In their new book, Academic Conferences for School and Teacher Leaders, Johnson and Costa offer a compelling, research-based rationale for the importance of structured professional conversations about teaching and learning. This timely volume articulates a clear and thoughtfully designed process for transforming education through vertical alignment.

With step-by-step guidelines, the reader explores ways to overcome the challenges of teacher isolation and build a more cohesive, collaborative culture. Conceptual frameworks are supported by concrete mechanisms for tapping personal potential and creating collective efficacy, including clearly defined roles, five conferral processes, and the specific skills needed to create meaningful dialog and produce shared commitment to school improvement. Templates and tools, practical tips, and specific examples make this book a strategic guide for stimulating self-directed learning, empowering teachers, and shifting accountability to responsibility.

Laura Lipton, co-director, MiraVia, LLC