Education

“Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts,” Peter A. Facione, Insight Assessment 2007 Update. This paper defines critical thinking in detail and clearly outlines the value of critical thinking. It is a must read for all educators and school board members.

“Does Service Learning Really Help?” by Stephanie Strom, The New York Times, December 29, 2009. This is a great article for both nonprofits and educators considering either end of service learning projects. It outlines the pros and cons of service learning and how to make it work for both sides.

“High Performance in High Poverty Schools: 90/90/90 and Beyond,” by Douglas B. Reeves, The Center for Performance Assessment, 2003. This article provides a review of research in high poverty schools that have also demonstrated high academic performance. The term “90/90/90” was originally coined by the author in 1995 based on observations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where schools had been identified with the following characteristics: 90% or more of the students were eligible for free and reduced lunch, 90% or more of the students were members of ethnic minority groups, and 90% or more of the students met the district or state academic standards in reading or another area. This article discusses characteristics that were common to all high achieving schools in the study. Reprinted with the permission of The Leadership and Learning Center, all rights reserved.

“It’s Complicated” by Meg Sommerfeld, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, May/June 2010. This article is an interview of John Merrow, education journalist and PBS contributor. Although this article has a bit of a Dartmouth spin to it, Merrow discusses his perspective on some hot button issues facing our nations schools.

“Next Generation Learning: Can We Crack Four Problems to Unleash Quality Education for All?” by Barry Newstead, Caitrin Moran Wright, and Susan Colby, The Bridgespan Group, June 2010. This a great article about educational reform with examples of specific reform initiatives and an emphasis on what role philanthropy can play in moving educational reform forward. The four problems, discussed in detail, are: 1) lack of personalization of content, 2) lack of appeal to different learning styles, 3) inability of teachers to play to their true strengths, and 4) lack of effective reforms at a reasonable cost.

“Sustainable Leadership and Social Justice,” by Andrew Hargreaves, National Association of Independent Schools, Winter 2005. In this article the author outlines seven principles for sustainable leadership. Although the intended audience for this article is educators, these principles apply to any type of leadership.

“The Fourth Way of Change,” by Andrew Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley, Educational Leadership, October 2008. In this article the authors propose a new vision to achieve educational reform. The first way relied on the state to initiate reforms; the second way depended on free markets to make changes; and the third way was somewhere in between and beyond, where communities of practice were encouraged and testing became the measuring stick. The Fourth Way consists of three cornerstones: pillars of purpose, principles of professionalism, and catalysts of coherence. Threaded throughout these three cornerstones is an emphasis community partnership and collective professional responsibility.

“The Learning Factory,” by David Warlick, Smart People Magazine, May 14, 2009. This article reviews three key conditions that currently exist creating the need to retool our classrooms to meet the demands of the 21st century. The first is our rapidly changing culture, in particular advances in information technology; the second condition focuses on the new generation of learners who are steeped in social networking; and the final condition is the new information environment and its level of interactivity. These conditions alone, the author argues, create the evidence that a new approach to learning is not only needed but also required.

“The Missing Link in School Reform,” by Carrie R. Leana, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2011. The opening description of this article states that, “In trying to improve American public schools, educators, policymakers, and philanthropists are overselling the role of the highly skilled individual teacher and undervaluing the benefits that come from teacher collaborations that strengthen skills, competence, and a school’s overall social capital.” The author outlines three core beliefs that currently drive educational reform and how those beliefs are not based in empirical research. The author proposes a new model for educational reform based on building social capital within schools.

“The Great Conversation,” by Jamie Vollmer, excerpt from Vollmer’s book Schools Cannot Do It Alone, 2010. This emphasis in this article (and the book) it tapping existing internal and external resources to create significant impact in education. The author argues that educators cannot change the system and dramatically increase student success until they secure the four Prerequisites of Progress: community understanding, trust permission, and support. To achieve this, there is a formal process and an informal process that are both outlined in this article.

“Tipping Point: From Feckless Reform to Substantive Instructional Improvement,” Mike Schmoker, Phi Delta Kappan, February 2004. This article outlines the failures of traditional strategic planning and professional development and argues for developing professional learning communities.

“Why is Change so Challenging for Schools: An Interview with Peter Senge,” by Dennis Sparks, Journal of Staff Development, Summer 2001. (http://www.learningforward.org/news/jsd/senge223.cfm) In this article Peter Senge talks with the author about the key points from his book Schools That Learn. Senges talks about the complexity of our educational system and how that creates challenges for creating sustainable change. He discusses the underlying assumptions that create the current structure and how leverage points can help shift that structure. He also emphasizes the need to tap kids as forces for innovation. Finally, he speaks to the need to create the conditions for dialogue as critical for moving forward.

Updated December 1, 2011