Raymond L. Calabrese

Building social capital through the use of an appreciative inquiry theoretical perspective in a school and university partnership

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the ecology of collaboration between school and university partners using an appreciative inquiry theoretical perspective and to demonstrate how it enhances the social capital in school and university partnerships.Design/methodology/approach – A case study of a partnership of an inner‐city high school and university doctoral action research was explored in the frameworks of mutuality, social capital, and appreciative inquiry. The theoretical perspective of appreciative inquiry served as the basis for the mutuality between administrators and faculty in the inner‐city high school and the doctoral action research team.Findings – Findings suggest that approaching school‐university partnerships through an appreciative inquiry theoretical perspective creates an environment for building trust, sharing knowledge, and increasing bridging capital, thus benefiting both the school and university.Originality/value – The action research team formed a partnership with te...

The promise forsaken: neglecting the ethical implications of leadership

The actions of school leaders have direct and profound ethical implications on their organizations and corresponding stakeholders. Each action impacts the ethical notion of mutuality and either adds to or detracts from the existing social capital in the school leader’s organization and surrounding school community. Whether or not the school leader chooses to act out of self‐interest and contribute to the growth of fragmentation in the organization or chooses to act with integrity based on sound ethical principles is determined in large extent by the school leader’s character.

Identifying the Attitudes and Traits of Teachers with an At-Risk Student Population in a Multi-Cultural Urban High School.

Purpose – To identify the attitudes and traits of teachers with an at‐risk student population in a multi‐cultural urban high school.Design/methodology/approach – A research team consisting of doctoral students and their faculty advisor used an appreciative inquiry model to identify attitudes and traits of teachers who supported effective teaching in an urban high school with a high at‐risk student population.Findings – The research teams findings indicate that those perceived as effective teachers were culturally responsive, sought small successes, encouraged students, flexible, and caring. They also formed meaningful relationships with students, had caring attitudes, and viewed themselves as difference‐makers. The research team also found a number of non‐supportive teacher attitudes and traits: blaming, racial attitudes, frustration leading to inflexibility, co‐dependency leading to encouraging the neediness of students, and lack of respect for the contributions made by the surrounding community and par...

The Principal: An Agent For Reducing Teacher Stress

Teachers sometimes cite stress as a reason for leaving the pro fession, but stress does not have to be a negative factor. Principals can use their leadership skills to make it a positive force.

The school leader’s imperative: leading change

School leadership in contemporary society is immersed in the chaotic nature of change. The rapid rate of change, driven by technology and fueled by growing economic and global concerns, impacts the small rural school district as well as the large urban school district. Effective school leaders understand the magnitude of what it means to lead change. The consequences of reacting to change are immense to school organizations and the population the organizations serve. A starting point for the school leader in learning to lead change is in understanding the nature of change.

The Ethical Imperative To Lead Change: Overcoming the Resistance to Change.

School administrators must be forward looking and recognize shifting paradigms in contemporary society. The rapid rate of change in the new millennium influences administrators in the small rural school district as well as the large urban school district. An effective school administrator understands the significance of needed change and consequences of what it means to be a change‐driven school administrator. A starting point for an effective school administrator is to know when it is time to leave one paradigm and embrace a new paradigm shift.

The Public School A Source of Stress and Alienation among Female Teachers

Female teachers report greater stress than male teachers, young teachers greater stress than old. A relationship to alienation is not demonstrated.

Character, school leadership, and the brain: learning how to integrate knowledge with behavioral change

Character is at the core of leadership. Leaders with virtuous character provide benefit to their schools and communities. Whereas, leaders with character flaws create harm for themselves as well as their community. The ethical lapses among teachers, principals, and superintendents create an even larger issue when one considers the fiduciary trust placed in educators by the public. Character development requires behavioral change as well as knowledge acquisition. Incorporating behavioral change into university administrator preparation programs requires faculty to consider recent findings in neuroscience on how the brain learns and the incorporation of these findings into program design and instruction.

A Contextual Analysis of Alienation among School Constituencies.

Public school teachers were less alienated than college students, who were in turn less alienated than high school students. School context seems an explanation.

An Appreciative Inquiry into Educational Administration Doctoral Programs: Stories from Doctoral Students at Three Universities.

AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY INTO EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION DOCTORAL PROGRAMS: STORIES FROM DOCTORAL STUDENTS AT THREE UNIVERSITIES Raymond L. Calabrese Wichita State University Sally J. Zepeda and April L. Peters University of Georgia Crystal Hummel USD 385, Andover, KS William H. Kruskamp Gwinnett County Public Schools Teresa San Martin USD 266, Maize, KS Stefanie C. Wynne Gwinnett County Public Schools