30 Reflective Staff Development Exercises for Educators

"A timely and insightful resource to help educators enhance student learning and to engage themselves in reflective practice." —Gerald N. Tirozzi, Executive Director National Association of Secondary School Principals "A dynamic and easy-to-use workbook that employs the powerful tool of reflection to help enhance the effectiveness of staff development. Through a sequence of exercises, educators can enrich the working and learning relationships with school colleagues that lead to successful professional development and school improvement." —Gail Connelly, Executive Director National Association of Elementary School Principals Promote individual and collective learning with powerful reflective exercises for staff development! With the new edition of this best-selling book, leadership and organizational development specialist Stephen S. Kaagan provides a highly focused and practical resource that helps educators improve their professional practices for the benefit of students. 30 Reflective Staff Development Exercises for Educators, Second Edition demonstrates how educators can use the power of reflection to stimulate new ideas, consider creative perspectives, and promote improved teaching and learning. The author provides innovative ways of enriching regular events such as staff meetings, school improvement team sessions, site-based management meetings, and curriculum planning sessions. The second edition presents 30 engaging, reflective exercises and features: A fresh, reader-friendly introduction to the power of reflective exercises for professional growth New questions for individual and group reflection that focus on classroom instruction A new section on asking thoughtful debriefing questions to help participants engage in deeper learning and understanding A revised section showing facilitators how to use the exercises effectively with participants As a tool for professional improvement, this revised edition is ideal for teachers, counselors, administrators, and staff developers.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments About the Author Author's Preface to the Second Edition Part I. The Power of Reflective Exercises for Staff Development Guiding Principles Making the Exception to Current Practice the Rule Committing to Organizational Learning Concepts The Special Contributions of Senge et al. A Personal Approach to Teaching and Consulting Important Caveats Part II. 30 Reflective Exercises Exercises Arranged by Topic and Purpose Mental Markers: Expanding the Boundaries 1. Animal Attributes 2. Ancestors 3. Pushpins 4. Suprise Me 5. E-xplore Assets 6. Instant History 7. Bringing the Outside In 8. Best, Worst 9. What to Keep, What Not 10. Leadership Metaphors Making Mutual Meaning: Reflecting Together 11. Dashing Dual Interview 12. E-xplore Perspectives 13. Snapshots 14. Rotating Pencils 15. Listening for Assumptions 16. Fruits of Silence 17. See 18. Patchwork Perspectives 19. Stakes 20. Vision Sketch Maintaining Momentum: Moving Forward 21. Begin, Begin, Begin 22. Modest Expectations 23. Informed Purpose 24. Beginning at the End 25. Context Map 26. The "View From Downtown" 27. E-xplore by Association 28. Unheard Voices 29. Blame Game 30. Standing Offer Part III. Using Appropriate Exercises Vignette 1: Slowing Down to Speed Up Vignette 2: Deepening the Discourse Vignette 3: Finding Common Ground Vignette 4: Diminishing Divisiveness Concluding Comments Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Stephen S. Kaagan is currently professor of education at Michigan State University. His teaching interests are leadership, organizational analysis, and administrative practice. He has a doctorate from Harvard University and has been honored with several awards, including membership in the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, London, England and Honorary Doctorates from Williams College in Massachusetts and Green Mountain College in Vermont. Before coming to Michigan State University in 1991, Kaagan served as president of Hurricane Island Outward Bound (1989-91), commissioner of education for the State of Vermont (1982-88), and provost at Pratt Institute in New York City (1977-82). He has written extensively on leadership, organizational development, the role of the arts in schooling, and assessment and accountability. Selected publications include Developing Teacher Leaders: How Teacher Leadership Enhances School Success (with Frank Crowther et al.), Managing Successful School Reform: the Legacy of Chris Argyris (a special edition of the International Journal of Educational Management, co-edited with Frank Crowther), Leadership Games: Experiential Learning for Organizational Development, and Leadership Lessons: From a Life of Character and Purpose in Public Affairs. Kaagan is a charter board member of ArtServe Michigan. In the late 1980s, he served as a member of a distinguished panel on "Making the System Work Better for Poor Kids," a Carnegie Foundation–sponsored project of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Kaagan's experience spans an academic career; wide-ranging service as an advisor to government agencies, corporations, and educational institutions; military experience in the USMC Reserve; extensive travel throughout the world, including mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas, Andes, and Cascades; and rugby football refereeing for the US Rugby Football Union.

Review :
"A timely and insightful resource for educators to enhance student learning and to engage themselves in reflective practice." "A dynamic and easy-to-use workbook that employs the powerful tool of reflection to help enhance the effectiveness of staff development. By following the sequence of exercises, educators will be able to enrich the working and learning relationships with school colleagues that are necessary for successful professional development and school improvement."