only documents the facts of poverty, it provides practical yet compassionate strategies for addressing its impact on people's lives. (Source: Amazon.com)

Pianta, Robert C. (2000). Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers.

Enhancing Relationships Between Children and Teachers focuses on the complexity of the child-teacher relationship and how school psychologists and counselors can help teachers to understand the myriad factors involved in their classroom relationships. Pianta uses systems theory to discuss the multiple factors in child-teacher relationships and integrates school, clinical, and developmental psychology. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)

Author Peter Senge and his Fifth Discipline team have written Schools That Learn because educators have asked for a book that focuses specifically on schools and education, to help reclaim schools even in economically depressed or turbulent districts. One of the strengths of Schools That Learn is its description of practices that are meeting success across the country and around the world, as schools attempt to learn, grow, and reinvent themselves using the principles of organizational learning. Featuring articles, case studies, and anecdotes from prominent educators such as Howard Gardner, Jay Forrester, and 1999 U.S Superintendent of the Year Gerry House, as well as from impassioned teachers, administrators, parents, and students, the book offers a wealth of practical tools, anecdotes and advice that people can use to help schools (and the classrooms in them and communities around them) learn to learn. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com) 

Southern Regional Education Board. (2005). Teachers Teaching Teachers: Creating a Community of      Learners to Improve Instruction and Student Achievement.  ERIC 486512.

Effective school leaders use a variety of strategies — including creating opportunities for teachers to learn from each other — to encourage and support teachers in achieving greater excellence in the classroom. “Teachers teaching teachers” is a concept that can pay real dividends when it focuses on ways to engage and motivate students to perform at higher levels.  (Source: sreb.org)

Sprague, J.R., & Walker, H. (2004).  Safe and Healthy Schools.  New York: Guilford Publications.

A hands-on resource for practitioners, this book provides step-by-step guidance for developing a comprehensive school safety plan. Moving from needs assessment to implementation and evaluation, chapters describe research-based strategies that are readily applicable in K-12 settings. Special features include reproducible checklists and other planning tools, presented in a large-size format with convenient lay-flat binding.  (Source: cavershambooksellers.com)

Sprik, R. (2004). The Safe and Civil School Series. NASP Communique, v 32, n 6.

Today's schools are facing issues of safety at an unprecedented rate.  If we are to ensure safety in our schools, we must address the attitudes, behaviors and procedures that affect it.  As school psychologists, our goal is to provide resources, consultation and support for the establishment and maintenance of a safe, healthy, and productive school environment.  Dr. Sprick's Safe and Civil Schools Series is a comprehensive collection of materials that is designed to help improve the safety and civility of schools, thus enhancing student learning.  Each resource can be used alone, or in conjunction with other materials from the series.  The series promotes using self-reflection, data, structure and collaboration as basic processes for promoting a healthy school environment.  The series also proposes the beliefs that students should be treated with respect, taught the skills and behaviors they need to succeed, and encouraged through positive interactions.  This review covers five of the components of the Safe and Civil Schools Series.  (Source: nasponline.org)

Thernstrom, Abigail & Thernstrom, Stephan. (2004). No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in      Learning. New York: Simon & Schuster.

The racial gap in academic performance between whites and Asians, on the one hand, and Latinos and blacks, on the other hand, is America's most urgent educational problem. It is also the central civil rights issue of our time, say Abigail and Stephan Thernstrom. Unequal skills and knowledge are the main sources of ongoing racial inequality, and racial inequality is America's great unfinished business.

There are no good excuses for the perpetuation of long-standing inequalities, the Thernstroms argue eloquently. The problem can be solved, but conventional strategies will not work. Fundamental educational reform is needed. Carefully researched, accessibly written, and powerfully persuasive, this book offers both a close analysis of the current landscape and a blueprint for essential and overdue change. (Source: Simonsays.com)

VonVillas, B. (September 2004). Improving the Way We Observe Classrooms. School      Administrator, v 61, n 8, p 52.

School leaders who are determined to increase student achievement know that we must change instruction.  Accelerating student achievement beyond typical expectations requires a focused change in classroom instruction and a corresponding commitment of administrative time to monitoring and evaluating.  We must have substantial change in the way we do business in the classroom if we want our students to perform better. Only when administrators require a change in how teachers approach instruction and actively promote it through visibility and feedback will our students’ success rate improve.   (Source: aasa.org)

Vygotsky, L.S. (2006). Mind in Society: Development of Higher Psychological Processes.      

The great Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky has long been recognized as a pioneer in developmental psychology...The Vygotsky who emerges from these pages can no longer be glibly included among the neobehaviorists. In these essays he outlines a dialectical-materialist theory of cognitive development that anticipates much recent work in American social science. The mind, Vygotsky argues, cannot be understood in isolation from the surrounding society. Man is the only animal who uses tools to alter his own inner world as well as the world around him. From the handkerchief knotted as a simple mnemonic device to the complexities of symbolic language, society provides the individual with technology that can be used to shape the private processes of mind. In Mind in Society Vygotsky applies this theoretical framework to the development of perception, attention, memory, language, and play, and he examines its implications for education. The result is a remarkably interesting book that is bound to renew Vygotsky's relevance to modem psychological thought. (Source: Barnes&Noble.com)