Waiting for "SUPERMAN": How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools

by Participant, Karl Weber (Editor)

Overview

Each book includes a 15 gift card from DonorsChoose.org to give to a classroom in need.

The American public school system is in crisis, failing millions of students, producing as many drop-outs as graduates, and threatening our economic future. By 2020, the United States will have 123 million high-skill jobs to fill — and fewer than 50 million Americans qualified to fill them. Educators, parents, political leaders, business people, and concerned citizens are determined to save our educational system. Waiting for "Superman" offers powerful insights from some of those at the leading edge of educational innovation, including Bill and Melinda Gates, Michelle Rhee, Geoffrey Canada, and more. Waiting for "Superman" is an inspiring call for reform and includes special chapters that provide resources, ideas, and hands-on suggestions for improving the schools in your own community as well as throughout the nation. For parents, teachers, and concerned citizens alike, Waiting for "Superman" is an essential guide to the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing America's schools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781586489274
Publisher:	PublicAffairs
Publication date:	09/14/2010
Edition description:	Media tie-in
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	9.46(w) x 11.06(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

Karl Weber is a writer and editor based in New York. He collaborated with Muhammad Yunus on his bestseller Creating a World Without Poverty, edited The Best of I.F. Stone, and, with Andrew W. Savitz, coauthored The Triple Bottom Line: How Today's Best-Run Companies Are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success — And How You Can Too. He edited the previous bestselling Participant Media Guides, Food, Inc., and Waiting for "Superman."

Table of Contents

Prologue-The Problem

1 A Nation Still At Risk 3

Part I The Film

Introduction: Waiting for "Superman"-The Story Behind the Movie 15

Voices from Waiting for "Superman" 23

2 The Making of Waiting for "Superman" Davis Guggenheim 27

3 The Road to Super Tuesday Lesley Chilcott 49

Part II Francisco

Introduction: Francisco's Story 67

4 How Schools Kill Neighborhoods-and Can Help Save Them Bill Strickland 69

5 The Difference Is Great Teachers Eric Hanushek 81

Part III Emily

Introduction: Emily's Story 103

6 Calling All Citizens Eric Schwarz 105

Part IV Anthony

Introduction: Anthony's Story 125

7 Putting Kids First Michelle Rhee 127

8 Five Foundations for Student Success Randi Weingarten 143

Part V Bianca

Introduction: Bianca's Story 165

9 What Really Makes a Super School? Jay Mathews 167

Part VI Daisy

Introduction: Daisy's Story 187

10 Bringing Change to Scale: The Next Big Reform Challenge Geoffrey Canada 189

11 Educating America's Young People for the Global Economy Bill Melinda Gates 201

Part VII What You Can do

12 How You Can Make a Difference: The Alliance for Excellent Education 215

13 Web Sites and Organizations Devoted to Children, Schools, and Education Reform 229

14 Mom Congress Lesson Plan for Change: Editors of Parenting magazine 253

Notes 265

Index 271