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We often hear about the need to make demands on all students, especially those of color, of different cultural backgrounds, and from low income families. A lot of educators talk the talk, but only a few have actually walked the walk. One of the few American schools that actually made substantial strides in improving education for low-income students was Garfield High school in the 1980s. The success of Jaime Escalante, Garfield's calculus teacher, was depicted in the 1987 film Stand and Deliver. This film is often shown in education classes and teacher inservices. Unfortunately, Hollywood played rather freely with the facts and created a film that is a poor guide for teachers and administrators who want to recreate Escalante's experience. The reality, however, is even more wonderful than the film, and, unlike the Hollywood fantasy, is replicable. When coauthor Jerry Jesness interviewed Jaime Escalante about the secret of his success, the first four words Escalante spoke were, 'Our principal, Henry Gradillas_ .' In this book, Dr. Gradillas shares both his upbeat philosophy of education and the practical school management techniques that helped translate that philosophy into success for thousands of students over three decades. The book focuses on three areas that are key to the operation of an effective school: School climate, instruction, and curriculum. It includes many references to the Garfield experience, as well as to other schools where Gradillas was at the helm.
Chapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Preface Chapter 3 Chapter I - Who is Responsible for Making Schools Effective? Chapter 4 Chapter II - The Power of High Expectations Chapter 5 Chapter III - Fostering Effective Schools Chapter 6 Chapter IV - Establishing a Positive School Climate Chapter 7 Chapter V - Delivery of Instruction Chapter 8 Chapter VI - The Power of the Curriculum Chapter 9 Chapter VII - Special Instructional Programs Chapter 10 Chapter VIII - PE, Sports, and Other Activities Chapter 11 Chapter IX - Understanding and Controlling Gang Activity Chapter 12 Chapter X - Selecting, Supervising, and Supporting the Teaching Staff Chapter 13 Chapter XI - Winning Over the Kids Chapter 14 Chapter XII - Involving the Parents Chapter 15 Chapter XIII - Other Support Groups Chapter 16 Chapter XIV - Dealing With Other Powers That Be Chapter 17 Chapter XV - The Garfield Model, Then and Now Chapter 18 Afterword
Overview
We often hear about the need to make demands on all students, especially those of color, of different cultural backgrounds, and from low income families. A lot of educators talk the talk, but only a few have actually walked the walk. One of the few American schools that actually made substantial strides in improving education for low-income students was Garfield High school in the 1980s. The success of Jaime Escalante, Garfield's calculus teacher, was depicted in the 1987 film Stand and Deliver. This film is ...