Group items tagged

Openness: overall open attitude toward sharing, networking and transparency. 2. Peering: removing corporate command and control hierarchies and promoting self-organization.

Those in formal leadership roles must set a tone for building trust and working together through authentic collaboration

In describing Roca’s organizational shift, executive director Molly Baldwin pointed to peace circles as a defined space where staff can find common ground and “where we can see the world together” (personal communication, February 20, 2009).

The hiring of teachers and administrators is bound by district policies, which add layers to the task of finding those best suited for the job. Students are selected through a lottery system, but there is no academic standard for admission. And the school has to meet the same testing and accountability requirements as others in the district.

“The fact that you know what needs to be done doesn’t mean organizationally you are always capable of doing it.”

“Do we have a school of the future? I don’t think so,” writes Jan Biros, a researcher at Drexel University and a contributor to the book project. “We have a beautiful building that is still a safe haven for its students. We have a traditional curriculum being taught in a conventional way. We even have some teachers who insist on using the books they are used to and not creating online materials or using the portal and the Internet.”