Looking Beyond the Simple School Fix
Few things in our world are helped by looking through an either/or lens. Reality, in my experience at least, is far too ambiguous to be seen as all one color or another. Unfortunately, many “school reformers”—often with little teacher consultation—come across as having just that sort of view, offering a short, simplistic list of “answers” (merit pay, charter schools, ending tenure, standardized testing) to the challenges facing our schools.
For the past year, I have been part of a group of 14 teachers from high-needs schools in urban districts around the United States. In partnership with the Center for Teaching Quality (and with financial support from the Ford Foundation), we’ve “webinared” with some of the most respected researchers and practitioners from all sides of the school reform debate, reviewed reams of data, and delved deeply into our own professional experiences. Last week we released our TeacherSolutions report, describing what we believe needs to happen to bring about effective and sustainable school reform. Drawing both on what we have learned through this study and what we have experienced in our own classrooms, “Transforming School Conditions: Building Bridges to the Education System That Students And Teachers Deserve” ...
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