Many new Christians come to church and discover that Christians speak a foreign language (i.e. Christianese). They hear things like:“We must crucify the Flesh! We must resist Satan! And we must not be conformed to the World!”In the fear of the Lord they hear this call to action with a willing heart, but don’t really understand what they are called to do? They ask themselves:“What is ‘the Flesh’ and how on earth do I crucify it? Doesn’t God l...

When so much seems to be falling apart, it is a struggle to find ground for hope. In forty daily reflections, Christopher Chapman explores the nature of hope and offers ways of cultivating and practicing it. Avoiding wishful thinking or 'looking on the bright side', he offers a hope rooted in a God whose dynamic, creative breath is always bringing the new into being. This hope is incarnate and redemptive, forever coming along side us to renew what is broken. It is relational, drawing all i...

Focusing on what can be done to promote equity within education systems, what the barriers to progress are and how these barriers might be overcome, this book provides detailed examples of strategies that have proved to be effective in addressing this challenge. Built on the work of the authors over the last three decades, the book presents an approach to educational change that will be relevant to different countries.The authors argue that there is untapped potential for promoting...

As countries seek to develop their education systems, achieving sustainable improvements amongst students from disadvantaged backgrounds remains a major challenge. This has considerable implications for those in the research community as they seek to influence developments in the field.Drawing on the authors’ extensive experiences as researchers, policy advisers and influencers, Changing Education Systems offers key insights on how to promote equity within education system...

If you are the young or the young at heart, this book is for you. Have you ever asked yourself if you believe in miracles or what what you would sacrifi ce for someone else? At fi rst glance, this book is a simple love story between the main characters Flynn and Misty. Underneath their romance lies the notion of sacrifi ce and what an individual would sacrifi ce so that another person may reach his or her dreams. When Misty helps Flynn become a gentleman by her eccentric rules, Flynn helps...

The International Handbook of Educational Effectiveness and Improvement draws together leading academics and researchers in the field to reflect on the history, traditions and the most recent developments in this dynamic and influential field. This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of:the foundations of the fieldthe evolution of educational effectiveness theory and methodologythe links with other research disciplinesthe links be...

Strategy, risk management and project management are often considered separately by those applying their principles—but at their most effective, all are dependent upon each other for success. Enlightened Planning teaches this holistic perspective and demonstrates how a synthesis of these approaches yields far greater opportunities. A strategic, calculated risk, for example, can be less inherently risky than chronic risk aversion over time.Here, a respected specialist and t...

Existing research on Professional Learning Networks looks at experiences in Europe and North America, with very little attention focused on education systems in the Global South, such as Chile. In 2015 more than 500 School Improvement Networks were created to support state-funded schools across the country with the idea of promoting a culture of collaboration. Although schools are expected to work in networks, they are held to account individually through high-stakes standardized testing a...

Three people are murdered, shaking the foundation of the small town of Niagara, Wisconsin and its nearly 2,000 citizens. Two more meet their demise on the second night, and a teenager is taken into custody after narrowly escaping with his own life. Jason Rangle says he didn't do it; that it was a monster that murdered his parents. Friends become enemies and secrets are formed. Jason never stood a chance and is sentenced to life in prison. Sixteen years pass without incid...

In a complex and multi-layered world, the conventional idea of great leadership being the result of the efforts of a single individual is rapidly becoming redundant. This book takes up the challenge of finding an alternative method of leadership in educational contexts, and looks at how this can help achieve sustained improvement in schools. The authors acknowledge that there are no simple solutions to school improvement. They argue that the effective leaders of the future will be those wh...

This book provides a contemporary overview of school effectiveness and improvement. It charts the development theory and research in this area and looks at the contribution made to policy and practice. It also challenges some assumptions that have become ingrained into the theoretical and methodological traditions of the field. By challenging these orthodoxies, it provides a framework that sets a new agenda and repositions the field to meet the emerging challenges of the twenty-first centu...

Taken away from the bosom of his family in 1972, by chance, and not a little alcohol, the author is introduced to life on board a tramping coaster and thrown into a world of wonderful characters that would otherwise be ensconced in a institution more suited to the certifiable. A way of life that is unfathomable for men unlucky to be stuck ashore with families and work.From huge deep sea bulk carriers in exotic ports to tramping coasters around the coast of Britain and Ireland the se...