The Predictable Failure of Educational Reform: Can We Change Course Before It's Too Late (Jossey Bass Education Series) - Hardcover

Sarason, Seymour B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1555422691 ISBN 13: 9781555422691

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 1990

Synopsis

Sarason challenges educators to understand that to continue to struggle for 'power over' rather than 'power with' overlooks the mutual interest of all parties that will stifle any real progress in education reform. In a classroom utilizing effective teaching practices students would respond to the question, 'How do you rate this book?' with all thumbs up.


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About this title

From the Back Cover

Seymour B. Sarason examines why past attempts at reforming the nation's educational system have failed, and offers new perspectives on how reform must be approached for any chance of success in the future. He reveals the faulty assumptions on which past reforms have been based. For example, Sarason disputes the traditional belief that schools exist only or primarily for students--and contends that unless schools become places where educational personnel themselves can learn, change, and grow, those personnel cannot create and sustain favorable learning conditions for students.

The book offers innovative answers to fundamental questions surrounding the reform of our education systems: What should be our goals for students? Why are schools often uninteresting places for students? Why is there such discrepancy between how students perceive the world of school and how they perceive the world outside it?

Reviews

In an attempt to prevent the failure of current educational reform efforts, Sarason (psychology, Yale) explores the issues confronting reform and presents them with new emphasis and focus. His book is addressed to those whose roles affect reform: the community of educators, legislators, policy makers, foundations, business leaders, and parents. Substantive chapter discussions and illustrative examples examine the present educational system regarding the areas of change, power relationships, cooperative learning, imitation, replication, intractability, and goals. The author "challenges schools and communities to look at education in a whole new light," stating "the biggest risk in education is not taking one." Exceptionally well written, this is not so much a blueprint for change, but a penetrating, inspirational tract which calls educators to action. Academic and public libraries serving educators and others concerned with these issues will not want to miss it.
- Francine M. DeFranco, St. John's Univ. Lib., Staten Island, New York
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1555422691
• ISBN 13: 9781555422691
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 194