All too often we hear from student, parents, and mostly teachers about how the hierarchy and politics within a school system can often get in the way of a teacher’s curriculum and their ability to teach. This is why a group of teachers in Boston, Denver, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles are taking matters into their own hands and introducing teacher-led schools. (teaching online)
These schools are founded on the belief that those within the building know what their students need best, and what is best for the student is certainly the emphasis. Barbara Jordan Elementary, which will be Detroit’s first teacher-led school, is open only to students whose parent’s agree to be involved. In fact, parents will have to sign a contract promising to be involved in their child’s education and the school. The school, which is for students in kindergartner through 4th grade, believes that having the school run only by the people who are directly involved with the children will help create a more catered and academically challenging learning environment.
The school will have the same up front, day to day operations just like any school. So how are these schools different? There is no principal. This allows teachers to be responsible for and make daily decisions, such as purchasing needed supplies or changing an emphasis for a class specific course, without having to go through a bunch of middle men to get an approval. Many teachers just do not have a lot of influence in meeting the needs of the children that were sitting in front of them, but this new system allows them to be the main decision makers.
Barbara Jordan Elementary, which will be funded like any other Detroit public school, will have an extended day, with enhancement programs such as music or art after lesson hours, and a longer school year.
This first year, the Detroit Federation of Teachers will hire the teachers, but Barbara Jordan teachers will eventually take over that task. Instead of a principal there will be a building administrator, most likely with experience as a principal, to handle the administrative duties that teachers aren’t familiar with. However, that position is expected to be phased out in three years, with teachers taking over those duties, as well.
School governance will come from teacher committees. Small groups, formed by the teachers, will meet to make decisions for their students. Each small group will choose a point person to represent the group at meetings of point people from the rest of the building. The point-person positions will be rotated.
It’s too early to know test results, said Michael McLaughlin of the Boston Teachers Union School. But he can name one indicator of the Boston school’s success: “The families in the area, they’re clamoring to get into this school.”
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