The Leader's Guide to 21st Century Education: 7 Steps for Schools and Districts
By Ken Kay, Valerie Greenhill

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In this all-new resource, educational leaders get a 7-Steps guide to moving their schools and districts forward in the quest to prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century. The Leader's Guide for 21st Century Education inspires the leading teaching and learning of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity and focuses on presenting an implementation-oriented resource for education leaders at all stages of implementation, from early through advanced.

Review 

"Perhaps the most urgent issue in education today is preparing our children for their future rather than our past. Yet the biggest challenge isn't changing the students -- they're already in the 21st century -- but updating the attitudes of the adults who are in charge. Take a page -- take whole chapters! -- from this book and get started today."

- Dan Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

 

 

"Kay and Greenhill have written the most important education book I have read in a long time. The authors have worked with some of the country's best education leaders and so truly understand the change process in schools. The Leader's Guide is a wonderfully practical and resource-rich guide for bringing K-12 teaching and learning into the 21st century. It should be at the very top of every educator and policymaker's 'must-read list.' "

- Tony Wagner, author of The Global Achievement Gap and Creating Innovators  

 

 

"This is a must-read for all education leaders aspiring to help their students succeed in the 21^st Century. Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill bring forward a compelling case for transformation in our schools and an inspiring message to leaders who are facing an increasingly challenging policy and financial obstacles. More importantly, the book presents meaningful and practical guidance for actions in schools drawn from broad experiences working with developing and implementing 21^st Century Education."

- Yong Zhao, Ph. D, Presidential Chair and Associate Dean, University of Oregon, Author of Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization

 

 

"Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill have provided an invaluable contribution to the education reform movement by articulating a step by step guide designed to assist district leaders interested in creating 21st century education school systems. With practical examples and specific guidelines delineating the practices of high performing systems, this book lays out a concrete vision and roadmap for delivering the educational outcomes that our children will need for success in 21st century work and civic life."

-- Barbara Chow, Program Director, Education Program, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

 

 

"Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill have taken on a most valuable challenge – to help schools and districts create concrete steps to a 21^st century education system. They accentuate the need to build support from the community and the key education stake holders. They underscore the critical importance of supporting teachers in this work. Their book is a “must read” for any education leader that is working to assure that their school or district is really preparing their students for the challenges of 21^st century citizenship and the 21^st century workforce."

- Linda Darling Hammond, Charles Ducommun Professor of Education; Co-Director School Redesign Network (SRN), Stanford University

 

 

"We, as educators, need to align what we are doing with what the changing world is demanding. Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill of Ed Leader 21, have identified seven steps that support the creation of relevant, 21^st century schools and districts. While implementation of these steps may not be linear, they provide a solid framework for shifting the paradigm. The descriptions of these steps clearly inform us of the complexity and depth required to prepare students for futures unknown, because of the changing world. Part of the “unknown” is brought into view with real examples from the trailblazers engaged in this work. Pay attention. This is an important and urgent message."

-  Karen Aka, Chief Academic Officer, Academy21 

 

 

“Kay and Greenhill have amassed a huge amount of material on 21st century teaching and learning and put it into a clear, readable, user-friendly format. This book is more than a "guide," it is the ultimate blueprint for realizing transformation in our schools.  Outlining what it will take to lead, guide, nurture and implement the 4C’s (critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity) through teaching and learning in our schools --  it is a must read for education leaders striving to develop 21st century learners.

 

I am especially pleased that school board members around the country (many of whom have been active proponents of 21st century education) will be able to leverage this valuable resource to help move their districts forward.”

- Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director, NSBA 

 

 

 

"As a nation, we have an opportunity to incorporate the Common Core with the 21st Century skills necessary for all students to succeed. Ken and Valerie have taken the last decade of their work to create a compelling framework for us all to follow. The framework and processes outlined in this book create a toolkit for leading 21st Century learning in your school district and community. Their suggested processes apply the 4Cs - creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking - to help you create a 21st Century school district supported by a 21st Century community. They urge us to use the 4 C's to create the 4 C's. Following the seven steps outlined in the book will enable us to demonstrate the leadership and direction in education that this nation desperately needs."

- Jack Dale, Superintendent, Fairfax County Public Schools

 

 

“We need young people who are effective problem solvers,” declare Kay and Greenhill, students who know “how to apply the knowledge they have to contexts [with which] they may not be familiar.” The Leaders Guide to 21st Century Education offers a framework for re-creating education in our schools to prepare our students for life in the 21^st century.  Using roadmaps, real life stories and lessons learned, this book skillfully leads educators through such thickets as accountability, resistance to change, and the false dichotomy posed between teaching skills and teaching content.  An important and welcome addition to a crucial discussion taking place in education today!”

- Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators

 

 

"The Education’s Leaders Guide is a terrific resource for educators prepared to make the substantive changes essential to improving our schools. The authors recognize that providing students with 21^st Century Skills will require educators to become deeply engaged in the collective inquiry, consensus building, collaborative efforts, action research, and shared learning essential to the process of continuous improvement. Kay and Greenhill don’t provide a quick-fix program or easy answers. They instead offer something far more valuable — insights into the important questions educators must consider if they are to meet the needs of contemporary students. The Education Leader’s Guide makes an important contribution to the school-improvement literature, and I highly recommend it."

- Rick DuFour, Educational Author and Consultant

 

 

"District leaders who want to prepare their students for success in the future must embrace 21^st Century learning. But what IS 21^st Century learning, how can district leaders assess where they are, where they need to go, and what they should do when they “get there?” Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill’s book provides that roadmap and more. In addition to providing a seven-step model for success, it also highlights best practices across the country, and provides opportunities for growth and reflection during the journey."

- Cathy Gassenheimer, Exec. VP, Alabama Best Practices Center, A+ Education Partnership

 

 

"Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill offer exceptional advice for transforming schools for 21st century learning. Leaders at all levels will find tremendous guidance on their path toward educational success for all students. This book recognizes the essential role of professional learning communities in preparing adults and students for the 21st century. It is practical, powerful, and inspirational."

- Stephanie Hirsch, Executive Director, LearningForward (formerly National Staff Development Council)

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From the Back Cover
                                                     

                                     The Leader's Guide to 21st Century Education: 7 Steps for Schools and Districts

Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill

 

A 7-Steps blueprint for educational leaders to help their schools and districts prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century.

 

In this all-new resource, educational leaders get a 7-Steps guide to moving their schools and districts forward in the quest to prepare students for the challenges of the 21^st century. The Leader's Guide to 21st Century Education inspires the leading teaching and learning of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity and focuses on presenting an implementation-oriented resource for education leaders at all stages of implementation, from early through advanced. The book clearly describes  what to do once a school or district adopts the 4Cs:

 

Step 1: Adopt your vision:  Use the 4C’s and more.

Step 2: Create a community consensus around the 4C’s.

Step 3:  Align your system with the 4C’s.

Step 4: Use the 4C’s to build professional capacity around the 4C’s.

Step 5: Embed the 4C’s into curriculum and assessment.

Step 6: Use the 4C’s to support teachers.

Step 7: Improve and innovate:  Create a 4C’s organization.

   

 

What Educators are saying about The Leader's Guide to 21st Century Education:

 

 "Perhaps the most urgent issue in education today is preparing our children for their future rather than our past. Yet the biggest challenge isn't changing the students -- they're already in the 21st century -- but updating the attitudes of the adults who are in charge. Take a page -- take whole chapters! -- from this book and get started today."- Dan Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

 

"Kay and Greenhill have written the most important education book I have read in a long time. The authors have worked with some of the country's best education leaders and so truly understand the change process in schools. The Leader's Guide is a wonderfully practical and resource-rich guide for bringing K-12 teaching and learning into the 21st century. It should be at the very top of every educator and policymaker's 'must-read list.' "

- Tony Wagner, author of The Global Achievement Gap and Creating Innovators 

 

"This is a must-read for all education leaders aspiring to help their students succeed in the 21^st Century. Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill bring forward a compelling case for transformation in our schools and an inspiring message to leaders who are facing an increasingly challenging policy and financial obstacles. More importantly, the book presents meaningful and practical guidance for actions in schools drawn from broad experiences working with developing and implementing 21^st Century Education."

- Yong Zhao, Ph. D, Presidential Chair and Associate Dean, University of Oregon, Author of Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization

 

 

"Ken Kay and Valerie Greenhill have taken on a most valuable challenge — to help schools and districts create concrete steps to a 21^st century education system. They accentuate the need to build support from the community and the key education stake holders. They underscore the critical importance of supporting teachers in this work. Their book is a “must read” for any education leader that is working to assure that their school or district is really preparing their students for the challenges of 21^st century citizenship and the 21^st century workforce."

- Linda Darling Hammond, Charles Ducommun Professor of Education; Co-Director School Redesign Network (SRN), Stanford University

 

 

Ken Kay is the Chief Executive Officer of EdLeader21. Ken has been the leading voice for 21st century education for the past decade. He co-founded the Partnership for 21st Century Skills in 2002 and served as its President for eight years. As executive director of the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, he led the development of the StaR Chart (School Technology & Readiness Guide), used by schools across the country to make better use of technology in K—12 classrooms. Ken spent 28 years in Washington, DC, where he gained a national reputation as a coalition builder on competitiveness issues in education and industry–particularly policies and practices that support innovation and technology leadership. He founded a landmark coalition of U.S. universities and high-tech companies focused on research and development issues. He also was the founding Executive Director of the premier CEO advocacy group in the U.S. computer industry.

Ken is a graduate of Oberlin College and the University of Denver, College of Law. He and his wife, Karen, have three adult children, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson, Ollie. They live in the desert outside Tucson, Arizona, with their golden retriever, Bisbee.

 

Valerie Greenhill’s is the Chief Learning Officer of EdLeader21. Valerie leads EdLeader21’s capacity building work. She is currently focused on supporting district leaders in their efforts to integrate the 4Cs–critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity–into assessment and curricula systems. She leads member work in key national initiatives such as the PISA-Based Test for Schools pilot, 21st Century District Criteria, and 4Cs Rubrics. From 2004—2010, Valerie served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives for P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Skills), where she established and led work to integrate career and college readiness skills into standards, assessments, curricula, instruction, and professional development. She focused extensively on the assessment of 21st century skills, developing numerous tools and resources to advance the organization’s goals.

Valerie earned an M.Ed. in educational media and computers from Arizona State University and a master’s in English from the University of Arizona. She is an honors graduate of Vassar College. Valerie was raised in Tishomingo, Oklahoma and has made Tucson, Arizona her home since 1993; She is active in her community, currently serving as Board President of the Children’s Museum Tucson. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and a very cool but high-maintenance Tibetan Terrier.

About the Author 

Ken Kay is the Chief Executive Officer of EdLeader21. Ken has been the leading voice for 21st century education for the past decade. He co-founded the Partnership for 21st Century Skills in 2002 and served as  its President for eight years. As executive director of the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, he led the development of the StaR Chart (School Technology & Readiness Guide), used by schools across the country to make better use of technology in K–12 classrooms. Ken spent 28 years in Washington, DC, where he gained a national reputation as a coalition builder on competitiveness issues in education and industry—particularly policies and practices that support innovation and technology leadership. He founded a landmark coalition of U.S. universities and high-tech companies focused on research and development issues. He also was the founding Executive Director of the premier CEO advocacy group in the U.S. computer industry.

 

Ken is a graduate of Oberlin College and the University of Denver, College of Law. He and his wife, Karen, have three adult children, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson, Ollie. They live in the desert outside Tucson, Arizona, with their golden retriever, Bisbee.

 

 

Valerie Greenhill is the Chief Learning Officer of EdLeader21. Valerie leads EdLeader21’s capacity building work. She is currently focused on supporting district leaders in their efforts to integrate the 4Cs–critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity–into assessment and curricula systems. She leads member work in key national initiatives such as the PISA-Based Test for Schools pilot, 21st Century District Criteria, and 4Cs Rubrics. From 2004—2010, Valerie served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives for P21 (Partnership for 21st Century Skills), where she established and led work to integrate career and college readiness skills into standards, assessments, curricula, instruction, and professional development. She focused extensively on the assessment of 21st century skills, developing numerous tools and resources to advance the organization’s goals.

 

Valerie earned an M.Ed. in educational media and computers from Arizona State University and a master’s in English from the University of Arizona. She is an honors graduate of Vassar College. Valerie was raised in Tishomingo, Oklahoma and has made Tucson, Arizona her home since 1993; She is active in her community, currently serving as Board President of the Children’s Museum Tucson. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and a very cool but high-maintenance Tibetan Terrier.