Peter E. Pflaum - Golden Globe - The Synergy Network
http://www.wiredbrain.net/  pflaump@wiredbrain.com

This topic takes the theme: SMALL SCHOOLS, EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS

A building is not a school. It can be made into many schools. 

Teachers in one-room schoolhouses almost never lectured.  These
teachers knew that there wasn't much they could say
simultaneously to a roomful of kids of different ages and stages
of learning.  So teachers moved from one group of two or three
students to another.  Because they couldn't spend much time with
any group, they usually assigned some work to each, making sure
that the group had a pretty good idea of how to proceed. 
Periodically the teacher would return  to each group to make sure
the work was being done  correctly and to offer more help where
it was needed.  And teachers frequently asked students who'd
mastered a particular task to help those who were still
struggling to learn it.

  What one-room teachers did out of necessity -- avoid teacher
talk and get kids to learn on their own or in small groups -- is
actually a superior way of getting them to learn (Shanker in
Fiske, 1991, p. 90).  (Goodlad, 1984) offers an in-depth
examination of 38 elementary, junior high, and high schools. 
Goodlad and his associates determined that these schools were
representative of contemporary American education.  The author
details findings and offers restructuring plans.  A major aspect
of these plans is the multiage nongraded approach. 


   Multiage nongraded grouping in American education offers a
framework where quality can be found through development of
uniquely appropriate strategies.  Quality is realizing the
potential within an environment. Choice in District 4

   Quality was the concern in Community School District 4, East
Harlem, New York.  Choice developed as a way to improve education
of inner-city students.  Almost all students are members of
minority groups.  There is a high poverty level.  Test scores of
District 4 in the early 1970's were lowest or almost the lowest
of all 32 school districts of New York City.  Superintendent
Anthony Alvarado gave teachers and administrators opportunities
and authority to improve education in their classes by devising
their own programs.  They then received resources to "turn their
ideas into little schools" (Fiske, 1991, p. 181).  Students and
parents who shared their vision could choose to attend a
particular school.

   In 1974 Deborah Meier with 100 children opened Central Park
East Elementary School.  The school served grades K-2 only. 
Children who attended came because their parents chose the
school.  Central Park East uses child-centered approaches to
learning and stresses content, thinking, experimenting,
discussion, research, and writing.  Dramatic success of the
school gave rise to two others, Central Park East II and River
East.  Central Park East Secondary School, part of Ted Sizer's
Coalition of Essential Schools, opened in 1985.  The 50 District
4 schools include alternative, bilingual, and theme schools.  All
began as small schools.  Rather than grow larger, popular schools
were copied in new locations.  "Less is Better" is the district
belief.  "Fewer students per school and classroom, less
bureaucracy, and less top-down management make up their reform
formula.  [Says Mrs. Meier,] `Small schools are not the answer,
but without them none of the proposed answers stands a chance'"
(Fiske, 1991, p. 184).

  Small schools seem to be happy schools.  They tend to have high
levels of participation, cooperation, and coordination.  Students
in small schools are likely to spend time on task, learn good
study habits, and become self- reliant.  Structure of the school
requires high levels of participation by all students. 
Standardized test scores appear to be at least equal to larger
schools, holding SES constant.  Small school structure offers
greater opportunity for educational quality.  Some reasons are
discussed below.  Quality in Education