Fallacies in Education

Why Schools Are Mired in Mediocrity

Randy K. Trani, Robert K. Irvine

• Publisher: R&L Education
• Year: 2010
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781607094692
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Educational Policy

This book argues for a complete reassessment of the ways schools are conceived, organized, operated and managed. Authors Trani and Irvine challenge traditional assumptions about grade levels, teachers, students and administrators in pursuit of higher student achievement and academic excellence. Building on the methods that turned an average school district into one widely recognized as one of the best in the nation, this book argues for fundamental, logical changes to the way Americans operate their public schools.

Fallacies in Education is purposefully written to support community-based changes to schools that encourage superior achievement and educational results. This book provides a pathway for concerned parents, administrators, teachers and citizens to improve their schools with their current resources. The techniques used in Corbett to produce an academic renaissance can be used everywhere and this book provides a starting point for schools to strive for academic achievement and excellence in education. The book demonstrates how every school can better serve their students and deliver a better education without increasing costs or incurring new ones.

Table of contents

• Acknowledgments
• Chapter One Introduction
• Chapter Two Common Knowledge That Gets in the Way of Excellence
• Chapter Three Six Secrets to Creating an Excellent School
• Chapter Four School Size and Excellence: Is Bigger More Efficient? Or, Commonly Held Beliefs about the Benefits of Big Schools
• Chapter Five Configuring Instruction for Excellence: Continuous-Progress Model Versus Grade Level, Curriculum-Oriented Model
• Chapter Six Middle School: A New Approach Leads to Excellence
• Chapter Seven High School: Excellence in the Spotlight
• Chapter Eight Creating and Maintaining a Culture of Excellence
• Chapter Nine Tailor School, Schedules, and Approaches to the Local Community
• Chapter Ten Funding Excellent Schools
• Chapter Eleven Preventing Excellence: Bandaging Self-Inflicted Wounds
• Chapter Twelve The Future and Thoughts on Trends Toward and Away from Excellence
• Chapter Thirteen How to Create an Excellent School if You Are a: Parent, Teacher, Student, Administrator, or School Board Member
• Chapter Fourteen Pathway to Excellence: Next Steps and Conclusions
• Appendix Multi-Age Resources and FAQs
• About the Author