Moore Johnson, Susan. Where Teachers Thrive: Organizing Schools for Success. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press, 2019.
Drawing from three intensive studies, the author details a variety of conditions contributing to teacher satisfaction, student success, and generative school environments. She explores the key role of principals in fostering a culture of inclusiveness in which teachers’ expertise is recognized, valued, and used to guide decisions about curriculum, instruction, disciplinary practices, and teacher development and evaluation. Contrary to common assumptions about the inevitability of school failure in low-income, distressed communities, Johnson’s research offers compelling examples of schools that succeed (even excel) even in the face of social and economic challenges. The book can be an important text for any program preparing both educational leaders and teachers, as well as crucial reading for policy makers and school reform advocates.