Diane Ravitch passionately advocates for public education as essential to democracy, presenting a collection of her significant writings. She critiques the commercialization of education, warning against viewing parents as consumers, students as mere products, and teachers as passive participants. Through her insights, Ravitch emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of public education and its role in fostering an informed and engaged citizenry.
This anthology features a diverse collection of 200 significant writings, including poems, speeches, songs, and essays, that reflect the rich tapestry of American culture and history. Each piece has been selected for its readability and impact, showcasing the voices that have shaped the national consciousness. The writings highlight contributions from various groups, including African Americans, immigrants, and Native Americans, illustrating the complexities of identity and experience that contribute to the nation's character.
From one of the foremost authorities on education in the United States, Slaying Goliath is an impassioned, inspiring look at the ways in which parents, teachers, and activists are successfully fighting back to defeat the forces that are trying to privatize America’s public schools. Diane Ravitch writes of a true grassroots movement sweeping the country, from cities and towns across America, a movement dedicated to protecting public schools from those who are funding privatization and who believe that America’s schools should be run like businesses and that children should be treated like customers or products. Slaying Goliath is about the power of democracy, about the dangers of plutocracy, and about the potential of ordinary people—armed like David with only a slingshot of ideas, energy, and dedication—to prevail against those who are trying to divert funding away from our historic system of democratically governed, nonsectarian public schools. Among the lessons learned from the global pandemic of 2020 is the importance of our public schools and their teachers and the fact that distance learning can never replace human interaction, the pesonal connection between teachers and students.
The book explores a century of debate surrounding the quality of American education, highlighting the tension between academic achievement and social progress. Diane Ravitch, an education historian, critiques past reform efforts that aimed to use schools for social engineering, ultimately undermining their educational effectiveness. By examining the historical context of these challenges, she offers insights into how to revitalize American schools for the future, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing high-quality education for all children.
Celebrated for its insightful portrayal of New York City, this book delves into the vibrant tapestry of urban life, exploring the city's unique culture, history, and the diverse characters that inhabit it. With compelling narratives and vivid descriptions, it captures the essence of the city, making it a must-read for both locals and visitors. Its recognition as one of the Ten Best Books about New York City by the New York Times underscores its significance and impact on understanding this iconic metropolis.
From one of the foremost authorities on education in the United States, former U.S. assistant secretary of education, an incisive, comprehensive look at today’s American school system that argues against those who claim it is broken and beyond repair; an impassioned but reasoned call to stop the privatization movement that is draining students and funding from our public schools. In a chapter-by-chapter breakdown she puts forth a plan for what can be done to preserve and improve our public schools. She makes clear what is right about U.S. education, how policy makers are failing to address the root causes of educational failure, and how we can fix it.
Sylvia Barrett arrives at New York City’s Calvin Coolidge High fresh from earning literature degrees at Hunter College and eager to shape young minds. Instead she encounters broken windows, a lack of supplies, a stifling bureaucracy, and students with no interest in Chaucer. Her bumpy yet ultimately rewarding journey is narrated through an extraordinary collection of correspondence—sternly worded yet nonsensical administrative memos, furtive notes of wisdom from teacher to teacher, “polio consent slips,” and student homework assignments that unwittingly speak from the heart. An instant bestseller when it was first published in 1964, Up the Down Staircase remains as poignant, devastating, laugh-out-loud funny, and relevant today as ever. It timelessly depicts a beleaguered public school system redeemed by teachers who love to teach and students who long to be recognized.
The Language Police critiques the evolving landscape of language and censorship, particularly in education and media. It highlights the absurdities faced by various groups, including actresses, students, and the elite, as they navigate a world where certain words and expressions are deemed unacceptable. Ravitch's work serves as a warning about the implications of erasing language and the impact on communication and expression, making it a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the intersection of language, culture, and societal norms.
A passionate plea to preserve and renew public education, The Death and Life of the Great American School System is a radical change of heart from one of America’s best-known education experts. Diane Ravitch—former assistant secretary of education and a leader in the drive to create a national curriculum—examines her career in education reform and repudiates positions that she once staunchly advocated. Drawing on over forty years of research and experience, Ravitch critiques today’s most popular ideas for restructuring schools, including privatization, standardized testing, punitive accountability, and the feckless multiplication of charter schools. She shows conclusively why the business model is not an appropriate way to improve schools. Using examples from major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver, and San Diego, Ravitch makes the case that public education today is in peril. Ravitch includes clear prescriptions for improving America’s schools:*Leave decisions about schools to educators, not politicians or businessmen*Devise a truly national curriculum that sets out what children in every grade should be learning*Expect charter schools to educate the kids who need help the most, not to compete with public schools*Pay teachers a fair wage for their work, not “merit pay” based on deeply flawed and unreliable test scores*Encourage family involvement in education from an early ageThe Death and Life of the Great American School System is more than just an analysis of the state of play of the American education system. It is a must-read for any stakeholder in the future of American schooling.
