Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement, June/2011

In their first coauthored book, Dr. DuFour and Dr. Marzano have combined their passions to articulate how effective leaders foster continuous improvement at the district, school, and classroom levels. The book focuses on district leadership, principal leadership, and team leadership, and addresses how individual teachers can be most effective in leading students—by learning with colleagues how to implement the most promising pedagogy in their classrooms. The authors argue that no single person has all the knowledge, skills, and talent to lead a district, improve a school, or meet all the needs of every child in his or her classroom. Instead, it will take a collaborative effort and widely dispersed leadership to meet the challenges confronting schools.

Benefits

1. Combines the authors’ expertise and many years of experience into one comprehensive volume on leadership
2. Provides proven strategies for school improvement based on the most up-to-date research
3. Focuses on how district and school leaders create the conditions to support the collaborative culture of a PLC
4. Examines the specific work that teachers undertake as members of PLCs

About The Authors:
Richard DuFour, EdD, was a public school educator for 34 years, serving as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. He served as the principal of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, from 1983 to 1991 and as superintendent of the district from 1991 to 2002. During his tenure, Stevenson became what the United States Department of Education (USDE) has described as “the most recognized and celebrated school in America.” It is one of three schools in the nation to win the USDE Blue Ribbon Award on four occasions and one of the first comprehensive schools designated a New America High School by USDE as a model of successful school reform. Stevenson has been repeatedly cited in the popular press as one of America’s best schools and referenced in professional literature as an exemplar of best practices in education.

Dr. DuFour is the author of many books and has written numerous professional articles. He wrote a quarterly column for the Journal of Staff Development for nearly a decade. Dr. DuFour was the lead consultant and author of ASCD’s video series on principalship and the author of several other videos. He was the first principal in Illinois to receive the state’s Distinguished Educator Award (and also received this award as a superintendent). Dr. DuFour was named as one of the Top 100 School Administrators in North America by Executive Educator magazine, was presented the Distinguished Scholar Practitioner Award from the University of Illinois, and was the 2004 recipient of the National Staff Development Council’s Distinguished Service Award. He consults with school districts, state departments, and professional organizations throughout North America on strategies for improving schools.

Robert J. Marzano, PhD, is cofounder and CEO of Marzano Research Laboratory in Englewood, Colorado. A leading researcher in education, he is a speaker, trainer, and author of more than 30 books and 150 articles on topics such as instruction, assessment, writing and implementing standards, cognition, effective leadership, and school intervention. His books include The Art and Science of Teaching and Effective Supervision. His practical translations of the most current research and theory into classroom strategies are internationally known and widely practiced by both teachers and administrators.

Dr. Marzano received a bachelor’s degree from Iona College in New York, a master’s degree from Seattle University, and a doctorate from the University of Washington.