The Audacity to Teach! The Impact of Leadership, School Reform, and the Urban Context on Educational Innovations

The Audacity to Teach! is developed from a study of an inner city, urban elementary school that has undergone serial comprehensive reforms. Each act of reform has promised to bring about certain changes that would/will in return improve this particular school. This book explores critical issues such as: (1) the language of student achievement and accountability, (2) the politics and policies that inform the processes of schooling and school reform, and (3) the role of leadership in schools (including teacher leadership). Each of these evolves from a serious examination of capacity as the dynamic nexus between teaching innovations and student learning. This book is intended for teachers, school administrators, policy makers, and academics who are interested in understanding school improvement and effectiveness; it provides commonsense recommendations for the future direction of American education that aim to promote student success.

Jacob Easley II is an associate professor at Mercy College.