ABSTRACT
School reform of one kind or another is a priority for education systems the world over. Yet the voices of students - those most affected by, and most pivotal to, the success or failure of any program of school reform - are rarely heard on this topic. This is the first book to look at school reform from the perspective of the students. The studies included in this collection focus on reform initiatives aimed at overcoming persistent patterns of racial, class and gender inequality. The authors combine the theoretical aspects of research with its practical applications, making this an invaluable resource for teacher educators, classroom practitioners, researchers and policymakers.
Critical Voices in School Reform: Students Living Through Change is divided into two parts. Part one describes and analyses programs of reform that turned out contrary to the intentions of adult reformers, illustrating the - often unspoken - tension between adult and student perspectives on school change. Part two looks at reform initiatives that were able to harness student energies and thereby improve pupils' engagement with school life. These reforms, which are finely attuned to the needs and interests of students, offer clear, valuable guidance to those trying to create more equitable school experiences. A concluding chapter draws together the themes and insights gained from looking at school reform through a student-centred lens and offers suggestions for more relevant and lasting reform.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |2 pages
PART I school reform
chapter 2|25 pages
On different tracks: students living detracking reform at a diverse urban high school
chapter 3|17 pages
“There’s not really discussion happening”: students’ experiences of identity-based curricular reform
chapter 4|19 pages
Constructing and resisting a theory of difference: student experiences in California’s Single Gender Academies
part |2 pages
PART II Deliberate aims