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An Adventure in Excellence: |
E. Todd |
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A Community Portrait |
Revised, 1999 |
Public Schools as Scholarly Communities
"Because we care . . . public schools
must be scholarly communities."
Rationale for Care Statement:
" . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ."
"With this powerful expansion of management came a growing understanding of what management really is. When I began to study management, during and immediately after World War II, a manager was defined as "someone who is responsible for the work of subordinates." A manager in other words was "boss," and management was rank and power. This is probably still the definition many people have in mind when they speak of managers and management. But by the early 1950s the definition had already changed to "a manager is responible for the performance of people." Now we know that this is also too narrow a definition. The right definition is "a manager is responsible for the application and performance of knowledge." Implicit in this definition is that we now see knowledge as the essential resource. Land, labor, and capital are chiefly important as restraints. Without them even knowledge cannot produce. Without them even management cannot perform. Where there is effective management, that is, application of knowledge to knowledge, we can always obtain the other resources. The fact that knowledge has become the resource, rather than a resource, is what makes our society "postcapitalist." It changes, and fundamentally, the structure of society. It creates new social dynamics. It creates new economic dynamics. It creates new politics."
(Drucker, 1993).
Definitions: "Scholarship . . . ." "Knowledge . . . ." "An academic discipline . . . ."
"A profession . . . ." "Grade . . . ." "Evaluation . . . ." "Grade level . . ." "Failure . . . ."
"Promotion . . . ." "A scholarly community . . . ." "A scholarly partner . . . ."
Consequences: If the human beings whose lives are affected by the school accept these definitions the following consequences will occur at _______________________.
(1.) . . . .
.
.
Beliefs/Actions
"Whatever we do in a public school depends upon what we think scholarly human beings are capable of accomplishing in their lives. The goals we seek, the things we do, the judgments we make, even the experiments we are willing to try, are determined by our beliefs about the nature of an individual and his/her capabilities." (Todd, 1985,1995).
1. A. Belief: If we believe that third millennium citizens are uniquely different--in intellectual power, in social maturity, in emotional stability, in readiness to become futurists, in any human attribute--then every effort should be made to facilitate scholarly performance in those human beings whose lives are affected by the public school. (Todd, 1963, 1996).
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
2. A. Belief: If we believe that third milennium citizens should control their lives, their society, and the universes of the future--then every effort should be made to equip these citizens with the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical skills to be futuristic risk-takers in the 21st century. (Todd, 1996).
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
3. A. If we believe that scholarly performance of students and teachers is affected by disruptive behavior of students in an educational setting--then every effort . . . .
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
4. A. Belief: If we believe that human beings whose lives are affected by the school should be technologically literate--then every effort . . . .
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
5. A. Belief: If we believe that a curriculum can be defined as the planned educational experiences offered by a school which can take place anywhere at any time--then every effort . . . .
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
6. A. Belief: If we believe . . . .
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
7. A. Belief: If we believe . . . .
B. Needed Actions:
(1.) . . . .
.
.
A public school has the potential for becoming a scholarly community when the following conditions exist:
(1.) Instructional, administrative, and support personnel are willing to admit that instructional and administration programs/practices have not helped to develop the full potential of all students eligible to attend public schools.
(2.) The system of educational ideas provides for the development and maintenance of effective instructional programs and appropriate allocation of human and fiscal resources for scholarly activity by all individuals affected by the school.
(3.) Faculty, administrators, and support personnel are employed not only because of demonstrated competence in the classroom, but also because of their records of continuous scholarly activity.
(4.) Scholarly activity is a major responsibility of the administration, the professional staff, and the student body.
(5.) Human beings whose lives are affected by the school recognize and accept the proposition that cultural diversity among these individuals is a valuable resource that should be continually nurtured in the public school environment.
(6.) Scholarly experimentation is based on professional standards for conducting research activities.
(7.) Scholarly activity is demonstrated in the development of Instructional Improvement Projects (@Todd, 1968) and/or School Improvement Plans (Florida Blueprint 2000 legislation).
(8.) Evaluation of human performance and instructional programs is conducted to ensure that the public school is a scholarly community.
(9.) Caring individuals. . . .
(10) The student's home setting . . . .
(11) Educational technology . . . .
(12) The school board . . . .
(13) The city and county commissions . . . .
(14) Academic achievements of students. . . .
(15) The city/county library system . . . .
(16) Business partners . . . .
. . . . .
.
Educational Programs and Curriculum Activities as Scholarly Opportunities
"The curriculum can be defined as the planned educational experiences offered by a school which can take place anywhere at any time in the multiple context of the school, e.g. public schools as caring communities, as changing communities, as scholarly communities...."(Todd, 1965, 1992)
" . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ."
Elementary Schools:
(1.) . . . .
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.
.
.
.
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Secondary Schools:
(1.) . . . .
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.
.
.
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For a complete model of an individual classroom community see Appendix A.
"The curriculum can be defined as the planned educational experiences offered by a school which can take place anywhere at any time in the multiple context of the school, e.g. public schools as caring communities, as changing communities, as scholarly communities . . . (Todd, 1965, 1992).
"The physical boundaries of scholarly classrooms exist only in the minds of those human beings whose lives are affected by the public schools." (Todd, 1956, 1995). "Teaching and learning can take place anywhere at any time." (Todd, 1963). "The world is the classroom." (Todd, 1969). "The universes are the classroom." (Todd, 1981, 1989, 1996).
"The opportunities for demonstrating appropriate scholarly performance in changing classrooms are inseparably linked with the opportunities for students to demonstrate technological literacy during instructional activities carried out in scholarly communities." (Todd, 1996).
Since we can only speculate about the unlimited possibilities for educational experiences which could facilitate the nurturing of futuristic agents of change who are collegial decision-makers in the third millennium we believe that scholarly classrooms can be described as follows:
". . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ."
". . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ."
". . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ."
"Imagine all the people whose lives are affected by the school.......
(1.) . . . .
(2.) . . . .
(3.) . . . .
.
.
.
.
.
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"Changes in a school system are often in direct conflict with the changes taking place in the community, thus creating a highly complex and political situation." (Todd, 1969).
Since there are different groups of human being whose lives are affected by the public school there are political risks for these persons responsible for the development and implementation of the community portrait. These risks are as follows:
(1.) . . .
(2.) . . .
(3.) . . .
Related links:
NEA: Educational Support Personnel page
National Council of Social Studies
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