World Class Schools

In this book the authors have conducted extensive research and describe what makes a successful school and how this varies in different countries. The book follows the progress of a cohort of 7-year-old children through their schools over a two-year period. It covers schools in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, and Ireland and: *draw together what it is that the most and least effective schools do in each country *pinpoints what makes 'effective teaching' across the globe *analyses which effectiveness-producing school and teaching factors appear to be the same and which are context specific *discusses how educational policies can be used to generate World Class Schools and which new blends of practice can, or should be used The existing literature based upon the comparison of the educational achievements of different countries is inadequate. This unique study provides a rich picture of the processes of the education systems of different countries which will appeal to practitioners and policy makers.

Andreas Schleicher - initiator of PISA and an international authority on education policy - offers a unique perspective on education reform.

Every school is different, but all schools face very similar challenges. Drawing on their combined teaching experience of over fifty years in both independent and state schools, educationalists David James and Ian Warwick have chosen ten questions that tackle the most difficult challenges that face schools today, and invited leading education experts to address them in stimulating and accessible essays, which are each under a thousand words. With contributions from John Hattie, David Blunkett, Doug Lemov, Anthony Seldon, Sandy Speicher, Tim Hawkes and many more, this insightful and engaging book features exclusive essays with some of the world’s most well-known and well-respected thinkers and speakers in education, business and politics, accompanied by thought-provoking introductions. The contributors provide new perspectives on some of the issues that occupy educationalists today; they challenge conventional wisdom and, above all, put forward practical, workable, evidence-based solutions that can transform teaching and learning. World Class is a powerful manifesto for change that nobody interested in education today can ignore.

Schools that want to be world class are now paying attention to the findings from neuroscience and psychology that tell us we can build better brains. They are changing their mindset, expecting success for far more students and no longer being constrained by ideas of genetic potential. High Performance Learning provides readers with a ground-breaking and approachable model for achieving high levels of academic performance for all students and schools. It takes what is known about how people reach advanced cognitive performance and translates it into a practical and user-friendly framework, which can be used with all students to systematically build the cognitive thinking skills and learner behaviours that will deliver success in school, in the workplace and in later life. Flexible and adaptable, High Performance Learning can be used in any context, with any curriculum and at any age. It does not require separate lessons but rather becomes the underpinning pedagogy of the school. Drawing on the author’s 40 years of research into how the most able students think and learn, this book provides a framework that has been extensively trialled in schools in eleven countries. . Themes include: Creating world class schools The High Performance Learning environment The High Performance Learning framework Advanced Cognitive Performance characteristics (ACPs) Values, Attitudes and Attributes (VAAs) Creating and leading a High Performance Learning school The role of parents, universities and employers. This invaluable resource will help schools make the move from good to world class and will be essential reading for school leaders, teachers and those with an interest in outstanding academic performance.

For years, students in the United States have lagged behind students in many other countries on such measures of achievement as the PISA and TIMSS assessments. In an increasingly globalized world, such a gap is worrisome. Armed with statistics, examples, and cautionary tales from Scandinavia to Japan, James H. Stronge and Xianxuan Xu have written a book that can help educators better prepare students and close that gap. In What Makes a World-Class School and How We Can Get There, you will find Careful analysis of recent international assessment results—what they mean and what can be done to improve them. In-depth profiles of high-achieving education systems around the globe—their histories, their lessons learned, and what they can teach educators and policymakers in the United States. Strategies for aligning successful educational approaches from international systems to U.S. schools—which strategies to use, in which subjects, and with which students. Transformative ideas for cultivating a truly world-class system of schooling—both simple and complex ways to raise the bar for all students, no matter what their background. Educators in every country must ensure that their students are as prepared as possible to lead a future generation of citizens. This thought-provoking and copiously researched book provides educators with a blueprint for radical improvement based on the hard-learned experiences of their peers around the world.

Seven key principles from Finland for building a culture of trust in schools around the world. In the spring of 2018, thousands of teachers across the United States—in states like Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Arizona—walked off their jobs while calling for higher wages and better working conditions. Ultimately, these American educators trumpeted a simple request: treat us like professionals. Teachers in many other countries feel the same way as their US counterparts. In Teachers We Trust presents a compelling vision, offering practical ideas for educators and school leaders wishing to develop teacher-powered education systems. It reveals why teachers in Finland hold high status, and shows what the country’s trust- based school system looks like in action. Pasi Sahlberg and Timothy D. Walker suggest seven key principles for building a culture of trust in schools, from offering clinical training for future teachers to encouraging student agency to fostering a collaborative professionalism among educators. In Teachers We Trust is essential reading for all teachers, administrators, and parents who entrust their children to American schools.

Our students aren’t learning, we’re falling behind other countries, and many of our college graduates are even functionally illiterate. We offer our kids a weak and poorly thought out curriculum; too many teachers do not make good use of classroom time and follow lesson plans that are superficial and repetitive; almost all state governments define “proficiency” at low levels of competency; and because kids with very uneven skills populate a classroom, teachers spend considerable time on review before introducing new material. This dismal picture is tempered by the fact that the hard work and dedication of countless teachers and administrators means that many students get an excellent education. But it doesn’t temper it much. As a group, even our top students are not as strong as are those in a large majority of other rich countries. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Katherine Baird, an economist, starts by clearly spelling out how our educational system is trapped in mediocrity. Yet, she doesn’t just expose where we are. She identifies the steps to get out of the trap. We need to (1) dramatically reform our education’s governance structure, (2) establish high expectations for all students, (3) provide adequate support to meet those expectations, and (4) introduce strong incentives for students to work hard in school so they do their part in meeting higher standards. Clearly, it isn’t as simple as it sounds, but Baird carefully examines each factor that has led to the current state in education and then spells out how a combination of policies will weaken the forces that keep our schools mediocre and instead make them ones worth copying