There Will Be Blood?
Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher reminds us today that school improvement does not necessarily require a death-match between high-profile "reformers" and the education "establishment."
Fisher tells the story of a once struggling elementary school that has dramatically raised the achievement of its overwhelmingly disadvantaged student body: "Broad Acres did this without Rhee's reform tactics: no young recruits from Teach for America, no cash for students who come to class, no linkage of teacher pay to test scores."
In other words, Broad Acres made great strides without any of the capital "R" reforms that dominate national discussion about education. Nor did they make their gains over the dead bodies of recalcitrant teachers, administrators or community members.
What did Broad Acres do? The school fostered on-going faculty collaboration, gave strugging students individual attention, offered engaging out-of-school enrichment activities, and supported students' physical and mental well-being.
This is not to argue that we should abandon important discussions about those capital "R" reforms, which focus mainly on incentives and governance. Rather, the national media should stop making a fetish out of those reforms, as if nothing else mattered. (It would be nice to hear more about teaching and learning, for example.) And the media should stop implying that every successful reform requires a brawl.
Reforms like those carried out by Broad Acres are having a profound impact on public schools and districts across the country. Such reforms are not nearly widespread enough, but they are gaining an important foothold. National journalists would do well to notice.
Image: guardian.co.uk Book Blog
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Dear Claus, Thank you, thank
Dear Claus,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for pointing out this story. You're absolutely right--this story should be on the front page of every major daily, dissected by ed bloggers and posted on the bulletin board of every teachers' lounge in America.
The capital-R reformers grow impatient with this kind of work--one school, one child at a time. They're looking for the big points of leverage. But maybe there aren't any silver bullets--or maybe what "works" in one school will have zero effect in another school, or be counterproductive.
My favorite part of the story is where the principal says that you have to pay attention to people, always building their confidence and capacity. That applies to teachers, students, families--and even school leaders.
A perfect start to my morning. Thanks.
Thanks for your kind comment,
Thanks for your kind comment, anonymous.
Your point about big points of leverage vs. school-by-school improvement strategies is well-taken. Yet the need for leverage is understandable. Let's just hope that those "high-leverage" strategies that consume so much attention these days don't distract us from the need to attend to school-wide and classroom-specific strategies that show real progress.
As a British mother of 3 sons
As a British mother of 3 sons who are at present in the US education system, I see that there are many insidious factors that contribute to the dire failure of the education system, for many. Some of the people reading this list of comments might be interested in a unique education reform book that a colleague and I have compiled - Education:The Emperor's New Clothes, by Carlson & Felix, 2008. This book does not pander to political correctness or jargon, and is an easy read with many original cartoons and famous quotes. It is a verbal documentary from teachers, parents and concerned individuals world-wide. Here is the publisher’s link, for more information -
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/Education.html
For a YouTube clip, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9MISufDnE8
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