Jennifer D. Klein is a product of experiential project-based education herself, and she lives and breathes the student-centered pedagogies used to educate her. She became a teacher during graduate school in 1990, quickly finding the intersection between her love of writing and her fascination with educational transformation and its potential impact on social change. She spent nineteen years in the classroom, including several years in Costa Rica and eleven in all-girls education, before leaving the classroom to support educators' professional learning in public, private, and international schools. Motivated by her belief that all children deserve a meaningful, relevant education like the one she experienced herself, and that giving them such an education will catalyze positive change in their communities and beyond, Jennifer strives to inspire educators to shift their practices in schools worldwide. Jennifer is committed to intersecting globally-connected student-centered learning with identity-responsive and anti-racist teaching practices, and her experience includes deep work with schools seeking to address equity, take on brave conversations, build healthier communities, and improve identity politics on campus. She has a broad background in global education and global partnership development, student-centered curricular strategies, diversity and inclusivity work, student-led evaluation, outdoor education, and experiential, inquiry-driven learning. She has facilitated workshops in English and Spanish on four continents, providing the strategies for high-quality, globally connected project-based learning in all cultural and socioeconomic contexts, with an emphasis on amplifying student voice and shifting school culture to support such practices. Jennifer has worked with organizations such as the Buck Institute for Education, the Center for Global Education at the Asia Society, The Institute for International Education, Fulbright Japan, What School Could Be, the Centre for Global Education, TakingITGlobal, and the World Leadership School, to name a few. Most recently, she served as Head of School at Gimnasio Los Caobos (Bogota, Colombia) for three years, where she was able to put her educational thinking into practice with profound impact on the quality of student learning and their growth as agents of change. Jennifer's first book, The Global Education Guidebook: Humanizing K-12 Classrooms Worldwide Through Equitable Partnerships, was published in 2017, and her second book, The Landscape Model of Learning: Designing Student-Centered Experiences for Cognitive and Cultural Inclusion, coauthored with Kapono Ciotti, was published in 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and a Master of Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder, both in literature and creative writing. Additionally, Jennifer completed her principal licensing studies at the University of Denver. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado. Learn more about bringing Jennifer to your school or conference at www.principledlearning.org.
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Foreword Acknowledgments About the Author Chapter One: Why this, Why Now: An Introduction Chapter Two: What Schools Are Getting Right, and Why They're Meeting Resistance Pedagogical and Instructional Innovations That Prioritize Student-Centered Learning Innovation in How Schools Define Success Try This: Unpacking Purpose, Opportunity, and Equity Innovation and Opportunity for All Learners The Case of Career Technical Education The Case of Cognitively and Physically Responsive Education Innovation Outside the System Innovation in Academically Driven Schools Sustained Pedagogical Innovation Identity-Responsive Learning and Teaching Culturally Responsive Learning and Teaching in Communities of Color Culturally Responsive Learning and Teaching in Indigenous Communities Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness in Schools Gender and Sexual Identity Inclusion Critical Thinking, Pluralism, and Intercultural Competency Development Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Two Worksheet: Analysis of Context, Readiness for Change, and (Potential) Pushback Chapter Three: Relationships and Trust: Build Deep Connection and Understanding Seek to Understand Why Community Members Are Resistant Stay Curious and Avoid Getting Defensive Try This: Use a "Third Thing" to Reduce Polarization and Build Trust Encourage Dissent and Invite Dissonance Cultivate Empathy, Vulnerability, and Open-Mindedness Manage Pace with an Eye to Building Trust Go Fast to Serve Students Now Go Slow and Focus on the "Long Game" Determine Urgency and Readiness to Establish Pace Try This: Design a Risk Assessment Matrix to Determine Pace Create Intentional Structures to Support Relationship Building Learn and Lead With the Community Try This: Coffee With the Leader, PBL-Style Build Systems That Connect and Humanize Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Three Worksheet: Build and Maintain Relationships and Trust Chapter Four: Use Varied Forms of Data to Inform the Journey Use Quantitative Data to Inform Decisions Transform Immeasurables and Develop a Shared Understanding Try This: Use the Y Chart to Turn Squishy Goals Into Observable Metrics Understand the Dangers (and Inevitable Appeal) of Traditional Metrics Engage Other Ways of Knowing to Guide the Work Leverage Street Data and Intuition to See the Bigger Picture Engage Culturally Relevant Ways of Knowing Address Religious Ideologies as Cultural Ways of Knowing Consider a Middle Path that Integrates Traditional and Authentic Data Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Four Worksheet: What Are Your Data Sweet Spots? Chapter Five: The Art of Listening: Leverage Community Voice to Support Change Elevate Student Voice to Confront Resistance Engage Student Voice in Program Development and Governance Engage Student Voice to Inspire and Educate the Community Try This: The Student-Centered Insight Protocol Involve Alumni to Help Motivate Change Leverage Faculty Allies to Shape Initiatives Involve Parents and Caregivers as Constructively as Possible Include Caregiver Input Early in the Change Process Engage Caregivers as Allies for Change Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Five Worksheet: Leverage Community Voice to Shape Initiatives and Motivate Change Chapter Six: Communicate with Purpose, on Purpose Connect Initiatives to "What Makes Us Who We Are" Connect Work to Your School's Mission, Vision, and Core Values Validate Where We're Going Through Legislation and School Policy Change the Words, Not the Work The DEI Debate and the Dream of a Common Language Use Language That Fights Gravity Don't Be Mad, Just Be Ready Use Proactive (Not Reactive) Communication Focused on the Why Communicate Early and Often The "Personal Agenda" and Its Impact on Communication Consider How (and If) to Communicate Beyond the Schoolhouse Try This: The Communications Continuum Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Six Worksheet: Develop Communication Strategies That Engage With Purpose and Intentionality Chapter Seven: Prepare Your People, Protect Your People: Set the Stage for Success Provide Transformative Professional Learning for Teachers Change Minds to Transform the Culture of Learning and Teaching Lean into Self-Work as Professional Learning Try This: Principles of Conversational Leadership and Shared Work Incorporate Live It to Learn It Professional Learning Utilize Job-Embedded, Collaborative Models for Sustainable Growth Adapt Systems to Support Innovation and Implementation Leverage Hiring and Onboarding to Sustain Change Navigate the Hidden Agenda of Time Hack Curriculum and Accountability Systems Embrace Systems That Encourage Risk-Taking Protect Your People When Opposition Arises Support Educators With Marginalized Identities Protect Teachers From External Demands and Restrictions Build Partnerships With Supervisory Entities Protect the Community From More Significant Harm Try This: The After Action Review Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Seven Worksheet: Plan for Implementation That Prepares, Adapts, and Protects Chapter Eight: Lead With Humility, Courage, and Hope: Final Lessons From Leaders You Are Not an Island Build Supportive Teams and Networks Inside the School Engage Consultants, Coaches, and Experts Contracting Experts: A Cautionary Tale Leverage Support Organizations, Networks, and Cooperatives Lean on Excellent Educational Institutions Try This: Concentric Circles to Map Institutional Visits Leadership Is a Journey Prioritize Well-Being for Everyone, Including Yourself Don't Let the Storm Hurt Your Resolve Let Go of What No Longer Serves Your Community Try This: Stop, Start, Continue, Restart Celebrate Every Success Hope Is a Verb that Invites Action Focus on Your Locus of Control Embrace Diverse Perspectives (Even When It's Hard) Try This: Reflect on Wheatley's "Lessons From Besieged Nuns" Plant Seeds for the Future Action Steps Personal Reflection Questions Chapter Eight Worksheet: Prepare for the Journey Ahead Interview Participants Recommended Reading from Educational Leaders References Index