After a career spanning nearly half a century, Dr. Robert Eaker-educator, researcher, consultant, and architect of the Professional Learning Communities at Work® (PLC at Work) process-has gathered his insights and knowledge regarding the improvement of schools, teaching, and student learning into this autobiographical work. In A Summing Up: Teaching and Learning in Effective Schools and PLCs at Work®, Dr. Eaker tells the story of his career in education and, in the process, provides a guide full of real-world advice. As Dr. Eaker states, this book is his reflection on how to create the kinds of schools and classrooms for all kids that we would want for our own children. He reflects on the various stages of his education career, including turning research into practice, shifting focus from teaching to learning, studying the effects of teachers' interpersonal behaviors, and participating in the effective schools movement. He shares a personal history of the foundations of the PLC process and the development of the concepts and practices necessary for successful PLC implementation.

Finally, he emphasizes the importance of passion and persistence in leadership, describing through his experiences how these qualities make leaders great. In the Leading Educator series, thought leaders in education present personal looks into their professional experiences. In revisiting their distinctive career paths, the authors share with readers the events and circumstances that influenced their work. They also communicate the knowledge and the tools that have helped them through different stages of their careers and various changes in education. Book jacket.