MAKE YOUR SCHOOLS WORK

by Harvey B. & Leonard B. Stevens Scribner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1975

Dr. Scribner was Chancellor of New York City Public Schools and Mr. Stevens was his special assistant--an experience which undoubtedly stirred in both men a conviction that the solution to the obvious failure of the system is a matter of moving mountains--with a bulldozer. The ten plans outlined here are radical, controversial and stimulating and they will undoubtedly enrage certain professionals--the ""ruling class"" for whom the schools work better, the authors charge, than for the children. Among the recommendations: to prevent ""lock-step"" progression a child should enter kindergarten or first grade on his school-age birthday; there should be year-round learning centers; parents ought to be able to select their child's teacher; each child should be provided with an older student tutor; utilize untenanted buildings; cut off unworkable high school programs and substitute a student/parent/community/teacher restructuring project; revamp systems with ""autonomous"" schools; grant ""external"" diplomas and education money for dropouts. Stated simply, without jargon, and without misty utopian visions, this is on first reading a shocker; on second reading one might begin to wonder ""why not""---given the fact that for many communities ""schools are so appallingly failure-ridden, (and) they tend so powerfully to stay that way."" Essential for parents, educators and all of us who must suffer the effects of a badly taught and demoralized young citizenry.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1975

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1975

Categories: NONFICTION