Are teachers resourceful, industrious, and dedicated—or uninspired, pessimistic, and unwilling to be held accountable? All of the above, of course, as this balanced collection of impressions from Los Angeles Times writers Collins and Frantz (From the Ground Up, 1991, etc.) makes clear. The authors interviewed close to 150 teachers in 70 schools around the country on a variety of pertinent subjects—''Children,'' ``Parents,'' ``Discipline,'' ``Respect,'' ``Trade Secrets''—and have come up with insightful, if unsurprising, conclusions. Teachers in general, Collins and Frantz find, are committed and hard-working but stymied—by unresponsive bureaucracies, large class size, diminished school budgets, and changes in society that add other jobs to the teaching load. Many feel a sense of mission (``I believe in the sun, even when it doesn't shine'') and work despite constant hurdles and the prospect—or experience—of violence (a particularly chilling chapter). In addition, most regret how little they're consulted, not only about school policies but also on academic issues like bilingual education and curriculum content. Collins and Frantz, as well as many teachers, believe that the top-to-bottom management style, based on the 19th-century factory model, no longer applies, and that teachers must assume new roles and renegotiate the school scenario, turning education into a ``shared enterprise,'' with parents and other staff included in the decision-making process. Candid observations, presented in a satisfying and serviceable format.
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1993
ISBN: 0-316-29266-4
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1993
Nobel prizewinning physicist Wilson tries to illuminate the black hole that is the American educational system. Wilson and journalist Daviss begin where good science begins: defining the problem. US education, they argue, is based on a model—a 19th-century assembly-line model—that simply doesn't work any more. Tinkering, as in raising teachers' salaries or extending the school day, won't solve the problem. What will, among other things, is looking to the successes of corporations in what Wilson and Daviss call the redesign process. It begins with a ``compelling vision'' and continues in the pursuit of excellence through a process of ``research, development, dissemination, and refinement.'' Boeing, Apple, and the Union Pacific Railroad are examples of companies that have used that formula to advantage, involving customers and workers in the redesign. None of these ideas are new, nor are the components they suggest for redesigning education, including Total Quality Learning as demonstrated in Sitka, Alaska (based on Total Quality Management, it involves consulting the ``customer,'' in this case children, teachers, and parents); the idea of students learning from one another; and the more sophisticated and general use of computers as tools for both students and teachers. What is refreshing is the emphasis on relieving teachers of their classroom isolation and offering them professional support and opportunities for continuing development. The authors envision (and offer a budget for) a group of nationwide lab schools, that would draw teachers from surrounding districts to experiment with new programs, new systems, and new ways of managing and teaching. Teachers would then return to their districts to train their colleagues. Still another look at what's wrong with our schools, but one that that targets what makes educational reform so elusive: a continuing communications gap between the classroom teacher—the one who really matters—and the rest of the education profession.
Pub Date: Oct. 27, 1994
ISBN: 0-8050-2145-0
Page Count: 300
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994
An important manual for those brave enough to face their shortcomings.
A middle-school guidance counselor offers passionate words of wisdom regarding the profound American need for responsibility, trust and character.
In a collection of short essays, some no longer than a paragraph, Baggett makes the case that in today’s society, the importance of virtuous behavior has diminished in favor of a desire for immediate satisfaction and a tendency to shrug off accountability. A tolerance for all ideologies and a willingness to explain away questionable conduct has become the norm in our current politically correct culture, leading to a dangerous lack of common ethical values. The author argues that respect and self-discipline are the hallmarks of American democracy, and without these principles, the country will experience a moral disintegration. Character education in public schools is imperative to the development of a new generation that knows true freedom does not mean freedom from responsibility. According to Baggett, character depends not only on the nurturing of trust, but also one’s willingness and courage to look deep within to discover faults and weaknesses. Perhaps one of the more intriguing ideas in the book involves culpability; without the feeling of guilt, personal growth and the development of positive character traits may be seriously impaired. Baggett, who tends toward redundancy in his efforts to convince, fortunately makes his work accessible by including memorable stories from his work with young teenagers and presenting exercises that promote self-examination. By quoting famous figures from Albert Einstein to Pogo, the author provides inspiration to readers who wish to tackle the challenge of becoming well-rounded, respectful and powerful citizens. Despite a pledge in the introduction that his Christian beliefs will not seep through the pages, a cranky sort of conservatism–and a generous sampling of scripture–may push more liberal readers away from the book. But the author’s passion for his subject makes for a spirited call for change.
An important manual for those brave enough to face their shortcomings.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-4196-9781-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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