The War Against Cliche

The War Against Cliche cover
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  • ID: 4453
  • Added: 2025-10-21
  • Updated: 2025-10-21
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 2
Reviews
stevedonoghue.com · Unknown · 2015-01-14
thought-provoking 4.00

The book 'The War Against Cliche' is a thought-provoking exploration of school culture, highlighting how it can be a barrier to improvement. The authors argue that school culture is an illusion of peer pressure and that educators must choose to improve. The book offers practical advice on defining, assessing, and transforming school culture, making it a valuable resource for educators.

The book 'The War Against Cliche' delves into the concept of school culture and its impact on educational improvement. The authors, Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker, contend that school culture is often a mental barrier that prevents progress. They describe it as an illusion of peer pressure that educators must consciously choose to overcome. The book provides a framework for defining, assessing, and transforming school culture, offering practical strategies that educators can implement. It emphasizes the importance of self-improvement and the role of leadership in fostering a positive school culture. The authors' insights are backed by their extensive experience and research, making the book a comprehensive guide for those looking to enhance their school's environment.


Quick quotes

    There is a force that is prohibiting schools from improving, and this force exists only in peoples’ minds.

    School culture is the illusion of peer pressure for adults.

    If we can help educators realize that school improvement/self-improvement is a choice, perhaps

penguin.co.uk · Unknown · 2002-03-07
positive 4.00

The War Against Cliche offers strategies and recommendations for evaluating and transforming a school's culture into one that is positive and life-changing. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding the current culture, involving all members in the process, and using the school-year cycle to facilitate cultural change.

The War Against Cliche by Martin Amis provides a comprehensive guide to rewiring a school's culture. The authors, Gruenert and Whitaker, argue that every school has a unique culture shaped by its belief systems and expectations. They offer practical advice on defining, assessing, and transforming this culture into one that actively improves students' learning and lives. The process is likened to turning around an ocean liner, emphasizing the need for patience and persistence. The book suggests that cultural change must be a school-wide effort, with leadership playing a crucial role. It recommends involving trusted teachers in the initial stages, using the school-year cycle to plant seeds of change, and fostering collaboration through school improvement teams. The authors also highlight the importance of understanding the current culture and using tools like a School Climate Survey to facilitate important conversations and planning.


Quick quotes

    Rewiring a culture is like turning around an ocean liner-it takes a long time.

    Cultural change must be a school-wide movement, not just an individual effort.

    The school-year cycle affects cultural rewiring.