Leading Socially Just Schools: The Role of Professional Learning and Growth

Equity and social justice have become central to the work of schools. Teachers and leaders are at the forefront of building socially just schools. Issues related to equity and social justice in education, however, are complex and deeply contested. Professional learning is critical to enable teachers and school leaders to develop the understandings, skills and confidence to grapple with often challenging issues. This book brings together a range of contributions from different systems. The contributors to this book explore ways in which professional learning can support efforts to bring about socially just schools. The authors adopt a variety of perspectives, with some looking at professional learning around a broad concept of social justice and the task of the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged learners. Other contributors explore the question of professional learning in relation to a specific issue or area of practice to raise awareness and deepen knowledge and skills. Barring one, all the chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue in the journal Professional Development in Education.

Christine Forde is Emeritus Professor at the University of Glasgow. Current research includes social justice leadership, middle leadership in schools, life histories and headship, governance. She is a Fellow of the International Professional Development Association and received the Robert Owen Award for services to Scottish education in 2019.

Deirdre Torrance is Senior Research Fellow in Educational and School Leadership in the School of Education, University of Glasgow. Deirdre leads the Future of Headship Research Team and is engaged in numerous collaborative research and writing projects around policy, leadership preparation, school leadership and management, and social justice leadership.