An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of Craftsmanship with Students

by Ron Berger, Howard Gardner, Deborah Meier

Drawing from his own remarkable experience as a veteran classroom teacher (still in the classroom), Ron Berger gives us a vision of educational reform that transcends standards, curriculum, and instructional strategies. He argues for a paradigm shifta schoolwide embrace of an ethic of excellence. A master carpenter as well as a gifted teacher, Berger is guided by a craftsman's passion for quality, describing what's possible when teachers, students, and parents commit to nothing less than the best. But Berger's not just idealistic, he's realistiche tells exactly how this can be done, from the blackboard to the blacktop to the school boardroom.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching, Professional Development, Leadership

156 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2003

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was difficult rating this book. In some ways, I feel bad giving it an average rating since it has such a positive goal.

I loved the intentions of the author -- to not just propose better ways to educate young people, but also to redefine education as about something more and very different than standardized testing. His insights into creating a supportive culture, the importance of refining drafts, of deriving work from models of excellence, and many other points were all enlightening and useful. I applaud the book for that.

On the other hand, while the intentions were admirable beyond a doubt, the author didn't quite "convince" me. I wanted to be convinced, since I think education does not get nearly the care it deserves and is not setup properly to help people most, but ultimately I was not.

For example, the author outlines early on in the book how, in presentations he gave, skeptics of his methods weren't convinced by the stories of how well his students were doing -- until they saw the work of the students themselves. Yet, in the book, all it does is talk about high quality of the student work without showing any examples. I found a bit astounding: he spells out exactly what he learned he needed to do to convince everyone, describes it in the book, and doesn't actually do it in the book! There's not a single example of one of his student's work in the book despite the multitude of references to the essential portfolio of work he carries to all his talks.

I suspect that in the author's eyes, I likely would fit the model of ones of those skeptics thinking about education too systematically and in business metrics terms...a mindset which he uses a bit of a disdainful tone for. Nonetheless, as much as I didn't want to fit the mold of those people the author looked down on for not getting it, a collection of anecdotes about student success (told with, to be honest in my critique, a bit of a prideful manner) was not enough for me because, well, I do think like that.

Another problem was I wasn't even actually sure what the author was trying to convince me of.

I believe the author was a very hard working man who did an tremendous job teaching his students in a way that traditional system never allow him to. But the book felt too much like a story of what his own enormous talents and efforts could accomplish, rather than a broader thesis into what needs to happen to improve education on a large scale. Not all, but too much of that success seemed to depend on the particular teacher, not a theory, an approach, a thesis, or anything else that could be externalized and embraced everywhere.

The author, of course, specifically addresses this and implies those looking to "scale up" his work are missing the point -- and that's where my enthusiasm for the book deflated. I have to believe that there are ways to improve the system. I would never argue that great teachers are anything but essential to great teaching (and need the creative freedom to work as their talent guides them), but human progress often is about individuals enacting changes in the culture and the system beyond themselves: externalizing it. Beyond some minor points, I never really understood what the author's particular changes for the "system" of education were, nor was I convinced that they did not depend too heavily on the being bolstered by a great teacher where greatness is rare quality.

Perhaps that was the exact message of the book: great teaching will always require great people. I just had been hoping to read about something more -- some way to make a global change that can exist without the constant, heroic efforts of rare individuals. Such individuals will always be necessary to push the system further, but I still fundamentally believe that externalized, global change is possible and maybe that is why the book did not inspire me as much as I hoped.

[John Damaso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teachers are benevolent narcissists, and I suppose they have to be in order to best serve students: what can I take from Berger's book that I can immediately deploy in my classroom, my context, for my students? How is all of this discussion of school culture, an ethic of quality, projects, portfolios, critiques relevant to me? As I read An Ethic of Excellence, as others did, I kept talking back to Berger, and he often anticipated the doubters, the skeptics, the businessmen in the Afterword who wanted "scalability." In fact, he begins that section with this question: "How much of this could possibly work in MY setting?" (150).

Others have written that Berger's ethic is hard to engender or apply at the high school level since he, a primary teacher with block scheduling, has "one group of students whom I see almost all day" (141). I am currently in this camp of "How can I do this?" thinkers, but I am open to be persuaded otherwise. "Scale" me to 150 students, Mr. Berger, even if you dislike that word. Berger suggests to start small, and I think collaborating with a teacher in another department on a single project would be a good start.

A few other items really stood out to me:

- Berger tells numerous anecdotes about students, but he rarely uses MALE students, and his first male example is Jason on p. 37. Why is this?
- The deeper the understanding by students, the more nuanced and gray (not black & white) their educations become. See Deaf school exchange example pp. 56-57.
- The use of "tribute work" contributes to strong alumni-student relationships. Tribute Work is "the work of a student who built off of, borrowed ideas from, or imitated the work of a particular former or current student" (85).
- The "critique" rules he describes are very similar to Writing Workshop methods: 1. Be kind. 2. Be specific. 3. Be helpful.
- I love the idea of two grades, 'A' or 'Not Ready.' Berger writes that C or D work is "not worthy of being accepted."
- "The push now is to standardize, not innovate" (142). Berger unabashedly bashes standardized testing and "teacher-proof curriculum." Agreed.
- The last page of the Afterword, in which Berger suggests he knows an ethic of excellence exists because everyone around him -- nurses, policemen, excavators, lifeguards -- are his former students and he has trust in them, totally confounds me. Very strange, seemingly narcissistic conclusion (unless I totally misread that passage).

I also found a couple elements missing in the book:
- No discussion of innovative educational technology movements (though he published this in 2003, pre-Web 2.0).
- No discussion of college admissions' take on the quality of Berger's students as college applicants.

In sum, the book has made me think, and I appreciate the challenge of creating an environment in which students pursue with care projects of quality with "the work" (and not distractions) as prime.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of the most inspirational books on education that I have read. Its brevity does not diminish its powerful central message: students are capable of doing real, meaningful work at every age, provided that they are supported by an environment of mutual respect in which revision, hard work and mutual support are central.

Unfortunately, this project-based, applied approach to education runs against the grain of traditional education, which values grades, seat work, testing, memorization, single-version deadlines, and rigidly segregated subjects.

Berger has compellingly captured the essence of his philosophy in his "Austin's Butterfly" short video (https://vimeo.com/38247060). His emphasis on hard work and improvement through peer review and revision is fundamentally modeled on how to succeed in life.

He cultivates the culture for peer review and revision from the start, with three basic rules for peer feedback:
1. Be Kind
2. Be Specific
3. Be Helpful

His methods work in his rural Massachusetts public elementary school that has little bureaucratic oversight, but they are valid even in expensive private schools where teachers have enough freedom to truly empower their students. The quality of student work that results is nothing short of spellbinding.

Berger went on to found EL Education, an organization designed to formalize and promote the methods he developed in the classroom. My only critique of the organization is their unfortunate alignment with identity politics. To me, their concept of respect, if taken to its logical conclusion, focuses on the individual, not their immutable group associations such as race.

Fortunately, An Ethic of Excellence documents a largely apolitical approach to excellence in the classroom through respecting and encouraging the full potential of each individual student. This is recommended reading for educators, parents and those passionate about improving education.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I work at an Expeditionary Learning school and reading this book, as Ron talks about his teaching, his philosophies, and the way students are always first was refreshing and inspiring. It's not a "how-to" book necessarily, but it's a book that gets at the heart and spirit of teaching.

[Zoē Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Ethic of Excellence is such a simple book. Ron Berger talks about expecting more from students and how he does it. It seems so simple, so why is the education system failing? This book was published in 2003, and I still see the same issues that Berger brings up in schools today (2022). This book confirmed my thoughts on how I want to teach, and when I become a teacher, I will have this book on standby to remind me what an honor it is to teach younger generations.

[Bowman Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas that I am going to take and use. Outdated language and a pre-equity-is-important general vibe...

[Scott Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been teaching for over half a decade, currently making my way in the US Public Educational System teaching 8th Grade Physical Science. A large chunk of my experience comes from teaching Social Studies and English at a Private School in China. Ron Berger's book came highly recommended to me from a fellow educator and friend. And I wish I could give it 10 stars.

Reading Berger's book, to a teacher, is like watching an episode of Star Trek. It's a utopian ideal that is both inspiring and depressing in equal measure. Project Based Learning isn't unique to Mr. Berger. Schools across the country are trying to find the balance between subjectively scored projects and objectively scored tests. We live in an ever smaller world with an ever growing population and systems are struggling to determine what that means education can look like.

Every single ideal Berger has I nodded my head to fervently. Yes! Give kids high standards. Yes! Teach them how to do multiple drafts. Yes! Make their work public. Yes! Field trips. Yes! Projects. Yes Yes Yes!

But then Berger starts to talk about reality and we get to why I am only giving him 4 stars.
Berger is lucky. He sees the same kids all day. He has a town that fully supports his way of teaching. He has access to a trade that he has been able to implement in the school. He doesn't teach over 100 kids a year. He doesn't shuffle between classrooms. He doesn't have to deal with county wide standards. He doesn't have to deal with 100+ permission slips and the mountains of red tape it takes to do things in suburban and urban communities.

And he admits as such. He admits he doesn't have answers for big cities. His scholarship is local, and rural, and only works because of the system that has allowed it. An Ethic of Excellence doesn't have to be read by teachers. Every teacher I've met is spoiling for engaging, interesting projects, slower pacing for in depth study, community engagement, and cooperation. Perhaps I am lucky in that I have surrounded myself with teachers who already are those who hold an Ethic of Excellence, but it calls to me the real issue.

This is a book the community needs to read. This is a book administrators, parents, and shareholders need to read. Berger says it himself that it is his community which allows the teachers to do this. If the community wasn't behind him, there would be no Ethic of Excellence. But he doesn't seem to be writing for the community. He seems to be writing for teachers.

And, in doing so, he writes off the most important audiences of his book. He dismisses those who aren't teachers, politely of course, but it's clear he doesn't take their concerns very seriously because he doesn't have to. He dismisses them as "businessmen" and doesn't engage directly with their problems. And, he doesn't have to. He's an alien visitor to earth with a promise of peace.

It's a Star Trek utopian level of idealism, and I love him for it, but I am oh so frustrated that it was more inspiration than answers.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a classroom teacher and you have not read this, you have to! Ron Berger was a classroom teacher in a public school in a small northeastern town. He uses examples of his own teaching in his extraordinary school, as well as his experience working with schools and teachers in other places to describe what excellent schooling can and should look like.

In this relatively short book of only about 150 pages he takes us through is “toolbox” (Ron was also a carpenter). His teaching revolves around project-based learning. And many of his projects are authentic in the full sense of the word—they actually have an impact on real people in the larger community, such as studying water quality in local wells.

In his first chapter one of the things he talks about the importance of evidence. Over his many years teaching collected many many samples of the quality work his students did. I have had the honor to see some of this work, and it quite awe inspiring.

His first Toolbox is A School Culture of Excellence. He describes how they create a culture in his school where excellence is expected. Peer pressure becomes a positive force. He describes the slow process of a new angry boy who over time comes to care about his work.

The second toolbox is Work of Excellence. In this he starts off my making the point that self esteem is gained from accomplishments, not compliments. By providing opportunities to do projects that have a real purpose, and plenty of time and support, students take pride in their work as they see it matters to do well, and they can keep redoing it until it is of high quality.

The third toolbox is Teaching of Excellence. In this chapter he goes though how teachers too need to be supported in order to learn how to teach this way. How teachers need both the autonomy, and the support of peers—just as their students do.

This is one of the most inspiring books on teaching I have read. It is full of both practical ideas, as well as real examples that ring true.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple message, one I'd have hoped would have been driven home during lockdown learning, that a positive culture and supportive community maketh an ethic of excellence, high expectations and freedom to explore personal interest. unfortunately, I hear, failure of schools to teach, biggest gap in achievement, kids left behind. Berger is saying we can elevate education, instead of continuing this one size fits all education, national testing, treadmill work. we aren't born the same, we don't think the same, yet we continue to educate, 'the same', its time, a long time overdue, to explore WITH and Alongside our children, lockdown was a great opportunity, I hope some have made that shift...coupled with Paul Dix, these two educators could change education for good.

[Cassie Sonnenberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

The best thing I can say about this book is that it's a quick read...I read it in an afternoon. The premise of it is spot-on: if we want students to be excellent, we have to expect excellence and instill in them a work ethic that will create excellence. But most of the book is stories from Berger's classroom -- cool things his students have done. The book lacks direction, and the "method" to his success is simply, "My whole school expects this. These kids have been expected to work hard since preschool. So they do." Not exactly helpful for those of us in the real world. I don't recommend this book and wish I'd saved the 10 bucks I spent for it on Amazon.

[Jesse Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past, I've rarely made it all the way through books about education, but it's encouraged at my new job. And why not? There's plenty of time during these days to check out the "scholarship of teaching."

Ron Berger's slim little volume is a revelation for its emphasis on craft and innovation over standardization. I even wonder if the volume was a voice in the wilderness when it came out in 2003, and helped jump-start the trends we see in progressive education today. "Craft" is an interesting key word for Berger, himself a carpenter. It's about working slowly, methodically, making sure things are right. Berger drafted plans for his own spec house something like ten times before he actually started construction. The crucial place of iteration connects craft with design thinking, though Berger does not use that term. He likes to decorate his classroom, presenting vibrant displays of student work. Craft is a type of show, and is often meant to inspire ritual awe. He seems to specialize in getting big, mean boys, the kind you don't associate with success in school, to learn to slow down, and read, and produce quality work. "Quality" is another of Berger's favorite words.

"Innovation" also means something crucial in Berger's universe. He appeals to teachers as scholars who ought to work in teams to plan and research their campaigns. The book is full of fun ideas, like an Author's Night with student writers, and educational hikes into the forest. There's even an anecdote about fifth and sixth graders who learn to use a mass spectrometer and intervene in the town's water supply. Another lesson there is that teachers have to pay attention to when they can interface with their communities. Innovation requires schmoozing.

This book isn't very long, but it feels quite rich. Berger focuses first on what he calls culture, preaching in several different ways that student learning has to be high value, when so often it really isn't. School conditions have to be improved, and instilling a sense of community is crucial. Second, he focuses on producing display-worthy work, that whole craft thing. And third, he talks about professional development, encouraging teachers to do workshops in groups, and calling for teachers to get more respect and higher salaries. Looking back over these three "toolboxes," there's maybe not quite as much organization or coherence as one would desire, but that's the way with Mr. Berger; he's clearly a chatty, humane, thoughtful sort of fellow.

Like any inspiring book with a sort of self-help tone, one wonders how much success one can get out of applying its lessons. I've certainly come back to the book a couple of times since the semester started, and I think the main problem is to figure out how to translate some of these ideas to my context. Craftman-like, display-style work is definitely what my organization wants to see from me and my kids. But I more often produce seminar discussions and messy Word documents. Still, there is a path forward.

We could ding the book for other things. I thought it was funny that some of my colleagues looked askance when Berger spoke of "positive peer pressure." And the whole vision of the suburban white male heroically visiting inner city schools with his Carnegie Endowment fellows, well, it's bad optics in 2021, even if Berger always means well, as I'm sure he does. Bottom line: I work at a place where this book is required reading. That's definitely something to be grateful for!

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book cites exactly why a classroom culture is everything. Setting the bar high -- with high expectations, mutual respect, and love-- allow for learners to achieve anything and more than what they imagined. I read this book 4 years ago and I still find myself cherry picking concepts for it today. Holding students accountable to excellent, high quality work is the norm. When you get other students on board this philosphy, then the school year becomes excellent. Classroom culture is vital to a successful school year and the academic success of students. It isn't about having fun, it is about teaching these kids to be better humans, and in my case, better writers, readers, and analyzers of this world (I am an English teacher). Fun comes from the students seeing their growth as learners in your classroom. That's real fun. That's progress. Progress is fun. Growth is fun. They know it when they see it in the culture. Such an excellent book!

I have used this book's central themes throughout my entire career. It will not exactly tell you HOW to build a culture excellence (and I am glad it didn't; teaching is an art and each of us needs to find the jive that works for us individually), but it does state WHY and WHAT culture of excellence looks like. Time and time again do I extrapolate from these short, wisdom packed volume.

Excellent book that I will reread time and time again to continue to sharpen my craft.

[Jeremy Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though slightly dated in its references to videotapes and Walkman players, An Ethic of Excellence really has one primary audience: teachers who still have an open mind and an ideal of what great education can look like, but who struggle through and wrestle against the system, an institution that consumes and corrupts any potential of joy from the one profession to which they believe themselves called. That’s a long way of saying Berger’s ideas, however optimistic, are not likely to break through to educators who are long hardened by a system they accept as unbreakable. Nor would this book have much of an impact on educators conditioned to have a knee-jerk resistance for every suggestion of excellence beyond the status quo. This is an idealist book for idealistic teachers still trying to break the mold, even at the risk of making mistakes to achieve better, more lasting results. Get enough of those teachers in the same building and you have an exceptional school, institutions and cookie cutter curriculums be damned.

[Simon Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ron Berger's passionate appeal to educators to forget the tests and the mindless amounts of tests and exams that standardised curriculums have us prepare students for. Instead, Berger makes the philosophical and pedagogical case for Project-Based Learning and getting back to basics in general in terms of preparing students for the real world by giving them real-world tasks in which they can connect the development of their skills for future solutions.

What struck me most about the book was Berger's obsession with collating evidence and samples of excellent work. This made me reflect on my own practice and question why I had not done the same in all my years of teaching. The book draws on many of Berger's personal anecdotes both inside and outside the classroom.

It is a very easy read and very worthwhile for teachers who want to dream about making their teaching a valuable, powerful and meaningful experience for their students.

[Drama Sylum · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this may seem petty, the inconsistent capitalization problem of deaf versus Deaf (a four letter, grade 3 vocabulary word) made me question the author's understanding of the word "excellence" in conjunction with education. I was able to place that on hold until I learned that my teaching of Tom Sawyer could be enhanced if I just heated rocks, allowed children to play in tunnels, and discussed the inner workings of spelunking because certainly I could understand how all of that would increase the children's comprehension of the text. I also learned that I could teach The Odyssey in a water unit with science because it wasn't, as my advanced degrees and twenty years of subject experience led me to believe, about mythology and heroism at all - it was about water.

And this is why the state of education is in the utter shambles that it is.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on what makes for bringing a culture of excellence into the classroom. I thought Berger's stories were inspirational, and loved many of his ideas. Like many stories on great teaching though, his methods are virtually impossible to use in a big sense because his school basically allows him to teach however he wants. At most public high schools, teachers would have to maintain a certain pace while covering a large curriculum. However, I do like his technique of peer review and of making the work important to students. Demanding more of students is something that sounds easy, but over time it can become difficult to maintain a high level of determination when teaching a class load of 130 kids through 180 days. This book reminded me to never give up pushing each and every student.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspirational call to change the way we teach and the way we train teachers. Berger's writing is clear, engaging and entertaining and shows exactly how to help students really care about their learning to produce high quality results. I would love to have Ron Berger come to my school and give us advice on how to put into practice his project-based learning in our international setting. I am inspired by his school that supports his approach as well as has done away with grades over three decades. Teachers inspire students but students also inspire teachers. And it is the teachers who really care about the students that are the ones that make an impact on the students. This is a book every teacher, administrator and parent should read.

[David Pulliam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great stories of an inspirational teacher who went on to become a great consultant to many teachers. The book has not aged well because... Well, the internet, increasing numbers of IEPs and 504s, parents, physical violence, etc. Indeed, some of the principles behind the stories still stand, but like many educational books, Berger does not explain the principles that guided his creativity in making lessons. Of course, you can read between the lines (use available resources around you to create lessons that directly a part of your student's world is a good example). Still, it leaves some critical questions about K-12 education unanswered.

[Mary Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berger has a unique (maybe even ideal) situation as a teacher in a flexible rural school, but I think many of his ideas/tools are easily transferrable to different educational environments. It was a very inspirational read which made it a nice break from a lot of the bleaker educational readings out there. I think it's important to think big and imaginatively before scaling down and compromising and I think that gives readers the room to do that.

Side note: I'm an art teacher and I really appreciated Berger's appreciation for aesthetic/art/craftsmanship and how those skills apply to everything!

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a decent primer on the whys of having high standards of excellence and project based learning approaches. It is full of interesting anecdotes and is conversational in tone. Berger does not endeavor to dig deeply into the mechanics of making this work for your school or district but succeeds in his goal of planting a seed for the reader. I appreciate his effort and his work but, aside from my own reflection and thinking, I still am left to wonder about what concrete steps to take to bring this to life in my school.

[Mike Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dove into this week after letting this one sit on my bookshelf for almost a year. I wish I had started sooner. So many thoughts and ideas about what school can be for our students showed up in this book, helping me feel like I'm not crazy.

Anyone interested in remaking schools into something more than a place where students are forced to learn things they don't care about should read this book. The stories and ideas are well worth the quick read and can give you fuel to make a change in your own building.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book and the ideas and practices in it fascinating! I wish I could better retain all the great concepts I read in here about education. It is exactly what we need. In all honesty, I tend to get bored easily with informational:educational books, but I could barely put this down, it just makes sense!

[Saurabh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a really great read. Changed my whole mindset about how school and “teaching” could be.

It is written by Ron Berger - a teacher (and also a carpenter) who explains how he inculcates an ethic of excellence in his students to produce their best work.

It’s a small read but was very profound.

[Stanley Wong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartfelt but aspirational at best. From inherited buildings to flexible buddy systems, we are shown what a beautiful world the field of education can be, but that just isn't the reality. Perhaps this book can exists within relatively speaking, small town settings, but certainly not more densely populated ones.

[Tali Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely incredible and inspiring, even more than the first time I read it! And I am sure I will read it again someday. While learning more about project based learning can be frustrating as there is not a step by step guide or process, Ron Berger does a great job at giving examples and encouragement throughout. Love this book!

[Charles Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What does excellent education look like? This. It looks just like this.

This is maybe the most important, useful book I've read about formal education. It's challenging, and inspiring, and it will make you cry in equal parts awe and frustration.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully inspiring. Having met Ron, and seeing his passion firsthand, I could hear his voice as I read this. His ideas of authentic learning experiences for our students should be spread and shouted from the mountaintops. Thanks for your years of dedication, Ron. You are a master in our field.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reminder that quality is better than quantity. Much of the main points had been part of a week long PD I did last summer, so it was a good refresher.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The idea of a educational community where excellence is upheld by all members is inspiring.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engage students in meaningful projects and watch them grow.