What's Wrong with Our Schools and How We can Fix Them

Citation

Hughes, K. (2011), "What's Wrong with Our Schools and How We can Fix Them", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 49 No. 3, pp. 335-336. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231111129091

In a time of increasing accountability with a microscopic lens on public education, everyone is wondering What's Wrong with Our Schools and How We can Fix Them. The authors, Zwaagstra, Clifton and Long take a general approach and argue that “common sense should be a major benchmark in any consideration of school improvement” (p. 4). They further assert that “what counts as common sense to some people, to others merely reflects a view that is uninformed, misinformed, or perhaps even prejudiced” (p. 4). For this very reason, I was appreciative that the layout of the book was systematic and consisted of 14 chapters, which were then organized into three parts. Part I includes six chapters on the fundamental aspects of education. Part II also includes six chapters that focus on practical issues that all stakeholders deal with on a continuing basis. And finally, Part III includes two chapters on distractions that face education today.

The prologue at the beginning of each chapter grabs the reader's attention and provides a real‐life, though fictional story, illustration of the main situation at hand. The beginning chapter questions the purpose of schooling and then specifies that the:

[…] basic task of schooling is to provide for both the well‐being of the individuals and social harmony, both anticipated by the cultivation of reasonably independent learners who can think for themselves (p. 18).

I found this to be contradictory at times when Zwaagstra, Clifton, and Long criticize that North American schools are engaging in community building, learning communities, and meeting the unique needs of each child. Standards‐based education should have specific content and achievement standards as noted by the authors. With the most recent focus on the National Common Core Standards, additional research and discussion on the purpose of schooling will continue.

In part I, the authors identify and challenge the five common arguments made against the use of standardized tests in public schools. These arguments relate to bias against minority students, lack of authentic assessments, teachers teaching to the test, and students suffering significant stress that harms their self‐esteem (Zwaagstera et al., 2010). The authors discredit the merit of these arguments and contend that “standardized tests must be one of several types of instruments that good teachers use to determine if their students are learning what they are teaching” (p. 34). Again, they present a common sense approach to formative and summative assessment and how they are an “integral part of the learning process in schools” (p. 36).

What's Wrong with Our Schools and How We can Fix Them not only focuses on these longstanding issues and others such as student discipline, inclusion v. exclusion, and effective teachers and schools but also focuses on parents, teachers, administrators, school boards and legislators working together to respond to the ever changing concerns and increased accountability in public education. The foundation and 30 years of research of effective schools by Dr Lezotte and his colleagues, Ron Edmonds and Wilbur Brookover are not referenced in the text specifically but it does cite Dr Marzano's synthesis of research on similar issues such as strong school leadership, a safe and orderly environment, a guaranteed and viable curriculum, challenging academic goals, effective feedback, professional and collegial teachers, parental involvement and community support which continue to be essential and key components for thriving and successful schools (Zwaagstera et al., 2010).

Part II focuses on the practicality of classrooms: teacher‐centered, direct instruction, and rote learning with practice which is a return to back‐to‐the‐basics approach in education. The arguments made throughout these chapters suggest that teachers need to return to direct instruction approach instead of the “learning facilitators or coaches” (p. 100). In today's educational settings, school leaders face more challenges than ever before so the traditional, back‐to‐the‐basics methods may work for some students. As an administrator, I believe that if it had worked for all students over the past decades then teachers would not be looking for more progressive methods of teaching. I agree with the authors' assertion that:

[…] good teachers need the freedom to choose their instructional methods, both traditional and progressive, and should not be considered effective or ineffective solely on the basis of their ideological loyalties or dispositions, but, ultimately, on whether or not the methods they use improve their students' achievement (p. 112).

Educational reform is upon us more and more each year and yet “the primary responsibility for the accountability for school systems rests with those who officially govern them” (p. 164). Zwaagstra, Clifton, and Long interrogate “why should our notion of common sense guide the efforts to improve public education?” (p. 179) and I agree with them that too many current policies and practices in today's schools lack a common sense approach. “I appreciate that the authors do not expect readers to agree with everything” (p. 184) that is recommended in their book.

Overall, this book will have some parents, teachers, administrators, and local school boards to have some “aha ha” moments that truly are common sense. Lastly, the recommendations in the conclusion are very well laid out for readers and align to each chapter in a concise manner making it an easy read for all who have an interest in improving today's schools.