Using a holistic approach—to take intervention from an individual to a systemic level—this book focuses on the front-line, practical issues faced by the consultant attempting to gain entry into a school. Opening with a review of consultation and its purposes, this unusually practical volume describes in detail how to:
* Define consultant functions
* Make decisions about where to enter the system
* Build support among key school system staff who are in a position to facilitate initial entry
* Garner information on the school's lines of authority,
communication networks, missions, values, goals, and traditions
* Determine how practical the project is to the school
* Ascertain whether financial, personnel, and other resources are available so the project can work
Chapters also cover logistical planning, especially the day-to-day steps needed to facilitate consultation, including time management, utilization of existing school resources, sources of information, and practical ways to turn obstacles into assets.
A comprehensive guide to entering the school system as a consultant, the book comes complete with prototype forms, questionnaires for examining consultant competency, and rating sheets for tracking the consultation process. Veteran consultants and newcomers will find this book an invaluable resource for gaining initial entry and also for expanding the consultant's role within the system.