Over 400 schools throughout the world have adopted Invitational Education to foster innovative thinking, sustained positive action, and the creation of socially and emotionally safe schools. As educators are now involved in an epic rethinking of what they do and how they do it, Developing Inviting Schools provides a dependable guide for improvement. Written by two of the creators of the Inviting Schools movement—Purkey and Novak—along with Joan Fretz who works with public schools, this book updates and extends the construct of invitational learning to assist today’s teachers and leaders. The authors present a simple, but not simplistic framework that offers real-life responses to such challenges as faculty morale, school safety, conflict management, community involvement, student behavior, motivation, and school success. Use this resource to create, sustain, and enhance the social and emotional climate of your school. Book Features: A defensible theory of practice based on the community values of intentional care, respect, trust, and optimism. A deep dive into the basic assumptions that guide life in schools. Guidance for developing and maintaining positive school climate initiatives. Practical examples of how Invitational Education works in real-life situations. A fresh and innovative approach to a positive social and emotional learning environment.

Table of Contents:
Contents Prefacexi 1.Introducing Invitational Education1 The Influence of Invitational Education 4 An Evolving Theory of Practice 8 A Systematic Approach 9 The Promise of Invitational Education 10 Why Invitational Education? 11 The Power of the Inviting Process 15 Patterns of Communication 18 Feeling Invited 18 Feeling Disinvited 20 Summary 23 Further Reflections and Activities 24 2.Foundations of Invitational Education26 Democratic Ethos 26 The Perceptual Tradition 28 Self-Concept Theory 34 Summary 43 Further Reflections and Activities 44 3.The Inviting Mindset45 Perceptions of Professional Helpers 47 Teacher Stance 57 The Actions of Educators 64 Summary 68 Further Reflections and Activities 69 4.The Skills of Inviting Educators70 Being Ready 71 Being With 75 Following Through 87 Summary 90 Further Reflections and Activities 90 5.Inviting in the Rain93 Invitational Education in a Violent Society 93 An Invitational Approach to Good Discipline 98 Managing Conflict: Rule of the 6 Cs 101 Understanding Violence 106 Creating and Maintaining Safe Schools 107 Summary 111 Further Reflections and Activities 112 6.The Four-Corner Press113 Being Personally Inviting with Oneself 114 Being Personally Inviting with Others 116 Being Professionally Inviting with Oneself 118 Being Professionally Inviting with Others 120 Summary 128 Further Reflections and Activities 128 7.The Invitational HELIX130 Using the Invitational HELIX 131 Occasional Interest (Phase I) 132 Systematic Application (Phase II) 135 Pervasive Adoption (Phase III) 137 Summary 140 Getting Started 141 8.Invitational Education at Work142 Districtwide Initiatives 142 Regional Initiatives in New York 146 International Applications 150 Invitational Education Beyond Pre-K–12 Schools 153 Conclusion 155 Appendix A: Invitational Education Websites157 Appendix B: The Inviting School Survey-Revised (ISS-R)159 Appendix C: The Invitational Education Toolkit P rofessional Development Series165 Appendix D: Research on Invitational Education167 Appendix E: An Introduction to the Metaphor of Blue a nd Orange Cards 169 References171 Index181 About the Authors189