The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons from America from a Small School in Harlem

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The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons for America from a Small School in Harlem (eBook) Pub. Date: 8/16/2002 Publisher: Beacon
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The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons from America from a Small School in Harlem Pub. Date: 9/1/2002 Publisher: Beacon

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Overview

Teaching the lessons of New York's most famous public schoo, Deborah Meier provides a widely acclaimed vision for the future of public education. With a new preface reflecting on the school's continuing success.

A leading voice and visionary in education teaches the lessons of her school and experience. Taking on pessimists and privatizers, Meier tells why all public education is vital to the future of the country and our children.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

An educational reformer, teacher and veteran school principal, Meier has led the movement to restructure large high schools into small, vibrant educational enclaves-schools within a school, housed within the same building. In a visionary, hopeful blueprint for revitalizing America's public schools, she first discusses her work as co-principal of Central Park East, an alternative public secondary school in East Harlem, New York, which she founded in 1974. Its students, mostly black and Hispanic, come from low-income families; 90% of them graduate high school, and 90% of those go on to college. Meier advocates small classes that encourage independent, critical thinking by using real-world exercises. Her blueprint for reform calls for enclave schools with autonomy over teaching; parents' right to choose the schools their children will attend; and student participation in socially useful, school-directed work experiences. 40,000 first printing; author tour. (Apr.)

Library Journal

Defending public education is difficult, but the best defense is by example, says Meier. As founder of the highly regarded Central Park East schools in Harlem, she has provided such examples-and more. Throughout her account, Meier stresses the need for schools that develop human beings and citizens rather than skilled workers or educated academics. Privatization would open education to extremist influences and destroy these goals, she argues. Current problems in public education are caused by economic inequities, large and unwieldy school bureaucracies, and unrealistic demands for academic performance. Overall, Meier's account is an opinionated treatise relying less on research findings or published data than on experience and positive faith in its outcome. There is much good, persuasive writing here in support of traditional, progressive education. Recommended as a solid contribution to any education collection.-Arla Lindgren, St. John's Univ., New York

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Booknews

Meier, teacher and president of the Center for Collaborative Education in New York, issues an eloquent defense of public education, describing why public education is vital to the future of our democracy and our children, and why good education is, in fact, possible, based on her experience at Central Park East, where 90 percent of the students graduate and go on to college in a city where the average graduation rate is 50 percent. Lacks an index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780807031131
Publisher: Beacon
Publication date: 8/28/2002
Edition description: None
Pages: 208
Sales rank: 266,108
Lexile: 1250L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 5.54 (w) x 10.60 (h) x 0.59 (d)

Meet the Author

Deborah Meier is founder of the Central Park East Schools and the Mission Hill School in Boston. She has been a fellow at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and is vice chair emeritus of the Coalition of Essential Schools. Her many awards include a MacArthur Prize Fellowship. She is also the author of In Schools We Trust.

	Preface 2002
	Preface 1995
1	In Defense of Public Education	3
2	Central Park East: An Alternative Story	15
3	The School at Work	47
4	Myths, Lies, and Other Dangers	67
5	Choice Can Save Public Education	91
6	Small Schools	107
7	Respect	121
8	Reinventing Teaching	129
9	It's Academic: Why Kids Don't Want to Be "Well-Educated"	161
10	On Failure, Persistance, and Public Education	179
	Suggested Readings	187

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Anonymous

Posted December 31, 2004

Inspiring

A moving and powerful blueprint for the the future of public education. I would like to visit CPESS one day to see their successful methods in action. This book opened my eyes to the potential of progressive education--I recommend it for anyone.
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Anonymous

Posted August 23, 2003

Meier's Ideas Empowering Others

Deborah Meier's 'The Power of Their Ideas' provides actual proof that it's public education in small autonomous settings (CPESS) which guards against extremism from the right or left and the apathy inbetween. As one who's been to Central Park East, I've witnessed what the power of HER vision and tenacity can accomplish. A must read for anyone beginning, currently practicing or ending a career in education,including administrators, and for the parents whose children we serve.
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