Educational Folly: Teacher Well-Being and the Chaos of American Schooling

Educational Folly: Teacher Well-Being and the Chaos of American Schooling offers a comprehensive critique of educational reforms and proposes a new vision for the future of education reform that centers around justice, community, and professionalism to restore the teacher's position and restore dignity and progress to American schools.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2023
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Educational Folly: Teacher Well-Being and the Chaos of American Schooling is a comprehensive critique of educational reforms that have eroded the teachers position, leaving them with psychological scars that are fueling the recent exodus from teaching. In response, Gonsalves offers a new vision for the future of education reform that centers around justice, community, and professionalism to restore the teacher to the rightful head of the classroom and to restore dignity and progress to all of Americas schools.

Educational Folly: Teacher Well-Being and the Chaos of American Schooling is a scathing critique of educational reforms that have undermined the authority and dignity of teachers, leading to a widespread exodus from the profession. In this book, author Gonsalves presents a bold and innovative vision for the future of education reform. Central to this vision is the concept of justice, community, and professionalism, which aims to reclaim the role of teachers as the leaders and architects of the classroom.

Gonsalves argues that the current educational system is plagued by a myriad of problems, including a lack of respect for teachers, inadequate funding, and excessive standardized testing. These factors have created a toxic environment for teachers, leading to high levels of stress, burnout, and dissatisfaction. To address these issues, Gonsalves proposes a comprehensive reform agenda that emphasizes the importance of valuing and supporting teachers.

One of the key components of Gonsalves' vision is the establishment of a professional teaching corps. This corps would be comprised of highly qualified and experienced teachers who are committed to the profession and to the growth and development of their students. Teachers would be provided with ongoing professional development opportunities, including training in the latest teaching strategies and technologies, as well as support for their mental and physical well-being.

In addition to creating a professional teaching corps, Gonsalves also advocates for a more community-oriented approach to education reform. He believes that schools should be more integrated into their communities, working closely with parents, businesses, and other community organizations to provide students with a comprehensive education that meets their individual needs. This would involve a greater emphasis on social and emotional learning, as well as on providing students with access to a wide range of extracurricular activities and resources.

Gonsalves also recognizes the importance of promoting professionalism in the teaching profession. He argues that teachers should be treated with respect and dignity, and that they should be given the autonomy and authority to make decisions that are in the best interests of their students and their profession. This would involve a shift away from top-down decision-making and towards a more collaborative and democratic approach to education reform.

Overall, Educational Folly: Teacher Well-Being and the Chaos of American Schooling is a powerful and thought-provoking book that offers a comprehensive critique of educational reforms and a bold vision for the future of education reform. By emphasizing justice, community, and professionalism, Gonsalves aims to reclaim the authority.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 235 x 163 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781475855814