Mission High : one school, how experts tried to fail it, and the students and teachers who made it triumph

"It's easier for a journalist to embed with the Army than to go behind the scenes at an American public school. Kristina Rizga spent an unprecedented four years reporting from the classrooms and hallways of Mission High School in San Francisco. The result is Mission High, a first hand report from inside a "low-performing" school whose students are, in fact, thriving. Rizga expected noisy classrooms, hallway fights, and disgruntled staff. Instead, she found a welcoming place; satisfied students, teachers and parents; plummeting dropout rates; and a diverse student body with an 88% college acceptance rate. By closely following the individual lives of students and teachers, Rizga illustrates the invisible structures, essential ingredients, and specialized skills that drive genuine academic achievement. Mission High shows how the alternative, hyper-local and progressive approach of Mission High School works. In providing context for the success of Mission High, Rizga explores the most contentious issues surrounding education in America. She argues that attentive, conceptually driven teaching can lead to learning regardless of socio-economic background, and that mixing high-achieving students and underachieving students benefits both groups. She shows how the focus on standardized test scores can't fix America's education system, because the most important data lives at the individual classroom level-where positive outcomes depend on the cooperation between students and teachers. In tracking Mission High's students through college, Rizga provides a model for the future of education in America and shows how we all benefit from the kind of engaged learners, innovators, independent thinkers, and compassionate citizens that can emerge from the public school system."--;1. Maria -- 2. Mr. Roth -- The progressives (1890-1950) -- 3. George -- 4. Mr. Hsu -- Desegregation (1957-1970) -- 5. Pablo -- 6. Principal Guthertz -- The standards and accountability movement (1980-present) -- 7. Ms. McKamey -- 8. Jesmyn -- Epilogue. "This book is a godsend a moving portrait for anyone wanting to go beyond the simplified labels and metrics and really understand an urban high school, and its highly individual, resilient, eager and brilliant students and educators." -- Dave Eggers, co-founder, 826 National and ScholarMatch Darrell is a reflective, brilliant young man, who never thought of himself as a good student. He always struggled with his reading and writing skills. Darrell's father, a single parent, couldn't afford private tutors. By the end of middle school, Darrell's grades and his confidence were at an all time low. Then everything changed. When education journalist Kristina Rizga first met Darrell at Mission High School, he was taking AP calculus class, writing a ten-page research paper, and had received several college acceptance letters. And Darrell was not an exception. More than 80 percent of Mission High seniors go to college every year, even though the school teaches large numbers of English learners and students from poor families. So, why has the federal government been threatening to close Mission High -- and schools like it across the country? The United States has been on a century long road toward increased standardization in our public schools, which resulted in a system that reduces the quality of education to primarily one metric: standardized test scores. According to this number, Mission High is a "low-performing" school even though its college enrollment, graduation, attendance rates and student surveys are some of the best in the country. The qualities that matter the most in learning -- skills like critical thinking, intellectual engagement, resilience, empathy, self-management, and cultural flexibility -- can't be measured by multiple-choice questions designed by distant testing companies, Rizga argues, but they can be detected by skilled teachers in effective, personalized and humane classrooms that work for all students, not just the most motivated ones. Based on four years of reporting with unprecedented access, the unforgettable, intimate stories in these pages throw open the doors to America's most talked about -- and arguably least understood -- public school classrooms where the largely invisible voices of our smart, resilient students and their committed educators can offer a clear and hopeful blueprint for what it takes to help all students succeed. It's Easier For A Journalist To Embed With The Army Than To Go Behind The Scenes At An American Public School. Kristina Rizga Spent An Unprecedented Four Years Reporting From The Classrooms And Hallways Of Mission High School In San Francisco. The Result Is Mission High, A First Hand Report From Inside A Low-performing School Whose Students Are, In Fact, Thriving. Rizga Expected Noisy Classrooms, Hallway Fights, And Disgruntled Staff. Instead, She Found A Welcoming Place; Satisfied Students, Teachers And Parents; Plummeting Dropout Rates; And A Diverse Student Body With An 88% College Acceptance Rate. By Closely Following The Individual Lives Of Students And Teachers, Rizga Illustrates The Invisible Structures, Essential Ingredients, And Specialized Skills That Drive Genuine Academic Achievement. Mission High Shows How The Alternative, Hyper-local And Progressive Approach Of Mission High School Works. In Providing Context For The Success Of Mission High, Rizga Explores The Most Contentious Issues Surrounding Education In America. She Argues That Attentive, Conceptually Driven Teaching Can Lead To Learning Regardless Of Socio-economic Background, And That Mixing High-achieving Students And Underachieving Students Benefits Both Groups. She Shows How The Focus On Standardized Test Scores Can't Fix America's Education System, Because The Most Important Data Lives At The Individual Classroom Level-where Positive Outcomes Depend On The Cooperation Between Students And Teachers. In Tracking Mission High's Students Through College, Rizga Provides A Model For The Future Of Education In America And Shows How We All Benefit From The Kind Of Engaged Learners, Innovators, Independent Thinkers, And Compassionate Citizens That Can Emerge From The Public School System. -- 1. Maria -- 2. Mr. Roth -- The Progressives (1890-1950) -- 3. George -- 4. Mr. Hsu -- Desegregation (1957-1970) -- 5. Pablo -- 6. Pricipal Guthertz -- The Standards And Accountability Movement (1980-present) -- 7. Ms. Mckamey -- 8. Jesmyn -- Epilogue. Kristina Rizga. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 267-280) And Index. "It's easier for a journalist to embed with the Army than to go behind the scenes at an American public school. Kristina Rizga spent an unprecedented four years reporting from the classrooms and hallways of Mission High School in San Francisco. The result is Mission High, a first hand report from inside a "low-performing" school whose students are, in fact, thriving. Rizga expected noisy classrooms, hallway fights, and disgruntled staff. Instead, she found a welcoming place; satisfied students, teachers and parents; plummeting dropout rates; and a diverse student body with an 88% college acceptance rate. By closely following the individual lives of students and teachers, Rizga illustrates the invisible structures, essential ingredients, and specialized skills that drive genuine academic achievement. Mission High shows how the alternative, hyper-local and progressive approach of Mission High School works. In providing context for the success of Mission High, Rizga explores the most contentious issues surrounding education in America. She argues that attentive, conceptually driven teaching can lead to learning regardless of socio-economic background, and that mixing high-achieving students and underachieving students benefits both groups. She shows how the focus on standardized test scores can't fix America's education system, because the most important data lives at the individual classroom level-where positive outcomes depend on the cooperation between students and teachers. In tracking Mission High's students through college, Rizga provides a model for the future of education in America and shows how we all benefit from the kind of engaged learners, innovators, independent thinkers, and compassionate citizens that can emerge from the public school system."-- Provided by publisher Contents 10 Preface 12 Chapter 1: Maria 23 Chapter 2: Mr. Roth 49 The Progressives (1890–1950) 85 Chapter 3: George 96 Chapter 4: Mr. Hsu 112 Desegregation (1957–1970) 138 Chapter 5: Pablo 145 Chapter 6: Principal Guthertz 176 The Standards and Accountability Movement (1980–Present) 208 Chapter 7: Ms. McKamey 216 Chapter 8: Jesmyn 245 Epilogue 263 Author’s Note 275 Acknowledgments 281 Notes 290 Index 314 EBC,Converted