What does it mean to be a "lead learner" in a school? What does it mean to be a "learning organization"? This book takes up those questions by advancing a concept of the school as a learning organization in which prescribed expectations and experiential professional judgment don't have to be (and in fact shouldn't be) oppositional and incompatible. The authors refer to this particular type of learning organization as an "intelligent, responsive" school.
Author Biography:
Steven Katz is the director of Aporia Consulting Ltd. and a faculty member in the Applied Psychology and Human Development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE, UT), where he teaches in the Child Study and Education graduate program. He is the recipient of the OISE, UT- wide award for teaching excellence. Steven has a PhD in human development and applied psychology, with specialization in applied cognitive science. His areas of expertise include cognition and learning, teacher education, networked learning communities, leading professional learning, and evidence-informed decision making for school improvement. He has received the Governor General’s Medal for excellence in his field and has been involved in research and evaluation, professional development, and consulting with a host of educational organizations around the world. He is the author of several best-selling books, including Leading Schools in a Data-Rich World, Building and Connecting Learning Communities, Intentional Interruption, and The Intelligent, Responsive Leader.
Lisa Ain Dack is a senior associate at Aporia Consulting Ltd. and an instructor in the Master of Teaching and Master of Child Study and Education programs at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE, UT). She has a PhD in developmental psychology and education from OISE, UT, with a collaborative degree in developmental science. She is the 2017 recipient of the OISE, UT award for excellence in Initial Teacher Education. Lisa facilitates Leader Learning Teams in various school districts in Ontario, leads numerous research projects investigating learning teams, and is involved in research projects on assessment and evaluation. She also undertakes program evaluations at both the primary and secondary levels. In addition, she leads workshops for administrators and teachers throughout Ontario on Leader Learning Teams, professional learning, and data-driven decision making. She is coauthor of the best-selling book Intentional Interruption. Lisa and her husband Jeff have three children, Sadie, Rachel, and Dylan.
John Malloy is the Director of Education for the Toronto District School Board. He has an Ed.D. in educational administration from the University of Toronto (OISE, UT). Prior to being the Director of Education in Toronto, John held senior leadership positions at the Ontario Ministry of Education and in three other Ontario school boards. John′s areas of expertise include leadership development, large scale system change, strategic planning, professional learning, and equity. John has fostered a culture of collaborative inquiry and shared leadership in each of the school districts where he has led, which in turn has produced improved outcomes for students.
