About the Book
If we want our students to be prepared for a life involved with artificial intelligence, global awareness, cultural understanding, racial, religious and lifestyle diversity, and changing economic and political realities, then we have to change what we are doing in our schools from pre-school to graduate school. We can no longer wait for large-scale reforms to develop, because those reforms will only occur due to some kind of tragedy. If schools are going to reform proactively, educators in each school and in each district have to lead the way.
Table of Contents:
Foreword by Gavin Henning
Preface
Introduction
I. Reform before it is Too Late
Carlton J. Fitzgerald and Simona Laurian-Fitzgerald
II. A Call for Change from Within the Classroom
Christopher Geraghty
III. Eliminating Exams from Gateway College Mathematics Courses: Going Beyond Corequisite Mathematics
Richard A. Andrusiak
IV. Every Child Must Be Valued
Amanda Bastoni
V. Challenging Status Quo from One Superintendent’s Perspective
Ruthann Petruno-Goguen
VI. What Next: Boom or Bust
Carlton J. Fitzgerald and Simona Laurian-Fitzgerald
References
About the Authors
About the Author :
Richard A. Andrusiak is a mathematics professor and department chair at River Valley Community College in Claremont, NH. He is certified as an elementary mathematics specialist, 7–12 mathematics educator, and curriculum coordinator. His work and research in mathematics education focuses on curriculum development, students’ attitudes toward mathematics, and equity and access issues. Dr. Andrusiak is a former NH State Supervisor of K–12 mathematics, where he worked with professors, public school teachers, and other mathematics specialists around the nation on improving mathematics education.
Amanda Bastoni is an award winning author, grant writer, educational leader, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director in the Nashua School District, NH. She is certified as a CTE teacher, principal, vice-principal, and CTE Director. She has developed new pathways and programs targeted to meet the needs of English Language Learners and non-traditional students, created interdisciplinary courses, organized fundraising campaigns, developed educational publicity programs, and written educational articles for local and national outlets. In 2019, Dr. Bastoni was named NH CTE State Leader of the Year.
Carlton J. Fitzgerald has been an educator since 1971. He was a classroom teacher for 12 years, working mostly with reluctant or struggling students. He was a public school administrator for 24 years, working at all levels for his school district. In 2007, he began his fulltime work at New England College, where he served as an associate professor of education, Director of the MED program, and Associate Dean of Education. Dr. Fitzgerald presently is retired from full-time work and lives in Romania, serving as an adjunct faculty member both at NEC and the University of Oradea (Romania).
Christopher Geraghty is a social studies educator and department chair at Kearsarge Regional High School located in North Sutton, NH. He is certified as a 5–12 Social Studies Educator and a school Principal by the state of New Hampshire. Dr. Geraghty also serves as a social studies instructional coach for the Center for Secondary School Redesign, and guest lecturer at New England College, teaching graduate courses with a focus on inquiry-based education and the integration of STEAM across the curriculum.
Simona Laurian-Fitzgerald is an associate professor at the University of Oradea (Romania). Her specialty areas include children’s literature, education, and English. Prior to her work at the university, she was an elementary teacher for five years. Dr. Laurian-Fitzgerald’s research interests include cooperative learning and other student-centered teaching and learning strategies. She has experience working with students online, in hybrid classes, as well as her face-to-face classes. She also works with teachers to help them develop their skills for advancement in their careers.
Ruthann Petruno-Goguen is currently the superintendent of schools for the Webster Public Schools; a “turnaround” district in Massachusetts. Dr. Petruno-Goguen is an experienced educator and change-agent, with over twenty years of experience serving children and teachers in rural, urban, and suburban school districts.
Review :
This diverse group of authors and world-class educators have joined forces to light up the sky with illuminating stories of hope and possibility, along with a warning flare about the unacceptable state of America’s schools. We must change course dramatically, fundamental, and ‘now’, if we are to save our system of public education and our children’s futures. The authors call upon those “outsiders” who have controlled America’s public education system for the past 30 years to admit their monstrous failure and step aside. It is time for “insiders”, teachers and their students, to join as partners and co-create our nation’s schools and classrooms, based on student-centered, equity-driven, inquiry -based, project- oriented, talent-focused, forward-looking teaching and learning practices, along with the elimination of testing and expanded use of formative assessment as the core elements of school transformation. This essential book shows how the authors are creating rigorous new learning models and new relationships between teachers and learners that are breathing joy, life, and dreams of a bright future for every child into our schools and classrooms. Their important stories show us what we can achieve tomorrow, if we have the will and courage to stand up together and reclaim teaching, learning and our schools today.
The authors make the case on why our educational system needs to be transformed, not reformed. They state (perhaps surprisingly) that reform is easy, while transformation is difficult. True transformation will lead to immediate, lasting benefits for the major stakeholders involved in education (students and teachers) and ultimately lead to a better situation for all. Reformation of education seems to satisfy no one except politicians and testing companies. The authors go on to explain there is a mountain of evidence that the traditional mathematical pathways offered by many colleges and universities are a barrier to success for most students. While the corequisite models being developed by many of these institutions of higher learning show promise, they are only the beginning of the change necessary. They propose an idea that would be found blasphemous in most traditional departments: eliminating testing as the major form of assessment.
The authors energy and determination to implement a vision that addresses the needs of all students in constructive collaboration with educators is clearly represented in this book. This is a timely offering and a must read for anyone committed to constructive dynamic change.
No one would argue that the world has changed dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. However, our educational system has stagnated, clinging to a past that no longer exists. In failing to keep pace with the world around it, it has failed an ever growing portion of the students that it is intended to serve by not helping each and every one to reach their full potential. Furthermore, it has failed industry by not providing the workforce necessary to compete in today’s global economy, and it has failed society by not giving all students the skills necessary to support themselves as contributing members of society. Our educational system is in dire need of transformational change. Inside is a refreshing, thought provoking and broad ranging collection of ideas from multiple experienced perspectives on how to begin this process today and make this much needed transformation a reality.
