Although in plain sight daily, a highly successful war against the public schools has been hidden in the shadows of public consciousness. Only very recently have several people written articles about this war, with the only book calling it a war being written in 2002. Neither the public nor educators have become aware of the far-reaching extent and effectiveness of this war. This book treats this war as part of an extensive social movement that is conducting wars also against government and science, as well as against women, immigrants, the poor (but not against poverty), and, certainly, against unions. However, the book focuses on the war against the public schools. It sets the stage in Chapter One, Checklist for Destroying Public Education, followed by Chapter Two, How the War Plays Out on the Battlefield - Seven Examples that illustrate and prove the thesis. One example involves a private for-profit company that took over a school district in Michigan, but found that they couldn't make a profit running the high school. So what did they do? They simply closed it, leaving the students high and dry. We provide a chapter analyzing the considerable profits being made by entrepreneurs, businessmen, politicians, testing companies and charter schools. We then describe and analyze the overt and covert attacks on our kids, on teachers and on public schools, such as the clever idea of grading schools A, B, C, D, or F, thereby undermining public confidence in their local schools. We focus on the arsenal of weapons aimed at the public schools, such as privatization, intrusion of politicians into educational decision-making, vouchers, using merit pay and Value-Added Models (VAMs) to evaluate teachers, charter schools, extremely intensive testing, the standards movement, etc. We look at unintended consequences and conclude with attempts at peaceful resolutions and developing reconciliation strategies.

American schools are undergoing huge changes, among the most significant of which is that their size is increasing rapidly. This book lays out very practical approaches to making our ever-increasingly large schools work more effectively. By closely analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of large schools, the author can provide effective tools and strategies for dealing with them. Shapiro digs away at the foreseen and unforeseen consequences of this rapid escalation of size, and presents practical, tried-and-true strategies for undoing some of the more unfortunate results of this social trend or drift.

We Americans seem prone to bandwagon onto fads, particularly now that reforming education has become a national priority. Unfortunately, many of those fads now caroming across our continent are outright frauds; some are fantasies, even fictions. Even more unfortunately, many are undermining our public schools, teachers, kids and communities, and pillaging our tax dollars in the process. This book analyzes each major reform--No Child Left Behind, Common Core State Standards, grading schools, evaluating teachers, failing students, vouchers, charters, online virtual charters-- and finds them seriously wanting. We conclude with reforms that work actually helping teachers, kids, parents and communities.

We Americans seem prone to bandwagon onto fads, particularly now that reforming education has become a national priority. Unfortunately, many of those fads now caroming across our continent are outright frauds; some are fantasies, even fictions. Even more unfortunately, many are undermining our public schools, teachers, kids and communities, and pillaging our tax dollars in the process. This book analyzes each major reform - No Child Left Behind, Common Core State Standards, grading schools, evaluating teachers, failing students, vouchers, charters, online virtual charters - and finds them seriously wanting. We conclude with reforms that work actually helping teachers, kids, parents and communities.

American schools are undergoing huge changes, among the most significant of which is that their size is increasing rapidly. This book lays out very practical approaches to making our ever-increasingly large schools work more effectively. By closely analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of large schools, the author can provide effective tools and strategies for dealing with them. Shapiro digs away at the foreseen and unforeseen consequences of this rapid escalation of size, and presents practical, tried-and-true strategies for undoing some of the more unfortunate results of this social trend or drift.

This book analyzes and synthesizes key elements of the most recent and dynamic emergent theory and practice of leadership constructivist leadership. It presents the theory and practice in a down-to-earth, easy-to-read approach that removes fear and anxiety, using case studies revealing both the underlying philosophy and practical strategies both to teach and to lead constructivistically. Constructivist leadership is the most democratic form of leadership and can be used to reform schools to make them considerably more productive, effective, and healthy for kids and faculty, as the case studies demonstrate. Strategies are presented in pictorial, step-by-step, easy-to-follow diagrams. The book offers insights into the keys that make organizations and individuals tick and then to learn to use these insights in practical, constructive, and constructivist leadership approaches.

The evil prosthesis of Captain Hook, the comical speech of Porky Pig, and the bumbling antics of Mr. Magoo are all examples of images in our culture which can become the basis of negative attitudes and subliminal prejudice towards persons with disabilities. These attitudes influence and underlie discriminatory acts, resulting in negative treatment and segregation. A teacher's ability to recognize and counter such images may well determine the success of inclusion and mainstreaming programs in our schools and society. Well-researched and well-written, this book offers practical guidance as grounded in solid research to schools that are wrestling with how to mainstream children with disabilities.

The evil prosthesis of Captain Hook, the comical speech of Porky Pig, and the bumbling antics of Mr Magoo are all examples of images in our culture which can become the basis of negative attitudes and subliminal prejudice towards persons with disabilities. These attitudes influence and underlie discriminatory acts, resulting in negative treatment and segregation. A teacher's ability to recognise and counter such images may well determine the success of inclusion and mainstreaming programs in our schools and society. Well-researched and well-written, this book offers practical guidance as grounded in solid research to schools that are wrestling with how to mainstream children with disabilities.

Although in plain sight daily, a highly successful war against the public schools has been hidden in the shadows of public consciousness. Only very recently have several people written articles about this war, with the only book calling it a war being written in 2002. Neither the public nor educators have become aware of the far-reaching extent and effectiveness of this war. This book treats this war as part of an extensive social movement that is conducting wars also against government and science, as well as against women, immigrants, the poor (but not against poverty), and, certainly, against unions. However, the book focuses on the war against the public schools. It sets the stage in Chapter One, Checklist for Destroying Public Education, followed by Chapter Two, How the War Plays Out on the Battlefield - Seven Examples that illustrate and prove the thesis. One example involves a private for-profit company that took over a school district in Michigan, but found that they couldn't make a profit running the high school. So what did they do? They simply closed it, leaving the students high and dry. We provide a chapter analyzing the considerable profits being made by entrepreneurs, businessmen, politicians, testing companies and charter schools. We then describe and analyze the overt and covert attacks on our kids, on teachers and on public schools, such as the clever idea of grading schools A, B, C, D, or F, thereby undermining public confidence in their local schools. We focus on the arsenal of weapons aimed at the public schools, such as privatization, intrusion of politicians into educational decision-making, vouchers, using merit pay and Value-Added Models (VAMs) to evaluate teachers, charter schools, extremely intensive testing, the standards movement, etc. We look at unintended consequences and conclude with attempts at peaceful resolutions and developing reconciliation strategies.

The California Tortoiseshell, West Coast Lady, Red Admiral, and Golden Oak Hairstreak are just a few of the many butterfly species found in the floristically rich San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley regions. This guide, written for both beginning and experienced butterfly watchers by one of the nation's best-known professional lepidopterists, provides thorough, up-to-date information on all of the butterfly species found in this diverse and accessible region. Written in lively prose, it discusses the natural history and conservation status for these butterflies and at the same time provides an integrated view of butterfly biology based on studies conducted in northern California and around the world. Compact enough for use in the field, the guide also includes tips on butterfly watching, photography, gardening, and more. It discusses and identifies more than 130 species. Species accounts include information on identifying butterflies through behavior, markings, and host plants. Beautiful full-color plates illustrate top and bottom views of wings for easier identification. It also includes a species checklist and a glossary.