Rethinking School Reform: Views from the Classroom

by Linda Christensen (Editor), Stan Karp (Editor)

Rethinking School Reform puts classrooms and teaching at the center of the debate over how to improve public schools. The collection of essays offers a primer on the broad range of pressing issues, including school vouchers and funding, multiculturalism, standards and testing, teacher unions, bilingual education, and federal education policy. Informed by the experience and passion of teachers who walk daily into real classrooms, Rethinking School Reform examines how various reform efforts can promote - or prevent - the kind of teaching that can bring equity and excellence to all our children, and it provides compelling, practical descriptions of what such teaching looks like.

Genres: Education

350 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2003

Reviews

[Drick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays/articles gleaned from the progressive educational journal Rethinking Schools. Organized around certain themes like "Critical Teaching," "taking Bias Seriously," and "Education Policy and Politics," this book prides a view of the critical issues facing K-12 public education from the perspective of those on the front lines: the teachers. Published in 2003, the book reflects the tensions created by G.W. Bush's No Child Left Behind emphasis. It would be good to see an updated version in the Obama era, particularly in light of the reforms he has pushed in line with Canada's idea of the Harlem Children's Zone. While self-critical, these educators see clearly the issues facing public education, and point to the way forward in addressing isssues of inequity, injustice, and misplaced priorities in public education today.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through a compilation of articles, this book discusses rethinking school reform through Critical Teaching, Taking Bias Seriously, Education Policy and Politics, Standards and Testing, and Roads to Reform.

[Jill G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my 'textbook' for one of my classes this semester, and although I have yet to read every one of the articles included in it, every single one of those ones I have, I have liked. A lot.