Beverly Bimes-Michalak has probably
been in more urban classrooms than any other person in America, writes her
publisher. An experienced junior and senior high English teacher, selected
National Teacher of the Year in 1980, Michalak has spent the last decade
working with middle-school teachers across the nation to improve instruction
and student performance. Teaching for Achievement presents: (1)
pedagogical principles that have raised student achievement; (2) classroom-tested
and research-based strategies; (3) exemplary lessons from some of America's
most talented teachers; and (4) abundant illustrations of urban students'
work.
In her introduction
to "Teaching for Achievement," Michalak writes:
No one teacher can possibly have all of the answers for the challenging task of restoring hope and awakening these defeated students to the possibilities of a fulfilled life. Research shows that in successful schools faculties spend time collaborating on instruction and having meaningful conversations about learning and students. Yet, many teachers never have the opportunity to collaborate with other teachers about instruction, increasing their sense of isolation and hopelessness.Michalak's book is chock-full of the insights of a master teacher-mentor. Its 300-plus pages include many lesson ideas, rubrics, assessment models and other "handouts" that make it clear the book was written with teachers in mind. But Michalak is not afraid to raise the tough issues, either. In her final chapter, "Putting It Together: Reform, Standards and Other Stuff," she writes:
During the past ten years, I have been part of a national network to reform urban schools through Writing to Learn (WTL), a staff development program sponsored by the Council for Basic Education. . . . Teachers (in this network) have taught together, shared their successes, reflected on teaching, worked through failures, encouraged each other, and even cried together. As a result, we have emerged as stronger teachers with the heart-held conviction that all of our students can learn. However, we have more than convictions. Through our combined learning, we have discovered strategies that really work in our classrooms. These strategies are placed within the framework of high expectations, high support, and high content. Driven by our convictions and fueled by our successes, we are helping our students make the journey from underachieving, reluctant learners to motivated achievers.
As much as we want to believe them, words alone will not create reality, and high-sounding phrases will not translate into efficacy. Just saying my students are wonderful will not make them achievers. Unsubstantiated praise is as empty and ridiculous as the self-esteem chants. Real efficacy only occurs when students begin to see the relationship between their efforts and achievement.In her introduction, Michalak acknowledges her own struggle with the standards movement and explains why she came to embrace the idea of setting "universally high goals and expectations, identified through a specific set of standards, and to reach these standards through quality and standards-based instruction." Teachers who have been involved in reform efforts, she says,
In one middle school where I worked, over one-third of the students made the school's honor roll. A marquee on the front lawn announced that this was a school of achievement and a gigantic, front-hall banner declared -- "All children can learn." Quite ironically, this school's students scored at the very bottom of the district and the state on achievement tests. The faculty found it hard to see the discrepancy, placing the blame on inadequate testing rather than questioning their own instructional and grading practices. Rather than doing the hard work associated with raising achievement, they continued to elegantly and passionately vow that "All children can learn," but they still pursued their malpractice of ineffective instruction, invalid assessment, and inflated grades. Only within the walls of their school could these students possibly be considered excellent....
Victimized by grade inflation, these students have inaccurate perceptions of their achievement and their abilities. Not having a standard to measure themselves against, they do not genuinely understand how well they are, or are not, doing, creating a false sense of well-being.
...see standards as the guiding force behind creating more effective schools. In their eyes, reform has been hindered because it could not attract the critical mass necessary to make a difference. Because there were no district-wide goals, or articulated standards, skeptics or entire constituencies could opt out, without any consequences--causing a great deal of frustration to those who devoted their energies to bring about reform in their schools.
Consequently, reform-minded teacherrs embrace standards, for they feel that their reform efforts will have a keener sense of direction. Since greater accountability is demanded, the buy-in will be much more comprehensive.
