Whatever it Takes by Richard & Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Gayle Karhanek

Whatever It Takes is one of the best books I have read this year in regards to providing practical and efficacious educational strategies to improve student achievement. The authors postulate that by using Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), any school can dramatically improve student achievement, and begin the process of closing the academic achievement gap. Three critical questions that must be addressed include: (1) What is it that we want all students to learn? (2) How will we know when each student has acquired the essential knowledge and skills? (3) What happens in our school when a student does not learn? This book focuses on the third question. 

Every school mentioned in this book possessed the following attributes:

• Clarity of purpose
• Collaborative culture
• Collective inquiry into the best practice and current reality
• Action oriented
• Commitment to continuous improvement
• Focus on results
• Strong principals who empower teachers
• Commitment to face adversity, conflict, and anxiety
• The same guiding phrase (Whatever it takes)

"You see this creature with her curbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador's garden party. I could even get her a place as lady's maid or shop assistant, which requires better English."

Overall, this is a great book with a ton of resources in the appendix. Anyone interested in creating a professional learning community, should read this book.

Richard Dufour is the former principal and superintended of Adlai Stevenson, a 4,000-student suburban high school. Rebecca Dufour is the former principal of Boones Mill, a 400-student rural elementary school. Robert Eaker is a the former executive vice-president and provost of Middle State Tennessee University. Gayle Karhanek is the former director of student services at Adlai Stevenson High School for 25 years.