The Village Proposal: Education as a Shared Responsibility

by Christopher Paslay

Overview

The Village Proposal is based on the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. Part education commentary, part memoir, the book analyzes the theme of shared responsibility in public schools and evaluates the importance of sound teacher instruction; the effectiveness of America's teacher colleges; the need for strong school leaders and supports; the need for strong parental and community involvement; the effectiveness of multiculturalism and social justice in closing the achievement gap; the relevancy of education policy; the impact of private business and politics on schools; and how the media and technology are influencing education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610480604
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	09/01/2011
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Christopher Paslay teaches high school English in the Philadelphia School District where he's worked since 1997. He's a frequent contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, where his articles on education and school reform often appear.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Temple Rejection
Chapter 2 Winter of Hope
Chapter 3 Teachers: The Decisive Element
Chapter 4 Spring of Despair
Chapter 5 Teaching the Teachers
Chapter 6 First Year
Chapter 7 School Leaders and Supports
Chapter 8 A Day in the Life
Chapter 9 Family and the Community
Chapter 10 Revelation
Chapter 11 Multiculturalism and the Achievement Gap
Chapter 12 Teaching Shakespeare
Chapter 13 Policy Matters
Chapter 14 Arrival
Chapter 15 Politics
Chapter 16 Later Years
Chapter 17 Pop Culture and Technology
Chapter 18 The Greatest Gift

Editorial Reviews

Chris Paslay uses personal memoir and documented research to make you think, really think, about education in our country. This is a must-read for every faculty book club.

Cindi Rigsbee

Many educational books are written by so called 'educational experts' who would not last a day teaching in an urban high school. It is refreshing to read a book by someone who has walked the walk. This book is a well-written account by an actual insider of his challenges of teaching in a large, urban school setting, and what it takes to succeed in this environment. Chris Paslay comes to the conclusion that a teacher is the most important element of a student's success in school, but they aren't the only element. For a student to succeed, it really does involve a shared responsibility of 'the village' with the teacher as the point person.

Brian Malloy

The Village Proposal shows the success and failure of America's public school system from top to bottom, and explains how everyone needs to have accountability when it comes to educating children. It's a great read for those interested in the perspectives of an everyday schoolteacher.

James Tarabocchia

Public schools have been blamed for every ill created by the larger society: poverty, the breakdown of a strong family unit, adolescent crime, adult crime, etc. Those who place the blame, the school reformers, rarely visit schools or walk in the shoes of teachers, yet expect teachers to cure all the ills that society has placed on generations of children. These same reformers, from time to time, find magic bullets that they profess will turn schools around. First and foremost, teacher unions must be abolished, tenure must be abolished, pay based on credentials and experience must be abolished, and bad teachers must be fired. Lost in all the reform talk, is the voice of the teacher. Christopher Paslay is a teacher who knows what students need and what teachers need to help students achieve and succeed. We applaud his efforts in the classroom, in the school and now in his effort to inform the larger community by authoring The Village Proposal. We are also proud to have him as a member of our union, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

Jerry T. Jordan

Explore the learning process through the eyes of a teacher and understand how education must change if we are to recapture our past success. The Village Proposal also challenges those in the education business to stop exploiting problems for their own benefit. It is a must read and as it clearly demonstrates, there are no simple solutions and only by working together can we effectively change education.

Harry Vincenzi Ed.D

This book is a must read for anyone truly interested in the fight to reform our schools. Paslay's honest account of his life and the challenges he faced to become a successful teacher in urban schools is exactly what is missing from today's policy debates; the insightful perspective of someone who has been in the arena where too many fear to tread.

Jack Stollsteimer