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"GOOD" SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY GET MADE: RESEARCH, POLICY, AND PRACTICE
Tuesdays, 5:10 PM-6:50 PM, September 11-December 18
Instructor: Larry Cuban
Office hours: By appointment, 212F in Main Hall
Phone: 212-678-3372 email: cuban@exchange.tc.columbia.eduGOALS
I have three aims for this course. The first is to help you analyze different conceptions of what is a "good" school and examine various strategies for making schools "good." We will concentrate on the various definitions of "goodness" in schools, common and uncommon strategies for making schools better than they are, what research has said about such schools and strategies of improvement, and the limits of those findings. Hence, I will emphasize the theory, research, and practice associated with "good" schools.Second, I want to deepen your conceptual understanding of the complex, entangled factors within classrooms, the school, district, and state, that make a difference in improving a school, making a school "good," and, sustaining a "good" school.
Third, I aim to increase your conceptual awareness of how one's values figure in defining a "good" school; sharpen your analytic skills in constructing school improvement strategies; and strengthen your writing and oral skills in coming up with a clear, defensible view of what you believe is a "good" school.
Based upon these goals, this course concentrates upon five basic questions:
1. What is a "good" school? Good for whom?
2. How do you know a school is "good?"
3. How do you grow a "good" school?
4. What prior and sustaining conditions are necessary for a school to be "good" and remain that way?
5.What roles do federal, state, district and school-site leadership play in creating and sustaining a "good" school?Course Requirements
1. Readings. Do the assigned readings prior to class discussions. Be prepared to ask and answer questions in class.2. Participation in class. Participation in discussions, group work, and email is important in this class as a way of deepening your understanding of the main ideas of the course and practicing key skills. Participation means both listening and talking. Helping others expand, refine, and enhance ideas is both useful to each person and all of us. Each person has to judge what is both a useful contribution to the overall flow of discussion.
If you would like to co-teach one or more of the scheduled readings, please see me.3. Short papers. Two papers will be required. The first one is an op-ed piece or internal memo (see September 11 assignment). This will receive a letter grade for the quality of writing and the degree to which you met the terms of the assignment.
The second one is an integrated essay assessing what you have learned this quarter about "good" schools. In a short (no more than 5 pages, typed double-spaced) integrative final essay I ask you to synthesize what you have learned about "good" schools. This will be due on the last day of class this quarter. Before taking the course you had some concepts, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about "good" schools gained from your experiences in and out of school for one or more decades. You also wrote a short paper for our second class. In what ways (be specific) have your views been challenged, modified, or reinforced by what you have learned in this course and your project this quarter? [I will comment on what you write but not assign a letter grade].
4. Project. See "assignments" link.
There is no final exam.
Evaluation
I encourage students to choose the pass-no credit option (or any variation of this choice) For those students who desire grades, the final grade will be determined as follows:participation.....................................................................20%
(individual, small groupwork, whole group discussion)
shortpapers.......................................................................30%
project...............................................................................50%Criteria For Judging Written Work
1. Completeness
Are all parts of the assignment included?2. Accuracy
Is what you say correct and supported by evidence? Accuracy refers to your summary of main points, your appropriate use of concepts learned in class, relevant use of evidence from readings and other sources, your choice of words, your quoting of others and your use of statistics.3. Analysis
Are the main ideas in an argument you are analyzing (or an argument that you are constructing) identified? Have implicit assumptions been identified and analyzed? Is the logic of the argument coherent and internally consistent? Is the evidence used to support the argument examined for strengths and weaknesses?4. Quality of writing
*Is the writing clear to reader?
*Is writing succinct (not wordy)?
*Is writing organized to help the reader move easily from beginning to end of paper (headings, etc.)?
*Are key statements supported by examples, details, etc.?
*Are positions taken in the paper supported by both evidence (facts, details, etc.) and argument (reasoning that includes analogies, metaphors, examples, etc.)If you dissatisfied with the quality of your writing as reflected in my comments and grade for the paper, you can revise and re-submit your paper. The revision will be due at the next class session after receiving your paper from me.