Reviews for What Is Going on in Our Schools?

The average rating for What Is Going on in Our Schools? based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-05-13 00:00:00 Jeff Eastes I do not teach at a "forgotten high school," per se, but I work every day with students who are totally "unseen." They are misunderstood and underestimated. Many come from disadvantaged homes and classrooms. Many are ill-prepared for academic challenges that lie ahead. I was surprisingly pleased with the presentation of Foster and Nosol, who present an hard-won optimism when teaching students from quote-unquote URBAN high schools. I sometimes get uneasy with the presentation of some teaching books either in the underlying and implied racism or just a sort of ickiness, but I can't say this book harbored any of that. The values of the writers were clear--high expectations, getting to know your students, and a safe zone to learn--all phrases teachers throw around like crazy but rarely know how to effortlessly enact. I know I still have many many things to learn, even though I've been teaching for over a decade, and this book IS valuable. (There are also some practical lessons that I'm going to try out this school year.) I also enjoyed the format. I've read many books like this with several authors, and the typical voice is a sort of communal chant. In America's Unseen Kids, the book oscillated back in forth between Foster (a college professor preparing teachers for the classroom) and Nosol (a student teacher working in an area high school). I liked reading the distinct voices instead of having to spelunk for their perspectives in the subtext of that typical communal chant. Very effective.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-02-03 00:00:00 Roberta Campos An eye-opening look at teaching "those" kids and why it's important to push the envelope to reach them. A must-read, even if you don't teach in urban areas.