Exploring the Myths and the Realities of Today's Schools : A Candid Review of the Challenges Educators Face

A sympathetic look at the daily work of our educators directly confronting issues with our changing student population, teachers unions, poor family dynamics, financial inequities, and student performance on international achievement tests. Annotation Exploring the Myths and Realities of Today's Schools presents a strong case regarding the strengths and successes of our schools, while also addressing the major challenges currently facing our teachers and school administrators. This sympathetic look at the daily work life of our educators directly confronts issues with our changing student population, teacher unions, poor family dynamics, financial inequities, and student performance on international achievement tests. The author offers data and insights that counter the conventional wisdom that significant improvements will occur simply by expanding charter schools, by implementing merit pay for teachers more widely, or by emulating foreign educational systems. The book offers recommendations for school improvement that are both practical and effective. While many books on public education are written from the perspective of academics or political pundits, this book offers perspectives from the viewpoint of teachers, school principals, school superintendents, and school board members. The author brings his experience and insights from forty plus years in public education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent to provide his from-the-trenches perspective on the true nature of public schooling in the United States

Exploring the Myths and Realities of Today's Schools: A Candid Review of the Challenges Educators Face presents a strong case regarding the strengths and successes of our schools, while also addressing the major challenges currently facing our teachers and school administrators. This sympathetic look at the daily work of our educators directly confronts issues with our changing student population, teachers unions, poor family dynamics, financial inequities, and student performance on international achievement tests. Richard P. McAdams offers data and insights that counter the conventional wisdom that significant improvements will occur simply by expanding charter schools, implementing merit pay for teachers more widely, or emulating foreign educational systems. He also offers recommendations for school improvement that are both practical and effective.

Teachers: the heart of the matter Daily life of a teacher Demographic changes and student achievement The impact of teacher unions The myth of merit pay School charters, vouchers and privatization The legal tangle in education Curriculum and instruction: the what and how of schooling Students then and now The parent factor The limits of local control School boards The superintendent: CEO of the school district The critical role of the school principal Special education and other special services School finance Schools as organizations International comparisons Final exam. Richard P. Mcadams. Includes Bibliographical References. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web.