Archive for the ‘Book Summaries’ Category
Monday, March 16th, 2020
Slaying Goliath: The Passionate Resistance to Privatization and the Fight to Save America’s Public Schools by Diane Ravitch tells the story of how wealthy people like Bill Gates and the Koch brothers aided by politicians and the media have disrupted public schools in an effort to privatize K-12 education. She does an excellent job of showing how their efforts have been seriously misguided and how they have damaged public schools, teachers, and students. She also shows how the underfunded opposition has had a number of victories in their efforts to fight back. If you want ammunition for the fight against charter schools, vouchers, and standardized tests, look no further.
1. Disruption Is Not Reform!
- In this book Diane documents the failures of what she calls “Corporate Disruption.” This refers to the reforms backed by conservative and liberal wealthy people and adopted by conservative and liberal politicians. At the heart of the programs are high-stakes standardized tests that have been used to evaluate schools and teachers. They have served to demoralize students and teachers, and have resulted in teacher shortages as many teachers leave and fewer desire to enter the profession.
- Ravitch and many others are convinced that the real problems are poverty and racial segregation rather than failing schools and teachers. Teacher autonomy and creativity have been reduced as they spend abundant time engaging in test preparation. Since the tests only deal with ELA and math, other subjects including recess have been reduced in many schools.
2. The Odious Status Quo
- It seems that a lot of wealthy people want to reinvent education in spite of their lack of expertise. As such they use their philanthropy to control others under the guise of helping. That’s how we get things like kids too young to read in front of computer screens. Meanwhile, things like the cultivation of character are often ignored. When one looks at the data one can see that the crisis in education was a manufactured one. Here Diane summarizes the history of the reform movement. This includes NCLB with it’s patently absurd goal of having all students be proficient.
- The NCLB reform brought the fear of punishment, failure, and losing one’s job into our nation’s classrooms. The so-called remedies had no prior evidence of success. The law was insanely punitive and without a global president. Schools cut back on civics, science, the arts, PE, and recess. Obama’s Race to the Top basically bribed states to adopt the untested Common Core, add more charter schools, and use test scores to evaluate teachers. This was essentially an unconstitutional take over by the federal government. Unfortunately, this mess was also bipartisan.
3. What Do the Disrupters Want?
- They like mayoral control of schools as there is only one person to manipulate. They don’t like teachers’ pensions, which encourage longevity. They like to demonize public schools as failing. They admire disruptive innovations because that is what happens in business. Why would you want to disrupt the lives of our children? They like machine teaching, which they call blended or personalized learning. What they don’t want is any disruption of their private clubs or the exclusive schools that their kids attend.
- Who are they? They are governmental officials like the Secretary of Education regardless of the party. Governors are also included. They are philanthropists with their foundations like Bill Gates, the Walton family, Michael Bloomberg, and the Koch brothers among others. They are hedge fund managers who believe in competition and the free market. They like start-ups (i.e. charter schools) and they don’t like government regulations. There are organizations that sound like they should pro-student, but are largely funded by rich folks. Journalists are also part of the problem as they often carry water for this crowd. (e.g. editorial writers for The New York Times and The Washington Post.)
4. Meet the Resistance
- Resisters have some genuine connection to education such as teachers, administrators, students, and their families. They believe that public schools are a foundation stone or a democratic society. They oppose the privatization of public schools and the misuse of standardized tests. They respect teachers and want public schools to have the resources they need. They want to cultivate a joy of learning. They understand that students’ lives are heavily impacted by conditions they face outside of school. The few foundations that support the resistance are lead by the Schott Foundation for Public Education.
- They are winning because everything the Disruptors have imposed has failed. They are highly motivated and not powered by money. They understand that competition produces few winners and many losers. They are supported by a number of prominent scholars who are listed along with their works. Many resisters like myself have blogs that constantly fight back.
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Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012
Smart Strengths: Building Character, Resilience, and Relationships in Youth by John M. Yeager, Sherri W. Fisher, and David Shearon (©2011, Kravis Publishing: Putnam Valley, NY) introduces the SMART model for changing a school one person at a time. It’s about bringing positive education to students and maximizing the students’ inherent strengths to foster character and achievement. It is research-supported and loaded with activities, resources, and real-life examples. Any school looking to improve should seriously consider the advice in this important book. Click the icon below to purchase one or more copies from Amazon.
The Authors
- John M. Yeager, EdD is a nationally known consultant on strengths in schools. He is the Director of the Center for Character Excellence at the Culver Academies where he launched a model program on the integration of character strengths among the entire school community.
- Sherri W. Fisher, MEd is an education management consultant, worksop facilitator, and coach specializing in creating learning, productivity, and change solutions for students of all ages, their families, and their schools. She is a founder of Flourishing Schools and her Student Flourishing education management practice.
- David N. Shearon, JD is an expert in public education policy and leadership. For more than two decades he has lead Tennessee’s mandatory professional development program for lawyers. He works with Flourishing Schools on behalf of K-12 education and trains teachers in how to teach resilience to students in programs around the world.
The Big Idea
- The key idea is that adults and youth need to shift from concentrating on improving weaknesses to focusing on assets. This needs to start with the adults learning about their own strengths, which makes it easier to identify strengths in others. Strengths are natural abilities or assets. They are all good, although they can be used badly as the explanation of strength buttons demonstrates. Strengths are measurable, subject to numerous influences, and some are more malleable than others. Research shows that people who use their strengths are more engaged in their life and work, are happier, and are more productive. You should start by taking the free 20-25 minute Values in Action (VIA) Signature Strengths Test. There is also a version for children 10-17 that you can access with your free adult account.
- SMART stands for Spotting, Managing, Advocating, Relating, and Training. These are the five steps the authors include along with worksheets in each chapter to help you nurture your strengths and the strengths of those you work with.
Just What are the 24 Strengths in the VIA?
- When I took the VIA, I found that my five top strengths were: curiosity and interest in the world; love of learning; judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness; self-control and self-regulation; and creativity, ingenuity, and originality. I hope this sounds like the right strengths for the work I do on this blog.
- Here is a list of the other 19 strengths. When you take the VIA you will get this list sorted from top to bottom according to your strengths. Remember all strengths are good and that everyone has a list sorted from 1 to 24. All lists are equally good.
- Forgiveness and mercy; Industry, diligence, and perseverance; perspective (wisdom); gratitude; hope, optimism, and future-mindedness; humor and playfulness; leadership; caution, prudence, and desecration; honesty, authenticity, and genuineness; fairness, equity, and justice; zest, enthusiasm, and energy; bravery and valor; kindness and generosity; social intelligence; citizenship, teamwork, and loyalty; appreciation of beauty and excellence; capacity to love and be loved; modesty and humility; spirituality, sense of purpose; and faith.
Tags: David Shearon, John Yeager, Sherri Fisher, SMART Strengths
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Friday, August 20th, 2010
Monica O’Brien’s book gives the big picture along with abundant detail on how to manage the social media feed for an organization or an individual. While it is written with businesses in mind, it certainly applies to educators and schools as well. My summary focusses on the concepts. If you want the detail, buy the book. Someone in your organization should have it.
Click here to see my summary Social Pollination.
Tags: Monica O'Brien, Social Media, Social Pollination
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Monday, May 8th, 2017
Special Education 2.0: Breaking Taboos to Build a NEW Education Law by Miriam Kurtzig Freedman points out the successes and flaws of the 1975 law that established federal control of public school special education programs. It argues against labeling students and for giving all students what they need without wasting money on bureaucracy and litigation. Share this with policy makers you know.
Preamble and Guiding Principles
- The main idea is that public education needs to meet the needs of all students and that there should be no individual entitlement. Strangling paperwork and compliance requirements need to be streamlined. There is a focus on home-based, parent engagement learning environments along with preschools to close language and other gaps. Adaptations should be aimed at improving learning, not just getting kids through. We should learn from other countries like Finland and fund research-based programs. Early interventions for struggling students is key. Least intervention needed should replace least restrictive environment and strengths should be highlighted along with weaknesses. Teacher preparation should be strengthened. There should be a focus on student engagement and student responsibility to be motivated and present. Due process rights should be the same for all.
Why a NEW Law
- The current special education law (IDEA) was first passed in 1975 and tweaked several times since. Prior to that, many children with special needs were barred from public schools or served poorly. While the law has had some positive impact, it has also had a number of unintended consequences. They include the rampant fear of litigation, too much bureaucratic regulation paperwork, excessive cost, and input-driven requirements far removed from improving outcomes for students. While Congress is expected to reauthorize the law again, all we can expect is that they will change discipline policies, add and/or subtract assessments, reemphasize inclusion, and perhaps reallocate more resources. What Miriam sees is a 20th-century law that isn’t working well in the 21st century. This is the foundation for her belief that lawmakers should start from scratch.
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Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
Standing and Delivering: What the Movie Didn’t Tell by Henry Gradillas and Jerry Jesness, is the story of Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, which was featured in the film Stand and Deliver (1988). Gradillas was Garfield’s principal from 1980 to 1987. During this time the school gained fame for Jaime Escalante and his AP calculus students. This book tells how Gradillas lead a failing school that made amazing progress. Escalante is quick to credit Henry’s leadership. Every school leader and future leader should read this book.
Click here for my summary of Standing and Delivering.
Tags: Henry Gradillas, Jamie Escalante, Stand and Deliver, Standing and Delivering
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Monday, November 9th, 2015
Staying Sharp: 9 Keys for a Youthful Brain Through Modern Science and Ageless Wisdom by Henry Emmons and David Alter offers advice that all of us can use to live a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. Use this summary to see how you are doing and where you might need to improve. Then click at the bottom to purchase the book for the necessary details.
Henry Emmons and David Alter
- Henry is a psychiatrist who integrates mind-body and natural therapies, including mindfulness and compassion practices into his clinical work for Partners in Resilience in Minneapolis. He is also the author of The Chemistry of Joy and The Chemistry of Calm, and a popular workshop and retreat leader for both healthcare professionals and the general public.
- David is a psychologist with thirty years’ experience in health, psychology, neuropsychology, and clinical hypnosis, which he integrates in his work. He is a sought-after speaker, teacher, and trainer offering talks, workshops, and retreats to general and professional audiences. He is a cofounder of Partners in Healing, a center for holistic health in Minneapolis, and conducts his practice there.
Introduction
- Before the authors get to their Nine Keys to a Youthful Brain, they offer three chapters that discuss how the brain works and what happens as it naturally ages. Even though it does slow down, new neurons do form and new connections can be made. We also have less ability to pay attention, find learning more challenging, and take longer to retrieve information.
- They also focus on the concept of mindfulness, which deals with what you consciously do with your brain as you navigate your environment. This is called purposeful attention. There is nothing to stop you from being emotionally aware and cultivating a more joyful life. In addition to mind, we are also body and spirit.
The Nine Keys to a Youthful Brain
- 1. A Youthful Brain Loves Movement. Lack of movement is a strong reason behind many modern chronic health problems. Movement exercises the body and the brain. Exercise also helps reduce stress. There is lots of specific advice here and it’s never too late to start.
- 2. A Youthful Brain Is Well Rested. It is well established that sleep and other forms of rest are good for brain health. It also promotes good mood, memory, and healing. Short naps during the day also seem to be beneficial as long as you are sleeping well at night. If you are having trouble sleeping you might find the cause here along with tips for improving your sleep experience.
- 3. A Youthful Brain Is Well Nourished. This should be obvious. We generally eat too much, not enough fiber, and too much sugar. The authors suggest you try to eat unprocessed foods, emphasize plants and healthy fats, shift some protein away from meats, reduce sugars, drink more water, get more fiber and probiotics, and drink alcohol in moderation. There are good specifics on each of these issues along with tips to eat more mindfully.
- 4. A Youthful Brain Cultivates Curiosity. Curiosity activates the reward centers deep within the brain. It is a whole brain exercise that integrates the knowledge circuits of the left brain with the pattern-seeking circuits of the right brain. It will keep you fresh and lead to a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life. If you cultivate your own curiosity, the world will be a more beautiful place and boredom will fade. If you seek out novelty you will become a constant learner. Get the book to learn how.
- 5. A Youthful Brain Stays Flexible. This runs counter to nature’s design, but has more to do with fear than destiny. If you respond more flexibly to change, life can become more enjoyable, rewarding, and fulfilling. One way to do this is to spend more time thinking about thinking (metacognition). The other keys contribute to your flexibility as will advice in this chapter.
- 6. A Youthful Brain Is Optimistic. Our brains are hardwired to be optimistic and you can increase your optimism with practice. It evolved to keep us engaged when logic suggests we give up. It’s benefits can be measured in terms of physical and mental health criteria. It will certainly make you more resilient as you age.
- 7. A Youthful Brain Is Empathic. Empathy arises from brain regions that regulate the quality of our relationships. You should practice empathy to help regulate your mind and behavior. This is how you influence the brains you interact with. Practicing empathy can make you more calm, content, and satisfied. Parents need to promote this quality in their children. One focus here is active listening, which is an important leadership skill.
- 8. A Youthful Brain Is Well Connected. The brain needs connection to others. Forming strong bonds early has a lasting impact. We need to learn how to create, grow, and maintain healthy social connections. This is very important as we age. Physical and mental health are necessary for positive social connections. If you do this right you will feel loved, respected, and listened to. This relates to Howard Gardner’s inter-personal intelligence. Even if you aren’t a natural connector, you can become one.
- 9. A Youthful Brain Is Authentic. No one wants to live someone else’s life. This key requires that you listen to yourself and live a life true to who you are. If you pull this one off, you should feel more confident and self-assured. This relates to Howard Gardner’s intra-personal intelligence and it can be increase with intent. Meditation can help.
Conclusion
- Even though I strongly suggest you purchase and read this entire book, this summary can act as a self-test that can help you see where you stand. While I’ve read most of this advice elsewhere, this book does a great job of pulling it all together. I was happy to see that I have already been following these keys. In my case, this book served to reinforce my approach to life, which has served me well. I’ve never missed a day of work due to illness, and don’t find life stressful. I enjoy the world and the people I meet, and people often tell me that I don’t look like I was born in 1947. I hope you are in the same boat, but if not, see what you can do to take the advice given here. You will also find tips here you can share with others at work or in your personal life. Good luck.
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Monday, September 19th, 2016
1. What Is STEM?
- STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning that removes the traditional barriers separating the four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and integrates them into real-world, rigorous, and relevant learning experiences for students. (See this short animation for a visual definition.) There is more of a focus on working in teams, and the problems do not have a single right answer. This is an emerging national trend and is noted for taking many teachers outside of their comfort zones. The purpose of this book is to give you a teaching toolkit filled with new ideas and know-how to help you start exploring and implementing STEM education.
- As failure is a normal part of the engineering process, it is also a part of STEM education. The students need to know that failure is expected and that the classroom is risk-free. Teachers facilitate rather than tell as students follow an engineering design process. Students connect and apply science principles and use math and technology as tools to solve an engineering problem. Rather than conduct an experiment to test a scientific hypothesis, students engineer a solution for a real-world problem. The steps are: 1. Define the problem, 2. Research, 3. Imagine, 4. Plan, 5. Create, 6. Test and Evaluate, 7. Redesign (iterate), and 8. Communicate.
- Consider adding some of these reference books to your school’s professional development library.
2. Why Teach STEM?
- STEM literacy can have a positive personal impact on the lives or our students. It can also impact our country and society in general. Businesses are asking for employees with in-depth mastery of STEM skills. Anne lists seven compelling reasons. 1. Help student develop deeper understanding of science and math concepts. 2. Promote innovative critical thinkers, which can allow creativity to flourish. 3. Students learn who to approach and solve problems. 4. They develop a sense of ethics and social conscience. 5. Students develop collaboration skills. 6. Technological literacy increases. 7. Students understand the connection between STEM education and future careers.
3, STEM Variations
- In addition to a fully integrated program that uses the engineering design process and integrates the other subjects, there are many variations that you may run in to. A common one stresses the subjects individually and may add engineering and coding courses to the standard science and math offerings. Some add a maker component to the school’s offerings. Others add the arts and call it STEAM. Anne suggests that art courses stay in play so that students will have artistic skills to use as they design projects.
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
Student Voice: Student Engagement Tips from Students (©2012, Thoughtstream) was inspired by Diane Wright, Superintendent SD #27 in British Columbia, Canada. The authors/contributors are the students of School District 27.Their comments were compiled and summarized by Natalie Michelson the Director of Marketing. It is a free eBook that features responses compiled from engaging 150 students from 6 separate high schools in BC’s School District Number 27 using the Thoughtstream engagement process. They were asked what they would like to see more and less of so that classes and schools could be more useful and
interesting, and what teachers could do to help students. You can download this free eBook at The ThoughtStream site.
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Tuesday, February 20th, 2024
Student-Led Assessment: Promoting Agency and Achievement Through Portfolios and Conferences by Starr Sackstein
explains in detail how you can shift your teaching practice to one where students take control over their learning and assessment. It features periodic conferences where students give evidence of what they have learned and set goals for their next efforts. Her model also allows for self-paced learning and peer feedback. Leaders should try to get this book into the hands of as many teachers as possible.
Introduction
- Student voice is vital to understanding what students know and can do. It’s our job to create authentic opportunities for students to express their challenges and successes. Such conversations can be the basis for determining students’ grades. In this book you will learn how to leverage student conferences and have students lead parent-teacher conferences. You will also learn how to use portfolios as part of this process. (Each chapter contains reflections on the subject from other teachers or professors.)
Part 1: Building Structures to Promote Learner Agency
- Here we explore the building blocks of teaching students to talk about their learning in cohesive and detailed ways and to advocate for themselves. It’s your job then to adapt what you learn to your specific students and situation.
1. Building a Learner Agency Enhanced Environment
- At the heart of student success lies the relationships you have with them and that they have with each other. You need to plan how to make this happen. You also need to reveal your interests, strengths, and challenges so they see you as another learner. Trust is earned, which is highly evident in the learning process. Above all be sure to let students know when you have made a mistake. Apologize if it is appropriate. This will help them to take risks that will inevitably lead to mistakes that promote learning.
- In order to get to know students in a less than superficial manner, you need to take on the role of a detective or an archaeologist. Approach each student with a real interest and warmth. Meet them by name at the door. Assume positive intent when they take a misstep. Put important concepts on the wall, but don’t make it too cluttered. Ask them how they feel about the space. Remember that all kids can!
2. Promoting Clarity to Deepen Student Understanding
- Large sets of standards such as the Common Core can be overwhelming. You need to prioritize by looking for knowledge and skills that can 1. have value beyond a single assignment 2. have value in multiple disciplines, and 3. allow for success in the next grade or level. You then need to work with your students to come up with an agreed upon idea of what proficiency looks like. Here we have a format for unpacking a standard
- Now it’s time to create student-friendly learning targets. This requires looking at standards in smaller bites. Develop success criteria so that students know what success looks like. Students can also be partners in developing rubrics. Don’t expect your first tries to be great. Supply exemplars that are not easy to copy. They can be from former students or be teacher generated. Supply feedback to groups and individuals as much as possible.
3. Using Formative Assessment to Promote Learner Voice and Self-Advocacy
- Formative assessment is ongoing and informs future instruction. Students should know what it is and be involved. It demonstrates achievement while reflection focusses more on the process. Both are important. Formative assessment provides feedback that students can use to revise their work. By it’s nature, formative assessment is differentiated.
- At some point, peers should be involved in formative assessment. Students should write their reflections for teachers to read. In some cases teachers should just focus on the important things as opposed to everything. The process should involve students writing new goals to share with the teacher and at least one peer. Goals should be as specific as possible. A major goal is for students to become more self-sufficient learners.
4. Developing a Portfolio System That Supports Purposeful Goals
- Portfolios allow students, teachers, parents, and peers to see the fruits of a student’s labor. (This can be facilitated if the portfolio is available online.) They also put students in charge of tracking their own growth. They can foster independence while fueling reflection, creativity, and authentic life-long learning. They can feature a capstone activity or multiple pieces that demonstrate a learner’s best efforts. They can even contain a series of works that show growth over time.
- Each teacher should do their own portfolio first to share their students’ experiences. Once finished, students should write a standards-based reflection about what their work demonstrates. The students should also present their portfolio in order to defend their efforts. Here we have the story of how one district implemented portfolios for all of their students. Expect this process to take two to three years.
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Friday, December 4th, 2009
In the follow up to their best selling book, Levitt and Dubner provide us with more surprising data that defies common sense and shows us that we really need to think more about unintended consequences as we make decisions that can impact our lives and the lives of others.
Click here to see the excerpted summary of this book.
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