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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 371
EAN num: 9780807031513
ISBN number: 0807031518
Label: Beacon Press
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 208
Printing Date: August 01, 2003
Publishing house: Beacon Press
Sale Popularity Level: 116628
Studio: Beacon Press
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'A wise and beautiful book that elevates the level of debate on tests and school reform.'
—Jonathan Kozol, author of Savage Inequalities
A visionary look at trust and schools that takes on some of today's hottest education issues—from testing to small schools—all grounded in stories of the innovative and hugely successful public schools Deborah Meier has famously founded.
'A rich, nuanced reflection on trust and schooling that examines trust's many layers. . . . A terrific, important book.'
—Mike Rose, author of Possible Lives
'A passionate, jargon-free plea for a rerouting of educational reform, sure to energize committed parents, progressive educators and maybe even a politician or two.'
—Publishing houses Weekly
'Listen carefully to Deborah Meier's In Schools We Trust: She speaks to the heart of a school—and of democracy itself.'
—Theodore R. Sizer, author of Horace's Compromise and founder of the Coalition of Essential Schools.
MacArthur Award–winning educator Deborah Meier is author of The Power of Their Ideas (Beacon / 3113-5 / $14.00 pb) and Will Standards Save Public Education? (Beacon / 0441-3 / $12.00 pb). She lives in Hillsdale, New York,
and Boston, Massachusetts.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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This book is extremely helpful in thinking about the various relationships that support good education. It candidly addresses the complexities of the distributions of power in an educational organization, including making these challenges visible to all constituencies so that others can learn from observing the process. It explores the impact of what individuals bring to the table on sucess for that child, family and/or staff member. Whether it be race, socio-economic background, or personal history, each "history" plays a role in the evaluation of his/her work. The field of Education needs more like Deborah Meier.
Rated by buyers -
David Blackburn
Director of the Educational Reform Group
www.educationalreformgroup.com
I just taught my daughter to ride her bike this week. I just taught my son to swim. Interesting lessons were gleaned from these familial experiences. Both events were preceded by literally years of work. The events happened in a minute, a fraction of the time invested. Yet, there was one crucial element that pervaded the entire process. That element was trust. Trust is the facet of education that is critical to set children free to explore the possibilities. The fascinating results from my children arrived after the event of learning. When my daughter finally learned to trust me to catch her then she was able to focus on balancing her moving bike. Within a minute she fully committed to her task, my hands came off the bike, and she was off. She learned; then she left me behind and figured out how to self-start, stop, and turn. My son finally trusted I would be there beside him and wouldn't let him drown. He then swam a pool length. He then left me behind and jumped off the diving board, then began to flip and to dive. If we are seeking an educational system that empowers and equips students to independently explore their possibilities, then we must pursue a school culture of trust.
Deborah Meier's book, In Schools We Trust, delves into this critical issue as paramount to doing what is best for kids. Her book is arranged in three sections. The very first section tackles how trust must be nurtured between all stakeholders. The second section dismantles the idea that standardized tests can achieve what we hope they will. The third section returns to the larger picture of how we can and must develop a culture that allows the messiness of humanity within accountability and trust.
The middle section is crucial to reference for anyone researching standardized testing on learning. Yet, no school teacher needs convincing that such tests fail to help students achieve their best. So, we will not focus upon Meier's excellent historical analysis. Instead it is the larger picture of what real trust requires and what real accountability must account for that is worthy of frontline teachers' time.
If you have time to read only a portion of this book, then read what Meier describes as "Learning in the company of Adults." Meier correctly criticizes our failure as a society to raise democratic citizens by reducing their time with adults. "We are--in short--perhaps the only civilization in history that organizes its youth so that the nearer they get to being adults the less and less likely they are to know any adults" (p.23). She uses the analogy of learning to drive a car. "Think how efficiently virtually all young people learn to drive a car if they have lived for years in a family of drivers, have ridden in the front seat, have imitated (both in their head and in their bodies) the motions of a driver, have gotten a feel for where the sides of the car are and how close the outside world is. When my mother finally suggested I should move into the driver's seat, I like so many of my friends, already knew how to drive--except I was surprised when I tried to restart the car on a hill, plus there were the mysteries of parallel parking.... Keep in mind that despite the cost we almost never try to teach anyone how to drive except one-on-one." (p.17). Think about it. Would you trust new drivers if you knew they had passed a minimum competency pen and paper test? Would that build trust? Would that be sufficient accountability? Yet, what do we do? We place teachers in classes where they do not model the skills, they talk about them to large groups of kids and then give them a paper test and claim they will be excellent citizens. Is it working? No, and definitely not in the new world that has arrived.
We expect children to become adults and model adult democracy; but when have they actually seen it? When have they seen two adults sit down in front of them and have a difficult discusion around an issue that has no easy answer? When have they seen adults ask other adults for their source of information before accepting an idea? When have they seen adults disagree on a topic and still be civil? On TV? At their family dinner? They don't see it and their teachers are not modeling exploration, innovation, and creativity, the skills that experts agree are critical for children of the 21st century. As Meier explains, " There is no way to get around it; the willingness to take risks, ask questions, and make mistakes is a requirement for the development of expertise. We can learn secretly, but at a price" (p.14). How many front line teachers work within a system that encourages them to explore, allowing them to make public mistakes without punishment? I would suggest very few.
What I love about Meier's work is that is embraces the "messiness" of raising ... Read More
Rated by buyers 
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Is a very good material for educators, administrator and universities; can help for school or institution on improve their achivement.
Rated by buyers -
I chose this book as a class assignment. Our directive was to give a presentation on an Educational theorist, and Deborah Meier's name was on the list. Little did I know the choice of Mrs. Meier's book would be such an enlightening and enjoyable introduction to her as well as her thoughts about the most effective strategies for education in today's society. Meier's writes with incredible insight and clarity about the things that are most important to her in education: small classes, building relationships, active parent and community participation in the school life of children, and offering all children options in the type of public school education they receive. She uses examples of her work at Central Park East and Mission Hill schools to illustrate her ideas and successes. These examples were especially helpful to me as a novice in the area of elementary and secondary education. Never one to mince works, and using well placed humor, she offers her opinions on standardized testing and the dangers they present to students and education. Meier's offers an alternative to standardization - standards and also outlines a broader vision for education in the future. All of my children have completed elementary and secondary school. However, as a soon to be grandmother, this book will be one of those that I recommend to my daughter and son-in-law as they begins their new journey into parenthood.
Rated by buyers -
I chose this book as a class assignment. Our directive was to give a presentation on an Educational theorist, and Deborah Meier's name was on the list. Little did I know the choice of Mrs. Meier's book would be such an enlightening and enjoyable introduction to her as well as her thoughts about the most effective strategies for education in today's society. Meier's writes with incredible insight and clarity about the things that are most important to her in education: small classes, building relationships, active parent and community participation in the school life of children, and offering all children options in the type of public school education they receive. She uses examples of her work at Central Park East and Mission Hill schools to illustrate her ideas and successes. These examples were especially helpful to me as a novice in the area of elementary and secondary education. Never one to mince works, and using well placed humor, she offers her opinions on standardized testing and the dangers they present to students and education. Meier's offers an alternative to standardization - standards and also outlines a broader vision for education in the future. All of my children have completed elementary and secondary school. However, as a soon to be grandmother, this book will be one of those that I recommend to my daughter and son-in-law as they begins their new journey into parenthood.
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