Failure Up Close
What Happens, Why It Happens, and What We Can Learn from It
Jay P Greene editor Michael Q McShane editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Rowman & Littlefield
Published:17th Jan '18
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This paperback is available in another edition too:
- Hardback£67.00(9781475840551)
This insightful book examines unsuccessful education reform efforts, offering lessons for improvement. Failure Up Close encourages a constructive dialogue around learning from failure in education.
In Failure Up Close, a diverse group of scholars delves into recent education reform initiatives that have not achieved their intended outcomes. This exploration seeks to uncover valuable lessons that can be gleaned from these failures, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and understanding shortcomings in the education system. The book argues that failure, often hidden or glossed over due to political pressures and the expectations of philanthropic funders, is a critical component of the learning process. By confronting these realities, educators and reformers can better navigate the complexities of improving the American education landscape.
The contributors to Failure Up Close approach the subject with a sense of empathy and constructive critique. Rather than casting judgment on unsuccessful reforms, they aim to foster a dialogue that encourages supporters of these initiatives to reflect on their strategies and consider how they might enhance their efforts. This perspective shifts the narrative around failure from one of shame to one of opportunity, promoting a culture of continuous learning and adaptation within the field of education.
Ultimately, Failure Up Close serves as a call to action for educators, policymakers, and advocates alike. It underscores the necessity of embracing failure as a stepping stone towards meaningful improvement. By learning from past missteps, stakeholders can better equip themselves to create effective educational systems that truly benefit students and communities.
When Jay Greene and Mike McShane asked some great minds in education policy to put their pens to our failures, they created a great success. It is said that we all love the sound of somebody else being wrong, but this book is about all of us. I loved the lack of snark or accusation; this is honest critique of ideas the authors hoped would succeed. Anybody who has contributed to the failures in this book as I have will find it hard not to cringe, but will be grateful for the lessons. -- Lisa Graham Keegan, chief executive officer, Arizona Chamber Foundation; former superintendent, Public Instruction for the State of Arizona
Greene and McShane in a smartly-written book invite an educated class of reformers, policymakers, and philanthropists to walk with them to the back of the school line to inhale the aroma of failure. Without relying on conjecture or hyperbole, two of America’s best intellectuals and their colleagues methodically unpack a motley assortment of public polices, programs, and partisan plans to explain how and why success is never guaranteed in school reform. We can learn a lot of lessons from past failures. Reading this book puts us one step closer to the front of the line. -- Gerard Robinson, resident fellow, the American Enterprise Institute; former Virginia Secretary of Education and former Commissioner of Education for the State of Florida
Jay Greene and Mike McShane have compiled a powerful assortment of essays addressing the vicissitudes of the education reform era that have led to major changes in policy but arguably marginal impact in practice and outcome. By problematizing the question of failure, Greene and McShane lead us to a new paradigm of change that embraces the complexity of taking well-intended policy from the design stage through implementation all the way to impact. While no politician, policy maker or educator ever wants to fail kids, Greene and McShane show that NCLB, vouchers, VAM, SIG, teacher preparation, technology and philanthropic investments suffer from a disconnect between intention and impact. Wherever you sit on the highly volatile education reform continuum, this book is a must-read for those who actually want to embrace the complexity of public education transformation in order to improve conditions and outcomes for our nation’s kids. -- Joshua P. Starr Ed.D, CEO of PDK International, former Superintendent of the Montgomery County Public Schools
ISBN: 9781475840568
Dimensions: 231mm x 149mm x 16mm
Weight: 318g
214 pages