A Case for Radical Pragmatic Leaders and Personalised Learning Schools: Risky Public Policy Business

Description

Thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are forsaking education in secondary mainstream schools across Australia. This book places a sociological and lived experience phenomenological lens on public policy that is working against school inclusion, learning engagement and post-school opportunity. The school case studies provided here highlight the damage done and the opportunity for refreshed policy approaches to address this malaise. Across the educational landscape, there are a number of fine examples of schools that are choosing to do schooling against the grain of unhelpful regulatory policy that works to exclude many from their educational entitlement. These schools and their practices are examined in this book and are presented as examples for policy learning. If education systems learn to embrace an ongoing culture of research and inquiry, where the evidence-based and contextual learning experiences of students, teachers and Principals are equally valued and heard in the policy realm, the phenomenon of early school leaving can begin to turn around. This work calls upon Principals in the first instance to become more radical and pragmatic in their leadership of schools, collectively working with courage to ensure that the experience of schooling is personalised to the learning needs and career aspirations of all young people. Contents The Author Acronyms Introduction Part 1: Risky Public Policy Business 1. Neoliberalism’s Contribution to ‘Falling through the Cracks’ 2. Why Going from ‘Good to Great’ may not be so ‘Good’ nor ‘Great’ 3. The ‘Tug of War’ between ‘Schooling’ and ‘Education’ 4. Tinkering towards Inclusion, whilst Teetering towards Exclusion 5. Something ‘Wicked’ this Way Comes Part 2: A Case for Radical Pragmatic Leaders and Personalised Learning Schools 6. Negotiating Schooling using Action Research in Neoliberal Times 7. Contextual School Improvement rather than the ‘Standard’ Recipe 8. Appreciative Inquiry for Student Voice and Personalised Learning 9. Liberating Cleverness and Hope through Research and Inquiry 10. Leading Against the Regulatory Grain for Student Learning Conclusion: A Case for Radical Pragmatic Leaders and Personalised Learning Schools: Risky Public Policy Business Appendices: South Australia public education news stories by Advertiser Education Reporter, Tim Williams (2016-2019) Glossary Acknowledgements References Index