Why did

you go into

teaching?

“I always

admired my

high school

teachers.”

“ I was forced into teaching in an

emergency situation, but when I saw a

gleam of understanding in a special

education child, I didn’t want to leave.”

“Once I saw 13- and

14-year-olds that

didn’t want to

learn, and I

realized there

wasn’t anything

I’d rather do

than teach.”

“I’m the oldest of eight

children, so I’ve been

teaching all my life.”

“I have

the gift of

enthusiasm, and

I believe I can share

it with children.”
A 1998 Sharing Success Publication

By SERVE

Associated with the School of Education

University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Written by

Donna Nalley, Senior Program Specialist, SERVE

Edited by

Charles Ahearn, Director of Publishing and Quality Assurance, SERVE

Christy Casbon, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Stephen Chapman, Program Specialist, SERVE

Donna Nalley, Senior Program Specialist, SERVE

Designed by

Tracy A. Hamilton, Design Specialist, SERVE

Photography by

Joe Nalley for SERVE

Thanks also to Amy Williams, SERVE Distribution Specialist,

for secretarial support.

1998

First Printing

Associated with the School of Education

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies

of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of

Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or

organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

This document was produced with funding from the Office of Educational Research

and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under contract no. RJ96006701.
About the SERVE Organization

ASTF Acknowledgments

Forum Facilitators

About the Summer Forums

Idealized Design Theory

Introduction by ASTF President-Elect Bill Martin

Comments from Alabama State Board of Education Members:

Ethel Hall and Bradley Byrne

Spotlight on a Dream School:

Trace Crossings Elementary School

Spotlight on a Dream School:

Cranford Burns Middle School

Dynamite Ideas and Examples

Forum Teachers’ Dreams

Personal Planning Section: Imagining, Organizing,

and Achieving Your Vision of the Dream School

Example Proposal for a Dream School

Indicators of a High-Achieving School

Contents

4

6

7

8

9

10

12

14

16

17

22

29

43

46

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About the SERVE Organization

4

SERVE, the SouthEastern Regional

Vision for Education, is an educational

organization whose mission is to

promote and support the continual

improvement of educational

opportunities for all learners in the

Southeast. To address the mission,

SERVE engages in research and

development in educational issues of

critical importance to educators in the

region and in the provision of researchbased services to SEAs and LEAs which

are striving for comprehensive school

improvement. Committed to a shared

vision of the future of education in the

region, the organization is governed by

a board of directors that includes the

chief state school officers, governors,

and legislative representatives from

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi,

North Carolina, and South Carolina,

and representatives of teachers and the

private sector.

SERVE’s core component is a Regional

Educational Laboratory funded since

1990 by the Office of Educational

Research and Improvement (OERI),

U.S. Department of Education. SERVE

has additional major funding from the

Department in the areas of Migrant

Education and School Leadership and

is the lead agency in the Eisenhower

Mathematics and Science Consortium

for the Southeast and the Southeast

and Islands Regional Technology in

Education Consortium (SEIR◆TEC).

Based on these grants and contracts,

SERVE has developed a system of

programs and initiatives that provides

a spectrum of resources, services, and

products for responding to local,

regional, and national needs.

These program areas are

• Program on Assessment,

Accountability, and Standards

• Program for Children, Families, and

Communities

• Program on Education Policy

• Program for the Improvement of

Science and Mathematics Education

• Program on School Development and

Reform

• Program on Technology in Learning

SERVE’s National Specialty Area is

Early Childhood Education, and the

staff of SERVE’s Program for Children,

Families, and Communities is

developing the expertise and the ability

to provide leadership and support to

the early childhood community

nationwide for children from birth to

eight years old.

In addition to the program areas, the

SERVE Evaluation Department

supports the evaluation activities of the

major grants and contracts and

provides evaluation services to SEAs

and LEAs in the region. Through its

Publishing and Quality Assurance

Department, SERVE publishes a variety

of studies, training materials, policy

briefs, and other products of the

programs. These informative and lowcost publications include guides to

available resources, summaries of

current issues in education policy, and

examples of exemplary educational

programs. Through its programmatic,

evaluation, and publishing activities,

SERVE also provides contracted staff

development and technical assistance

in many areas of expertise to assist

education agencies in achieving their

school improvement goals.

The SERVE head office is at the

University of North Carolina at

Greensboro, with major staff groups

located in Tallahassee, FL, and Atlanta,

GA, and policy advisors in each state

department of education in the region.

Current and detailed information on

any of the program and service areas

noted here may be found on SERVE’s

site on the World Wide Web at

www.serve.org.
SERVE–Alabama

Education Policy Analyst

Office forthcoming—please call

the SERVE main office for

assistance at 800-755-3277

SERVE–Florida

Database Information

Services Center

1203 Governor’s Square Blvd.

Suite 400

Tallahassee, FL 32301

850-671-6012

800-352-3747

Fax 850-671-6020

School Development and Reform

SERVEing Young Children

Publishing and Quality Assurance

1203 Governor’s Square Blvd.

Suite 400

Tallahassee, FL 32301

850-671-6000

800-352-6001

Fax 850-671-6020

Eisenhower Consortium for

Mathematics and Science

Education at SERVE

1203 Governor’s Square Blvd.

Suite 400

Tallahassee, FL 32301

850-671-6033

800-854-0476

Fax 850-671-6010

Education Policy Analyst

Office of the Commissioner

The Capitol, LL 24

Tallahassee, FL 32399

850-488-9513

Fax 850-488-1492

SERVE–Georgia

Urban Education and

Teacher Leadership

41 Marietta Street, NW

Suite 1110

Atlanta, GA 30303

800-755-3277

Fax 404-577-7812

Education Policy Analyst

Georgia Department

of Education

2066 Twin Towers East

Atlanta, GA 30334

404-657-0148

Fax 404-651-4673

SERVE-Mississippi

Education Policy Analyst

State Department

of Education

P.O. Box 771

Jackson, MS 39201

601-359-3501

Fax 601-359-3667

wmoore@serve.org

SERVE–North Carolina

(MAIN OFFICE)

Assessment, Standards, and

Accountability

Education Policy

Evaluation

Executive Services

Operations

P.O. Box 5367

Greensboro, NC 27435

336-334-3211

800-755-3277

Fax 336-334-3268

Anchor School Project

Children, Families, and

Communities

Region IV

Comprehensive Center

SERVE Leaders Institute

Southeast and Islands

Regional Technology in

Education Consortium

P.O. Box 5406

Greensboro, NC 27435

336-334-3211

800-545-7075

Fax 336-334-4671

Education Policy Analyst

Department of Public

Instruction

Education Building

301 North Wilmington

Street

Raleigh, NC 27601-2825

919-715-1245

Fax 919-715-1278

SERVE–South Carolina

Education Policy Analyst

Office forthcoming—

please call the SERVE

main office for assistance

at 800-755-3277

Dr. John R. Sanders

Executive Director, SERVE

5

Website: http://www.serve.org

E-mail: info@serve.org
ASTF Acknowledgments

A Note of Thanks from Executive Director Anne Jolly

The Alabama State Teacher Forum gratefully acknowledges and expresses warm

thanks to the many wonderful people and organizations who made these

workshops and other ASTF events a reality.

To the following organizations and people who said, “Yes!” when we needed

financial support, thank you for believing in classroom teachers:

The A+ Research Foundation

The Alabama Power Foundation

BE&K Engineering

ENERGEN Corporation

Edward M. Friend, III

The SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE)

To Cathy Gassenheimer, Caroline Novak, Barbara Knaus, and Bill Smith of the

A+ Research Foundation, thanks for your ongoing encouragement and support.

To Dr. Charles Ahearn and the SERVE staff, thanks for your enthusiastic support

of Alabama teachers and for your willingness to partner and assist us in sharing

our dreams and ideas for improving schools.

To Dr. Ed Richardson, Alabama State Superintendent of Education, thanks for

listening to and believing in classroom teachers and for establishing an advisory

committee composed of teachers.

To members of the Alabama State Board of Education, thank you for the time

you’ve taken from busy schedules to attend and speak at our events and to listen

to what teachers have to say.

A special thanks to Terry Dozier, Special Advisor to Secretary Richard Riley at the

U. S. Department of Education. Thank you for giving us the idea for this teacher

forum and for being a constant source of inspiration and support.

Finally, thanks to all of you who believe in classroom teachers, share our struggles

and concerns, ask our input and advice, and work with us to prepare our children

for their future.

6

ASTF was organized in 1994 by a group of

former Alabama State Teachers of the Year. A

major goal of this non-political, voluntary

organization of practicing classroom teachers is

to give teachers a voice in educational policy

issues. ASTF communicates regularly with

thousands of teachers through professional

development events, the Alabama Teachers

Listserv, and a Web page (www.astforum.org).
The 1998 Summer Forums

Facilitators

Mike Jones

Former Alabama

Teacher of the Year

Social Studies Teacher

Athens High School

Robin Litaker

Former Alabama

Teacher of the Year

Elementary Physical

Education Teacher

Trace Crossings Elementary

Bill Martin

8th Grade Science Teacher

Fort Payne Midle School

Anne Jolly

Former Alabama

Teacher of the Year

8th Grade Science Teacher

Cranford Burns

Middle School

Catherine Rogers

1st Grade Teacher

Council Traditional

Magnet School

Betty Harbin

Biology Teacher

Baker High School

Paula Jacobs

Special Services Teacher

Alabama State Department

of Education

Brett Mayhan

8th Grade Language Arts Teacher

Cranford Burns Middle School

Christy Casbon

Communications Specialist

SERVE

Steve Chapman

Program Specialist

SERVE

Donna Nalley

Senior Program Specialist

SERVE

SERVE Writers and Editors

7
About the Summer Forums

Let’s throw open the doors and windows of the little, red schoolhouse,

and let the future come in.

—Forum Participant

The Alabama State Teacher Forum held two summer forums—one June 16, 1998,

in Hoover (a suburb of Birmingham) and one June 18, 1998, in Mobile. Over 150

teachers participated in the day-long discussions which questioned, “What is the

‘Dream School’?” and “How can we achieve our dreams?”

For these discussions, the facilitators acted as interviewers, and the participants

functioned as the faculty—the ones with the answers. As Anne Jolly noted,

“Teachers are our personnel on the front line. We need their voices in designing

successful schools.” The faculty considered roles and expectations for

• Facilities, Operations, and Scheduling

• Administration and Other Staff

• Teacher Proficiency and Professional Development

• Curriculum

• Climate

• Students

• Parents and Community

and much more. As you will see in the section entitled, “Teachers’ Dreams,” forum

participants allowed themselves to think outside the traditional boundaries and

express their visions for a better educational future. Their responses reverberate

with truth for our educational system nationally, as theirs are dreams we all can

share. The Alabama forums represent a productive model for

other states to follow in gathering meaningful grassroots

input on school

improvement

from

classroom

teachers.

8
One who walks into the future

facing the past has no control

over where he is going.

 —Russell Ackoff

Idealized design—or redesign—creates

an ideal-seeking system, which is

dynamic, effective, and easily modified

to allow for experimentation and

improvement. Idealization involves a

process for planning which considers

the whole system, not just isolated

parts, for a greater potential effect. It

invites participation from stakeholders

who are potentially affected by changes

because the system has a responsibility

for serving their interests, and it

includes specification of ultimate values

and objectives, thus tending to generate

consensus within the group.

The Alabama State Teacher Forum

based their discussions on idealized

design theory, asking participants to

keep the following elements of

idealization in mind while envisioning

their dream schools:

• Ideal does not equal impossible.

The design of the school must be

feasible and viable—capable of

operating if it did come into

existence.

• Idealization encourages creativity in

design because it frees participants

from self-imposed constraints. It

invites ingenuity because it focuses

on the ideal.

Idealized Design Theory • The idealized design converts

planning from a retrospective to a

prospective orientation. It is

proactive rather than reactive;

most system redesign is reactive—

busy identifying current system

deficiencies. It is essential to stay

focused upon the ideal; otherwise,

discussions can easily degenerate

into gripe sessions about current

system failures. Proactive design

moves toward what one wants—

not away from what one does not

want.

The hope is to produce a design that

will act as a mobilizing idea that

initiates an improvement process.

Philosopher Ortega Gasset comments

on the power of an idea:

Man has put himself to work for

the sake of an idea, seeking by

magnificent exertions to arrive at

the incredible. And, in the end, he

has arrived there. Beyond all

doubt, it is one of the vital sources

of man’s power, to be thus able

to kindle enthusiasm from a mere

glimmer of something improb–

able, difficult, and remote.

9
Americans are faced with a great

opportunity: our nation is

focused on education. The

discussion about the nature

and future of schools is

occurring in state capitols

and federal offices, on

television and radio.

Politicians, business

leaders,

bureaucrats, and

reform experts

offer their

opinions. With

few

exceptions,

the real

experts,

class- room

teachers

(along with

students and

parents), are

being left out of

the conversation.

If the issue were hospital

reform, doctors would be the

primary consultants. If the issue

were legal reform, lawyers would

provide most of the ideas. However, in

the case of school reform, the last

group to be consulted is teachers—the

very people that hold the key to the

educational experience of children.

The Alabama State Teacher Forum

(ASTF) is committed to giving teachers

a voice—to serve as an avenue between

policymakers and classroom practitioners. This was a primary purpose for

the meetings in Hoover and Mobile in

June of 1998—to gather ideas from

teachers about what schools could and

should be.

Yet there was more to the design of

these meetings. By framing the

question, “What is the dream school?”

we forced ourselves to create a positive

future vision—something we are more

likely to work for if we have an idea of

what it should be. Additionally, we tried

to model the process a school or

community might use to brainstorm

possibilities for their own educational

programs.

I call to your attention an experiment

that was lost in the shuffle of World

War II—The Story of the Eight-Year

Study by W. M. Aikin (Harper Brothers).

This study involved 30 schools and

1500 students. The design of the study

allowed each school to develop their

own program for educating their

students, resulting in the evolution of

30 different designs. The graduates of

these high schools did better than their

controls in every field of study, notably

in English, humanities, physical

science, and mathematics. Obviously,

teachers can help their communities

develop better schools! Our designs and

dreams are valid and substantive.

In a mid-90s study by Public Agenda,

teachers across the country cited

inadequate resources, families in

turmoil, and arrogant administrators as

their major challenges. But what

caught my attention was a comment

from a teacher who said, “It’s not

schools that are broken; it’s the society.

Schools simply reflect the society.”

Certainly, there is some truth in the

statement, but are we merely a mirror?

I think we cannot afford to be. Schools

must be the lens through which we

shape the future.

Introduction

By ASTF President-Elect Bill Martin

10
These summer forums focused on the

crafting of that lens which allows us to

see what it is possible to become.

Meetings were structured to allow for

both small- and large-group input. An

open-ended brainstorm approach was

used to gather ideas. This is, in my

opinion, exactly the process that needs

to happen in every school, bringing in

all the voices of the community—the

full 360.

My hope is that the Hoover and Mobile

meetings stimulated teachers not only

to think and dream but also to act. It’s

my dream that teachers, as professional facilitators, will take the lead and

organize these sorts of conversations

within their individual educational

communities. Imagine teachers leading

the way to successful schools that

inspire students, parents, and staff.

If we believe in ourselves, students

and communities may learn from

our example.

Dreams are powerful. A dream led my

wife Nancy and me to live and teach in

a beautiful corner of Alabama on

Lookout Mountain. We have a small

farm and live in a house we designed

and built with the help of many friends.

As my friend Delmous Brewster says,

“There’s a lot of work in a dream.” And,

I’d agree there is. Making dreams come

true is a long-term process that

requires commitment. Imagining is an

important first step and only one of

many to bring our visions into reality.

Honor what teachers know

Listen to what teachers say

For our children’s sake

11
I consciously chose and

prepared for a challenging,

demanding career in education

because I believe learning is a

lifelong process and that all

children can learn if given the

resources and opportunity.

Along the way, each of my

employment opportunities

has been an

important

aspect in

preparing

for my pre–

sent tasks

on the State

Board. My

training

and experi–

ences have

taught me

always to put children first

when considering controversial issues and making

difficult decisions. Seeing a

student achieve success makes

every effort worthwhile.

—Ethel Hall,

State School Board

Vice President

Ethel Hall, the luncheon speaker at the

Hoover forum, noted that while many

people are surprised that a school

board member can actually teach, she

feels right at home leading a classroom

of students. In fact, she expressed a

deep connection and empathy with all

teachers as a result of a career teaching

all levels of students—from elementary

to college.

Ms. Hall covered several items that

need to change in order to improve

children’s education. Most importantly,

she feels that everyone must increase

expectations of students. Too often,

she explained, we base expectations

on students’ socio-economic back–

grounds. These increased expectations

would include graduation require–

ments, exit exams, new courses of

study, and the no-pass/no-play rule.

She also discussed diversified program

offerings, such as occupational

diplomas, career/technical diplomas,

and dual enrollment.

Ms. Hall acknowledged that some

ideas may seem like a dream—things

such as increased community involvement, lower pupil/teacher ratios, and

more opportunities for professional

development. However, she closed by

stressing the importance of collaboration: by working together and insisting

that teachers

play a part in the

decision-making

process, many

dreams may

become a reality.

Comments from State Board Members

12
My wife Rebecca and I have

four children, all of whom are

public school students. Each

of my children, and every

child in the state, deserves

the best possible education we

can provide them because

without one, they will not be

able to participate fully in the

economy of the 21st century

or enjoy a high quality

of life. My

service on

the Board

represents

my com–

mitment to

see that

each of my

c hildren

and every

child in this

state has a

real opportunity to obtain the

best education we can provide.

—Bradley Byrne,

State School Board Member

Bradley Byrne, the luncheon speaker

for Mobile’s forum, commented on how

people ruminate about the “Golden Age

of Education,” but that such a thing is

pure myth when you consider how twothirds of students in the 1950’s and

60’s dropped out of school. He noted

that an important goal is to increase

public confidence in education, but he

also addressed the need to realign

standards and re-assess programs.

Mr. Byrne discussed the following items

of concern:

• Reporting serious discipline

problems to administration

• Familiarizing teachers with all of

the laws on safety and discipline

• Mandating background checks on

all new teachers

• Implementing mentor programs for

all new teachers

• Establishing an in-class evaluation

system

• Increasing professional

development funding

• Increasing schools’ financial

accountability

• Reducing class size

Mr. Byrne expressed enthusiasm and

resolve to effect educational change,

even offering his work phone number to

participants who might have questions

or concerns as well as his home phone

number for teachers who had a

problem that needed to be addressed

immediately.

13
Visitors to this elementary school at

once notice a vibrant, creative

atmosphere, with living trees and a

gigantic stained glass window in the

foyer. Colorful paintings and

displays dot the walls—

some of which are deep

violet. The media center

is also imaginatively and

colorfully decorated,

and it boasts an

extensive

collection of

learning materials.

There is a spacious

gymnasium—and,

yes!—an exercise room,

too, complete with

stairmasters and

stationary bicycles. A

photographic dark

room and a studentgrown greenhouse

garden complete the

picture.

Wait a minute . . . could this all

be just a dream?

“If Trace Crossings is a ‘dream school,’

it’s because we involve so many people

in making decisions,” Principal Dot

Riley notes. “Although the principal

takes responsibility for decisions, I feel

comfortable standing behind my

teachers. The best decisions are the

ones we agree on.”

Dr. Dot Riley

has worked at

Trace

Crossings

Elementary

since its

inception six

years ago in

1992. In 1998,

she completed

a doctorate in

teacher leadership, and Dr. Riley’s

dissertation explored site-based

management’s premise of shared

decision making at all levels—a topic

that is key to the functioning of a

school where “everyone has a voice, and

teachers have the major voice.”

Trace Crossings serves 850 K-5

students with class sizes ranging from

20-22 in the upper grades to 16-18 in

the lower. Students come from

residential areas as well as

16 apartment complexes.

The school’s goal is to “meet the

needs of each child”—an imposing

challenge. In fact, the spacious

school building itself could be

imposing, if it weren’t for its warm and

inviting atmosphere. With cathedral

ceilings, well-lit halls, and colorful, kidfriendly decorations, Trace Crossings

resembles an attractive, upscale mall

designed for the under-12 set.

Dr. Riley says, “Every day that I come

to work, I’m excited. It never wears off.

The teachers are interested and

absorbed in their work; the kids are

happy and challenged. In fact, it’s

contagious! Our support staff—aides,

custodians, lunchroom workers—are all

excited about their work. I think it’s

because we really believe that

everybody here is a teacher—no matter

what the job title. We’re all here to

teach children.”

The school boasts the Alabama Teacher

of the Year for 1996-97, Robin Litaker,

Trace Crossing’s physical education

teacher and sponsor of the school’s

juggling team. Two other teachers, Kay

Emfinger and Tami Puchta, were

Spotlight on a Dream:

Trace Crossings Elementary School

14
Presidential Award Winners for 1996-

97 in Science and Mathematics through

the Eisenhower Consortium, and in

1997-98, Trace Crossings

teacher Misti McAdams

received National Board

Certification in Early

Childhood Education.

In addition to

providing students

with strong teaching,

involved staff, and a

stimulating

environment, Trace

Crossings Elementary

focuses on the individual

child and his or her needs.

Each year, parents are requested

to write a letter describing their

children and their specific learning

styles to help place

them in

appropriate

classrooms.

Classroom

teachers read the

letters and do the

initial placement.

The principal

reviews the letters

and placements

and discusses

individual cases

with the teachers.

Parents can be

assured, Dr. Riley

asserts, that the

staff has worked

hard to place

children with the

right teachers.

Parent involvement and support tends

to be high, thanks in part to a strong

PTO that encourages parents to

volunteer and to drop in for a

visit. Dr. Riley says,

“Parents know that they

are always welcome.”

Of course, some

parents may feel more

“at home” at the

school than others.

One parent, for

example, depended so

much on the school

and its staff, she called

the receptionist one

morning frantic for help.

Her car had been stolen, and

she didn’t know what to do. The

receptionist helped her calm down and

then suggested the

woman call the

police and give

them details on the

missing car.

Now, that’s being

there for the

community!

For more

information on

Trace Crossings

Elementary,

call Dr. Riley

(205) 439-2700

or Robin Litaker

(205) 439-2733.

15
Spotlight on a Dream:

Cranford Burns Middle School

In his

college

education

courses,

teachers

often

posed the

following

question

to Don

Stringfellow and his classmates: “If you

had a new school, what would you do?”

Now he has the opportunity to show

them as principal at Mobile’s brandnew Cranford Burns Middle School,

which will welcome over 600 students

on September 1, 1998.

“What I envision,” Principal Stringfellow

comments, “is a school on the cutting

edge—with the latest ideas in technology and instruction.”

Cranford Burns Middle School is

designed on the Model Middle School

Program, which focuses on teaming of

teachers. The layout of the facilities

works with this approach. Pods of

rooms are clustered around teacher

workrooms, and there is no bell

system—teachers move students

around according to

schedules

which they have

planned themselves

within their team.

Teacher Phyllis

Hartselle is excited

about the personal

challenge of working

with middle school

students in these

cross-curriculum

studies, and she is delighted that the

school can offer students two copies of

each textbook: one for school and one

for home. This eliminates the need for

lockers and book bags and—coupled

with the teaming approach—helps with

discipline problems and increases

the school’s level of security—a top

priority these days.

Teacher Beth Snyder also sees the

school as being “a safe place to enjoy

learning.” While she acknowledges that

the idea of enjoying school may be quite

foreign to some students, especially in

our “quick-fix video-society,” she hopes

to succeed in “teasing them back to the

books” with “interesting and relevant”

materials.

Clearly, this is a dream school in

the making with its excellent

facilities and resources, strong

instructional program, and

highly motivated staff.

16
Dynamite Ideas and Examples

Trachy Miller, Librarian

Perdido Elementary/Middle School

On successful community

involvement in schools:

I am fortunate to serve in a K-8 school

that is deeply supported by the

surrounding community. Parents and

local residents are very much involved in

our activities—classroom events, fund

raisers, sports events, and book fairs.

We are a primarily rural school with a

racially mixed student population from

low- to middle-SES backgrounds. Our

principal, who encourages and enables

community involvement within our

school, is well-respected by his faculty,

staff, students, and parents.

Community members feel welcome at

our school, where many come on

weeknights to participate in GED

classes, Weight Watchers meetings, and

PTO-sponsored activities.

On teachers as leaders:

Our kindergarten staff began a project

several years ago that has now become

a model for a countywide program.

Since our area is

primarily on the

lower end of the SES

scale, our

kindergarten

teachers thought it

would benefit many

of their students to

come to school for a

few weeks in the

summer prior to

their kindergarten

year. The children

would have the

opportunity to

become familiar with

school routines and

their new teachers.

Likewise, teachers

could do some initial

assessment of school readiness and

more realistically plan for making the

most of the upcoming academic year

with these students.

What began as a voluntary effort on the

part of the teachers has become an

annual summertime project with Title I

funding—and not only for

kindergartners but also for older

Perdido students who can benefit from

math and reading remediation and

skills retention during the summer

break. Over the years, student

achievement test scores for our whole

student body have been on the rise. I

believe this is a good example of what

can happen when teachers are

empowered as professionals!

17
Anne Jolly, 8th-grade Science Teacher

Cranford Burns Middle School

Early in my teaching career I realized

that my students learn best when they

know I care about them and enjoy

teaching them. The teacher-student

relationship is crucial to the learning

process. At the middle school level,

developing those personal relationships

with students is challenging, at best.

Students pass through my class

in groups of up to 30 students at

50-minute intervals. Several years

ago, I found a way to “connect” with

more of my students on a regular basis.

The first day of school, I write my

e-mail address on the board. I then

collect e-mail addresses for all of my

students who have these, and I add the

addresses to my online address book.

I also create a special online folder

containing their e-mail addresses so

that I can send everyone a “group”

message occasionally. Sometimes I

send the whole group a cheery hello,

share something humorous, or give

them a preview of something they can

look forward to in science. At other

times, I send individual students

messages giving them a cyberspace

pat-on-the-back for something well

done, a word of support if they’re

having a hard time, or a message

checking to see how they’re doing when

they are absent. I never use e-mail to

chastise students or to make negative

comments.

Students will often share feelings and

events through e-mail that they don’t

have time to share during the hectic

pace of the school day. One student

e-mailed me that he was sorry he had

not participated in class that day. His

dog had been killed by a car the night

before, and he couldn’t think about

much else. Usually, students just send

me a breezy, “Hi, Ms. Jolly! See ya

tomorrow!” Either way, that additional

personal contact helps to build bridges

and forge stronger relationships.

Today, I have former students in college

as far away as California who still stay

in touch through e-mail. They still

share what’s going on in their lives. I

recently received an electronic message

from a young man in his second year of

college. He shared a list of the honors

he’s piling up and the multitude of

career choices he has. Then he wrote, “I

thought you’d like to know. I’ve decided

what I want to do with my life. I’m going

to be a teacher!”

Moments such as those make me

thankful that I made that same

decision. How I love this profession,

with its amazing moments and its

mind-bending challenges!

18
Vivian W. Simon

Baker High School

Marketing/Technical/Career

Coordinator

On building relationships with

students:

Have students write about themselves—

basic information—likes, interests,

family life, etc.; this will give the

teacher some information about who

they really are. This will also help the

teacher identify potential problems that

exist (that would influence their

behavior). For example, the student

may have a sick parent and be unable

to deal with it and therefore may act

out. The second idea along this line is

for each student to prepare a poster

about his or her life: family, values,

career goals, and social activities.

Also, have students do weekly or daily

journals that give them an opportunity

to complain. However, they must use a

structured format—defining the steps

to resolving the problem. I also have

them do a lot of cooperative learning

activities so that they will respect the

opinions of others and feel free to

express their thoughts without ridicule.

Lennis Faye Russ

Robert E. Lee Elementary

3rd-grade Teacher

Family night idea:

At our school, parents and children are

invited to use the computer lab on

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 PM to

8 PM with faculty members available to

lend assistance. The funding for this

activity was made possible through a

grant. (For more information, contact

Media Specialist Jane Cunningham at

334-675-1210).

Susan Meredith Jordan

George Hall Elementary

3rd-grade Teacher

Mini-field trips:

Many of my students are only aware

of their immediate surroundings, and

experiences in other situations help

them to understand more about the

world. Examples include trips to

grocery stores (social studies, math,

science, English, reading), the woods

(social studies, science), the mall,

beaches (social studies, science),

restaurants, etc.

Kathy Degnan

Semmes Middle School

7th-grade Computer Teacher

On discipline:

Student discipline (suspension, etc.)

should be decided by the team

teachers, not principals or assistant

principals. A decision as to what to do

with an individual student should be

decided on by the teams, written up,

and submitted to the principal. She/he

should then sign to agree to the

decision and if not, explain why.

On student service to school:

In order to create a sense of student

ownership of the school—by class,

grade, or individually—students would

‘give’ something back to the school. An

activity, or elective period could be used

to facilitate this. A survey or sign-up

sheet with ideas/options could be used.

Students would be asked to sweep/

clean floors, tutor other students,

answer phones, help file for teachers,

work in the library or media lab, or do

artwork/paint school.

19
William (Billy) Ramey

Alma Bryant High School

Math (Algebra I) Teacher

On schoolwide study hall:

For the last period of the day

(30-40 min.), students should work on

classwork/homework. Use seniors as

tutors for one or two students during

this schoolwide study hall period. This

gives the underclassmen help with their

work that may not be available at

home. The seniors can work in terms of

“Big Brothers/Sisters.”

On an alternative to suspension:

Use county and city public works

programs and law enforcement officials

to put suspended students in community

service instead of sending them home

for several days in which they really get

a holiday.

• Have suspended students report to

school to be picked up by city or

county authorities to be

transported to different sites for

community service.

• Give students/parents a choice in

this (acceptance/refusal), but tie

the decision to attendance.

(Excused days for community

service; unexcused days of absence

for refusal, which can be dealt with

by attendance authorities.)

Sheri Mullin

Baker High School (includes

grades 7-12 as well as a regional

school for the blind & deaf)

Speech and Drama Teacher

Her philosophy on education:

I am a learner as well as a teacher. The

more I know, the better for my

students. Improvement and growth is

part of my philosophy. Improving

education improves us all.

On school duty:

Society doesn’t respect or support

education as it should. Besides jury

duty, let’s have “School Duty” where

parents serve a few days as substitute

teachers in our schools. This would

alleviate our search for substitutes,

open parents’ eyes to our objectives

in education, and also drum up

community support for tax increases

which will provide funding to improve

every aspect of the educational system

in our country.

On portfolios:

Make each student count. Develop a

portfolio on each student using

parents, teachers, guidance counselors,

and principals as ‘guiders’ of each

child’s education. Use a myriad of

evaluations such as grades, the SAT,

teacher comments, etc.

On planning time:

High school English and speech

teachers need more planning time to

grade/evaluate student writing. One

reason teachers don’t require a lot of

writing is that it takes so long to

effectively grade the work. Some places

in Florida give all teachers a planning

period, but those teachers who teach

courses which require a lot of writing,

two-to-three times a week, are given an

extra

planning

period to

grade and

return the

students’

work.

© PhotoDisc

20
Shirley M. Dean

Sylacauga City Board of

Education

Science Coordinator

K-12

(Retired 5th-grade Science

Teacher)

Math/Science suggestion:

I am presently designing a

K-12 science curriculum

based on the National

Education Science

Standards, so I suggest that

math/science combination

classes last twice as long because there

is so much math in teaching science,

and vice versa.

Polly Parrish

George Hall Elementary

Special Education Teacher

On parent/community involvement:

Our school, an inner-city school,

worked with our partners in education

to include them in parental

involvement. We enlisted the local Boys

and Girls Club as a partner in

education. On the evenings our school

sponsors a PTO meeting, the Boys &

Girls Club runs buses to pick up

parents to come to the meeting.

Meetings are held in the afternoons at

5:00 p.m. while it is still daylight (for

safety reasons) for those parents who

walk to the school to attend the

meeting. For those who prefer to ride,

the buses run throughout the

community and housing projects.

Reform begins with teachers:

I want to be involved in true

educational reform. I do not believe

change must come from the top down.

Instead, for reform to be successful, I

believe it must begin with teachers.

Teachers must be proactive in dealing

with the administration and

community.

For example, working in an

inner-city school, parental

involvement can often be a

challenge. I had a student,

an eight-year-old boy, who

was often a behavior

problem. He was one of 11

children. His mother did not

drive and could barely read.

All attempts to

communicate with the

mother were unproductive.

She was rarely home or

would fail to return my

phone calls.

After talking with the student a great

deal, I noticed that an older brother’s

name kept resurfacing. I identified a

strong bond that existed between the

student and his older brother. This

young man attended the high school

one block behind our school. I waited

for him one afternoon and struck up a

conversation as he was walking home.

We continued talking on a regular

basis, and he began to help in my room

in the afternoons.

Our relationship became the greatest

motivator for better behavior in my

student, who idealized this brother and

all he did. If I had any problem, I could

talk to the brother, and he would take

care of it. I also would share when my

student was making great progress.

The older

brother

kept me

informed

about home

life and

gave me a

clearer

picture of

my student.

21
Forum Teachers’ Dreams

Children are the reason

we dream of school

improvement. Teachers,

staff, parents, and

communities are trying to

“grow kids”—children

who will one day be the

leaders of this country

and the inheritors of our

hopes and dreams. Can

we afford not to be

idealistic when this

responsibility for their

future is placed into our

hands?

Teachers realize the

importance of the charge.

English teacher Pam

Harris (Guntersville High

School) asserts,

“Education must truly

become a priority—not

simply vacuous rhetoric in a political

platform. It must be a priority in every

home.” Media Specialist Trachy Tew

Miller agrees, “Every citizen has a

vested interest: taxes! Education

should be a top priority for everyone.”

When we asked teachers at the forums,

“What do you want or need in your

school?”, they responded with

enthusiasm and candor. For example,

second-grade teacher Kathy Hanscom

(B. C. Hill Elementary) says, “I want to

get accountability from parents. And I

want administrators to work in the

classrooms before they put those great

‘paper’ ideas into the school. But to

truly improve schools, the entire

community must be involved in

When I was a youngster, there was a yard in my neighborhood

where all the kids congregated. It was in shambles—toys scattered

everywhere and dead grass because of it. One day the owner of the

yard was asked, “Can’t you take better care of your lawn? It looks

awful!” to which the man replied, “No, I’m not going to grow grass.

I’m going to grow kids.”

—Bill Martin, Fort Payne Middle School

restructuring.” Melinda

Nock, an itinerant

teacher of the healthimpaired, agrees that

“parents and the

community, including

businesses, have a

wealth of ideas and

information that we are

not fully utilizing. We

must remember that

education includes ‘the

whole village.’”

Forum teachers allowed

themselves to look

beyond the reality of the

“dead grass” to the ideal

of “growing kids” and to

imagine the school of

their dreams. Special

education teacher Tracy

Wall (Fairhope Middle

School) comments, “It’s important now

and then to step away from the

activities of life to develop a vision for

what we would like to accomplish.”

Third-grade teacher Margaret Stewart

(Nan Gray Davis Elementary) agrees,

“We will never achieve a dream we

haven’t dreamed.”

So, we present their hopes and dreams

to you. Perhaps you will find that you

have similar desires for school

improvement, and you may be

encouraged and inspired to dream even

bigger! Read on to see what these forum

participants had to say about the

school of their dreams....

22
Two themes emerged from the Alabama

discussions

• The pressing need for improved

school resources

• The positioning of schools as the

center of the community

In terms of upgrading school resources,

discussions tended to focus on three

areas of concern

• Personnel

• Time management

• Facilities

Site-based decision making was

generally seen as the ideal form of team

leadership. Kindergarten teacher Leslie

Edwards (Wilmer Elementary)

comments, “Schools should have a

business manager, curriculum

specialist, and human resource

person—these people should be a team

at the school, instead of all decisions

falling on the principal.” Other

personnel suggestions included

• Administrators who are good

“people managers” as well as

“resource managers”

• A full-time registered nurse

• Counselors specializing in a specific

age group

• Additional counselors (with aides

for paperwork)

• An in-house psychometrist

• A person to

handle only

discipline/

safety

issues

• An intervention team

• A public relations person

• At least two media specialists

• Volunteers from law enforcement

• Full-time art, music, and computer

teachers

• Full-time classroom and lunchroom

aides

• Secretaries for teachers

• Hiring committees for new teachers

made up of current faculty

• Mentors for new teachers

Teacher training, mentoring, and

professional development were also

large concerns in the area of upgrading

school personnel. Pre-service training

and mentoring of new teachers was

endorsed by all small groups. Seventhgrade history teacher Brenda Shaddix

(Duran Junior High School) comments,

“Colleges of Education should employ

experienced classroom teachers as

instructors. As well, college professors

should be required to teach in the

regular school classroom each year.

Also, all new teachers need mentors

and orientations to prepare them for

their classroom work.”

Mentor programs were cited frequently

as a necessary resource by forum

participants; many called for a support

team to be convened and financed by

the school to train mentors, create an

orientation

program,

support

collaboration

23
24

with other schools for observing

successful classrooms, allow time for

mentoring, and offer release time for

those who function as mentors.

Forum participants also supported

personal professional development

plans for all teachers for each school

year, focusing on strengthening areas of

weakness by engaging in practical,

school-financed courses, seminars,

conferences, in-service programs, and

teaming for sharing and problemsolving. Teacher Brenda Shaddix

asserts, “School systems should be

required to allow teachers time off for

professional development. This

development should be adequate for all

grade levels and all subject areas.”

Pre-service and in-service training are

necessary to keep oneself current.

Some groups proposed adding inservice technology programs to update

teachers’ expertise with current

technologies. As counselor Cassandra

Fincher Fells (West End High School)

notes, “It is important to understand

that you cannot teach today’s youth

with yesterday’s tools. Innovative

teaching methods and strategies should

be incorporated to increase curriculum

integration.”

One discussion group in Hoover

developed the following list of

curriculum concerns and expectations:

Teaching Students to Think:

Curriculum to Meet the Needs of the

Student Community

• Integration of technological studies

and academic studies—strategies

incorporated into each discipline

can augment the teaching/learning

for both

• Opportunities for students to

observe schoolwide adult

cooperation through crosscurriculum studies—realizing that

success comes from working

together and developing respect for

human dignity

• Widespread employment of higherorder thinking skills in curriculum

• Implementation of research studies

on the brain and learning

• Creation of an atmosphere where

all students feel they can learn and

are an essential part of the whole

• Combination

of hands-on

activities with

teaching the

abstract

• Variety of

teaching

strategies

• Valuing of the

arts in

addition to technology—this is part

of the whole child

• Provision of co-op programs for

students

• Availability of conflict resolution/

mediation program

• Emphasis on expecting excellence
Other groups suggested themed

projects and multi-age classrooms.

Others identified the need for more

vocational training and emphasis on life

skills. Biology and anatomy teacher

Marsha Hollinger (Daphne High School)

comments, “We need to see more

courses offered for average to belowaverage students—they also need to be

able to choose from courses they may

be interested in to further their

education (for example, mechanical

drawing).”

Most participants advocated portfolio

and other alternative assessments and

deplored standardized testing. Retired

fifth-grade science teacher Shirley Dean

explains, “We need less emphasis on

standardized testing and more emphasis

on teaching for understanding. It is

much better to test what is taught than

to teach what is tested.”

Time management was cited as a key to

more efficiency: teachers wanted more

uninterrupted quality teaching time.

This would mean no off-task duties,

like hall or lunchroom duty, and would

free-up time to meet with each other to

share ideas, discuss problems, and get

help or to visit other schools or to

attend seminars. Most important of all,

teachers wanted to be seen as

professionals—such as college

professors whose only job is to teach.

As professionals serving tomorrow’s

leaders, most teachers believed that

they deserved more than just

“adequate” facilities. Most groups

dreamed of having faxes, copiers,

computers, and telephones in each

classroom, but they agreed to accept

having them scattered throughout the

school at convenient locations. Here is

the wish list from one forum group for

equipment and facilities:

• Safe, comfortable, inviting facilities

• Multiple labs (computer, science,

math, reading, etc.)

• Networked classrooms

• Multiple

copy

machines

per grade

level

• Telephones

with faxes

and

voicemail

• Sinks,

restrooms,

and storage

closets in

larger

classrooms

• A teacher

resource

center

• An updated

media center

• A staffed health center

• A multi-purpose room to

accompany a stocked gymnasium

• A “chill-out” room for discipline

problems

• Team or grade-level meeting rooms

• Safe buses with cameras and aides

In addition to expressing their desires

for upgrading school resources, forum

teachers discussed their dream of the

school functioning as the center of the

surrounding community. Federal

Programs Consultant Frances Cooley

vividly expresses the need for parent

and community involvement in schools:

To those who say we should keep

parents and the community out of

the schools, I reply, “If you see

these essential individuals as

flies—to be kept out—consider my

mother’s adage, ‘You catch more

flies with honey than vinegar.’” But,

as a child, I often wondered, “Who

wants to catch flies?”

25
As I matured as an educator,

mother, and grandmother, I realized

the power of the wisdom that Mama

was instilling. And as a retired

teacher, I will this wit and wisdom

to those continuing to operate on the

peaks and in the valleys of the

teaching-learning spectrum. Spoonfeed all education publics with

honey instead of vinegar. It has

been proven to make the medicine

of achieving global learning for all

students a palatable, nourishing,

and positive intellectual growth

adventure!

Educational Talent Search Advisor

Larry Gafford agrees, “Parents need to

be involved in schools—able to

observe—involved in ways other than

just bringing complaints. Parents need

to realize that students are learning

about the world, and too often parents

feel that their world stops at the county

or state line.” But in this dream school,

parents and other community members

would volunteer in classes as aides and

as presenters in their own areas of

expertise. In addition to improvements

in discipline, an extra benefit of their

presence would be that students would

see adults participating in an

educational setting and have a

heightened desire to learn and an

increased respect for school personnel.

Furthering community involvement, the

school would be managed by teams of

professionals, including parents,

teachers,

administrators,

community members,

and even students,

with rotating

memberships to allow

everyone to have

input. A school and

community

newsletter would go

out once a week with

updates on events,

activities, ideas, and

concerns to keep

everyone informed.

In order to function as the community

center, the school would need to be

open early and close late to be available

to the public and for flexible school

schedules that would match working

families’ needs. Attractions like chess

clubs, parenting classes, and stockmarket discussion groups would draw

interested community members. A

year-round calendar and two-shift day

were supported by most forum

participants, with the provision for

flexibility and assistance for those

teachers who wanted or need to be off

to take classes.

For convenience and centrality, the

public library and community

recreation centers could be located at

the school, along with other resources,

like a parent-resource room and daycare centers. The school would solicit

partnerships with community groups,

businesses, colleges, or other

agencies—not just for funding and

free speakers, but for internships and

real-world assignments and projects.

The idea of the school as the center of

the community hinges on the buy-in of

all community members: if all are

involved and feel a sense of ownership,

then everyone in the community would

view

education

as a top

priority.

26
27

Frances H. Cooley, a Hoover Forum participant and Consultant to the Federal

Programs School Support Team, summarizes participants’ “Achieving the Vision”

comments in the following on “The Dream School—How Do We Get There?”

I. Study funding resources, exhaust possibilities

A. Eliminate inequities in funding—equal access to educational dollars

B.Look beyond property taxes

II. Increase time allotted for learning

A. Provide staff development during supervised, meaningful

homework sessions

B.Let compulsory attendance extend to kindergarten and up

C.Study alternate scheduling possibilities for school day and year

III. Upgrade teaching conditions

A. Release teachers from non-teaching duties such as lunch, bus, hall,

and bathroom duty

B.Develop uniform standards for class sizes

IV. Review preparation required for new teachers

A. Consider national standards for teachers

B.Develop a mentoring program

V. Develop schoolwide student behavior standards

A. Provide opportunities for developing the discipline of independent study

through requiring meaningful homework beginning and increasing

throughout elementary and secondary schools

B.Educate parents to the need for monitoring TV and Internet use

C.Involve teachers, parents, and significant adults in stay-in-school/

complete-school strategies

D.Employ consistent discipline standards

VI. Review curriculum development

A. Make flexible to meet local needs, yet focused on skill development

for global functioning

B.Integrate technical and academic studies

VII. Update student assessment

A. Move beyond multiple-choice tests to essays, demonstrations, oral exams,

higher-order thinking skills, map/graph reading, etc.

VIII. Review education governance

A. Consider standardization for school systems across the nation

B.Infuse local (parent/community) feedback with national standards

C.Establish a parallel for standards required of public and private

instructional systems

IX. Improve parent and community involvement

A. Consider a goal for the percent of literacy for citizens and work toward

accomplishing that goal

B.Focus on quality parenting in the broadest sense

C.Work toward goal of high parent and community involvement in school
At the conclusion of the forums, most

participants were pleased with what

they had accomplished in their small

and large groups and hoped to be able

to see some of their changes

implemented. Third-grade teacher

Susan Meredith Jordan (George Hall

Elementary) hopes “to see a change in

the way schools are run and

organized.” She writes, “Thank you for

allowing teachers a voice and not just

an ear.” Second-grade teacher Marlene

Stroud (Oneonta Elementary) says,

“Please, let’s continue these forums of

ideas. The concept of grassroots change

28

is powerful! I am excited about the

future of education if this continues.”

But first-grade teacher Beverly Gandy

(Meadowlake Elementary) wonders, “At

this point I’ve dreamed...now, who will

listen? Who will act on our dreams and

suggestions?” Hopefully, readers of this

document will act on some of these

excellent ideas. Also, discussions need

to continue throughout schools and

communities—with or without

organized forums—and teachers need

to speak up with their insightful ideas

on change.

What follows is a personal planning section that allows you

to create your own vision of the school of your dreams....
Your Personal Planning Section

Imagining, Organizing, and Achieving

Your Vision of the Dream School

My ideal school would be a

group of people working

together in a happy, caring

environment, fostering a lifelong love of learning. It would

include an adequate facility

with well-trained teachers,

involved parents and community, no funding problems,

a consistent approach to discipline, and a curriculum to

meet the needs of all students.

—Margaret Stewart,

Nan Gray Davis Elementary

Dear Reader,

You are invited to dream along with

us....

You may choose to work through

this section alone to create your

individual vision of the dream

school, or you may wish to complete

this planning section together with

a team from your school

for a shared vision for

school improvement.

First, ask yourself:

“What is the

school

of my dreams?”

Do not limit your vision

with negatives like

“there isn’t enough

money to achieve my

dream,” or “the

principal would never

share his power with

the teachers.”

Instead, allow yourself to visualize

the ideal.

Forum participant and fourth-grade

teacher Gwen McCorquodale (South

Shades Crest Elementary) explains

how difficult this can be in the

following comment:

I am disappointed in how we limit

ourselves: so many of the factors

we discuss are “improvements”

on existing programs in schools

and not “dreams” with vision for

the future. Can we not soar above

the ordinary wish list for the

present? The thinking that can

evolve from “changing” instead

of “fixing” could be most

productive. While any discussion

empowers and can lead to deeper

understanding, we need to focus

on the dream....

And we must remember that to

dream is the first step in many

leaps that lead to

change.

Are you ready to

dream? If so, turn

the page to your first

step on the road to

change....

29
As a warm-up exercise, please freewrite for 5-10 minutes on the words:

“the ideal school” or “the dream school.” Use the space provided to jot

down whatever ideas come into your head during this time. Do not edit

your thoughts or words. Do not stop writing until time is up.

Assignment #1: Imagining the Ideal

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Now, look over what you have written. What did you write? Anything

surprising?

Please complete the following sentences:

It is interesting that many of my ideas concern

I was surprised to see

At this point, I would define the dream school as
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Students

Teachers

Principal

Assistant Principal

Front Office Staff

Assignment #2: Ideal Roles

Counselor

Nurse

Cafeteria Staff

Custodial Staff

Media Specialist

Please describe ideal roles and expectations for the

following people:
Tutorial/Remedial Staff

Other Resource People

Parents

Now, please describe how you would like these people to work together.

Consider leadership/management issues. How should various decisions

(hiring, discipline, testing, placement, curriculum, scheduling, etc.) be

made?

Community

District/County Administrators

Other (please identify)

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Classrooms

Gym

Computers

Please create a detailed “shopping list” of what you would like

to have in the dream school as resources.

Facilities

Describe the ideal elements for each of the following, and

then add other facilities you would like to have in your

dream school (e.g., a student-run greenhouse and a petting

zoo—yes! be creative!).

Science labs

Math Labs

Reading/Writing Labs

Assignment #3: Ideal Resources
Art rooms

Music rooms

Library

Counseling areas

Health/first aid rooms

Cafeteria

Other rooms/areas (please

specify)

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Resource Personnel

Please describe resource personnel you would like to have available to you

(e.g., a discipline specialist, a parent-involvement specialist, secretarial

support, etc.).

Other physical resources not already mentioned (e.g., two sets of

textbooks, telephones in classrooms, etc.)
How would you like to schedule the school day?

How would you schedule the school calendar?

What off-task duties would you eliminate, and how?

How would you make time for sharing and observing?

How would you make time for mentoring?

How would you make time for professional development?

Other time-management ideas or concerns?

Assignment #4: Ideal Time Management

Please comment on the following areas dealing with time management

in the dream school:

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Please describe the ideal climate and culture of the dream school.

(Organizational climate refers to current feelings and attitudes about the

organization—whether it is a positive place to live and work together or one

that is full of problems. Organizational culture refers to the shared values and

expectations held by the people who work in an organization.)

What would the school’s climate (e.g., enthusiastic, team-oriented) be like?

What would the school’s culture (e.g., sharing and helping expected) be like?

What would the relationship between faculty and administrators be like?

What would faculty/staff attitudes toward students be like?

What would student attitudes toward teachers be like?

How would parents relate to teachers?

How would the community perceive the school?

How would safety issues be addressed?

Other atmosphere issues?

Assignment #5: The Ideal Atmosphere
What does your ideal classroom look like? Please describe it in detail or

draw a picture here.

What would your students be like (attitude, behavior, motivation, etc.)?

What would students learn?

How would you test/assess your students?

What would be gained by this dream classroom that the traditional one

could not achieve?

Assignment #6: My Ideal Classroom

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40

Now, take a moment to look back over what you have written in this section,

and then answer the following questions:

Now that I’ve analyzed the various parts of the dream school, how can I

synthesize or bring them together to work as a whole?

Which things could be implemented right now with only a little work or

adjustment needed?

What do we need to start working on now to implement other changes in the

future?

What specific ideas or suggestions could I prepare notes on and bring up at

the next staff or school improvement team meeting or send around in a

proposal?

Assignment #7: Achieving My Vision of the Dream School
How could I organize small groups within my school to study potential

changes?

How could I organize small groups within my school to set up mentors?

How could I organize small groups within my school to share teaching ideas?

How could I organize a day (or morning or afternoon) for staff at my school

to “dream” together?

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Thank you for participating in dreaming with us. We hope that this

planning section has been helpful in assisting you in expressing your

dreams. If you would like to write to us at SERVE about your personal

successes in school improvement, we would love to hear from you. Please

send correspondence to Dr. Donna Nalley, Publications and Quality

Assurance, 1203 Governor’s Square Boulevard, Suite 400, Tallahassee,

Florida 32301.

Other ideas for achieving my vision of the dream school:
by Bill Martin,

8th-grade Science

Teacher

Fort Payne

Middle School

I have designed

and proposed a

dream school....

My system built a

new school and is

trying to sell the

old one. Ideally

located in the center of our small town,

the old school was first opened in 1916.

However, my plan was returned by the

superintendent with no comment. I

requested the opportunity to explain the

proposal to the board. I was granted five

minutes at the board meeting. They were

not interested. They saw the proposal as

a private school in the public sector.

Is that what we want—to hold every

student to the same level of mediocrity?

Or do we believe that teachers are not

capable of designing schools? Perhaps

some of both....The school is still for

sale. I believe in this dream school, and

maybe one day schools like this will be a

part of the educational landscape.

A Proposal for The Fort Payne

Learning Resource Center (FPLRC) to

be located at the current Forest

Avenue School: A School of Choice for

200 committed students from Fort

Payne and DeKaIb County

• Requires students to serve two hours

a day in the school and community,

participate in four hours of challenging course work daily, and take

advantage of internship, mentor/

apprenticeship, and study programs

• Requires parents or adult sponsors

to donate two hours per week or one

day per month

Example Proposal for a Dream School: The Fort Payne Learning Resource Center

• Includes amended yearly calendar

(175 student days spread

throughout the year), with three

weeks off in the fall, spring, and at

New Year’s. Six weeks off in the

summer

• Includes an extended daily

schedule: school is open from 7AM to

7PM, with a flexible schedule for

students and parents, and two

overlapping eight-hour shifts for

staff

• Employs teams involving students,

parents, teachers, and community

mentors which use test results and

student accomplishments to design

a personalized educational program

Imagine a high school where...

• Students learn by doing, and as a

result, love to learn

• Academics are blended with

business and community service

• Individualized programs are

designed by students, parents, and

teachers

• Every student is prepared for

college, technical school, and work

• Students serve and learn in the

work place and community

• Students manage and operate

businesses

• Existing community resources are

utilized and improved

• Every student is special

• Students, parents, and staff want

(and choose) to be there!

Imagine a facility featuring...

• A Technology Center—serving the

community as an on-ramp to the

Information Super Highway;

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developing school, community, and

business Web pages; maintaining

school business records; producing

printed, audio, and video projects;

marketing services and products

• A Restaurant—managed by

students and staff, serving the

school and community

• A Store and Visitors Center—

selling student and regional

products; educating the public

about local resources and operated

by students, parents, and staff

• Shops and Studios—producing

student projects and maintaining

and improving the facility

• 21st-Century Classrooms—

promoting strong academic

achievement; exposing students to

the region, state, nation, and world;

designed to promote learning

Student learning programs

Every student would work with a team

to design his/her own learning program.

Program design and evaluation teams

include students, parents or sponsors,

faculty, and business/community

mentors.

A strong academic program is supported by

• Business and work place

experiences

• Performing and visual arts

• Multimedia productions

• Environmental monitoring and

exploration

Course and classwork would be

interesting and engaging. A full 4x4

curriculum (4 years each of math,

science, language arts, and social

studies) would be tailored by a dedicated

staff to address student needs and

interests.

Academics are integrated with four

major strands that run through the high

school experience. Business, arts,

technology, and the environment are

woven with academics to make classes

applied, appealing, and challenging.

A yearly theme would allow courses to

be integrated with each other and

student work experiences

• Ninth grade—local theme

• Tenth grade—state theme

• Eleventh grade—national theme

• Twelfth grade—global theme

School-work experiences

• All students and staff are involved

in school maintenance and cleaning

• Three in-house businesses are

operated by the school: a technology

center, a restaurant, and a store

and visitors center—selling student

products and regional items

• Community work experiences begin

with visits from local business and

community leaders to teach students

how their industry, service, or

agency operates. Students visit some

of the participating businesses and

agencies. After a field trip, students

may apply to shadow an employee or

serve an internship. Successful

internships could lead students to

apply for mentors or apprenticeships. Participating businesses

would evaluate (and could reward)

student achievement

School schedule

A student’s day would typically include

• Four hours of classwork

• Two hours of school service

(working in a school business or

on maintenance)

• Two hours of study and/or

intern/mentor/apprenticeship

A flexible 7AM to 7PM schedule

7:00AM—9:00AM Breakfast/aerobics/

study halls with tutors/early

classes
45

9:00AM —12:00PM Morning classes—a

mixture of block, team taught, and

traditional classes

12:00PM —2:00PM Long lunch—

provides time for schoolwide

programs and presentations,

student design/evaluation team

meetings, class projects, etc.

2:00PM —5:00PM Afternoon classes—a

mixture of block, team taught, and

traditional classes

5:00PM —7:00PM Dinner/aerobics/

study halls with tutors/late classes

Students might design an AM/PM

rotation—for example, apprenticing and

doing their school service in the

morning and taking classes in the

afternoon. Or, students could mix work

and class experiences.

Staff schedules would be 7AM—3PM or

11AM—7PM, with split shifts possible.

They would work 175 days with

students and be provided with at least

five days per year for planning and

development.

Evaluation and assessment

Teams would use a wide array of

evaluations to design programs to meet

individual student needs, address their

interests, and promote their talents. All

students would participate in the

statewide testing program (standardized,

graduation, and end-of-course tests).

Additionally, all students would take

college entrance tests including the

PSAT, SAT, and ACT, as well as IQ,

creativity, personality, interest, ability,

and career/vocational tests and surveys.

However, test results make up only one

part of a student’s portfolio. Teams

would use portfolios as a major

evaluation tool. All products, records,

projects, and accomplishments would

be included in the portfolio. Some

projects would be required for

graduation; others would be selfdirected. A portfolio would be

maintained through high school.

Graduation and entry into college,

technical school, or the work place

would be expected of every student.

Survey data would be collected from

students for six-to-ten years after

graduation. A major goal of the school is

to help students procure scholarships,

grants, and awards to attend the postsecondary school of their choice.

Another goal is that students are

successful in college or technical school

and graduate. The final hope and

measure of success for the FPLRC is

that students make the transition to a

fulfilling career and satisfying life.

Funding

Student dollars would be pushed down

to the schoolhouse level for budgeting by

the school community/council. With

200 students and only $3,800 per

student per year, the $760,000 budget

does not quite cover salaries. However,

the profit potential for school businesses

is quite good and should make up any

shortfall after three years.

Seed money or start-up funds are

needed to repair and remodel the

facility; purchase equipment and

materials for school businesses, shops,

studios, labs, and classrooms; and

make up for salary shortfalls until the

school businesses show a profit. The

needs would include approximately

three million dollars over three years.

Possible funding sources

School Choice Program (from the

U.S. Department of Education)

School to Work Program

(U.S. Departments of Education and

Labor)

AT&T and BellSouth as Internet/

technology partners

This is my dream, but I believe

it can become a reality....
46

1. Parents and school employees are

committed to long-range, continuous

improvement.

2. Central and building administration are

committed to long-range, continuous

improvement.

3. Goals for achievable education

outcomes are clear and explicit.

4. Teachers, education support personnel,

parents, administrators, students,

school board, district administrators,

and civic groups are all involved in

improving education.

5. Teachers, education support personnel,

students, and parents believe all

students can learn.

6. School district administration and

school boards believe all children can

learn.

7. School is an overall learning

environment for employees and

students.

8. Teachers assess student improvement

daily.

9. Administrators assess student

improvement daily.

10. The school uses teacher-made tests to

assess students.

11. The school uses oral classroom

activities to assess students.

12. The school uses exhibitions to assess

students.

13. Assessments take into account student

background.

14. Academic programs are assessed.

15. Teachers consistently rate program

quality.

16. Assessment results are actually used

and classroom decisions are based on

assessments.

17. Instructional materials are selected

based on quality.

18. Instructional materials are selected

based on appropriateness to student

needs.

Is Your School Organized for Success?

19. Instructional materials are not

selected based on cost.

20. Space is adequate within the school

building.

21. Supplies are adequate.

22. Support services are adequate.

23. Psychological and social work services

are available.

24. School staff actively seek to identify

barriers to learning.

25. Teachers work to remove barriers.

26. Education support personnel work to

remove barriers.

27. Students and parents work to remove

barriers.

28. School and district administration

work to remove barriers to learning.

29. A cooperative problem-solving process

is used to remove barriers.

30. There is ongoing, consistent staff

development in the areas of decision

making, problem solving, leadership,

and communication.

31. Staff development is an ongoing,

high-quality, state-of-the-art,

practical experience for all school

employees.

32. There is two-way, non-threatening

communication between school

employees and school administrators.

33. There is two-way, non-threatening

communication between school

employees and district

administration.

34. There is two-way, non-threatening

communication among teachers.

35. All communication takes place within

a climate for innovation.

Source: Adapted from NEA Today, May

1995 issue, in which NEA researchers

identified 35 indicators common to

high-achieving schools.

Check these 35 indicators to see if you have a high-achieving school:
47

Notes and Additional Ideas
52
“It’s neat learning how to teach—

deciding a creative way to teach things.”

“There’s

no other

job that

rewards you

like teaching.”

“Watching

them

grow.”

“I never know what is going to happen next.

Each day is unique.”

“Kids have always

fascinated me. They

come up with such interesting ideas

and ways of looking at the world.”

What do you

love about teaching?
Designing the School of Your Dreams is a SERVE Sharing

Success Publication created to broaden teachers’, parents’,

administrators’, and community leaders’ visions of what a school

can and should be. While visionary in its challenge to see

beyond the walls of the traditional school to what is possible,

Designing the School of Your Dreams is also practical in approach

as it shares usable ideas and examples of successful implementations of these ideas. Designing the School of Your Dreams also

includes a planning section designed to assist an

individual or group in discovering their own personal vision of

the ideal school. Designing the School of Your Dreams could

dramatically affect school improvement at every level by encouraging its readers to envision the “Dream School” and to actively

pursue their high expectations and goals.

SSDSD

$6.00