Applied Critical Leadership in Education: Choosing Change - Hardcover

"These authors weave theory and practice around the issues of educational inequity and change, thus, creating a remarkable piece of thought-provoking and highly significant work. This book should be read by all who have a vested interest in effective educational leadership, educational change, diversity and equity in public, private, and charter schools."

--Anthony Normore, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, California State University, Dominguez Hills

"Finally, a book that has identity at the core of one's leadership. Santamaría and Santamaría have pulled together a collection of case studies that will inspire students, practitioners, and scholars to think critically about our own practices and ways in which we all face the challenges of educating in the 21st century."

--Frank Hernandez, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching, Hamline University

Educational leaders are seeing the increasing need for practical transformative models and theories to address academic, cultural, and socio-economic gaps separating learners at all levels of the educational system. Applied Critical Leadership in Education explores a leadership model arising from critical theory and critical pedagogy traditions that transforms status quo educational practices. Providing a range of diverse voices of practicing leaders from prekindergarten through higher education, explicit ties to theory and practice are drawn, making leadership for social justice accessible, feasible, and more practical for aspiring and practicing leaders alike.

Features Included:

• Case Studies provide examples of applied critical leadership across early childhood education, elementary school, middle school, high school, district, and higher education levels.
• Theory to Research Applications offer frameworks and key research complementary to cases.
• Checking In presents questions to the reader to respond and further engage with the chapter content.
• Opportunity Recognition and Critical Conversations offer strategies to challenge assumptions of common practices and begin conversations around issues of social justice.
• Backpack includes online or print resources to supplement the material in each chapter.
• Appendix provides a comprehensive example of qualitative case study research from design, to data collection, and analysis.

Applied Critical Leadership in Education provides an innovative way for aspiring and practicing educational leaders to think about and apply leadership practice suited for the educational challenges of today that are necessary for change.