Igniting Wonder, Reflection, and Change in Our Schools

Containing real stories from real school leaders, teachers, students, and parents in seven key areas, this book demonstrates how educators can use narrative to trigger wonder, reflection, and change in their classrooms and schools. By including examples of the narrative process in action, this book invites educators to think deeply about their daily practices, struggles, and victories in order to carry out immediate and incredible changes in their own schools. The authentic stories presented in this book offer ideas for fostering a positive learning environment and for finding solutions to the most challenging issues today in areas such as teacher-student relationships, learning and instruction, assessment, motivation, educational policies and politics, and student engagement. By using the powerful self-reflective tool of narrative, this book will help educators to increase student achievement while constructing a positive school culture that is built on igniting authentic stories.

Rick Jetter is an Educational Consultant for K-12 schools across the nation and a speaker, trainer, and multi-genre author. He has worked in the field of education as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools.

Preface Acknoledgments Meet the Author Chapter 1: When and How to Constructively Use Authentic Stories at Your School Stories as Social Legacies The Top Seven Areas of Powerful Storytelling How to Use Stories When to Use Stories Chapter 2: Stories that Improve and IGNITE School, Community, and Interpersonal Relationships Strengthening Teacher-Student Relationships Strengthening Staff-Staff Relationships Strengthening Educator-Parent and Community Relationships Chapter 3: Stories that IGNITE Powerful Instruction with Reduced Variance Instruction Digital Blindness Teaching "Responsibility" The Power of Feedback The Redundant Curriculum Fieldtrips and Recess Chapter 4: Stories that IGNITE Advocacy for Thoughtful Assessment Homework and Pop Quizzes, One Century Later "Pop" Goes the Pop Quizzes Popsicle Sticks Writing Portfolios Test Construction and Preparation Chapter 5: Stories that Make Us Wonder about Our Own Policies Policies that are Silly Policies that are Missing Policies that Leverage Policies that are Abused or Taken for Granted Policies that Protect Chapter 6: Stories that Help Us to Work through Educational Politics Common Core Politics The Common Core State Standards and "New" Math The Opt-Out Movement and High-Stakes Tests Follow the Leader through the Chain of Command? Questioning Decision Making The Race for a School Board Seat Chapter 7: Stories that IGNITE and Motivate Teachers and School Leaders Stories of Victory Stories of Defeat Recognizing the Conditions for Celebrating Educators Chapter 8: Stories Written By Students for Helping Other Students and Adults Teaching Narrative Writing Boys Will Be Boys? Posting Student Work (a Story in Reverse)? The Never-Ending Discipline Cycle? What about My IEP? Creating Students with Voice Master Schedules from a Student's Perspective?