Creating Spaces of Wellbeing and Belonging for Refugee and Asylum-Seeker Students: Skills and Strategies for School Leaders

This practical resource for principals and school leaders provides guidance on how to develop schools into places of belonging for all children, especially children of refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds. It demonstrates the need for school leaders to be informed, reflective individuals and highlights the role that leaders can play in a school culture that provides a safe place and effective educational opportunities for these students. Written in an accessible manner, each chapter includes a summary of theory and vignettes from school leaders that outline approaches, challenges, critical reflections and suggestions for how their experiences can be adapted to other contexts. Principals' voices and experiences from across the globe are included, representing a range of school levels including primary and secondary, large and small enrolments, religious and public, and urban and rural settings. This book is intended for use in schools by school principals and aspiring school leaders, and by educational professionals engaged in supporting schools with students with refugee backgrounds.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 The Reflective Leader Chapter 2 Racism Chapter 3 Understanding Cultural Diversity Chapter 4 Trauma and Loss Chapter 5 Wellbeing and Belonging Chapter 6 Social Safety, Identity and Integration Chapter 7 Leadership and School Culture Chapter 8 Supportive Pedagogical Approaches Chapter 9 Sharing the Leadership Challenge

About the Author :
Scott Imig is Deputy Head of the School of Education and directs the leadership program at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His research is primarily focused on the preparation and support of school leaders and teachers to meet the needs of all students. Maura Sellars is a Doctor of Philosophy and is currently a lecturer at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia after spending 30 years as a teacher, curriculum leader and school leader in primary schools. As an inclusivist, her most recent research has focused on the authentic integration of students with refugee and asylum-seeker experiences into Western classrooms. John Fischetti is Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Human and Social Futures at the University of Newcastle, Australia. His primary focus is on school transformation and rethinking learning and teaching.

Review :
"The authors did a glorious job of capturing the stories of school leaders who have committed themselves to making schools a more welcoming place for refugees and asylum-seekers. Grounded in reflective stories, the authors expertly weave in their research findings with existing literature to create a rich blend of the personal narrative that details a variety of global contexts and its impact on the field of educational leadership." Jayson W. Richardson, Ph.D., Professor & Department Chair, Morgridge College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, USA "This is a timely and important book which draws on evidence from a range of international settings and diverse contexts. It will be invaluable in supporting education leaders to understand and address the needs of children and families moving into new and potentially daunting environments. It covers issues relating to leadership, racism and cultural diversity in an intellectually robust, empathetic and accessible way." James Noble-Rogers, Executive Director, Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET), UK "This is an essential read for all educational leaders. In such a changing landscape of society and education, it is refreshing and inspiring, to have such a direct, engaging and measured reading." Mark Snedden, High School Principal, Australia "The authors did a glorious job of capturing the stories of school leaders who have committed themselves to making schools a more welcoming place for refugees and asylum seekers. Grounded in reflective stories, the authors expertly weave in their research findings with existing literature to create a rich blend of the personal narrative that details a variety of global contexts and its impact on the field of educational leadership." Jayson W. Richardson, Ph.D., Professor and Department Chair, Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, USA "This is a timely and important book which draws on evidence from a range of international settings and diverse contexts. It will be invaluable in supporting education leaders to understand and address the needs of children and families moving into new and potentially daunting environments. It covers issues relating to leadership, racism and cultural diversity in an intellectually robust, empathetic and accessible way." James Noble-Rogers, Executive Director, Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET), UK "This is an essential read for all educational leaders. In such a changing landscape of society and education, it is refreshing and inspiring to have such a direct, engaging and measured reading." Mark Snedden, High School Principal, Australia