In this indispensable book for K-12 leaders, Harvey Alvy offers a thoughtful roadmap and guidance to help educators select, implement, and assess school- or districtwide initiatives that actually work. The book is filled with a wealth of resources—action checklists, principles to guide educators, and in-depth questions and protocols—for engaging in collaborative professional development activities that strengthen teaching and learning practices and improve student achievement.

Alvy discusses in detail the six "red flags" that educators confront daily and a set of countervailing strategies (six practical guidelines) to pursue meaningful reforms, initiatives, and innovations:

Red Flags

The Narrative Trap.
Overpromising and Overloading.
Minimizing the Enormous Difficulty of Implementation.
Eyes off the Prize.
Historical Amnesia.
The Business “Solution”.



Guidelines

Building a Collaborative Learning Community.
Effectively Using Human, Fiscal, and Material Resources.
Respecting the Change Process.
Sustaining a Coherent School Mission and Vision.
Embracing Timeless and Eclectic Teaching Practices.
Championing and Empowering the Underserved.



Selecting and implementing reforms, initiatives, and practices wisely is key if we truly want the best for our students—and skipping the necessary planning and forethought can be catastrophic. Fighting for Change in Your School: How to Avoid Fads and Focus on Substance is the book every educator needs to ensure the former and prevent the latter. The time to address these challenges is now.