Our School: The Inspiring Story of Two Teachers, One Big Idea, and the School That Beat the Odds [Paperback]

As both a teacher, and a student of urban education policy, this look at the struggles of a charter school in downtown San Jose is a welcome addition to the urban ed canon. From the tone, it is clear that Jacobs admires the leaders of the school, Greg Lippman and Jennifer Andaluz, and the work they do. That's not to say the book is overly subjective. On the contrary, the writing seems to reflect Jacobs' roots as a journalist, as the book is ethnographic in nature. The title alone implies that the book will have a positive bent but the downs are shared as often as the ups. Probably, the most valuable lesson to be learned from this story has nothing to do with charter schools but with the virtues of tenacity, perserverance, teamwork and building a culture of achievement. I am tempted to compare Jacobs to Mike Rose, whose books, Lives on the Boundary and Possible Lives, share the same tone of respectful observation and ethnographic professionalism. This book is definitely going on the shelf next to his books. The book is well-written, with a clear voice that is enjoyable to "listen" to.

(My only gripe about the book is that the discussion of grades comes up quite frequently but there is no mention of how grades are computed, what grading methods the teachers used, etc...so it is hard to judge how reliable the DCP GPA statistics are, since grading, by nature, tends to be highly subjective and vulnerable to the expectations of individual teachers.)

I'm buying this absorbing, breezy read for all my teachers, as it captures so many of the high school reform challenges (definitely NOT just for charter schools people). For example:

1. Should students who misbehave get unlimited chances to shape up, or is there a point of no return?

2. What is the job of a teacher in an urban school - to "transfer knowledge" to kids who are willing to study hard, or to somehow personally generate enormous effort from students who heretofore have never done the assigned reading, never completed the math homework, et al?

3. Given freedom, do charter leaders come up with fancy instructional techniques, or essentially become obsessed with executing mundane "basic" details so well (often in an entreprenuerial way) and consistently that the institution rises towards excellence?

Jacobs explores these issues and more (in each case, she finds the latter answer).

My only quibble is I'd love to see the author explore the progressive versus "No Excuses" debate. One school of thought, popular in grad schools, is that kids will study hard if they are interested in the topic, particularly those which are "culturally relevant." The other, popular in the real world high performing charter schools like KIPP, Roxbury Prep, Amistad, and Downtown College Prep, is that kids will study hard if they are held accountable, taught lovingly with old-fashioned methods and mega-doses of after-hours help.

But any one book only has so much room, and this one zips along.

First, let me say, WOW! In my local area, there are several charter schools, two even run by the previous public school district Superintendent -- yep, there is a good story there. While the charter schools here are doing some good things, it seems to me that there really isn't as much difference between them and their nearby district schools when it comes to test scores. They have the same achievement gaps and high percentages of kids not making grade level proficiency as their counterparts in the local district. With this perspective, I haven't really seen charter schools as the answer to public educations' problems. Part of the answer maybe, but not the solution.

After reading Joanne's book and my recent appreciation for certain charter schools, such as American Indian Public Charter in Oakland, I think with the right leadership, charter schools offer the opportunity for educators to try new approaches. When these approaches work, the students are successful and the charter school is successful. When they don't, both fail.

In the case of Downtown College Prep, the school explored in Joanne's book, I think this is a success. While their test scores are good, not great, the fact that their students almost all failed in their previous traditional public school experiences really makes their test scores outstanding. The simple fact that they can turn around many of these students and get them to college is extraordinary.

One of my major complaints of public education is that too often, teaching practices exist simply because "we've always done it that way" or because the administrators or teachers like a specific program or strategy, without any regard to whether it really is successful. Charter schools provide opportunities to explore new school configurations and strategies without the bureaucratic inertia of a district administration or in many cases a teacher's union. I really think this is a good thing. While there are both good and bad charter schools, just like traditional public schools, I think it is important that charters exist to be the proving ground for new strategies and to help identify best practices that can be implemented by other schools.

In my job, I read a lot of really boring books. I read books on education and education policy as well as nerdy computer books. Our School satisfied my need for education policy while at the same time being a great story, which was well written.

I discovered Joanne's blog a couple years ago and since then I have become a huge fan. I don't always agree with her, but I find her articles well written and thoughful. She makes me consider my point of view on many topics. Of course, in the end I realize I'm right or that we agree, but she does make me think.

I strongly encourage everyone to buy a copy of Our School, whether you are involved in the field of education, a parent concerned about your child's schools, starting a charter school or simply are looking for a great, uplifting story. It also makes a great gift for that educator on your Christmas list.