Build a positive school climate to impact students, teachers, and the community!

Is improving school climate on your to-do list? Do you think about it as a top-down directive or as a dialogue to build equity within the school? A healthy school environment should never be seen as an option, but instead supported as a must-have.

Peter DeWitt offers leaders practical high impact strategies to improve school climate, deepen involvement in student learning, and engage a broader family network. In addition to international vignettes focused on community stakeholders and research-based practices, this book features tools such as:

* A leadership growth cycle to help leaders build their self-efficacy

* A teacher observation cycle centered on building collective efficacy

* An early warning system to identify potential at-risk students

* Action steps following each chapter to apply to your own setting

* Discussion questions for use in team environments

Establishing a supportive and inclusive school climate where professionals can take risks to improve the lives of students is vital to maximize learning in any school community.

"This is a fabulous book by a renowned expert in the field of leadership. Peter DeWitt explains the complex and credible in a way that is thought-provoking, challenging and inspiring. I love how he gives insights in what successful collaborative leadership is and shows how we can all build our skills and mindset for leading towards collective efficacy."

-James Nottingham, Challenging Learning author and creator of #TheLearningPit

JN Partnership LTD, Northumberland, United Kingdom

About the Author
Peter DeWitt (Ed.D) is the founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective. He was a K-5 teacher for 11 years and a principal for 8 years. For the last 10 years, he has been facilitating professional learning nationally, and internationally, based on the content of many of his best-selling educational books. DeWitt's professional learning relationships are a monthly hybrid approach that includes both coaching and the facilitating workshops on instructional leadership and collective efficacy. Additionally, in the Summer of 2021, DeWitt created a year long on-demand, asynchronous coaching course through Thinkific where he has created a community of learners that include k-12 educators in leadership positions. DeWitt's work has been adopted at the state level, university level, and he works with numerous school districts, school boards, regional networks, ministries of education around North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the U.K. Peter writes the Finding Common Ground column for Education Week, which has been in circulation since 2011. In 2020 DeWitt co-created Education Week's A Seat At the Table where he moderates conversations with experts around the topics of race, gender, sexual orientation, research, trauma and many other educational topics. Additionally, DeWitt is the Series Editor for the Connected Educator Series (Corwin Press) and the Impact Series (Corwin Press) that include books by Viviane Robinson, Andy Hargreaves, Pasi Sahlberg, Yong Zhao and Michael Fullan. He is the 2013 School Administrators Association of New York State's (SAANYS) Outstanding Educator of the Year, and the 2015 Education Blogger of the Year (Academy of Education Arts & Sciences), and sits on numerous advisory boards. Peter is the author, co-author or contributor of numerous books. Click on title to purchase. They include: Dignity for All: Safeguarding LGBT Students (Corwin Press. 2012). Flipping Leadership Doesn't Mean Reinventing the Wheel (Corwin Press. 2014) Collaborative Leadership: 6 Influences That Matter Most (Corwin Press/Learning Forward). School Climate: Leading With Collective Teacher Efficacy (Corwin Press/ Ontario Principals Council. 2017). Coach It Further: Using the Art of Coaching to Improve School Leadership (Corwin Press. 2018). Instructional Leadership: Creating Practice Out Of Theory (Corwin Press. 2020). Collective Leader Efficacy: Strengthening the Impact of Instructional Leadership Teams (Corwin Press. Learning Forward. 2021). De-implementation: Creating the Space to Focus on What Works (Corwin Press. 2022). Leading with Intention - Developing self-awareness to fostering an unreasonable human interconnectedness to impact the school community (co-authored with Michael Nelson. Corwin Press. 2024). Peter's articles have appeared in educational research journals at the state, national and international level. His books have been translated into numerous languages. Some of the organizations Peter has worked with are the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), Learning Forward, National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), University of Oklahoma, Cognition Education (New Zealand), Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL), Victoria Department of Education (Australia), University of Rotterdam (Netherlands), Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), the National Education Association (NEA), New Brunswick Teacher's Association (Canada), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Education Scotland (Scotland), Glasgow City Council (Scotland), Kuwait Technical College (Kuwait) the National Association of School Psychologists, ASCD, l'Association des directions et directions adjointes des ecoles franco-ontariennes (ADFO), the Catholic Principals' Council of Ontario (CPCO), and the Ontario Principals' Council (OPC), National School Climate Center, GLSEN, PBS, NPR, BAM Radio Network, ABC, and NBC's Education Nation. Learn more about bringing Peter DeWitt to your school or district at petermdewitt.com

Reviews

"Peter DeWitt has provided us with a powerful and timely book on the growing phenomenon of 'Collective Efficacy'. The Six Chapters contain a goldmine of ideas, resources, tools, surveys, action steps and reflective questions. What I like best is that the book is grounded equally in research and practice. This is an urgently needed book, and you will learn a lot from it!"

-- Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus

"While schools focus on common standards, data analysis, and increasing achievement, Peter DeWitt explains the critical nature of school climate and why, as the "5th C," it is imperative for school success. As a school leader, Peter often asked thought-provoking questions, engaged in challenging conversations, and encouraged reflection, much as he does in Collaborative Leadership: A Collective Efficacy Approach to Improving School Climate. Through interesting vignettes, personal experience, and a variety of research, Peter provides a practical approach for growing a rich, safe environment."

-- Melissa J. Weatherwax, M.S.Ed., Former classroom teacher

"If you are a fan of cooperative learning like I am and believe in the power of team work, this book is for you. Whether you are a district leader, school principal or classroom teacher, you will find numerous examples and practical ideas that Peter DeWitt offers in this book useful. Collaborative Leadership shows how one plus one can sometimes be three in collectively led schools."

-- Pasi Sahlberg, Author

"Peter's book provides hands-on information on how collaborative leadership can help you create a school climate with the focus on learning. One in which all students (and teachers) feel they belong and are able to grow. Each chapter ends with action steps and questions to help me find the confidence to lead my team towards collective efficacy, including my own, without avoiding the tough topics."

-- Claire Ohlenschlager, M.Ed., English Department Chair

"This is a fabulous book by a renowned expert in the field of leadership. Peter DeWitt explains the complex and credible in a way that is thought-provoking, challenging and inspiring. I love how he gives insights in what successful collaborative leadership is and shows how we can all build our skills and mindset for leading towards collective efficacy."

-- James Nottingham, Challenging Learning author and creator of #TheLearningPit

"In School Climate: Leading With Collective Efficacy, Peter DeWitt delivers in print what he so readily delivers in person -- clarity and coherence around a most important topic. As a former high school principal and district leader, DeWitt leaves me with both the confidence that I can do this, and the understanding of how I can make progress, starting today. This is a must read for any school leader."

-- Kerry Alcorn, Teacher/Author/Leader

"Peter DeWitt gives school leaders exactly what they need, research-based school improvement strategies that work effectively in schools today. Our instructional leadership teams, working with Peter over the past year building teachers' self-efficacy and collective teacher efficacy, are now co-constructing a school culture where everyone not only grows, but thrives. School Climate: Leading With Collective Efficacy is a roadmap to this proven approach to student success."

-- Matthew Bolduc, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development

"Supported by current educational research, and grounded in powerful leadership narratives, Dewitt offers a compelling case for leaders and learning communities to collaborate to achieve collective efficacy for student success. The practical strategies, research citations, conceptual frameworks, rubrics, and self-assessment tools provide leaders with practical instruments for reflection, setting intentions, securing accountability, and measuring the impact of a collaborative climate and culture."

-- Jill Ott, Project Lead-Supporting LGBTQ Students

"As educators we consistently hear about the importance of collaboration, critical thinking, communication and creatively and in School Climate, Peter DeWitt highlights the additional key element 'Climate'. By providing action steps, discussion questions and reflective tools, this book helps guide teachers, leaders and those teachers who aspire to be leaders, to develop a positive school climate. Increased self-awareness encourages teachers to become more reflective and effective, which develops a more collaborative school climate. Providing effective strategies throughout, this book is relevant and applicable to all school contexts, teams and individuals."

-- Andrea Stringer, Professional Learning Coach

"After reading DeWitt's book on collaborative leadership and school climate, my own self-efficacy improved. I closed the cover feeling empowered and eager to share what I've learned. The discussion questions bring practicality to the possibility of implementation and excitement about the potential results."

-- Sera Deo, MST, 4th Grade Teacher

"Where am I going? How am I going? Where to next? Simple, yet aspirational questions we ask our students to answer daily, but are we ready to ask this of ourselves in relation to our leadership of school climate and collective efficacy? Peter Dewitt is comprehensive, yet succinct, producing a practical guide for developing individual and collective efficacy in an inclusive, positive school climate. Research-based strategies, thought-provoking questions and effective tools at your fingertips, ready for immediate use. If you're after a good read, that's exactly what you'll get here....but if you're after an essential resource to empower your school community through the strength of belief that they can make learning happen, you will get that and more."

-- Ben Walsh, Principal

"Collaborative Leadership: A Collective Efficacy Approach to Improving School Climate is an impressive follow-up to DeWitt's previous book, Collaborative Leadership: Six Influences That Matter Most. In his latest offering, DeWitt offers practical yet deep advice and strategies for improving school climate for the benefit of students, families, teachers, and administrators. Throughout the book, he communicates by seamlessly combining research with his experiences and the accounts of other professionals in the field. Many ideas can be implemented tomorrow, and DeWitt's main points are those with which any educational leader could identify. If you are looking for a book to assist you on your journey to advancing your leadership abilities, your school, and/or your district, look no further!"

-- Ross Cooper, Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12

"School Climate: Leading With Collective Efficacy combines the research, anecdotes, reflection questions, and action steps necessary to become a high-impact, capacity-building school leader. DeWitt's style, all-at-once relatable and grounded in the work of John Hattie and so many others, will prompt readers to consider the essential aspects to our work together to be catalysts for progress in teacher, and community learning, and in student achievement."

-- Dennis J. Schug, Jr., Principal



Book Information
ISBN 9781506385990
Author Peter M. DeWitt
Format Paperback
Page Count 232
Imprint Corwin Press Inc
Publisher SAGE Publications Inc
Weight(grams) 380g