A Fork in the Road: Narrative Problem Solving for School Leaders

✍ Scribed by J. Michael Wilhelm

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Year: 2018
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 151
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

A Fork in the Road presents the narrative approach to problem solving often employed by mediators and therapists as lens through which school system leaders can view the component parts of the difficult issues they face to better define and resolve them. Narrative problem solving is based on the precept that humans construct an understanding of their problems from the stories they hear and tell about those problems. Therapists and mediators deliberately mine these narratives to understand the origin, nature, and the extent of their client’s problem, and to reveal the alternative storylines and possible resolutions embedded in those stories. This same approach can allow board members, practicing and aspiring superintendents and other school administrators to view an institutional problem from a distance and learn the differing perspectives of those involved and affected to better under the problem’s reach and risks, and explore possible solutions. The book provides an explanation of narrative problem solving and a series of essential questions to guide the reader through the process. It offers twelve stories in narrative form that invite the reader to explore institutional challenges through the narrative lens. An analysis of each story explores the possible path to resolution embedded in the stories.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Praise for A Fork in the Road......Page 2
A Fork in the Road......Page 4
A Fork in the Road: Narrative Problem Solving for School Leaders......Page 6
Copyright......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 10
Acknowledgments......Page 12
Introduction......Page 14
Stories......Page 16
Traditional Problem Solving......Page 17
A Narrative Approach to Problem Solving......Page 18
Deconstruction......Page 19
Alternative Narratives......Page 20
Essential Questions......Page 21
The Petition......Page 24
The Petition......Page 25
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 32
A Christmas Story......Page 34
A Christmas Story......Page 35
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 41
The Drive to the Small School......Page 44
The Drive to the Small School......Page 45
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 51
The School Is the Community......Page 54
The School Is the Community......Page 55
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 61
If I Had My Way......Page 64
If I Had My Way......Page 65
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 71
The Parent’s Voice......Page 74
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 79
This Whole Thing......Page 82
This Whole Thing......Page 83
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 89
I’ll Help If I Can......Page 92
I’ll Help If I Can......Page 93
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 99
This Is Crazy......Page 102
This Is Crazy......Page 103
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 109
The Accident......Page 112
The Accident......Page 113
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 117
Take a Break......Page 120
Take a Break......Page 121
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 126
The Open Door......Page 128
Applying the Essential Questions......Page 133
The Drive to the Small School......Page 135
The School Is the Community......Page 136
The Parent’s Voice......Page 137
This Whole Thing......Page 139
This Is Crazy......Page 140
The Accident......Page 141
Take a Break......Page 142
The Open Door......Page 143
Narrative Problem Solving......Page 146
References......Page 148
About the Author......Page 150