Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve--Even If It Means Picking a Fight by Steve Perry

Oct 31, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This is a book about fighting for better education for our kids. Reading it was a real trip. Dr. Perry is an unusual person. I admit, I did not expect him to be a take no prisoners, do whatever works type of reformer. Given his personal story and then knowing where he works and the theme of his school, I expected him to be, well, against vouchers, school choice and for unions. I was totally wrong. The book is raw and unapologetic, even considering the fact that it was an unedited version. He may...more This is a book about fighting for better education for our kids. Reading it was a real trip. Dr. Perry is an unusual person. I admit, I did not expect him to be a take no prisoners, do whatever works type of reformer. Given his personal story and then knowing where he works and the theme of his school, I expected him to be, well, against vouchers, school choice and for unions. I was totally wrong. The book is raw and unapologetic, even considering the fact that it was an unedited version. He may be exactly the voice that school reformers need to get their message across. From him it is totally authentic. One really interesting thing he said, one that I'm still tossing around, is that the kids need to read less of the old classics and more good, current literature that they can relate to. I see his point, but I'm still thinking about it. Love to hear what you all think.

Quotes:

Don't let your kids get caught in the self-victimizing trap, thinking that everybody else has it better than them. Every family has precisely what it has and yours is no different. Who gives a damn about the Joneses unless you are a Jones? The parents of your kids' friends have issues just like your family does. Don't let your kids trick you into thinking that they don't...Tell your kids to mind their own damn business, go do their homework, and hope they don't wake up tomorrow with a zit the size of a cherry tomato under their eye.

...don't leave your kids alone on the computer. If you're not literally over their shoulder, simply audit their computer use by checking the history of their internet searches and the cache of chats and emails. And don't fall for that specious argument about "invasion of privacy." If your children want privacy, tell them to grow up and buy a house. The Web is a powerful educational tool, but it's also a minefield of distractions and potential interpersonal conflict.

And I am going to have to leave the quotes at that because my friend came over and borrowed the book. :)(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Trasa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: education

Good book on what is going on in today's American education circles. As an entering teacher, I'm fascinated by the fact that teacher's unions are more concerned with teacher's protections than in the students' learning. What a focus issue!

Dr. Perry advocates school vouchers, which is usually a plea heard from the right. He's definitely left-wing, but as he himself states, he is a realist, a "do-what-works" pragmatist. He thinks vouchers will save American education.

As a public school teacher, I...more

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May 17, 2012 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dr. Steve Perry fires up a battle to win equal education for everyone in a book about changing unfair schools. After he decided he did not agree with his schools way of teaching, he became a principle of his own school. The whole school is designed based on his beliefs of education. Although he has changed the lines of many students now, he started off as a simple teacher trying to make his way in the education world. But from the start he realizes the flaws of the way education is set up and ex...more Dr. Steve Perry fires up a battle to win equal education for everyone in a book about changing unfair schools. After he decided he did not agree with his schools way of teaching, he became a principle of his own school. The whole school is designed based on his beliefs of education. Although he has changed the lines of many students now, he started off as a simple teacher trying to make his way in the education world. But from the start he realizes the flaws of the way education is set up and executed at the school he worked in. His main attack on the education system has been the inequality the minority students have had to face. He had a group discussion with a few students that met regularly while working at his first job. An interesting part of his story is how Dr. Perry was motivated to fight this battle against unfair education. This revelation happened when a student asked him “how could these teachers teach us when they don't even like us?” (p.43). For his first job he worked at a school where the teachers did not like the students and thought they were stupid. They talked about the students in the teachers lounge about how horrible they were. In the classroom, they made fun of the students. They made fun of their clothes, their poor academic record, and their uneducated parents. Dr. Perry was disgusted and stopped eating in the teachers lounge. Unlike those teachers, he understands the importance of a high school education and wants to make parents and students understand as well. While it seems like a simple statement Dr. Perry points out that “school was designed to educate kids” (p.211) some teachers simply take advantage of their position. When students are more concerned with how they are being treated in the classroom than learning the material they are not being educated. Then, on top of that, they are being paid for not doing their job. The problem is the teachers were well educated and could have been excellent teachers. But, the teachers in his school did not believe in the students and decided to give up on them. But the students were not stupid like the teachers thought they were. They caught on and knew the teachers could not care less about them. Since their teachers did not care for them, the students also gave up and dropped out. Dr. Perry does not want any of his students to drop out of high school especially not because teachers inspire them to quit. Not everyone understands the affect not having a high school diploma actually has on students but Dr. Steve Perry does and it fuels his passion to keep students in school. He shares that “on average students without a high school diploma earn less than the average amount for all workers” (p.32). A goal he has is “to stop kids from becoming statistics.” (p.181) And wants them all to graduate. An interesting statistic is his school, Capital Prep, has a hundred percent graduation rate; a statistic to be proud of.
Dr. Steve Perry’s book is about how to take down these teachers and fighting for good and well-qualified teachers. But being a teacher is more than just knowing your academic field or creating exciting lesson plans. Schools need active and engaged teachers. On the downside the truth is “not every teacher, no matter how inspired or talented, is good for every school” (p.48) because the teachers have to love teaching and care for their students. All of their students: no matter who they are or where they come from. Dr. Perry wants to give every student a chance to succeed and he uses this book to fuel a revolution in order to win back equality in education because parents and students can. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Dr. Perry describes the use of email almost as a weapon against the education system. How the schools are afraid when they receive emails because the administrators know the parents mean business. He also explains the effectiveness of the power in numbers. He inspires everyone to stand up and say what he or she feels should be changed.
After fighting his way to finding a school he felt comfortable in, Dr. Perry now encourages parents and students not to settle. Most of the book is devoted to inspiring his readers and parents to go after and fight for the best education that can be given and then some. But that is not all Dr. Perry fights for; he believes that “learning must be fun” (p.63). It only takes a few pages into the book to understand he has high expectations for schools. School is about learning, having caring teachers, and enjoying being in the building. Dr. Perry believes “education is like religion: it’s a complete lifestyle” (p.127). Later in the story the reader finds out that Dr. Perry’s school and education saved his life and gave him a bright future. This book was created to make people want to save every student who walks into a school, just like he does.
At first I felt this book was hard to relate to because of growing up in a well-off school district. But after reading I started to notice if there were any inequalities in the classroom and I ended up noticing a few things. As much as teachers know they should not pick favorite students, they do. And even the slight advantage those students get in the classroom is enough to make the other students feel inferior. Dr. Steve Perry points out that there are schools where every student is treated like an outsider and has been given up on. He writes about solutions to these problems but I feel the book is worth the read because of the passion he has and the knowledge he shares. He motivates all his readers to understand what school is like for some students and how easy it is fix it. I would recommend reading a book on education, any book on education, because there are more problems with each school district than just inequality with the students or inadequate teachers. Dr. Steve Perry has just given us a place to start.
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Nov 18, 2011 Maggs Longo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I agree that teachers and principals have to go above and beyond, and parents do too. I'm not sure I agree with the lengthy interview process of Dr Perry of hiring his teachers. I do agree that teachers can impress in one day but it doesn't mean they can do that all year.
I do agree that teachers have to be interactive and know that not all kids learn differently. I think that teaching can be done without the use of technology but think that some technology needs to be incorporated since it is a...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Chris rated it 1 of 5 stars

I read this book in its entirety. As the Principal of a correctional school I can not be any more angry at this author. While he is correct the schools are not working, nothing in this book speaks of the change that the entire system needs. Blaming the idea of a teacher union is the very reason for their unwillingness to accept the solutions we need to have in place. The use vs them thesis is at the very heart of what is wrong. Steve Perry is a show-man but not a school leader. As prove, his cla...more

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Jan 24, 2012 A. Somers rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: professional-titles

Dr. Perry certainly doesn't pull any punches in this look at our modern education system. While I don't agree with all of his ideas, he certainly makes you stop and think about the issues in a new way.Those of us in the field of education need to stop and self-reflect about the road we're traveling. We're being demonized in the media and many of Dr. Perry's ideas give fuel to this fire.
As for the style of the book, I read an ARC and I don't know if the final version was changed significantly but...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Chad rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics-social-issues, education-teaching

This is an absolute triumph of rationality, practicality and common sense applied to the public school system that is sadly void of all. This book will likely get some teachers, most liberals and all union loyalists up in arms because it directly challenges some core beliefs that have been taken as gospel by these groups. I think that this book is an absolute must read for any parent with children in the public school system because it maps out the complexities of a system that is set up not for...more

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May 20, 2012 Pamela rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like how Perry really holds schools and kids accountable for student learning. As an educator, I felt the book was geared more towards parents and people interested in education reform. I take issue with the "slant" of some the information he presents, such as saying that Capital Prep doesn't "cream" or take the best students from failing public schools. While they may not formally "cream," if a parent/guardian must apply a child to go to Capital Prep, then you are starting with kids who at le...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would argue that this is a must read for anyone involved in the education of children-- parents, educators, legislators, aunties, grandmothers that refuse to be called grandma but opt instead to be called nana or big mama, et al. Dr Perry makes clear many of the problems plaguing typical approaches toward educating children in America. He offers guidance on how to get the most out of the education system and even ideas on how we can make it better. It is afterall the responsibility of the comm...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Jennifer marked it as to-read

I am really interested in reading this book! I have four kids, two already in school, and I worry about them. I'm happy with their school, but I still worry because I went to a "good" school. The school system I went to worked hard to rank well in the state, yet the education it provided wasn't all that great. It was all about teaching for the state tests and weeding out the students that weren't good students. My sons' school has been wonderful but the teachers and principal complain about the...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Melissa Phung rated it 3 of 5 stars

Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve – Even If It Means Picking a Fight, another novel recommended by Pharrell on Twitter, by Dr. Steve Perry details the many issues that suppresses today’s students. The author, principal of Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, is determined to change educational experiences. When he could not afford to continue his education during his younger years, his college president allowed him to remain under one condition:...more Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve – Even If It Means Picking a Fight, another novel recommended by Pharrell on Twitter, by Dr. Steve Perry details the many issues that suppresses today’s students. The author, principal of Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, is determined to change educational experiences. When he could not afford to continue his education during his younger years, his college president allowed him to remain under one condition: “That you use it (his education) to help kids like you have a chance.”

Dr. Perry’s steps to accomplishing his goal are not revolutionary; in fact, they’re quite conventional. However, he is the quintessential administrator of education. Why? Generally, we all want schools to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. We all want teachers who actually love their job, and want to teach. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone with too many requests and responsibilities. We want teachers to teach with passion and purpose. Goals should be set on curriculum objectives, and not on standard test results. Dr. Steve Perry actually takes actions, and makes sure that every student in his high school goes to college.

To him, the public school system has become dysfunctional and overloaded with budgeting inefficiencies. They’re badly structured, and the teachers’ contracts are outdate. Today, teachers aim to satisfy the demands of adults who run the schools, rather than ensuring a real education and learning experience for students. They aim for “proficient” in standardized testing. Dr. Perry explained, “… To be categorized as ‘proficient’ is to be performing below grade level… Lauding proficiency is nothing short of accepting mediocrity. “

This novel was informative, and I did enjoy it. I would recommend this novel to anyone, specifically those who pay taxes, and those who are going to pay taxes in the future; they should be aware of where their money is, or will be, going. However, I did not quite find it to be innovative. These issues should not be present, and these resolutions should already be expected. Though, Dr. Perry is not to blame; everyone is apart of the education system. Therefore, we must all take action to fix it. As Dr. Perry concluded, push has come to shove. Our attention should be focused on the youth. We lose too many kids, especially those from culturally disadvantaged and historically under-represented backgrounds, to inattention, uninspiring teaching, and low expectations.

Teachers aren’t to blame. As President Barack Obama stated in his 2012 State of the Union Address, “Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion’ to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learns. That’s a bargain worth making.” We, the people, all play a role.
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Jul 05, 2011 Clickety rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, ownit, arc

Can I give a book NO stars? Please? This author apparently suffers from idiostalgia ... the idea that public education has gotten worse (it's improved) and that schools willfully hire the bad apples instead of the brilliant martyrs who go into high finance because they didn't get the teaching position they wanted sooooo much. This book is horrific. Crown, I'm disappointed. If you're a self-righteous, arrogant moron, please buy this book. You'll love it.

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Clickety It's not JUST the parents; it's also a media that paints unions who fight for due process as "greedy" and politicians who pass laws that take public m...more
Aug 26, 2011 04:11pm

Corinne Garrison Oh, I know. I want to know how these people expect children to learn anything in a 'one size fits all' classroom. The older I get, the more I understa...more Oh, I know. I want to know how these people expect children to learn anything in a 'one size fits all' classroom. The older I get, the more I understand that education is more about producing drones than anything else. People don't all learn things in the same way - but let's all give them standardized tests to make sure they have! And then let's fire those teachers in urban environments where kids are up against a lot more (i don't need to go into that - it's a no brainer as to what those kids are up against) not to mention the teachers who have to get through to the kids... If the teacher's don't produce good worker bees that give great test scores then they have failed. Which is a joke.

Human beings aren't products. I wonder how parents can accept this kind of B.S. - How do tax payers buy into it? I don't have children so I don't get to get all up in arms about it. I live in a middle class area, but I have volunteered to teach kids in an urban environment. I shake my head at the ignorance of the majority of Americans & their selfishness.

I haven't heard about the schools in TX having to charge for bus service but it doesn't surprise me. It being Texas & all. Texas is so damn scary. Ugh, & Perry running for nomination for President is even worse, but that's also a sort of duh statement. It's def beyond disgusting. Why aren't the people who live there who are affected by this throwing fits? "Throw the bums out" as they are constantly saying.

I guess my problem is - The media really has helped to make people - children & adults alike - more selfish & vain & vapid; ignorant in general about how the world is. When I was in high school 10 years ago life just wasn't like this. I never thought I would complain or say things like this, like some sort of nostalgic old person. You can't expect kids to do well in school or America to compete with other countries educationally if politicians are constantly stripping the schools of the best educators, attacking teachers for political gains (in Michigan this is being done constantly), & using a one size fits all type of model for deciding whether or not someone is a success or a failure; whether or not a school gets funding or not. It's infuriating & is like banging one's head against a brick wall.(less)
Sep 21, 2011 09:13pm

Dec 15, 2011 CJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I could not agree more that unions have made progressive approaches to reworking our education system difficult, if not impossible. I would like to have read more about how his school is motivating students. How does he keep it interesting and engaging? An honest, tell-it-like-it-is approach to education reform. Indeed, Dr. Perry is still paying it forward for the loan that enabled him to graduate college and escape poverty once and for all.

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Mar 17, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book didn't convince me of anything (Dr. Perry is a little too dismissive of academia and statistics for my taste), but it definitely opened my eyes to a different perspective on educational reform. There are probably some very good ideas in this book that need to be implemented, but I'm going to need a bit more than Dr. Perry's anecdotal evidence to be sure.

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Apr 03, 2012 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Dr. Perry made some good points about advocating for our kids as a parent but I thought that overall he didn't really give me any new tools to work with. I don't mean to sound critical, but he writes like someone who enjoys listening to his own voice.

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Jun 09, 2012 Marie E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-giveaway, general-non-fiction

I received this book as a first reads giveaway. I enjoyed the author's perspective and his blunt assessment of the education system. I agree that there needs to be a major overhaul of the education system, and I agree that there needs to be a child first system in place instead of an adult first system. What I had problems with is the overhaul of the brick and mortar education style in favor of online tools. If children go to college, they are going to have classes where the professor just stand...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Ginny rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received uncorrected proof copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway, and have been trying to read it for the past 9 months... it started off well, getting me, the reader, all pumped up to DO SOMETHING to make a difference and "get our kids the education they deserve"... and then in dwindled into a lot of blah blah blah generalized rantings about what is wrong and what is needed without getting to the point and telling me, the reader, the average concerned citizen/parent WHAT the writer thin...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having worked in the public school system, this book just verifies that parents are their child's best advocate. As a mom it gets me fired up!

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Mar 08, 2013 Robin Mayther rated it 3 of 5 stars

A little disappointed in this book.Pretty basic.
I agreed with most of his ramblings. Talking about how difficult it is to get rid of bad teachers and the union that spends so much time and money defending them.Yes! I wish that money would be invested in helping retrain teachers who aren't suited to this career and have them find life work that is meaningful.

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May 02, 2012 Stacy Parrish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Finally. A book about no excuses in education--just solid teaching and transformational leadership.

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May 09, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is scary with its information about our public school system. A good read.

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Sep 12, 2011 Vera rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Many thanks for First Reads Goodreads program for sending me this book!

I really liked the way this book is organized into easy-to-digest chapters. The writing is excellent, with a sure voice and just the right punch here and there to tug at the strings, to keep us readers interested and vested in each subject, and personal examples throughout.

Honest, direct, and sincere book that I felt could be enjoyed by parents, grandparents, teachers, and students.

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Sep 14, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/09/pu...

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Jun 16, 2012 Meredith added it

Shelves: giveways-given-to-family

My aunt said she quite enjoyed the book.

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Oct 07, 2011 Deon Sullivan-jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Definitely and eye-opener.

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Jan 09, 2012 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dr. Perry's book is a wake up call to parents about what's been wrong with education in this country for many years. Rewarding poorly performing or plainly bad teachers being rewarded with "tenure" because they are good union members borders on the criminal. If America is to ever regain its' position in the world it starts with "real" education. Dr. Steven Perry understands this like very few others in this country. Pay attention!

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Oct 29, 2011 Stephanie Yoon rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Very cynical, quite interesting, and somewhat unbalanced.

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May 07, 2013 Ani marked it as to-read

May 07, 2013 Revathi Ramanan rated it 4 of 5 stars

May 05, 2013 Amie Kromis rated it 4 of 5 stars

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