The Village Proposal

Education as a Shared Responsibility

By (author) Christopher Paslay

Publication date:

01 September 2011

Length of book:

184 pages

Publisher

R&L Education

Dimensions:

240x162mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781610480598

The Village Proposal is based on the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. Part education commentary, part memoir, the book analyzes the theme of shared responsibility in public schools and evaluates the importance of sound teacher instruction; the effectiveness of America's teacher colleges; the need for strong school leaders and supports; the need for strong parental and community involvement; the effectiveness of multiculturalism and social justice in closing the achievement gap; the relevancy of education policy; the impact of private business and politics on schools; and how the media and technology are influencing education.
Many educational books are written by so called 'educational experts' who would not last a day teaching in an urban high school. It is refreshing to read a book by someone who has walked the walk. This book is a well-written account by an actual insider of his challenges of teaching in a large, urban school setting, and what it takes to succeed in this environment. Chris Paslay comes to the conclusion that a teacher is the most important element of a student's success in school, but they aren't the only element. For a student to succeed, it really does involve a shared responsibility of 'the village' with the teacher as the point person.