"This third edition from Murphy and Lick is a superb resource and a must read for all educators involved in the improvement of education. It should be in the hands of individuals from the state department of education to the classroom teacher, for it speaks to all layers of the system, and to the role that each person must play to assure successful learning for all students." -From the Foreword by Shirley Hord, Scholar Emerita Southwest Educational Development Laboratory "Planning is an important thing. What Whole-Faculty Study Groups has done for us is to ensure that we never forget that implementation is the only thing." Jack Ernst, Superintendent Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO One of the most successful and exciting approaches to staff development, school reform, and systemic change in education today! Used by hundreds of schools and school districts across the country, the Whole-Faculty Study Group (WFSG) System is a student-driven, holistic process for facilitating major staff development and schoolwide change. While providing a step-by-step methodology for the development and implementation of successful WFSGs, this newest edition of Murphy and Lick′s groundbreaking bestseller incorporates the most current theoretical concepts on change, the latest refinements to change management procedures, and a wealth of new experiences from more than two thousand individual study groups. Other significant revisions to this edition include: Three additional chapters: the research foundation for WFSGs, how to recognize and understand school culture, and fourteen key findings A reorganization of chapters to make the book even more reader-friendly New material on timely topics such as "learning communities" and "learning teams" An increased focus on assessment of student results Updated sets of resources and illustrations in the appendix WFSGs are a proven way to successfully reform, improve, and transition schools to meet tomorrow′s needs. Filled with real-world examples and illustrative cases, this book provides both the practical knowledge and the theoretical foundation necessary to negotiate the societal, organizational, and cultural barriers affecting education. This new edition is essential for administrators, teachers, and staff in K-12 schools, as well as district level administrators, teachers of education, and anyone interested in increasing student learning.

Table of Contents:
Foreword - Shirley M. Hord Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Introduction 2. Enabling Faculties to Become Professional Learning Communities 3. What the Research Tells Us 4. Context: Conditions That Facilitate Change 5. Recognizing and Understanding School Culture 6. Process: A Proven Structure for Collaboration 7. Identifying Student Needs for Targeted Study: The Seven-Step Decision-Making Cycle 8. Content: Curriculum and Instructional Strategies 9. Supporting Synergistic Groups and Learning Teams 10. Sustaining School Improvement Efforts 11. Success: Learning From National, State, District, and Local School Experiences 12. Fourteen Key Lessons Resource A: Forms Resource B: Workbook for the Decision-Making Cycle Resource C: WSFG Rubric Resource D Clarke Middle School Resource E: More Action Plans and Logs Resource F: The Instructional Council Recommended Reading References Index