| A partial
list of the books Dr. Hairston recommends
and to which he refers Many of these are books that Dr. Hairston has shared and discussed with Baltimore County Public Schools staff members. |
To support higher student achievement, the authors recommend that central offices focus on responsive service to principals and developing clear systemwide goals for improvement. Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors by Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D. Two influential voices join forces to look at the challenges facing the African American community – especially a pervasive sense of hopelessness – and then outline the practical, common sense steps needed to move forward. The Death of Common Sense in Our Schools And What YOU Can Do About It! by Jim Grant Grant looks at the complex variables challenging our schools and the “pseudo-solutions” that continue to fail, then offers common sense advice on taking meaningful action. The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker This classic guide to effective management addresses time management, building on employee strengths, having a results focus, and prioritization. Future Think by Edie Weiner and Arnold Brown From this book, readers can learn how to predict what’s likely to lie ahead by using several techniques, including:
Good to Great by Jim Collins Collins examines what it takes to move a company or organization from “good” to “great” Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan Fullan combines expertise from the business and education arenas into a template for improving leadership. Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms by Diane Ravitch This history of education in America captures the writer’s view that “reforms” have undermined the academic advancement of students and the democratic principles of the nation. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation by Neil Howe and William Strauss According to the authors, the Millennials, those born between 1982 and 1990, have been bolstered by growing up in a protective and multi-cultural society, strict discipline, and schools being held accountable for their achievement. They have the promise to become hard-working community builders. The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century by George Friedman When Dr. Hairston served as a high school principal, he reminded his students at every opportunity: “Whatever happens – be it good or bad – we all make a contribution to it.” As a superintendent, he reminds administrators and staff regularly that it is on our watch that we must make a difference in the lives of children. George Friedman’s book explores history and geopolitical patterns to shine a light on the people and activities that will contribute to our world in this century. Nobodies to Somebodies by Peter Han Novelist Tom Clancy was an insurance agent well into his 40s. He sold his first novel for a pittance to a little-known publisher. Today he’s one of the world’s most popular authors. Clancy and many other successful people were once just ordinary Nobodies with talent, but little or no experience. They had career interests, but few clear goals. They wanted to find work that would be financially rewarding and personally fulfilling – but they didn’t know how. And they had to overcome all the uncertainty and obstacles of being Nobodies. Resonant Leadership by Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee The authors show leaders how to improve their organizations with mindfulness, hope, and compassion. Shaking Up the Schoolhouse: How to Support and Sustain Educational Innovation by Phillip C. Schlechty In this book, Schlechty discusses how to make schools and school systems “change adept” and to foster leadership at every level. Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni The concept of “silos” has become synonymous with the barriers that separate work teams, departments, and divisions – causing people who are supposed to be on the same team to work against one another. Sixteen Trends, Their Profound Impact on Our Future: Implications for Students, Education, Communities, Countries, and the Whole of Society by Gary Marx This work, designed to foster thought and questioning, focuses on how to advance student achievement in light of current and emerging trends in politics, the economy, technology, demographics, and more. The Ten Faces of Innovation by Tom Kelley with Jonathan Littman Tom Kelley, the managing director of the world-famous design firm IDEO, reveals the strategies his firm uses to foster innovative thinking throughout the organization and shows how a culture of continuous innovation and renewal can be nurtured and sustained. Tinkering with Utopia: A Century of Public School Reform by David Tyack and Larry Cuban They conclude that meaningful improvements in public education are less about administration and more about effective teachers making connections to students. “Reform” works best, they argue, when it either involves teachers as key decision-makers or when it provides teachers with new tools or approaches that work in the classroom. In other words, progress in the schools is dependent on teachers being empowered as classroom leaders. What Schools are For by John I. Goodlad Originally published in 1979, What Schools Are For advocates for a new look at what the purposes of education should be. Working on the Work: An Action Plan for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents by Phillip C. Schlechty This guide supports professional educators in developing and delivering authentically engaging and effective classroom lessons. The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman He describes, probably better than anyone, how technology and connectivity have “flattened” the world increasing global competition, increasing access to information, and increasing opportunities for those who know how to innovate and who know how to use and create new technology. |
Bringing the District Back In: The Role of the Central Office in Instruction and Achievement by Martha Abele MacIver and Elizabeth Farley-Ripple