Winds of Change: Declaring War on Education

Dr. Darlene Leiding examines the present state of affairs in our public school system and comes up with a real appraisal of what needs to be done. Most startling is her observation of the deterioration of school culture and many of the developments which have led to it. She observes that schools need to admit to and deal with school violence. School violence has become a significant handicap to moving ahead with building productive schools.

Her observation of the inability of one-size-fits-all schools to adjust to the needs of different groups of students is insightful. We need to be more creative than this.

This is an important book which can lead us all to an understanding of how we can reconstruct a learning environment necessary for school success.

Dr. Leiding’s research concerning schools and their role in the education of America’s future generations raises some provocative questions. She challenges readers to consider the impact of schools that fail to meet the needs of students, especially the needs of underserved populations. No longer is it acceptable to focus on teaching but results demand that schools focus on learning. Dr. Leiding’s message is one that will test your basic assumptions about education and cause you to think about the future needs and demands that will be placed upon schools as they attempt to prepare students for the future.

Leiding’s slim book pulls no punches. She confronts the problems of education in the US boldly and with refreshing directness. Her suggestions provide reasonable approaches that offer hope for the future. Unencumbered by multiple citations, her concise style makes for an easy read. Leiding calls for fresh approaches to replace the numerous ways that educational change has been addressed–ways that have yielded little if any improvement, and have done actual damage. The book considers the impact of racism, poverty, and the structural organization of society as major contributors to the weakening of public education. It argues for competition, against the testing mania, and for curriculum that lessens the difference between “school” and “real life” knowledge. Because today’s school culture brings challenges unknown in previous times, (e.g., low achievement, shootings, drugs, technology, and teen pregnancy), a fresh approach to the problem of education in the US is needed. Fresh approaches grow out of frank consideration of what matters. Identifying what matters–equity, community, and learning–and then acting on it can move the US closer to having the schools it needs. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.

When educating our young people, we can’t continue doing what has worked in the past, but will need to meet tomorrow’s needs and invest in its future in order to succeed. Darlene Leiding addresses those needs with thoroughly-researched ideas on how to invest in our children’s futures, leading to their educational success. Administrators, school board members, educators and, yes, parents need to be aware of this information as today they plan, build and equip our schools of tomorrow.