A New Angle on Partnership
What School Could Be: Insights and Inspiration from Teachers across America by Ted Dintersmith
Princeton University Press, April 10, 2018
During the 2015-16 school year, author Ted Dintersmith spent 9 months traveling to over 200 schools in all 50 states. He then compiled his reflections on American education in this engaging read. While providing clear historical context on the evolution of the public education system, Dintersmith uses anecdotes and interview excerpts from his comprehensive journey to weave a narrative about how schools have evolved in the 21st century. What he finds on several occasions is an all too familiar story: schools following an outdated education model that lacks the creative and purpose-driven teaching necessary for today's student. By comparison, Dintersmith also describes visits to innovative schools and dynamic classrooms driven by modern strategies that encourage deep learning. Usefully, Dintersmith identifies a combination of factors that separate innovative schools from those lagging behind the curve: the importance of purpose/mission, essential skill development, student agency, and strategies to encourage deep learning. With common values in broad alignment with those of successful independent schools, this text speaks to the ongoing opportunity for partnership between public and private education in America.
