"The time is right and the need is profound for learner-centered practices in schools. McCombs and Miller describe the tools available and how a school can use them to make substantial changes that increase student performance." —Jean W. Pierce, Professor of Educational Psychology Northern Illinois University A new leadership paradigm for increasing collaboration and boosting achievement! In today′s educational environment, school leaders must find new ways to create a positive school climate for staff and students while helping them meet rigorous testing and accountability requirements. The School Leader′s Guide to Learner-Centered Education introduces a transformative leadership model for creating and sustaining a learner-centered school environment. Using core principles of educational psychology, the authors examine how educators can support student growth, development, and achievement by focusing on key factors such as cognition, metacognition, motivation, affect, and individual differences. Numerous reflective exercises, assessment tools, and real-life success stories help readers: Provide moral leadership for creating school change Incorporate learning standards without sacrificing student engagement Form learner-centered support groups that utilize networking and technology Prepare students for the challenges of global citizenship Promote success for diverse populations and marginalized groups Designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving world, this new leadership paradigm provides school principals, superintendents, and district leaders with the means to engage all members of the educational community in a lifelong process of growth, improvement, and empowerment.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Why This Is a Time for Change Why Read This Book? Schools as Living Systems What Does "Learner-Centered" Mean? How This Book Is Organized How Do You Like to Learn? 2. What We Know About Learning and Leading What Kind of Learner and Leader Are You? What Does Existing Evidence Say About Leadership? The "Big Picture" View: An Ecology of Learning Model What It Means to Be Learner-Centered A Learner-Centered Educational Model What Are the New Notions of Schooling as Part of Living Systems? Self-Reflections What′s Next 3. What the Learner-Centered Model Means for Practice What It Means to Be a Learner-Centered Leader What the Research Shows About the Effectiveness of Learner-Centered Models How the Learner-Centered Principles Translate Into Practice at the School Level Implications for Leadership and Building Communities of Learners Self-Reflections What′s Next 4. The Tools Needed for the Journey Tools for the Journey Within Tools for a School-Level Assessment System and Leadership Process Implications of Implementing Learner-Centered Leadership Tools Tools for Answering the Truly Important Questions Self-Assessment and Reflection Tools to Chart the Journey Self-Reflections What′s Next 5. What Learner-Centered Assessment Tools Can Accomplish What Is Expected of Our Educational System? How School Leaders Can Provide What Is Wanted The Big Issues Facing Today′s School Leaders The Leader′s New Role in Staff Development Background and Supporting Research for the Assessment of Learner-Centered Practices Surveys Experiencing the School-Level Assessment of Learner-Centered Practices Survey for Yourself Self-Reflections What′s Next 6. How We Can Move Toward New Student and System Outcomes Understanding What Is and What Could Be Aligning the New Vision With Existing Realities Dealing With Current System Inequities in New Systems Designs The Learning Partnerships and Networks That We Need The Learning Partnerships You Will Need Self-Reflections What′s Next 7. How We Develop Leadership Qualities From Within New Ideas From Brain Research Preparing for the Future Other Characteristics of the Needed Framework Further Leadership Challenges in Creating Learner-Centered Models What It Means to Develop Capacity From Within A Summary: Moving From Complexity to Simplicity Summary Conclusion Self-Reflections Introduction to Summary Chapter Introduction to Additional Resources 8. Summary of Major Points in Each Chapter Chapter 1: Why This Is a Time For Change Chapter 2: What We Know About Learning and Leading Chapter 3: What the Learner-Centered Model Means for Practice Chapter 4: The Tools Needed for the Journey Chapter 5: What the Learner-Centered Assessment Tools Can Accomplish Chapter 6: How We Can Move Toward New Student and System Outcomes Chapter 7: How We Can Develop Leadership Qualities From Within Appendix Resources Glossary of Learner-Centered Terms References Index