Full Description
In the seventies, countries lauded American education as one of the best systems in the world. Then came the accountability movement. What was measured was what counted. Those who measured low were punished. Those who measured high were rewarded. With measurements came the loss of emphasis on the critical thought so necessary to the preservation of American democracy and improving the American way of life.
Where do children learn the skills, practice and habits of democracy? Sharron Goldman Walker's second volume on democracy in education asks educators, especially teachers and principals, to contemplate their roles in education and its connections with the preservation of American democracy. Do we send children to school to learn only how to achieve high scores on high stakes tests? If democracy is not learned by practice in the schoolhouse, how will children recognize it when they leave it? Will they be able to critically reflect upon the issues presented to them? Today's politics have descended into mutual shouting matches, name-calling, hate and fear. Without the ability to critically reflect upon divergent views through reasoned discourse what will be the quality of the democracy? If democracy in education is not practiced in the schoolhouse, democracy in America will vanish.
Contents
Introduction
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Prologue
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Dialogue 1
, Just Who Are The Modern Day Goths?
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Case Study 1
, Teachers Ought Not To Be Governed Like Animals For The Pleasure Of Their Riders
Teacher Trey Pidation recalls the time when he did not sleep in a Procrustean bed.
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Dialogue 2
, Has Democratic Living Become A Habit Of Mind?
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Case Study 2
, Democracy Is A Way Of Life That Does Not Come Automatically To Us
Teacher Reed Linkquich learns the practice of democracy.
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Dialogue 3
, Is Democracy Something Teachers And Principals Do?
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Case Study 3
, Democracy Is Pragmatic With No Implicit Teaching Formula
Principal Ann Engagement describes the seven periods of teachers.
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Dialogue 4
, Is Democratic Living Learned Through Osmosis?
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Case Study 4
, Teachers Who Create Clones Create Principals Who Clone Teachers
Principal Dina Macksy reads from her journals about her cloning process.
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Dialogue 5
, Is Your Philosophy Of People More Relevant Than Your Philosophy Of Education?
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Case Study 5
, Who Is The Schoolhouse Really About?
Tyro teacher Dina Macksy meets Goth leadership at a faculty meeting.
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Dialogue 6
, How Does Control Create Tensions Between The Goths And Democratic Accountability?
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Case Study 6
, Democracy In Education An Be Practiced By Teachers
Megan Chainges practices democracy and moves into the sixth period of teaching.
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Dialogue 7
, Are Education And Democracy More About Clouds Than Clouds?
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Case Study 7
, Democracy In Education Can Be Practiced By Teachers And Principals
Principal Ann Engagement practices democracy and moves into the sixth period of schoolhouse leadership.
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Epilogue
, Avoiding the Demise of Democracy
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References
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About the Author
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