Her work at East Harlem's Central Park East elementary and secondary schools established her not only as an advocate of small, autonomous schools, but as someone capable of bringing the vision to life through patient and skillful administration. Governance is simpler and more effective when the principal and faculty can meet around the same table. Mutual respect is the norm because people know one another well enough to understand their skills and values. Small schools allow teachers to simplify the organization rather than simplify the children. Instead of using a standardized approach to accommodate a complex bureaucracy, small schools can build organizational structures that recognize human individuality.
Safety is enhanced.
Small schools are less likely to intimidate parents, who are then more likely to get involved. Accountability is simplified. Smaller Is Better . But many elementary schools are also beginning to explore the advantages of smallness. In this issue of Catalyst, Veronica Anderson describes the practical realities of creating and operating a small elementary school in a large building.