Rowman & Littlefield

Rowman & Littlefield

English

As the parent of three children who attended Springdale Schools, I celebrate the arrival of this book as a validation of high expectations held for a district explicitly and demonstrably committed to teaching “all students”!! The implementation of student-focused learning, in all its schools and at all levels, is the logical outcome of a district led at the top by a team driven to find ways to support the success of ALL students. As an advocate for students receiving special education, I have been acutely aware that success means playing to the strengths of students rather than their deficits. This book paints a clear picture of a method and a process that leads to the implementation of education focused on supporting each student’s strengths and interests. Such “personalized learning,” as described here, and the concept of student “voice and choice” make clear student success requires all stakeholders, not just teachers and students, but parents and community members to buy in and to participate. Reading this book has given me such a sense of hope that public education, as practiced in Springdale, is on the right track to student success.