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Aiming High
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Aiming High
Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains

  • Evan Robb - Principal, Johnson-Williams Middle School; Berryville, VA


March 2022 | 216 pages | Corwin

Aim high to improve leading, teaching, and learning

Skillful leadership is critical as schools return to a new normalcy. Improving students’ learning and addressing the challenges many learners experienced due to recent learning interruptions are top priorities for all school leaders.

Aiming High offers leaders a framework for creating an environment where both effective instruction and a focus on social and emotional needs benefits all students and teachers. Evan Robb maps a route to building a positive, trusting culture of collaboration, creativity, and empowerment. Features include:

  • An outline of the leadership elements required to build a learner-focused culture
  • Tools for fostering productive collaboration, creating shared teacher leadership, and building trusting relationships
  • Insightful tips for addressing complexities that come with new learning formats
  • Provocative questions that guide readers toward redefining instructional leadership

Your mission as leader is clear: aim high, work intentionally and collaboratively with teachers, and create a refreshed school culture centered on learning and growth for all.

 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Introduction
 
Chapter 1. Redefining Instructional Leadership
 
Chapter 2. Collaborative Leadership: Activate, Influence, and Elevate
 
Chapter 3. Building Trusting Relationships
 
Chapter 4. Supporting Students and Staff Through Professional Learning
 
Chapter 5. Creating a Culture of Access, Equity, and High Expectations
 
Chapter 6. Leading for Literacy
 
Chapter 7. Leading for Numeracy
 
Chapter 8. Next Steps: Leading a Culture of Learning
 
Appendix
 
References

As educators look ahead to a post pandemic world, I hope that they will do so with Aiming High lighting the way. In his opening words, Evan Robb invites us to ‘start a journey’ and then continues on to illuminate a path where collective commitment paves the way. As a literacy consultant, I was mesmerized by literacy chapter 6 that highlights choice, ownership, and authenticity with often missing middle school features such as independent reading, conferring and read-aloud celebrated. The intentional intricate interweaving of literacy and professional learning across the pages gave me renewed hope. Evan’s deep belief in students and teachers shines through a spirit of unwavering commitment to collaboration and conversation in honor of learning extending from both sides. Aiming High envisions a broader purpose for what is possible when shared leadership forms a foundation for a visionary schoolwide stance.  

Mary Howard
Author, RTI from All Sides: What Every Teacher Needs to Know, Moving Forward with RTI: Reading and Writing Activities for Every Instructional Setting, Good to Great Teaching: Focusing on the Literacy Work that Matters

In Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains, K-12, Evan not only aims high, he hits the mark on leading in schools. Evan shares easy-to-use strategies and actions for all educators to use to better serve students and the school community while building a collaborative school culture. I love the leadership take-a-ways, reflection questions, actions to consider, powerful quotes, resource recommendations, and more. I am a better leader because of Aiming High and Evan Robb. I highly recommend this book! Keep reading and keep rolling!

Andrew Marotta
Principal, Leader, Author, Speaker, Leader of the #survivethrive movement, @andrewmarotta21, Milford, PA

Evan Robb provides school leaders with a practical and inspiring guide to navigating the “new normal”, offering a pathway to improve student-centered learning by empowering all teachers to provide highly effective instruction and all students to embrace a culture of learning. He emphasizes the power of collaboration and the need to build trusting relationships. Affirming, challenging and timely!

Chris Quinn
Retired District Leader and Classroom Teacher, London, Ontario, Canada

Teaching and learning in a Post-COVID world It’s time for meaningful change in education--from the top down! Leading to Aim High will equip educational leaders to empower staff through collaborative conversations and professional learning. If you are concerned about the detrimental effects of COVID-19 and want to use this moment to Shake Up Learning, this is the book for you!

Kasey Bell
Author, Podcaster, Blogger, and Teacher, Shake Up Learning, Celina, TX

I think we are all educationally “pandemic-ed out,” but Robb’s book does something much different than any other book out there. He demonstrates what stands the test of time and what will prepare all leaders during and after our NEXT crisis or calm. This book should be added to your shelf as it prepares you for nothing other than thoughtful, intentional leadership.

William D Sroufe
Division Superintendent, Colonial Heights Public Schools, Colonial Heights, VA

Leading to Aim High provides a structure to collaboratively create a learner-focused culture. Leadership focused on literacy, math, and social emotional needs are guided by ideas about a commitment to all students, optimism, and trusting relationships. Evan's experiences as a middle school principal provide implementation considerations guided by lessons learned, quotations, tips, and questions.

Erik Youngman
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Libertyville District 70, Libertyville, IL

As someone that’s been in the business in different roles over the years, I can say that this book from Evan has so many valuable tips in it.   Both educators new to the profession as well those that are veterans will find that this book is the blueprint for creating future change and impact.  Some books are focused on pedagogy and approaches to instruction and learning. Yet still there are books that are focused on creating a school culture that promotes an environment of true collaboration and success.

Aiming High seeks to combine these elements and more together in one book. This is the book that everyone can read, should read, and can benefit from now and in the future. It’s time to lift our eyes and our minds and set our sights on Aiming High as we inspire students and our communities and cultivate a passion for learning.

Vernon Wright
Speaker, Consultant, Leader, Author, Zero Apology Zone, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX

I think we are all educationally “pandemic-ed out,” but Robb’s book does something much different than any other book out there. He demonstrates what stands the test of time and what will prepare all leaders during and after our NEXT crisis or calm. This book should be added to your shelf as it prepares you for nothing other than thoughtful, intentional leadership.

Rick Jetter
Co-Founder, Pushing Boundaries, Consulting Author, Creator of the #100StopSeries

In Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains, Evan Robb highlights the important and necessary leadership skills focused on flexibility, teamwork, and creating conditions to maintain a culture focused on learning during challenging times. This book provides education leaders with both practical and helpful ideas and strategies to assist leaders in maximizing their skills to ensure learning gains for each and every student stays at the center of our work. Throughout the book, the reader is asked to answer reflective questions which will enhance their skills and help their school and school district continue to increase their learning gains grades K-12.

Randy L. Russell
Superintendent, Freeman School District Freeman, WA

Evan Robb delivers educators a reimagined vision, with easy to follow dynamic practices for post-pandemic leadership through a synergistic commitment to academic instruction, social-emotional learning, and school-wide wellness. Aiming High is an educational gem bursting with inspired reflection and recovery through a cohesive culture of empowered leadership. It deeply resonates to those wishing to re-infuse meaningful teaching and learning back into K-12 education and has my highest recommendation for low burden, high impact professional learning!

Hans Appel
Educator, Speaker, Author of Award Winning Culture: Building Whole-Child Intentionality and Action Through Character, Excellence, and Community

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