Improving Primary Schools Improving Communities
This is an inspiring book that shares how three primary schools have been enriched by their commitment to social justice. Tony Cotton collected a variety of examples from three multiethnic urban primary schools that show how the children and staff benefit from socially just approaches to school management and organisation.
Each chapter provides an insight into a different aspect of school life such as: School Councils, Team Working and Celebrating and Reporting Success with informative extracts from policies and strategies and discussions between children and staff. Readers are invited to review their own schools’ practices in the light of the examples provided.
The book is designed for head teachers, providing practical examples and clear insight into how a commitment to social justice can improve educational outcomes and enrich school environments for all who work within them. As the book has been written together with two head teachers and a senior teacher from the three schools, it resonates with the reality and challenges of school life and is a testament to their leadership and unswerving commitment to respectful partnerships. As stated on p57, The key word in all three schools, around which all relationships are built, is respect.
There is consistent evidence of the effectiveness of collaboration between children, teachers and other school staff. Whether addressing behaviour, curricular or extra curricular issues the book provides clear examples of primary age children playing active roles as responsible, caring and articulate citizens who are expected to participate in democratic processes.
It is a book that will provide both inspiration and guidance for all who want a school community to thrive through a commitment to social justice.
Review by: Donna Hurford
Improving Primary Schools Improving Communities
Tony Cotton with Jasbir Mann, Anna Hassan and Stella Nickolay
Trentham Books 2003
ISBN number 1 85856 259 7
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