"Be a CHANGEMASTER" is a practical guide for school and district leaders that provides 12 strategies for overcoming resistance to change. Unlike more theoretical books, this text shows how to adopt a coaching style of leadership as a systemic change strategy. Numerous examples demonstrate how the strategies used in this book have led to…

Offers steps for adapting the change process to institutional culture: align leadership style with organizational culture, don't overuse change missionaries, protect change agents, define the problem, maintain focus when the project drifts, identify and remove barriers before implementing action plans, assign responsibilities to individuals,…

Describes a typology of change drawn from conceptualizing conflict as cognitive or affective, and organizational formalization in terms of enabling or coercive procedures. The framework can predict the impact of change, from situations that catalyze and facilitate change to those that frustrate and inhibit it. Summarizes key factors for school…

Introduces a new, comprehensive planning and change concept for universities, "change creation," that encompasses both strategic planning and a transition process for the organization from "what is" to "what should be." After exploring change, why it often fails, and the tenets of change creation, presents its steps. A few are: leadership team…

Discusses factors that help or hinder progress in institutional change and the important role of governing boards in managing change. The advice is based on work by the American Council on Education with a diverse group of 23 colleges and universities on a range of large-scale institutional change initiatives as part of the Project on Leadership…

Discussion of the role of implementation mediators in implementing computer technology in schools focuses on the role of WCET Television in helping schools in Cincinnati, Ohio, to adopt computer technology. Guidelines for successful implementation are suggested which emphasize the need to understand and address resistance to change. (21…

Discusses reasons for and methods to defuse classroom teachers' resistance to change in the workplace. Suggestions include planning for resistance, acknowledging peoples' concerns and addressing them specifically, avoiding criticism of current methods, individualizing resistance reduction, and providing ongoing support. (JKP)

Going through the building process could take up to five years--five of the toughest and most satisfying years of an administrator's career. In going through this process, one can learn a great deal about the community and staff involved, and about onself. But even when the building project is completed, there is still work to be done: now is the…

As educators embark on the crucial mission of education reform, examining and learning from the shortcomings of past reform efforts can be the critical element that determines the success or failure of future efforts. This guide provides a unique insider's look into the various causes for ineffectual efforts, shedding new light on the obstacles to…

This handbook is for those seeking to improve children's education, especially those organizations that work closely with children, parents, and teachers. It sets out a way of approaching advocacy work with the understanding that advocacy groups have a greater impact on the direction of educational change if they have a well-thought-out advocacy…

To help organizations respond effectively to external challenges, college and university leaders must understand how important culture is in determining behaviors, and how the institution's culture responds to change. Identifying an organization's culture and any misalignments between that culture and leadership styles that adversely affect…

This booklet contains essays by three principals in which they describe why they chose to organize their schools around standards and the challenges and successes they encountered along the way. It details the themes associated with the successful implementation of standards, such as continuous learning, patience, resourcefulness, creativity,…

Ways in which organizations can break free from counterproductive reactions are outlined. The text is divided into four parts and opens with a discussion on how to deal with a new reality. It details ways in which groups strive for cohesion, introducing a model that outlines the differences people have in their capacity for changing and their…

This paper presents three interrelated diagnostic tools that can be used by school staff as they begin to plan a systemic reform effort. These tools are designed to help educators reflect on their experiences in creating changes in their school and to examine the current barriers to and supports for the change process. The tools help school design…

This article discusses changes in effective teaching practice and characteristics of different levels of acceptance of school cultures. It reports the results of a survey of 72 inclusion teachers showing that teachers believed their attitude toward students was the first or second most important condition needed for successful inclusion. (Contains…