Description
Book SynopsisA leader's job is not to have all of the right answers, but to ask the right questions. Not only does this book address self-inquiry for school leaders, it offers tools and learning support for leaders committed to improving and refining their inquiry-based leadership.
Betty Burks, Deputy Superintendent
San Antonio ISD, TX
One does not immediately think of questioning as a leadership tool. Yet the compelling and engaging strategies thoughtfully described in this book will make any leader realize the power of an artful question. This is an invaluable handbook for those eager to listen differently to people, enter into dialogue about sensitive topics, and structure opportunities for people to talk constructively.
Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director
National Staff Development Council
Walsh and Sattes have captured the essence of one of the key features of a good leader: the ability to coach others. Their quality questioning framework
Trade Review
"A leader′s job is not to have all of the right answers, but to ask the right questions—questions that help the team dig deeper into more meaningful solutions. Not only does this book address self-inquiry for school leaders, it offers tools and learning support for leaders committed to improving and refining their inquiry-based leadership." -- Betty Burks, Deputy Superintendent
"One does not immediately think of questioning as a leadership tool. Yet the compelling and engaging strategies thoughtfully described in this book will make any leader realize the power of an artful question. This is an invaluable handbook for those eager to listen differently to people, enter into dialogue about sensitive topics, and structure opportunities for people to talk constructively." -- Joellen Killion, Deputy Executive Director
"Walsh and Sattes have captured the essence of one of the key features of a good leader: the ability to coach others. Their quality questioning framework helps school leaders understand that the way they structure a question can be the key to building organizational capacity." -- Yvonne V. Thayer, Certified Professional Coach
"A must-read for all school leaders. This practical guide on how to create an inquiry-oriented approach to decision making enables adult learners in the school to sustain school improvement and that fosters a higher level of thinking that will benefit students, parents, and the community." -- Betsy Rogers, School Improvement Specialist
"The focus of the book complements the work we are currently doing in our school district to create reflective practitioners. For the past year we have been training our school administrators and teacher leaders in how to support the professional growth of our faculty by using coaching language. The concept of applying quality questioning provides the perfect vehicle for furthering our work in reflective practice! The Leading through Quality Questioning Framework is a clear and concise way to get the big picture of how questioning can be used to foster a culture of continuous improvement. The chapters that follow allow the reader to put the meat on the bones of the framework!" -- Christopher Corallo, Director of Staff Development
“This is a wise, practical, and inspiring work that offers great advice on how leaders can keep inquiry at the heart of adult learning. Any coach, principal, or superintendent who is interested in accelerating professional learning will find this book useful.” -- Jim Knight, Research Associate, Center for Research on Learning, University of Kansas
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures Preface: What Have We Learned From Our Work? Quality Questioning is Not Just for the Classroom Anymore Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Quality Questioning: Why Is This an Important Practice for Leaders of Learning Communities? 2. Questioning as a Process: What Are the Essential Elements? 3. Maximizing: How Can Leaders Increase Individual and Collective Capacity? 4. Mobilizing: How Do Leaders Build Constituent Commitment to Act? 5. Mediating: How Does Quality Questioning Help Create Common Ground? 6. Monitoring: How Do Leaders Use Quality Questioning to Facilitate Reflection on Progress Toward Identified Goals? 7. Promoting Adult Learning and Growth in Schools: How Can Leaders Nurture Communities of Quality Questioners? Resource A: Examples of Closed and Open-Ended Questions Resource B: Structured Group Processes That Engage Members of the School Community in Thinking and Dialogue Resource C: The Quality Questioning Quotient (QQQ): A Self-Assessment References Index
