Powerful Student Care: Honoring Each Learner as Distinctive and Irreplaceable

If we want to really understand our students so that we can optimize instruction for them, we must think of each individual student as distinctive and irreplaceable. From this core principle springs the radically humane framework for meaningful teaching that is the subject of this book: Powerful Student Care (PSC). Authors Grant A. Chandler and Kathleen M. Budge developed this one-of-a-kind system for catering to the unique life circumstances of every child to help all teachers grow in their practice—and all students to flourish.

Based on voluminous research as well as the authors' own experience as seasoned educators, PSC offers teachers a foolproof way to ensure that, regardless of label or socioeconomic profile, each one of their students receives the support they need. Constructed as an allegorical learning voyage for readers, this comprehensive guide details

* The foundational five tenets of community that enable students to succeed academically, develop self-efficacy, and experience the joy of learning.
* "Navigational instruments," such as processes, instructional methods, and power-sharing relationships, for creating community.
* The bodies of knowledge that directly influence teacher and student success, including those related to empowerment, cultural humility, antiracist and antibias learning, and more.
* The Contemplative Practice, an inquiry-based, research-informed scaffold for teacher planning and reflection.

Brimming with colorful, in-depth cases of Powerful Student Care in action and including downloadable forms and templates to help you move forward with implementation, this book is an essential addition to the library of any K–12 educator with a passion for knowing and supporting the young human beings in their charge.

Grant A. Chandler has over 35 years of experience as a high school teacher, central office administrator, higher education dean, professional learning director at a large research university, technical support provider, and executive coach. He is currently the president and CEO of Students Matter. Since 2005, he has provided technical support to over 300 districts in developing systemic approaches to solving student learning issues and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national expert in small learning communities. He has designed and led professional learning experiences at many levels of the K–12 arena and has conducted numerous workshops at national, state, and regional conferences. He hosts the podcast The Wheelhouse and cohosts the podcast Abundantly Charged.

Kathleen M. Budge combines 26 years of experience as a teacher and administrator with over a decade of work dedicated to bridging the gap between the university and the teaching profession. She is an associate professor of Educational Leadership at Boise State University, where her research focuses on poverty, rural education, school improvement, and leadership development. Budge is coauthor of the award-winning book Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools. She has conducted presentations at international, national, and state conferences and webinars, podcasts, and symposiums on the topics of poverty and the whole child. Her consultancies include state departments, boards of education, state and regional service providers, and schools in 15 U.S. states and 3 nations.