SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF

by David Whitman; Foreword-Chester E. Finn

The most exciting innovation in education policy in the last decade is the emergence of highly effective schools in our nation's inner cities, schools where disadvantaged teens make enormous gains in academic achievement. In this book, David Whitman takes readers inside six of these secondary schools—many of them charter schools—and reveals the secret to their they are paternalistic. The schools teach teens how to act according to traditional, middle-class values, set and enforce exacting academic standards, and closely supervise student behavior. But unlike paternalistic institutions of the past, these schools are warm, caring places, where teachers and principals form paternal-like bonds with students. Though little explored to date, the new paternalistic schools are the most promising means yet for closing the nation's costly and shameful achievement gap. Visit www.edexcellence.net for more information.

Genres: Education

386 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I have not personally been involved in the task of raising the educational levels of inner city secondary school students, the arguments for a new paternalism are impressive. Each of the 6 schools surveyed presents unique features but with some common successes in raising the test scores of junior and high school students from some really difficult inner city areas. The book gave me lots to think about--not only as a college teacher whose own children have long since finished secondary schools, but as an individual interested in how we learn and how cultural values are inculcated in the upcoming generations. The bottom line of the book provides a strong challenge to the educational assumptions that flow from Rousseau and Dewey--to the detriment of our whole public secondary educational system. The author didn't pull any punches with respect to entrenched unions, ideas, and precedents. However, despite the unlikelihood of bringing about radical reformation of our schools, the author provides some very practical steps toward incremental improvements, a "lite-patriarchy."

[Lucille · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the type of material that gives people false impressions of paternalist and military-like schools that treat kids like misbehaved dogs. Sure, schools like KIPP Academy and other similar charter schools may train and discipline their students well enough to graduate, to score high on tests and grades, and go on, but is this truly a good education? Why is achievement measured by grades and test scores? There is much more. What happens when students don't know how to think for themselves or speak out because of the numerous times they were silenced? Why are only urban schools structured this way; why not change middle and upper class public schools? Whitman quotes and argues with Rothstein, but in my opinion, his analysis is far more thorough compared to the narrow-minded view here.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you spend as much time as I do in the "edusphere" you could probably get away with just being able to talk about this book - you don't necessarily need to actually read it. But I enjoyed the chapters on Cristo Rey High School, SEED, and University Park, which were all schools I didn't know much about. The author is pretty repetitive... down to the phrasing, the stories he repeats; with good editing he could probably have cut 50 pages. If you *don't* already know about these schools, this book is a good intro.

[Maida · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will try to read this at the same time I read a novel. Wish me luck.