Book on good schools
Terry Trout, a Daley School math teacher, sent me the following review of the book It’s Being Done by Karin Chenoweth, which is a study of the traits good schools share. According to Mr. Trout, “Halfway through the book, it hit me: Am I part of the solution or part of the problem? Have I silently agreed or vocally espoused the excuses such as we’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got or you don’t understand our kids, etc? I had to face the fact that my students had not performed at the levels demonstrated by the book’s sampling of schools. I had mixed feelings in response to the book. I was excited that other schools are doing it, inspired even. Then discouraged and overwhelmed because I’ve worked hard and not seen nearly the results others have accomplished. Before reinforcing my self-protective defense systems, I must acknowledge that I still have much to learn. This book has affected me at a deep level and my hope is that it will aid the discussion as we work to build an environment where our students will find academic success.” For more about the book, check here.