Be the change : reinventing school for student success / Linda Darling-Hammond, Nicky Ramos-Beban, Rebecca Padnos Altamirano, Maria E. Hyler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Darling-Hammond, Linda, 1951- author.

Ramos-Beban, Nicky, author.

Altamirano, Rebecca Padnos, author.

Hyler, Maria E., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

East Palo Alto Academy (East Palo Alto, Calif.).

Low-income high school students--California--East Palo Alto.

Low-income high school students.

Educational change--California--East Palo Alto.

Educational change.

Academic achievement--California--East Palo Alto.

Academic achievement.

California--East Palo Alto.

Physical Description:

xiii, 250 pages ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Teachers College Press, [2016]

Summary:

Be the Change tells the remarkable story of an innovative public high school launched by dedicated teachers in East Palo Alto, California, one of a growing number of low-income communities starved of the resources needed to serve its students and schools. Chronicling a rags-to-riches story of how two very different communities came together to change the historical trajectory of educational failure that had robbed so many students of their futures, Be the Change demonstrates how to plant the seeds of new possibilities in its place. The school's unique design, modeled after successful small schools in New York City, offers authentic and engaging instruction in a personalized setting that has allowed students who start off far behind to graduate and go on to college in record numbers. Each chapter examines one of the critical elements the teachers found essential to enable student success: the creation of an academic culture, the development of high standards with high supports, and the process of learning to teach so that students can learn. Filled with the deep knowledge of education leaders and a team of dedicated teachers, and guided throughout by the expertise of renowned educator Linda Darling-Hammond, this book will help improve student outcomes not just in East Palo Alto but in ALL schools. Book Features: A performance-oriented, college-preparatory model for school success that includes advisories, inquiry learning, and capstone projects. Valuable tools for schools including guidelines and policies, curriculum designs, student guidebooks, performance rubrics, and more. Real-world stories of how specific obstacles were overcome and new Common Core State Standards were incorporated. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 The Beginning of Hope 1

A Tale of Two Cities 2

A School of Our Own 4

First Steps 7

This Book 11

2 The Kids, the Community, and the Context 14

The Students 15

The Community 21

The School Building 23

The Faculty 24

The Context 25

3 Personalizing School 32

The Advantages of Small Size 34

Structures for Personalization 35

Advisory in Action 41

Personalizing to Support Positive Behavior 48

Nonviolent Conflict Resolution 57

The Impact of Determined Personalization 58

4 Creating an Academic Culture 61

Confronting the Challenges 61

Developing Strategies for Building Culture 65

Establishing Habits of Mind 66

Making School Rigorous and Relevant 68

Creating Life Goals and a College-Going Vision 78

Realizing an Academic Culture 83

5 High Standards with High Supports 87

Setting the Standard: The Five Community Habits 88

Enacting a Philosophy of Revision and Redemption 91

Demonstrating the Standard: Performance Exhibitions 92

Linking High Expectations with Strong Student Supports 106

6 Learning to Teach So Students Can Learn 114

The Context for Teaching 115

Strategies for Teaching Diverse Learners to High Standards 116

Outcomes for Students and Staff 129

7 A Professional Place 133

Designing a Professional Learning Community 133

Creating Structures and Practices to Support Professional Learning 136

Becoming a Professional Teacher: Marysol's Story 151

Conclusion 159

8 Life After High School 160

Getting into College 161

Getting to College 164

Getting Through College 168

Coming Home Again 175

The Enduring Impact of East Palo Alto Academy 178

9 The Continuing Journey 181

Continuity and Change 183

A New Day in California 190

Essential Practices 191

Policy Implications 203.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780807757437

0807757438

OCLC:

927438740