<HTML>As a "listening foundation," I must respectfully disagree with Paul
Shaviv's suggestion for a center to provide what he is suggesting. In the
States, by and large the most successful education at the high school
level is more consistently found in private, independent schools, not the
public schools which are the ones who are being supported by the school
boards, textbook enterprises, state teachers colleges, etc., Paul is
looking for. Secondly, this enterprise of winnowing symptoms from
deep-seated causes is very tricky. Quick symptom remedies are easily
criticized as not getting at the heart of the matter. Attacking perceived
and even well-rationalized deep-seated causes can be either too
overwhelming ("bring down the idols of materialism" or "bring back
authority and respect") or misleadingly wrong-headed (as in the late 50's
when the underlying problem was seen as curriculum.)
Intensely working with and supporting local day schools in this little
corner of galut leads me to think that many of the challenges deal more
with the quality of leadership and lack of educational and societal
vision, time (as in not enough of it either for students to learn
effectively or for teachers to develop and grow as teacher-learners) and,
yes, money, especially benefits and secondarily salary. Little can be
done nationally or centrally to address these issues. On the other hand,
what Bar Ilan appears to be doing holds great promise in that they are
trying to meet the challenges of leadership development as in this
summer's principal's institute and providing opportunities for school
leaders to communicate and share how they are dealing with time and
curricular challenges such as this modest forum/list serve. Establishing
a network of schools, such as Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools to
formalize and/or intensify communication around shared issues could be
another step for Bar Ilan (another Foundation out there listening?).
Rob Toren</HTML>
