A Summing Up. Robert Eaker

A Summing Up

A Summing Up

Teaching & Learning in Effective Schools & PLCs at Work®

ROBERT EAKER

Foreword by Douglas Reeves

Materials appearing here are copyrighted. All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Eaker, Robert E., author.

Title: A summing up : teaching and learning in effective schools and PLCs at work / Robert Eaker.

Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019038848 (print) | LCCN 2019038849 (ebook) | ISBN 9781949539738 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781949539745 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Professional learning communities--United States. | School improvement programs--United States. | Effective teaching--United States. | Eaker, Robert E. | Educators--United States--Biography.

Classification: LCC LB1731 .E129 2020 (print) | LCC LB1731 (ebook) | DDC 370.71/1--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019038848

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019038849

Solution Tree

Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO

Edmund M. Ackerman, President

Solution Tree Press

President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife

Associate Publisher: Sarah Payne-Mills

Art Director: Rian Anderson

Managing Production Editor: Kendra Slayton

Senior Production Editor: Suzanne Kraszewski

Content Development Specialist: Amy Rubenstein

Proofreader: Elisabeth Abrams

Text and Cover Designer: Abigail Bowen

Editorial Assistant: Sarah Ludwig

To the memory of my dear friends and

colleagues Rick and Becky DuFour

Acknowledgments

Writing and publishing a book involve much hard work by a significant number of people. I was blessed to have the editing expertise of Lesley Bolton. To say I appreciate her and value her contributions seems woefully inadequate. It has been a pleasure to partner with Lesley on this project. She is the consummate professional.

As always, I enjoyed the support and encouragement of my colleagues and close friends Douglas Rife and Jeff Jones. To them and everyone at Solution Tree Press, I am grateful.

It is impossible for me to describe the many ways Gretchen Knapp helped on this book. She provided initial editing of the manuscript before it was submitted to Solution Tree Press. Equally important, Gretchen was a solid sounding board who provided advice and encouragement along the way. While her professional advice is appreciated, her friendship is treasured.

Writing is a time-consuming and, at times, frustrating undertaking. In this project, and throughout my career, I have enjoyed the support of Star, my wife for over five decades. For her support and encouragement, I offer my heartfelt thanks.

“There is a distinct difference between knowledge and wisdom. Many educational books address facts, information, and skills deemed best practice—the knowledge of our profession. But wisdom requires deep understanding, insightfulness, and good judgment regarding how to best apply what we know. A Summing Up is a book of true wisdom. Using his own journey as the backdrop, Bob Eaker provides context to the major educational research movements of the past fifty years and describes how leveraging this knowledge with practitioner experience led to the creation of the PLC at Work process. It is a wonderfully personal story, written with humor and humility. If I could, I would make this book required reading for every educator.”

—MIKE MATTOS

Educational Consultant and Author

Table of Contents

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FOREWORD BY DOUGLAS REEVES

Gamble, Carouse, and Explore

Accidental Friendships

A Few Caveats