Parents agonize over how to obtain the best education for their children. Employers lament the lack of properly prepared and promising graduates they need to fill key positions. Educators walk on egg shells, trying to teach while extensive legislation continues to tie their hands ever more tightly.
Enter Peg Tyre, a journalist with an entire career's experience researching, understanding and explaining the intracacies of the modern education system. Authoritative on her subject, Ms. Tyre speaks with the empathy of a parent who has known the guilt and struggle of seeking the best education for her own kids, and a deep respect for good educators borne from years of working with some of the very best.
Among the vital topics she covers are:
* The scientific evidence on how children learn math, science and reading that should influence and inform every school curriculum (but often doesn't)
* How standardized tests are developed, what the really tell us (or don't) and how they are actually eroding our public education system
* Where children should be developmentally by age/grade, what information parents actually need to know to assess how their compares to the standard and how to navigate the school system to actually get it
* How to be an active, engaged parent without being a "helicopter" parent or dismissed as an annoying nutcase
* The truth about teacher training, assessment programs, why it can be hard for schools to find and keep the best teachers
Ms. Tyre strikes a careful balance in her approach; while parents are ultimately responsible for their children's education, schools have a vital role to play. Everyone must be equally empowered and held equally accountable.
Educators,employers, tax payers and parents will all benefit from the vital and startling information in this book - I strongly recommend adding it to your reading list!
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