Making Large Schools Work: The Advantages of Small Schools

About the Book

American schools are undergoing huge changes, among the most significant of which is that their size is increasing rapidly. This book lays out very practical approaches to making our ever-increasingly large schools work more effectively. By closely analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of large schools, the author can provide effective tools and strategies for dealing with them. Shapiro digs away at the foreseen and unforeseen consequences of this rapid escalation of size, and presents practical, tried-and-true strategies for undoing some of the more unfortunate results of this social trend or drift.

Table of Contents:

Part 3 SECTION I: SIZE GENERATES SHOALS WHICH CAN WRECK US
Part 4 SECTION II: HOW ORGANIZATIONS (READ SCHOOLS) WORK - THEIR DYNAMICS
Part 5 SECTION III: STRATEGIES ON HOW TO GET THERE
Part 6 SECTION IV: THREE CASE STUDIES TO DEMONSTRATE HOW TO PULL OFF IMPROVING SCHOOLS BY DECENTRALIZING
Part 7 SECTION V: WHAT DID WE DO? WHY DID IT WORK? HOW CAN I DO IT?: BY BUILDING AN INFRA-STRUCTURE AND CULTURE TO MAKE IT WORK - ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL

About the Author :
Arthur Shapiro is a theoretically-based practitioner who is professor of education in the College of Education at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

Review :
Arthur Shapiro is eminently qualified to write a treatise on such an important and prescient subject as reforming the way we structure American high schools. Much of the literature on the topic is prescriptive without mindful attention to reasoned thinking and extant research. Shapiro provides both. Making Large Schools Work debunks widely held assumptions about the efficacy of large schools and will offer educators and policy makers alike with philosophical and scientific data needed to decentralize high schools into small learning communities. The book brilliantly combines theory and practice in its attempt to eschew complacency about such a critical topic. Detractors will point to the impracticality of such advocacy given the current economic climate. Don't allow such a subterfuge to derail our long-term efforts to improve our schools. The vision for high schools that Shapiro advocates, realistically, won't transform schools overnight, but this volume is necessarily to lay the groundwork necessary for the hard work ahead. Well written with many examples and case studies, this volume will contribute mightily to efforts to reform our high schools in the twenty-first century. Small is beautiful. In Making Large Schools Work, Shapiro proves it. This book is highly recommended to future school leaders and teacher leaders.... Highly recommended. Utilizing a metaphor involving navigating through the rough waters of our educational systems, the author charts a course for keeping afloat the operation of large schools. With Shapiro at the helm, educational crews can use this book to provide the necessary expertise and support to sail into the sunset of higher student achievement through the revisiting of seawalls through decentralizing; small and professional learning communities, and effective use of curricular and teacher re- planning in large schools. A must-read for all large schools in the country!