Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains

As educators look ahead to a post pandemic world, I hope that they will do so with Aiming High lighting the way. In his opening words, Evan Robb invites us to ‘start a journey’ and then continues on to illuminate a path where collective commitment paves the way. As a literacy consultant, I was mesmerized by literacy chapter 6 that highlights choice, ownership, and authenticity with often missing middle school features such as independent reading, conferring and read-aloud celebrated. The intentional intricate interweaving of literacy and professional learning across the pages gave me renewed hope. Evan’s deep belief in students and teachers shines through a spirit of unwavering commitment to collaboration and conversation in honor of learning extending from both sides. Aiming High envisions a broader purpose for what is possible when shared leadership forms a foundation for a visionary schoolwide stance.  

In Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains, K-12, Evan not only aims high, he hits the mark on leading in schools. Evan shares easy-to-use strategies and actions for all educators to use to better serve students and the school community while building a collaborative school culture. I love the leadership take-a-ways, reflection questions, actions to consider, powerful quotes, resource recommendations, and more. I am a better leader because of Aiming High and Evan Robb. I highly recommend this book! Keep reading and keep rolling!
Evan Robb provides school leaders with a practical and inspiring guide to navigating the “new normal”, offering a pathway to improve student-centered learning by empowering all teachers to provide highly effective instruction and all students to embrace a culture of learning. He emphasizes the power of collaboration and the need to build trusting relationships. Affirming, challenging and timely!

Teaching and learning in a Post-COVID world It’s time for meaningful change in education--from the top down! Leading to Aim High will equip educational leaders to empower staff through collaborative conversations and professional learning. If you are concerned about the detrimental effects of COVID-19 and want to use this moment to Shake Up Learning, this is the book for you!
I think we are all educationally “pandemic-ed out,” but Robb’s book does something much different than any other book out there. He demonstrates what stands the test of time and what will prepare all leaders during and after our NEXT crisis or calm. This book should be added to your shelf as it prepares you for nothing other than thoughtful, intentional leadership.

Leading to Aim High provides a structure to collaboratively create a learner-focused culture. Leadership focused on literacy, math, and social emotional needs are guided by ideas about a commitment to all students, optimism, and trusting relationships. Evan's experiences as a middle school principal provide implementation considerations guided by lessons learned, quotations, tips, and questions.

As someone that’s been in the business in different roles over the years, I can say that this book from Evan has so many valuable tips in it.   Both educators new to the profession as well those that are veterans will find that this book is the blueprint for creating future change and impact.  Some books are focused on pedagogy and approaches to instruction and learning. Yet still there are books that are focused on creating a school culture that promotes an environment of true collaboration and success.
Aiming High seeks to combine these elements and more together in one book. This is the book that everyone can read, should read, and can benefit from now and in the future. It’s time to lift our eyes and our minds and set our sights on Aiming High as we inspire students and our communities and cultivate a passion for learning.

In Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains, Evan Robb highlights the important and necessary leadership skills focused on flexibility, teamwork, and creating conditions to maintain a culture focused on learning during challenging times. This book provides education leaders with both practical and helpful ideas and strategies to assist leaders in maximizing their skills to ensure learning gains for each and every student stays at the center of our work. Throughout the book, the reader is asked to answer reflective questions which will enhance their skills and help their school and school district continue to increase their learning gains grades K-12.

Evan Robb delivers educators a reimagined vision, with easy to follow dynamic practices for post-pandemic leadership through a synergistic commitment to academic instruction, social-emotional learning, and school-wide wellness. Aiming High is an educational gem bursting with inspired reflection and recovery through a cohesive culture of empowered leadership. It deeply resonates to those wishing to re-infuse meaningful teaching and learning back into K-12 education and has my highest recommendation for low burden, high impact professional learning!
Are you a principal or school administrator looking to make a real difference in your school’s culture and academic performance? Look no further than Aiming High: Leadership Actions to Increase Learning Gains by Evan Robb. This book is packed with actionable strategies and ideas for making school a better place for teachers to teach and students to learn. As a literacy scholar myself I was particularly impressed with the Leading for Literacy chapter. What Evan presents is not only based on research, but also on his own work as an innovative school administrator. This is truly a powerful book and one that I am sure principals and school leaders will keep front and center on their desks. Bravo!
In Leading to Aim High, Evan Robb details how the global pandemic has presented educational leaders a tremendous opportunity to update how they facilitate literacy to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Solid reading and writing results from four types of reading instruction, and Robb shows educators how to excel whether students are in-person, hybrid or virtual. This book is a practical and invaluable guide for school leaders, teachers and staff who want students to succeed and develop a commitment to lifelong learning.

Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
Chapter 1. Redefining Instructional Leadership
Chapter 2. Collaborative Leadership: Activate, Influence, and Elevate
Chapter 3. Building Trusting Relationships
Chapter 4. Supporting Students and Staff Through Professional Learning
Chapter 5. Creating a Culture of Access, Equity, and High Expectations
Chapter 6. Leading for Literacy
Chapter 7. Leading for Numeracy
Chapter 8. Next Steps: Leading a Culture of Learning
Appendix
References

Evan Robb is presently principal of Johnson-Williams Middle School in Berryville, Virginia. He has served for more than twenty years as a building-level principal. Prior to being a school principal, he was an English teacher, department chair, and assistant principal. Evan is a recipient of the Horace Mann Educator of the Year Award. In addition, the NCTE Commission on Reading selected him to serve on its national board.

A TEDx speaker, Evan presents inspirational keynotes, workshops, and webinars on leadership, mindset, culture, impactful change, and how to improve literacy in schools. Evan has shared his ideas with thousands of educators at workshops across the United States and in other countries.

His first book, The Principal¿s Leadership Sourcebook: Practices, Tools, and Strategies for Building a Thriving School Community, was published by Scholastic in the fall of 2007. His next book, The Ten-Minute Principal, was published by Corwin in May 2019. Evan Robb and Laura Robb collaborated with Dave Burgess Publishing to write TeamMakers, published in August 2019. In addition, Evan partnered with Laura Robb to write A School Full of Readers, with Benchmark Education, published in January 2020.

Evan has been named one of the top twenty-five educational leaders to follow on Twitter. Scholastic EDU also named Evan one of the ten educators to follow on Twitter. Evan was recently named one of the ten most inspiring global thought leaders for 2020.

Aim high to improve leading, teaching, and learning
Skillful leadership is critical as schools return to a new normalcy. Improving students’ learning and addressing the challenges many learners experienced due to recent learning interruptions are top priorities for all school leaders.
Aiming High offers leaders a framework for creating an environment where both effective instruction and a focus on social and emotional needs benefits all students and teachers. Evan Robb maps a route to building a positive, trusting culture of collaboration, creativity, and empowerment. Features include:

• An outline of the leadership elements required to build a learner-focused culture
• Tools for fostering productive collaboration, creating shared teacher leadership, and building trusting relationships
• Insightful tips for addressing complexities that come with new learning formats
• Provocative questions that guide readers toward redefining instructional leadership

Your mission as leader is clear: aim high, work intentionally and collaboratively with teachers, and create a refreshed school culture centered on learning and growth for all.