Meaningful Conversations: The Way to Comprehensive and Transformative School Improvement

Imagine a school in which gathering around the table to have meaningful conversations is commonplace and unencumbered by roles and positions. Such discourse is not only meaningful, but also significant, purposeful, valuable, filled with intention, and result oriented. There is a spirit of trust that affords an interchange of thoughts and ideas that promote dialogue and heart-to-heart communication.

Meaningful Conversations invites readers who earnestly desire high achievement for all students in all American schools to the table for a nine-course meal of food for thought that, altogether, satisfies educators’ hunger for comprehensive and transformative school improvement. Addressing critical issues in contemporary schools―including leadership, school culture, curriculum, and assessment―this book offers conversation pieces that describe success standards for schools and conversation points that specifically address the unique responsibilities of district leaders, administrators, and teachers.

Angela Webster-Smith serves as an associate professor at the University of Central Arkansas in the department of leadership studies. She writes and speaks nationally on the topic of self-reflection and is passionate about cultivating hope-based schooling for all learners.

Shelly Albritton serves as an associate professor at the University of Central Arkansas in the department of leadership studies. By working with at-risk students, as a school and district administrator in public schools, she has dedicated herself to coaching and engaging existing and emerging school leaders in meaningful conversations as they acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of twenty-first century instructional leaders in preK-12 schools.

Patty Kohler-Evans serves as an associate professor at the University of Central Arkansas in the department of early childhood and special education. She works with teachers across the state of Arkansas providing professional development in research-validated methodology.