section II response: reform

Chapter 5 of Teachers, Schools and Society focuses on school reform. The chapter begins with a deceptively simple question: what is the purpose of school? Schools as transmitters of society negate student's lived experiences. When schools and teachers are able to offer transformative education; education that works to empower individuals and their stories, reconstruction of society is possible for the betterment of the oppressed. Paulo Freire's seminal work Pedagogy of the Oppressed is an example and model of this 'reconstructionist' approach.

School Choice Public and private charters, homeschooling, speciality magnet schools, 'green' schools, private schools, public schools and 'full service' schools are but a few of the many schooling options available to students and their families. Though a great variety of school types exist, access to such choices is not equal. Families of poor and working class families for example, may not have the connections through their work or social circles to access such programs. Limited resources may make covering school fees challenging or transportation to and from school events impossible. In order to reach all kids, schools must work to recognize and reach across these barriers to understand children and families' stories and fight for justice within their classrooms, institutions and communities.

Successful schools have been shown to exhibit similar factors. Strong, clear leadership is essential for school staff to function as a unit. Collaborative efforts ultimately trump competitive models. Teachers that set high, clear expectations together with their students, empower them to create change for themselves and push their learning to deeper levels. This is particularly important for teachers who work with students from racial minority groups, poor and working class families, and students in "low" tracking programs. If teachers expect students to do poorly or fail, students will not make near the progress if the opposite were true. Teacher's role in encouraging, supporting and challenging students cannot and should not be understated.

Check out this chapter 5 word map here ----> reform