Principals who are transformative leaders consistently use three building blocks to promote school success: a clear, unified purpose; a common cultural perspective; and a constant push for improvement. In one study, an opinionated, assertive middle school principal; a nurturing, supportive principal; and a high-energy, charismatic principal all…

Explains the importance of developing empowered employees, outlines stages of supervisory growth from administrator to coach, defines sources of the supervisory power base, explores differences between traditional and empowered thinking in job design, and describes how to build an organizational learning culture. (SK)

The advantages and disadvantages of placing outside staff to represent international aid agencies in developing countries' service programs for blind persons are explored. Alternative models are offered, and sustainability through empowerment is presented as an approach to ensure long-term benefits from the services offered by the international…

Addresses shift from deficit to empowerment model in work with families. Describes shift in human services "assistance" model from "doing to" to "doing with," from "power over" to "power with," and from "teaching the client" to "collaborative learning." Contends that new model will replace fragmented, deficit-oriented crisis intervention with…

A study surveyed 85 Israeli individuals with disabilities who volunteered in organizations for people with disabilities in relation to three components of empowerment: family, services, and community. Three organizational factors (patterns of activity in organization, representation, and participation in decision making) and two personal factors…

To determine if governance structures affected perceptions of teacher empowerment, 55 teachers completed the Teacher Perception Survey. Subjects were from two matched Missouri elementary schools with differing organizational structures and administrative philosophies. Unlike the traditional model, an Accelerated School model strongly influenced…

Suggests that there is a strong affinity between multicultural and theater education. Argues that, through drama and theater, individuals can acquire a clearer visualization and deeper understanding of the topics, issues, themes, and concepts of multicultural education. Suggests that drama might even become a laboratory for multicultural living.…

Since vision, imagination, and a passion for justice are in short supply, educators must transcend traditional technical/rational approaches and create space for artists' prophetic voices to emerge. Empowering the voices of imagination through the arts will help renew the metaphysical dimension of educators' work. (27 references) (MLH)

As educators introduce new technology into a district, school, or classroom, it is important to take advantage of children's natural ability, enthusiasm, and willingness to master new skills. Certain activities such as journal writing, picture-digitizing projects, and designated student experts help place the power of technology squarely in…

Describes the Alternative Education Program for high-risk students at the Michigan School for the Deaf. Key program components include monitoring each student through a team approach and instituting a behavior-management program. Outcomes for seven students over a two-year period are reported. (DB)

Campus-activities programs are encouraged to make special efforts to teach student volunteers basic business skills to guide their thinking and decision-making in program administration. The program, its staff, students, institution, and associate members all benefit. A model for training and empowering students is outlined. (MSE)

Meeting children's needs for early childhood education is one of eight strategies identified by the Food and Agricultural Organization as necessary for the eradication of poverty. Explores how early childhood education might be funded in developing nations. (SLD)

Staff quality is an important school attribute. Strong, determined leadership requires a principal's personal readiness to take issue with underperforming teachers, challenge cynicism and negative elements in the school, and recruit, retain, and develop high-quality, dedicated staff. A collaborative leadership culture emerges from empowering even…

A weekly discussion group for high school students, held at a church before school, provided youth with a place to make connections across differences and to engage in stimulating debate with peers. Anecdotes illustrate how the youth group resisted unfair practices of adult authority while failing to openly recognize the power dynamics within the…

The economic paradigm imposed upon education and the externally applied bureaucratic supervision upon teachers prompts discord and damages morale among teachers. The dedication shown by teachers of adventure education is explained by the fact that students value and benefit from adventure education, and it allows teachers to focus on broader…