The Architecture of School Improvement : Lessons Learned

Sound bites of wisdom for successful school improvement

From the opening pages, readers know The Architecture for School Improvement: Lessons Learned is no ordinary how-to manual. Joseph F. Murphy, a leading researcher in educational leadership, infuses experiences from his 35-year career and humor into oft-debated and polarizing theories of school improvement.

Reading like a collection of daily reflections, this book over 70 short, digestible lessons with themes such as:

• Prevention trumps remediation
•  Context always matters
• School improvement is about layering small gains

School leaders, teachers, and improvement-minded audiences will find wisdom about school change in clear, readily accessible lessons. Discover what works, what doesn’t and what matters most in the world of high-stakes testing and accountability!

"There are many books that provide quick-fix lists of a few strategies to promote comprehensive, large-scale change in schools. Professor Murphy has taken a different approach that acknowledges the complexity of creating lasting improvements. Using both humor and his deep understanding of the research and practice of school leadership, he provides us with a memorable fable and short summaries of the lessons that any leader must keep in mind if they hope to make an enduring difference."
—Karen Seahore Louis, Regents Professor
University of Minnesota