Rethinking the Education Mess A Systems Approach to Education Reform

This book uses a form of systems thinking to provide a new vision and tools to all those working to improve schools, implement reforms, and keep them safe from violence. It analyzes K-12 education as a complex, "messy" system, which must be understood and tackled as a whole rather than as a collection of problems that can each be studied in isolation. No single factor by itself (such as great teachers, adequate parenting, or good living conditions) is sufficient to lower the achievement gap, even though each of the factors is necessary.

Employing Jungian typlogy to clarify to different stakeholders (teachers, principals, parents) how to understand each other's goals and methods, Mitroff, Alpaslan, and Hill provide not only a case for rethinking how education reform is carried out, but a series of heuristics to help those involved in the education mess to improve the system as a whole.

Ian I. Mitroff is Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, USA, and President of Mitroff Crisis Management.

Can M. Alpaslan is Associate Professor in the Department of Management at California State University, Northridge, USA.

Lindan B. Hill is Assistant Vice President and Director of the Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership, Marian University, USA.

1. Introduction: The Education Mess
2. What Is a System and What Is a Mess?
3. The Psychology and Philosophy of Inquiry, Philosophical Psychology, and Psychological Philosophy
4. The Charter School Mess, A Messy Systems View
5. The Charter Schools of the Future - Possible Designs
6. Hiding in Plain Sight: Education Reform in Indiana
7. General Heuristics for Coping with The Education Mess
8. Waiting for Wilberforce - Making Sense of and Coping with the Tragic and Senseless
9. Crisis Management As An Imperative For Schools
Epilogue