Detroit Public Schools tries something new: A school run by teachers

[Bozita]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100708/NEWS01/7080367/1322/DPS-A-school-run-by-teachers&template=fullarticle

POSTED: JULY 8, 2010
Detroit Public Schools tries something new: A school run by teachers
BY PEGGY WALSH-SARNECKI
FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER


Detroit Public Schools is set to open its first school without a principal -- teachers will be running the day-to-day operations and making all pertinent decisions.

They won't have to wait for the central office's OK to purchase needed items or increase their emphasis on fractions or writing, for instance.

Founded on the belief that those within the building know best what their students need, Barbara Jordan Elementary will be the district's first teacher-led school, open only to students whose parents agree to be involved. State officials know of no teacher-led schools in Michigan.

The Detroit school, for students in kindergarten through fourth grade, is modeled after teacher-led schools in Boston, Milwaukee, Denver and Los Angeles.

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."

In Detroit, the high-profile experiment in school reform could have long-reaching implications, said Keith Johnson, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.

"It's an unprecedented opportunity," Johnson said. "We cannot fail."

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[FiveGoodMen]

1. This will be worth keeping tabs on

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended for creative thinking.

Thanks for the thread, Bozita.

[eShirl]

3. oo!

[lame54]

4. K&R for a better approach to the problem

[madfloridian]

5. Some of those teacher-run schools are happening in CA

Does the school board have control or is it unregulated?

[woo me with science]

6. "open only to students whose parents agree to be involved"

It will do well for this reason first and foremost.

The real test will be a regular public school where teachers have ultimate say. That is what I would like to see attempted.

[Winterblues]

7. Detroit Public Schools is set to open its first school without a principal

I was always under the impression that the Priciple was also a Teacher, the "Principle Teacher"

[Goblinmonger]

11. Being a principal and being a teacher are two different careers.

Different licensing, too. I teach high school and you couldn't pay me enough to be a principal. I like it in the classroom too much. I have had good principals that were great teachers and good principals that were shitty teachers. It's a whole different skill set.

[Brickbat]

8. The original idea of charter schools were to have them teacher-led.

They were called "Saturn Schools" like the car company. It was a truly progressive idea that got wrecked for profit, like so many good ideas.

[izzybeans]

9. This is definitely worth watching.

I hope it works out.

[madfloridian]

10. More: They are using Green Dot Charters as their model.

http://www.examiner.com/x-1393-Detroit-Education-Examiner~y2008m12d3-Detroit-public-school-teachers-want-to-open-their-own-charter-school

I hope this is not something Green Dot will get involved in.

The original idea for charters was for districts locally to run schools that would meet needs of hard to reach students.

[stray cat]

12. Run by the teachers union then as well? or could they end up opposing each other on issues?