Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School

The future of learning depends absolutely on the future of teaching. In this most important collaboration, Andy Hargreaves and Michael Fullan show how the quality of teaching is captured in a compelling new idea: the professional capital of every teacher working together in every school. Speaking out against policies that result in a teaching force that is inexperienced, inexpensive, and exhausted in short order, these two world authorities—who know teaching and leadership inside out—set out a groundbreaking new agenda to transform the future of teaching and public education.

Ideas-driven, evidence-based, and strategically powerful, Professional Capital combats the tired arguments and stereotypes of teachers and teaching and shows us how to change them by demanding more of the teaching profession and more from the systems that support it. This is a book that no one connected with schools can afford to ignore.

Book Features:

• A powerful and practical solution to what ails American schools.
• Action guidelines for all groups—individual teachers, administrators, schools and districts, state and federal leaders.
• A next-generation update of core themes from the authors’ bestselling book, What’s Worth Fighting for in Your School?

Table of Contents

1. A Capital Idea
2. Competing Views of Teaching
3. Stereotypes of Teaching
4. Investing in Capability and Commitment
5. Professional Capital
6. Professional Culture and Communities
7. Enacting Change

"Transforming education is one of the signature challenges of our times. Professional Capital sets out exactly and undeniably why the only way to do it is to honour and improve the profession of teaching. Written by two of the sharpest educational thinkers in the world, Professional Capital is an incisive critique of the failing reform movements in many countries and a powerful manifesto for the only strategy that can and does work. This book should revolutionize how policymakers and practitioners alike think and act in education. The price of failure is more than they or our children can afford."
- Sir Ken Robinson, educator, author

"A must-read! Brimming with insights and action ideas, Hargreaves and Fullan lay out a clear and cogent plan to transform American public education, community by community. Professional Capital is a finely written and urgent argument for real change in how we do our business. "
- Dan Domenech, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators

"This important book makes it clear that teaching stands at a crossroads between policy decisions that will help create a great profession for all teachers or ones that will make teaching robotic and unexcitinghurting student learning for years to come. Hargreaves and Fullan urge us not to stand aside or to wait. It is time, they say, for the teaching profession to be led by, for, and with teachers and for others to join in concerted action to support that transformation."
- Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association

"I love the focus on professional capital and decisional capital. Hargreaves and Fullan give us a deep, practical understanding of ways to improve our schools and our school systems. This is new, exciting thinking."
- Steve Munby, Chief Executive, National College for School Leadership

"The teaching profession is at a crossroads. Grounded in global knowledge and experience, Professional Capital provides brilliant insight into what the next generation of teaching should look like. This book is a must-read for anybody thinking of teaching in the 21st century."
- Pasi Sahlberg, Director General, CIMO at the Finnish Ministry of Education

"This is a really terrific book. Its balanced, thoughtful, yet also passionate. Remarkable in its reconciling divergent positions in sensible ways. Among the best things Hargreaves and Fullan have done - which is no small compliment, I assure you!"
- Ben Levin, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Education Leadership and Policy, OISE/University of Toronto.

"Anyone, anywhere who has anything to do with schools and the world of education will want to read, reflect, and react to the content of this book . . . a real treasure trove of riveting and informed insight into what really matters in teaching and learning. A powerful duo with a powerful challenge to the world of education. Professional Capital cries out for informed action - for the good of all children and their teachers."
- Christopher Harrison, President, National Association of Head Teachers, England.

"Professional Capital provides brilliant insight into what the next generation of teaching should look like. This book is a must-read for anybody thinking of teaching in the 21st century."
- Pasi Sahlberg, Deputy Director, Gonski Institute for Education (UNSW); former Director General, CIMO at the Finnish Ministry of Education