Includes bibliographical references. New Book -- May -- 2013
Contents:
section 1. Public education: yesterday's answers to twenty-first-century needs. The problem: schools are not structured to prepare learners for the twenty-first century -- Creating the schools our kids deserve! -- section 2. The common moral purpose. Developing moral purpose -- section 3. The culture of continuous improvement. Creating the culture of readiness for change -- Creating the culture of trust-to-doubt -- Creating a culture of learner-centric, collective efficacy -- section 4. The learner improvement cycle. Assessing -- Evaluating -- Planning -- Learning -- section 5. Wide awake in the twenty-first century: proficiency for all. Moving from sleepwalking to reawakening the learner.
Summary:
Transformation of public education requires the reawakening of the sleeping giant in the room: the learners. Students, teachers, and principals must develop a learner-centric, standards-driven school. Reawakening the Learner is a guide to creating just such an environment. Continua describe the journey of teachers, teacher leaders, and principals in partnering with learners. Adult-driven routines must be replaced with learner-centric practices. All stakeholders must identify a common moral purpose, create a culture that supports change, and commit to the learner improvement cycle. Common moral purpose must be driven by beliefs and behaviors that support all learners to proficiency. School culture must be developed to be ready for change, have enough trust in one another to doubt current practices, and develop collective efficacy. This new culture will support the components of the learner improvement cycle (assessment, evaluation, planning, and learning) by involving the learners during each step of the cycle. The authors call for national dialogue with educational experts to reinvent public education, where all students are given enough time and support to reach proficiency on the standards.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.