The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards" – A Research-Based Argument for Child-Centered Learning

In this provocative and well-researched book, Alfie Kohn builds a powerful argument against “teaching to the test” in favor of more child-centered curriculums to raise lifelong learners. Drawing on stories from real classrooms and extensive research, Kohn shows parents, educators, and others how schools can help students explore ideas rather than just fill them with forgettable facts and prepare them for standardized tests. Here, at last, is a book that challenges the two dominant forces in American education: an aggressive nostalgia for traditional teaching (“If it was bad enough for me, it’s bad enough for my kids”) and a heavy-handed push for “tougher standards.” But if we move beyond these outdated ideas, what does better education actually look like? Beyond "Back to Basics": Discover why traditional, teacher-centered instruction often fails and what a truly progressive, child-centered classroom looks like in practice. Rethinking Motivation: Learn why a focus on grades, tests, and other external rewards can actually undermine a student’s desire to learn—and what fosters genuine, lasting curiosity. Authentic Assessment: Move past the limits of standardized testing with practical, research-backed alternatives that show what students truly understand, not just what they can memorize. Constructivist Classrooms: Explore schools where students are active meaning-makers, exploring ideas and solving problems rather than passively receiving forgettable facts.
ASIN: 0618083456
VSKU: BVV.0618083456.A
Condition: Acceptable
Author/Artist:Kohn, Alfie
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item is very worn but is perfectly usable. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing age related spots and browning . May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.