The Right to Learn: A Blueprint for Creating Schools That Work (Jossey Bass Education Series) - Hardcover

Darling–Hammond, Linda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0787902616 ISBN 13: 9780787902612

Publisher: Jossey Bass, 1997

Synopsis

Winner of AERA Outstanding Book Award in 1998

"While she recognizes the necessity for school reform and the complexity of implementing it, Darling–Hammond remains optimistic that systemic changes to ensure access to a meaningful education for all children are possible. Her book is positive and hopeful and serves as a fascinating account of American education and its promise of ′the right to learn′ for all children."
Washington Post

"Darling–Hammond′s central claim is well worth listening to. She argues that American students do so poorly by comparison with students in other industrialized countries not because we don′t give them enough work, but because our teaching is less thoughtful, and because we are obsessed with bureaucratic processes rather than educational outcomes."
New York Times Book Review

One of the nation′s most respected educators provides a vision of exceptional, learner–centered schools and describes the policies and practices that are needed to create these schools on a system–wide basis.

About this title

About the Author

LINDA DARLING–HAMMOND is William F. Russell Professor of education and Co–Director of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University. She lives in New Rochelle, New York with her husband and three children.

From the Back Cover

"This is a very fine work––well argued, comprehensive, and authoritative. It will be treated as a Bible––or, more properly, a Constitution––by those seriously engaged in the improvement of American public education."
––Howard Gardner, professor of education, Harvard University

There have always been extraordinary schools accomplish extraordinary levels of learning with all kinds of students. But these have always been exceptions to the rule. In this important book, one of the nation′s most respected educators, Linda Darling–Hammond, provides a vision of such learner–centered schools and describes the policies and practices that are needed to create these schools on a system–wide basis.Learner–centered classrooms and schools are humane, interactive, and intellectual rigorous places. They are concerned with honoring individuality, developing potential, and arming kids with an intelligence capable of free and independent thought. The pursuit of these more challenging approaches to teaching and learning require changes in curricular resources, funding, assessment policies, school organization, and teacher preparation and professional development.

From the Inside Flap

There have always been extraordinary schools that accomplish extraordinary things with all kinds of students. But these have been the exceptions to the rule. In this important book, one of the nation′s most respected educators, Linda Darling–Hammond, describes learner–centered schools that work for students in all of kinds of communities and outlines the policies and practices that are needed to create these schools on a system–wide basis. Classrooms and schools centered on learning and learners are intellectually rigorous places, exciting and humane. They are concerned with honoring individuality, developing potential, and arming kids with an ability to think freely and independently. Using in–depth interviews with dozens of teachers and studies of many successful schools, Darling–Hammond shows that good schools best serve learners by allowing good teaching to flourish, reducing bureaucratic demands, favoring competence over procedures, nurturing and rewarding professional development, supporting curriculum and assessment that are relevant and challenging, and stimulating inside or out change. From guidelines for raising professional standards for teachers to strategies for funneling more resources to teachers and classrooms. The Right to Learn shows how to make learning the goal and the outcome of reform.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey Bass
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0787902616
• ISBN 13: 9780787902612
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416