Book Review
A collection of book reviews from the staff at Education Week
Education
Book Review
New in Print
Writing in the spirit that “it takes a village to educate a child,” Price, a former president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League who is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, urges educators to look beyond schoolhouse walls for solutions to achievement gaps and high dropout rates. Parent involvement is key, he says, but schools should also ally themselves with community organizations to promote a broader culture focused on academic success. Through examples of such partnerships, he illustrates ways that co-sponsored celebrations and incentives have been used to motivate students, particularly those from disadvantaged groups. He also addresses their practicalities, such as planning, funding, and manpower, and offers guidance on getting the media to cover these events. Though the models he cites are largely from cities, Price believes they can be replicated elsewhere. Educators seeking a blueprint may find the book a valuable resource.
Urban Education
Writing in the spirit that “it takes a village to educate a child,” Price, a former president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League who is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, urges educators to look beyond schoolhouse walls for solutions to achievement gaps and high dropout rates. Parent involvement is key, he says, but schools should also ally themselves with community organizations to promote a broader culture focused on academic success. Through examples of such partnerships, he illustrates ways that co-sponsored celebrations and incentives have been used to motivate students, particularly those from disadvantaged groups. He also addresses their practicalities, such as planning, funding, and manpower, and offers guidance on getting the media to cover these events. Though the models he cites are largely from cities, Price believes they can be replicated elsewhere. Educators seeking a blueprint may find the book a valuable resource.
Education
Book Review
New in Print
The highs and lows of teaching, religion in secondary schools, summer opportunities for teens, and more.
Education
Book Review
New in Print
English-language learners, college admissions, Golden books, and more.
Education
Book Review
New in Print
Dr. Seuss' first children's book, the generation gap, school reform, and more.
Education
Book Review
Also of Note
A dictionary of "edspeak," a book of mnemonic devices, a history of the IQ test, and more.
School & District Management
Book Review
Writer Laments ‘Apartheid’ Schooling
Jonathan Kozol has been writing about education and the lives of poor and minority children since 1967, when he published Death at an Early Age, the story of his year as a teacher in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood. For his latest book, The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America, released this month by Crown Publishers, Mr. Kozol visited some 60 schools in 11 states. He discussed his findings with Staff Writer John Gehring.
Education
Book Review
New in Print
A sports journalist’s recounting of the history, evolution, and impact of Title IX, the federal law guaranteeing equal rights for women in educational programs—including athletic programs—that receive federal funds. In addition to summarizing how courts and colleges have read (and misread) the law, the author offers from his reporting a collection of personal stories that illuminate its meaning in the lives of women and girls, as well as the culture of the nation.
ATHLETICS
A sports journalist’s recounting of the history, evolution, and impact of Title IX, the federal law guaranteeing equal rights for women in educational programs—including athletic programs—that receive federal funds. In addition to summarizing how courts and colleges have read (and misread) the law, the author offers from his reporting a collection of personal stories that illuminate its meaning in the lives of women and girls, as well as the culture of the nation.
Education
Book Review
New in Print
The creator of some of the nation’s most innovative professional-development programs for educators offers a hands-on primer for school leaders on how they can “buck the system from within” and create a culture of continuous improvement.
Education
Book Review
Book Excerpt: Dreams and Labels
Behind the various labels affixed to troubled teens are individuals who are smart, funny, and empathetic, writes author David L. Marcus.
Curriculum
Book Review
For Young Readers
The puzzlelike tale of an escaped robber's real—or imagined—rendezvous with a commuter train is one that will draw your class together.
