Transforming America's most challenging and failing schools has been at the forefront of conversations and debates for the last decade. Besieged by failing test scores, community challenges, and often inadequate resources, funding and buildings, failing schools often lack the structures needed to transform over a period of time. Too often, the strategies implemented are random, shallow, and lack systemic structures for long-term progress and sustaining power. Research shows students of color and students from economically challenging environments continue to drop out at alarming rates and fall farther behind academically. Promising practices, processes, and procedures that focus on increasing capacity of all stakeholders involved in the learning environment and community must be adopted to reach every student and create engaging learning environments. Every stakeholder must work with a purpose to identify the critical needs recognized through the analysis of data. And in order for change and transformation to take place, an infrastructure must be built and educators must take immediate action to make the necessary changes to see progress- visible transformation. "The Trans4mational Leader: Leading From The Inside Out" shares the journey of a school principal through the day-to-day happenings of working in an academically challenging school and an economically depleted community in which school was the one place that offered stability, consistency, equity of opportunity and love. Test scores were below the standard, morale was low, and discipline was at an all-time high. In order for learning to become optimal and for the staff to feel valued and safe, transformation needed to take place. The Trans4mational Leader looks closely at four essential components of leadership needed to positively impact school culture and transform challenging environments into schools of champions. Join the journey as we explore the 4C's of transformation: climate(caring), communication, community, and curriculum. This book will provide principals, leaders, and educators the knowledge and insight needed to work together to transform our world and inspire others to make a positive impact on generations to come by transforming our classrooms and our schools- one day at a time, one step at a time, one child at a time, and one educator at a time.
Michelle Hairston is a servant leader who has dedicated her life, time and passion to positively impacting the lives of students, educators, and leaders across our Nation. Her desire for working in challenging environments has been the driving force behind her research of effective leadership practices designed to transform low-performing schools into schools that demonstrate and reflect behaviors and actions of champions. Michelle has spent most of her 28 years in the education field finding innovative ways to ensure ALL students, regardless of their economic status, race, ability, or color, are provided with a high quality education. She has worked with educators to ensure students are engaged in learning experiences that prepare them for this diverse and globally changing world; and she has worked side-by-side with our leaders to ensure they are equipped with the tools and the skills necessary to make that happen. Michelle is a Trans4mational Leader who has led with her heart and touched the hearts of others in order to bring about systemic and impactful change. She is honored and grateful for the God-given opportunities that have been provided along her amazing journey and looks forward to continuing the work of transforming schools, changing lives, and working to create promise for a lifetime.
