.png){kind=icon}
Aronica, L. & Robinson, K. (2015). Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
In this book, Ken Robinson examines the broken nature of the North American education system and offers a solution through a greater focus on creative and artistic learning.
Caplan, B. (2018). The Case against the Education System. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
In The Case against the Education System, Caplan writes that our social investment into the education system is going to waste as students fight over grades more than knowledge and curiosity.
Khan, S. (2012). The One World School House: Education Reimagined. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing.
Khan Academy started as a vision of an ex-engineer to connect global learners on an online platform. Today, Khan Academy offers millions of students and educators around the world access to free videos on nearly every school subject. In this book, Khan presents a new vision on what education in our globalized future could look like.
Ravitch, D. (2013). Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools. New York, NY: Vintage Books.
Diana Ravitch is the former US assistant to the secretary of education. She looks at the politics of education and where government regulations and funding can go to improve the chances of success for all students, regardless of their economic background.
Ripley, A. (2014). The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
Ripley follows three brilliant American high school students as they study in education systems abroad. She uses their experiences to offer a critique of the North American education system.
Strauss, V. (2013, 26 October) The real 21st-century problem in public education. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/26/the-real-21st-century-problem-in-public-education/
This media discussion addresses the issue of socio-economic disadvantage faced by schools and their students.
Widdowson, F., & Howard, A. (Eds.). (2013). Approaches to Aboriginal education in Canada: Searching for solutions. Toronto: Brush Education.
This is a collection of essays regarding different aspects of Aboriginal education. The book begins with an introduction and is followed by topics such as silencing Aboriginal curricular content, closing educational gaps, and lessons from Maori education in New Zealand. The book looks for solutions to some of the critical problems connected with Aboriginal education.
Willingham, Daniel. (2010). Why Don’t Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
In Why Don’t Students Like School, scientist Daniel Willingham looks at studies that will ultimately change how teachers approach the classroom setting to optimize learning and education.
Recommended Videos
High School Problems: http://youtu.be/_W57OwuGP3M
This is a video that presents problems faced by high school students from the perspective of a high school vlogger.
How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx7EGal0qmg
In this video, Paul Tough looks at a key question of our education system: why do some children fail while others thrive?
Jonathan Kozol – Savage Inequalities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6wCsAXmjdI
In this video, Kozol talks about his time working with black and Latino children in a segregated school in Boston. He argues that the American education system is running an apartheid system.
Teaching High School: Common Discipline Problems, Lesson 10: http://youtu.be/4IIIpAlLsIM
This video presents disciplinary problems encountered by teachers in high schools.
Recommended Websites
Center for Education Reform: https://edreform.com
The Center for Education Reform started in 1993 to see the pursuit of excellence in the education system. The website provides resources for parents and educators interested in ways that they can help reform the school system from ground up.
Council of Ministers of Education, Canada: www.cmec.ca
This site provides information on national and provincial resources on education. Some valuable research papers are available on this site.
Microsoft in Education: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/education
Microsoft in Education is a site to empower students to use technology to further their education and contribute to their understanding and comprehension of class material.
PREVNet: www.prevnet.ca
PREVNet is a network of Canadian researchers, NGOs, and governments who are committed to stopping bullying and violence in schools. This website offers a wide range of resources and literature in this regard.
Raisingchildren.net: The Australian Parenting Website: www.raisingchildren.net.au
This Australian website presents information about problems of school-aged children. It provides video discussions, research data, and advice.