The Death of Public School: How Conservatives Won the War over Education in America by
A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist shows how conservatives have pushed for a revolution in public education--one that threatens the existence of the traditional public school America has relied on public schools for 150 years, but the system is increasingly under attack. With declining enrollment and diminished trust in public education, policies that steer tax dollars into private schools have grown rapidly. To understand how we got here, The Death of Public School argues, we must look back at the turbulent history of school choice. Cara Fitzpatrick uncovers the long journey of school choice, a story full of fascinating people and strange political alliances. She shows how school choice evolved from a segregationist tool in the South in the 1950s, to a policy embraced by advocates for educational equity in the North, to a conservative strategy for securing government funds for private schools in the twenty-first century. As a result, education is poised to become a private commodity rather than a universal good. The Death of Public School presents the compelling history of the fiercest battle in the history of American education--one that already has changed the future of public schooling.
The Channels of Student Activism : how the left and right are winning (and losing) in campus politics today by
;An eye-opening analysis of collegiate activism and its effects on the divisions in contemporary American politics. The past six years have been marked by a contentious political atmosphere that has touched every arena of public life, including higher education. Though most college campuses are considered ideologically progressive, how can it be that the right has been so successful in mobilizing young people even in these environments? As Amy J. Binder and Jeffrey L. Kidder show in this surprising analysis of the relationship between political activism on college campuses and the broader US political landscape, while liberal students often outnumber conservatives on college campuses, liberal campus organizing remains removed from national institutions that effectively engage students after graduation. And though they are usually in the minority, conservative student groups have strong ties to national right-leaning organizations, which provide funds and expertise, as well as job opportunities and avenues for involvement after graduation. Though the left is more prominent on campus, the right has built a much more effective system for mobilizing ongoing engagement. What's more, the conservative college ecosystem has worked to increase the number of political provocations on campus and lower the public's trust in higher education. In analyzing collegiate activism from the left, right, and center, The Channels of Student Activism shows exactly how politically engaged college students are channeled into two distinct forms of mobilization and why that has profound consequences for the future of American politics.
The Career Arts : making the most of college, credentials, and connections by
A persuasive case for building career success through broad education, targeted skills, and social capital Young people coming out of high school today can expect to hold many jobs over the course of their lives, which is why they need a range of essential skills. The Career Arts provides a corrective to the widespread and misleading notion that there is a direct trade-off between going to college and acquiring practical job skills. Ben Wildavsky cuts through the noise and anxiety surrounding this issue to offer sensible, clear-eyed guidance for anyone who is making decisions about education and career preparation with a view to getting ahead in the workforce. Drawing on evidence-based research, illuminating case studies, and in-depth interviews, Wildavsky shares the most vital lessons of what he calls the career arts, which include cultivating a mix of broad and targeted skills, taking advantage of employer-funded education benefits, and preparing for the world as it is, not as you wish it could be. He explains why college remains the gold standard of credentials, and presents the most promising high-quality supplements and alternatives to college that can help learners combine general and job-specific skills. He shows how building social capital is also critical to success, particularly for disadvantaged students. An invaluable guidebook for students, parents, counselors, and educators, The Career Arts reveals why college education and job preparation are not either-or propositions and identifies the blend of education and networking needed to support real-world career aspirations.
The Career Arts : making the most of college, credentials, and connections by
A persuasive case for building career success through broad education, targeted skills, and social capital Young people coming out of high school today can expect to hold many jobs over the course of their lives, which is why they need a range of essential skills. The Career Arts provides a corrective to the widespread and misleading notion that there is a direct trade-off between going to college and acquiring practical job skills. Ben Wildavsky cuts through the noise and anxiety surrounding this issue to offer sensible, clear-eyed guidance for anyone who is making decisions about education and career preparation with a view to getting ahead in the workforce. Drawing on evidence-based research, illuminating case studies, and in-depth interviews, Wildavsky shares the most vital lessons of what he calls the career arts, which include cultivating a mix of broad and targeted skills, taking advantage of employer-funded education benefits, and preparing for the world as it is, not as you wish it could be. He explains why college remains the gold standard of credentials, and presents the most promising high-quality supplements and alternatives to college that can help learners combine general and job-specific skills. He shows how building social capital is also critical to success, particularly for disadvantaged students. An invaluable guidebook for students, parents, counselors, and educators, The Career Arts reveals why college education and job preparation are not either-or propositions and identifies the blend of education and networking needed to support real-world career aspirations.
The Education Debate : what everyone needs to know by
A compelling overview of the major debates in contemporary education policy. In statehouses, school boards, and communities across the US, battles are raging over the direction of education policy--from the standards that are shaping what students learn to how test results are being used to judge a teacher's performance. These battles are being waged against a backdrop of shifting demographics, rapidly developing technology, a transforming economy and workplace. What's more, the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting educators to rethink the school's mission in society. In The Education Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know®, nationally recognized education authority David Kirp and Kevin Macpherson provide a balanced, accessible overview of the key policy and practice issues in pre k-12 education today. They expose the fault lines of the major debates--what values should guide education and how can those values best be incorporated in policy and practice. They focus on equity and equality of opportunity as well as the tension between market and bureaucratic mechanisms as drivers of school improvement. Many of the topics they address, including racial integration, charter schools, student rights and teachers' unions, are hotly contested. In an area where partisanship reigns, Kirp and Macpherson take an approach guided by research and not driven by ideology. A primer for educational policymakers and administrators, parents, and undergraduate and graduate students in education courses, The Education Debate offers a solid grasp of the major debates in contemporary education policy.
Finding Lifelines : a practical tale about teachers and mentors by
This book presents a true-to-life tale of a first-year teacher named Jill as she learns how to navigate through difficult situations with students, parents, and coworkers.
Reimagining the Call to Teach : a witness to teachers and teaching by
This award-winning sequel to the internationally acclaimed classic, The Call to Teach, revisits the idea of teaching as a calling in light of contemporary expectations in education. Reimagining The Call to Teach brings to life an ethical approach to teaching that is informed by an understanding of teaching's great purpose: to help the next generation forge a spirit of mutual care and concern while supporting each student's distinctive way of being in the world. Hansen juxtaposes testimony from public school educators with ideas and examples drawn from philosophy, teacher education, research on teaching, literature, and other arts. He demonstrates that, despite pressing structural challenges in the educational system, teachers can bring their calling to life by supporting one another and by engaging in philosophical inquiry and self-cultivation. Rendered with Hansen's customary eloquence, this dynamic book will be of interest to all who care about the dignity of teachers and teaching in our time. Book Features: Provides a fresh and inspiring account of teaching as a calling. Draws creatively on a wide-range of sources, including extensive testimony from teachers. Focuses on an ethical approach to working with teachers called "bearing witness." Highlights the important place of philosophy in being a teacher and a teacher educator. Uses an accessible and engaging style with rich examples throughout.
How Schools Meet Students' Needs : Inequality, School Reform, and Caring Labor by
Meeting students' basic needs - including ensuring they have access to nutritious meals and a sense of belonging and connection to school - can positively influence students' academic performance. Recognizing this connection, schools provide resources in the form of school meals programs, school nurses, and school guidance counselors. However, these resources are not always available to students and are not always prioritized in school reform policies, which tend to focus more narrowly on academic learning. This book is about the balancing act that schools and their teachers undertake to respond to the social, emotional, and material needs of their students in the context of standardized testing and accountability policies. Drawing on conversations with teachers and classroom observations in two elementary schools, How Schools Meet Students' Needs explores the factors that both enable and constrain teachers in their efforts to meet students' needs and the consequences of how schools organize this work on teachers' labor and students' learning.
Teaching Resilience and Mental Health Across the Curriculum : a guide for high school and college teachers by
Written by a teacher for teachers, Teaching Resilience and Mental Health Across the Curriculum is an integrative approach to pedagogy for educators at the high school and college level to survive, thrive, and sustain in the profession. Blending theory, research, and practice for a comprehensive program for teachers to incorporate well-being tools into the classroom, each of the book's five foundations includes engaging information, strategies, real-world examples, interactive reflection questions, and activities that can be directly applied to teaching and life. Practical guidance in designing real-world curriculum is offered alongside accessible strategies for engagement, investment, and active learning in student-centered classrooms. An essential guide for teachers, it includes techniques for incorporating well-being that are grounded in culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed instruction, mental health, resilience, and emotional literacy. Teachers will also gain insight on how to make the career sustainable through practices for self-compassion and authentic self-care so they can not only survive, but flourish in and out of school. For all the challenges that students and teachers face, this book defines what it means, and what it takes, to teach in today's classrooms.
Between the State and the Schoolhouse : understanding the failure of common core by
CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2022 Between the State and the Schoolhouse examines the Common Core State Standards from the initiative's promising beginnings to its disappointing outcomes. Situating the standards in the long history of state and federal efforts to shape education, the book describes a series of critical lessons that highlight the political and structural challenges of large-scale, top-down reforms. Education policy expert Tom Loveless argues that there are too many layers between the state and the classroom for a national standards approach to be effective. Specifically, he emphasizes the significant gap between states' roles in designing education policy and teachers' roles as implementers of policy. In addition, he asserts that top-down policies are unpredictable, subject to political and ideological pressures, and vulnerable to the pendulum effect as new reforms emerge in response to previous ones. One of the most ambitious education reforms of the past century, the Common Core aimed to raise student success, prepare larger numbers of students for both college and careers, and close achievement gaps. Yet, as Loveless documents, a decade later there remains a lack of significant positive impact on student learning. Between the State and the Schoolhouse marks an important contribution to the debate over the standards movement and the role of federal and state governments in education reform.
Wellbeing in higher education : harnessing mind and body potentialities by
"Drawing on holistic research and professional practice, this book provides rich empirical, scientific, and clinical lenses to the discourse on wellbeing in higher education. The authors have appraised the underlying, conceptual, empirical and applied nature of existing mind-body programmes often utilized to cultivate wellbeing (e.g., seated meditation, yoga, Taijiquan, Pilates, Feldenkrais, biofeedback and the Alexander technique). Higher education is touted as a sector that develops new ideas for the wider community as well as ensuring students are provided with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to positively contribute to the wider community. Within this setting, there are numerous benefits (e.g., attaining a reputable qualification), but there are also risks (e.g., stressors associated with expectations). To ensure the higher education setting is a place of wellbeing in addition to achievement, several strategies are promoted to assist staff and students whilst working and studying. Chapters offer clear implications for research and practice, and explore effective strategies for enhancing wellbeing for students and staff. The integrative mind-body programmes have considerable potential for developing wellbeing in the higher education settings. As such, this book will appeal to academics and researchers in the higher education sector, including scholar-practitioners, and teacher educators"-- Provided by publisher.
The Education Myth : how human capital trumped social democracy by
The Education Myth questions the idea that education represents the best, if not the only, way for Americans to access economic opportunity. As Jon Shelton shows, linking education to economic well-being was not politically inevitable. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, for instance, public education was championed as a way to help citizens learn how to participate in a democracy. By the 1930s, public education, along with union rights and social security, formed an important component of a broad-based fight for social democracy. Shelton demonstrates that beginning in the 1960s, the political power of the education myth choked off powerful social democratic alternatives like A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin's Freedom Budget. The nation's political center was bereft of any realistic ideas to guarantee economic security and social dignity for the majority of Americans, particularly those without college degrees. Embraced first by Democrats like Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton, Republicans like George W. Bush also pushed the education myth. The result, over the past four decades, has been the emergence of a deeply inequitable economy and a drastically divided political system.
Surrendered : why progressives are losing the biggest battles in education by
In this dynamic book, Kevin Kumashiro offers a necessary intervention to help progressive educators and advocates take back public education. This book highlights how the broader Left (progressives, liberals, Democrats, teacher unions, civil rights organizations) are often talking about the "problem" in ways that were framed by forces contrary to the goals of democracy and justice, and in so doing, are advancing "solutions" that cannot help but be counterproductive. Kumashiro explains when, why, and how this has happened, particularly regarding the insidious nature of popular "reforms." He also dives into some of the biggest battles in education today, such as affirmative action, free speech and hate speech, bullying and violence, teacher shortages, and student debt. Surrendered offers a different path forward for K-12 and higher education by showing readers how to establish a progressive agenda, employ language, and harness evidence more effectively. Book Features: Illuminates the power of framing and the role that language and common sense play in shaping public opinion and educational policy. Provides an historical overview of the conservative forces that have shaped public education in the United States. Examines many of the biggest battles in education today, particularly the enduring conservative framings of these issues. Offers progressive interpretations and concrete suggestions for movement building. Uses accessible language and personal stories to connect history with current debates.
Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education : strategies for teaching by
Americans' perception of college students does not correlate with the reality of the rich diversity seen on university campuses. Over 60% of Americans believe the average age of a college student is 20 years old but, in fact, it's 26.4 years old. Demographics in the classroom are shifting and instructors bear a responsibility to adjust their teaching style and curriculum to be inclusive for all students. Equity and Inclusion for Higher Education Strategies for Teaching, edited by Rita Kumar and Brenda Refaei, details the necessity for an inclusive curriculum with examples of discipline-specific activities and modules. The intersectionality of race, age, socioeconomic status, and ability all embody the diversity college instructors encounter in their classrooms. Through the chapters in this book, the contributors make apparent the "hidden curriculum," which is taught implicitly instead of explicitly. The editors focus on learner-centered environments and accessibility of classroom materials for traditionally marginalized students; a critical part of the labor needed to create an inclusive curriculum. This text provides instructors with resources to create equity-based learning environments. It challenges instructors to see beyond Eurocentric curriculums and expand their pedagogy to include intercultural competence. The contributors challenge the student/instructor dichotomy and embrace collaboration between the two to construct a curriculum that fits all students' needs. The resources and examples in this book demonstrate the importance of inclusion and equity in the classroom. A companion community page provides examples and tools from the editors and contributing authors, which allows for readers to add materials from their own classrooms. This book and collaborative toolkit allow instructors to begin intentional practice of an inclusive curriculum and implement changes to promote respect for diversity.
Teaching to transgress : education as the practice of freedom by
In Teaching to Transgress, Bell Hooks—writer, teacher, and insurgent black intellectual—writes about a new kind of education, educations as the practice of freedom. Teaching students to "transgress" against racial, sexual, and class boundaries in order to achieve the gift of freedom is, for Hooks, the teacher's most important goal. Bell Hooks speaks to the heart of education today: how can we rethink teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism? What do we do about teachers who do not want to teach, and students who do not want to learn? How should we deal with racism and sexism in the classroom? Full of passion and politics, Teaching to Transgress combines practical knowledge of the classroom with a deeply felt connection to the world of emotions and feelings. This is the rare book about teachers and students that dares to raise critical questions about eros and rage, grief and reconciliation, and the future of teaching its self. "To educate as the practice of freedom," writes Bell Hooks, "is a way of teaching that any one can learn." Teaching to Transgress is the record of one gifted teacher's struggle to make classrooms work.
Racial Microaggressions : using critical race theory to respond to everyday racism by
Drawing from over 2 decades of research, this book offers an in-depth analysis of a systemic form of everyday racism commonly experienced by People of Color. Racial microaggressions are layered and cumulative assaults, often carried out in subtle and unconscious ways, which take a psychological and physiological toll on the body, mind, and spirit. The authors make a unique contribution to the study of racial microaggressions by using Critical Race Theory (CRT) to develop the concepts, frameworks, and models provided in this book. Focusing on the lived experiences of People of Color, Racial Microaggressions can be used to disrupt the everyday racism that continues to target so many Communities of Color. Book Features: Theoretical, conceptual, and pedagogical tools to help all people recognize, respond to, and challenge racial microaggressions. An interdisciplinary approach that draws from the fields of education, law, policy, ethnic studies, Women of Color feminisms, sociology, history, theatre, psychology, and public health. Visual examples of racial microaggressions in historical and contemporary life.
The Pedagogy of Real Talk : engaging, teaching, and connecting with students at-promise by
Real Talk means real results! To reach students who may see school as an obstacle rather than an opportunity, connection and trust must come first. Paul Hernandez, a former at-risk student, is now a nationally recognized, award-winning educator and trainer. His Real Talk is a practical methodology that helps education professionals build rapport with students at-promise while creating learning experiences that are relevant--and life-changing. This updated and expanded second edition of a bestseller provides an intensive, robust experience enabling teachers to create and implement connections with their teaching. You will: Develop an understanding of the education research and theories that underlie the Real Talk approach Learn the how-to's for implementing Real Talk with any group of learners Benefit from diverse and unique case studies, applications, and lessons learned Teaching with transparency, authenticity, creativity, and grit will lead to higher achievement, student engagement, and graduation rates and fewer discipline problems. Designed to be used by any teacher and with any curriculum, from elementary through post-secondary, Real Talk will change your teaching and develop persistent, optimistic students who feel a sense of belonging.
The Manuscripts Club : the people behind a thousand years of medieval manuscripts by
* A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * The acclaimed author of Meetings with Remarkable Manuscripts introduces us to the extraordinary keepers and companions of medieval manuscripts over a thousand years of history The illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages are among the greatest works of European art and literature. We are dazzled by them and recognize their crucial role in the transmission of knowledge. However, we generally think much less about the countless men and women who made, collected and preserved them through the centuries, and to whom they owe their existence. This entrancing book describes some of the extraordinary people who have spent their lives among illuminated manuscripts over the last thousand years: a monk in Normandy, a prince of France, a Florentine bookseller, an English antiquary, a rabbi from central Europe, a French priest, a Keeper at the British Museum, a Greek forger, a German polymath, a British connoisseur and the woman who created the most spectacular library in America--all of them members of what Christopher de Hamel calls the Manuscripts Club. This exhilarating fraternity, and the fellow enthusiasts who come with it, throw new light on how manuscripts have survived and been used by very different kinds of people in many different circumstances. Christopher de Hamel's unexpected connections and discoveries reveal a passion that crosses the boundaries of time. We understand the manuscripts themselves better by knowing who their keepers and companions have been. In 1850 (or thereabouts) John Ruskin bought his first manuscript "at a bookseller's in a back alley." This was his reaction: "The new worlds which every leaf of this book opened to me, and the joy I had in counting their letters and unravelling their arabesques as if they had all been of beaten gold--as many of them were--cannot be told." The members of de Hamel's club share many such wonders, which he brings to us with scholarship, style and a lifetime's experience.
Managing Crises in the Academic Library : past, present, and future by
When a crisis occurs, it is the employees who determine an organization's resiliency and effectiveness. It is their response, ability to plan for contingencies, and capacity for creating solutions that means the difference between organizational success and failure. In 29 chapters from authors in all institution types and sizes, Managing Crises in the Academic Library can help library workers learn from the crises of the past and prepare for the next unexpected event. Chapters cover lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, perpetual budget uncertainty, dealing with downsizing, merging departments, mold mitigation, and mental health issues, but also offer strategies applicable during any crisis, including: Responsive decision-making in academic library collections Managing stakeholder expectations Effective communication strategies Continuity of operations planning Utilizing library storage facilities Documentation and cross-training Mediating student technology needs Setting boundaries Chapters include workflow charts, bibliographies, and concrete strategies that can be easily adopted into your crisis planning. Libraries and library workers are deeply sustaining lifelines for many students and faculty. Managing Crises in the Academic Library collects stories that demonstrate the tenacity, creativity, and ingenuity of academic library workers as they maintain this vital community lifeline and offers actionable ideas and approaches for planning for and sustaining the resources, services, and people in the library during difficult times.
The Six-Step Guide to Library Worker Engagement by
Gallup's 2019 State of the American Workplace Report found that 70 percent of employees are disengaged at work. Why is worker engagement so important? Engaged workers lead to engaged libraries -- vibrant institutions that nurture their workers' dedication, creativity, and innovation so they can serve their communities most effectively. This guide walks library managers and administrators through concrete steps to change their organization's culture so that it fosters worker engagement, using first-hand accounts from library staff to illustrate both successes and failures. Readers will discover why libraries often fall short at hiring good leadership and ways to develop better recruitment strategies moving forward; how lack of trust pushes workplace culture towards incivility, hostility, and lower morale, and what library leaders can do to rebuild it; methods for using recognition and praise as tools for sustaining a positive work environment; the rationale for eliminating annual performance reviews in favor of less formal one-on-one conversations and "just in time" continuous feedback; the secrets behind high performing teams, strategies to support dysfunctional teams, and tips on how to develop remote teamwork; and why viewing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as separate from workplace culture is counterproductive, since it is actually the positive result of a strong foundation, with advice on combating the factors that contribute to low retention rates of BIPOC librarians.
The College Student's Research Companion : finding, evaluating, and citing the resources you need to succeed by
Most college students are novice researchers for whom Google is the option of first resort. But the information provided by the surface websites usually found this way often lacks substance and is of questionable authority. You can save your students from fruitless, random web searching with the help of this cutting-edge guide, newly updated to reflect the broad range of today's information sources. It's a must-have tool for first-year composition and information literacy courses, LIS collections, and graduate-level research. With this trusted resource by their side, students will master the skills needed to integrate quality informational sources into their writing, enabling them to craft better essays; receive guidance on topic selection, time management, and research planning; learn a five-step process for evaluating sources; be introduced to the fundamentals of database searching, using reference sources, and finding periodical articles, books, and websites; get pointers on using sources properly, with advice on citing them according to widely used documentation styles, avoiding plagiarism, quoting or paraphrasing correctly, and incorporating notes; and find review questions and exercises at the end of each chapter, reinforcing the concepts they have just learned.
Serving Patrons with Disabilities : perspectives and insights from people with disabilities by
Ensuring accessibility is more important than ever; however, answering questions of what needs to be done and why to make a library accessible can be an uncomfortable and daunting hurdle to true inclusion. This book is a safe, nonjudgmental tool for overcoming this awkwardness, offering readers practical, to-the-point information and guidance that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Its contributors showcase real-world stories and viewpoints that illustrate ways to provide excellent customer service and a safe environment to all patrons regardless of ability. Readers will learn about bridging the gap between people with disabilities and those without, through empathy, patience, and understanding; techniques for training staff and overcoming discomfort; making your library accessible for people with mobility issues; how to interact with and assist a person with limited sight or hearing; guidance for interacting with a service animal handler; advice on library programming for people with learning differences; and best practices for effective service to patrons who use a speech assistance device.
Data Literacy in Academic Libraries: teaching critical thinking with numbers by
We live in a data-driven world, much of it processed and served up by increasingly complex algorithms, and evaluating its quality requires its own skillset. As a component of information literacy, it's crucial that students learn how to think critically about statistics, data, and related visualizations. Here, Bauder and her fellow contributors show how librarians are helping students to access, interpret, critically assess, manage, handle, and ethically use data. Offering readers a roadmap for effectively teaching data literacy at the undergraduate level, this volume explores such topics as the potential for large-scale library/faculty partnerships to incorporate data literacy instruction across the undergraduate curriculum; how the principles of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education can help to situate data literacy within a broader information literacy context; a report on the expectations of classroom faculty concerning their students' data literacy skills; various ways that librarians can partner with faculty; case studies of two initiatives spearheaded by Purdue University Libraries and University of Houston Libraries that support faculty as they integrate more work with data into their courses; Barnard College's Empirical Reasoning Center, which provides workshops and walk-in consultations to more than a thousand students annually; how a one-shot session using the PolicyMap data mapping tool can be used to teach students from many different disciplines; diving into quantitative data to determine the truth or falsity of potential "fake news" claims; and a for-credit, librarian-taught course on information dissemination and the ethical use of information.