Standards of Mind and Heart: Creating the Good High School

by Peggy Silva, Robert A. Mackin, Tony Wagner (Foreword)

This is the remarkable story of the creation of a new kind of high school that truly aspires to educate all students to high standards. Believing that a deeply personalized culture can prevent the senseless violence that has invaded many public schools, educators at Souhegan High School in Amherst, New Hampshire set out to create a safe, caring, and academically rigorous school. In this volume, Silva (a teacher) and Mackin (a principal) chronicle their experiences as they worked through the many challenges that ultimately resulted in this extraordinarily successful school. Featuring their honest reflections and the voices of other participants, this book: -- Portrays a real public high school (not a small alternative school) that is successfully implementing most of the reform practices recommended by national reform models.

-- Demonstrates how schools can strike a balance between the need for stricter safety measures and the social and emotional needs of each student, thus avoiding violent outbursts in schools.

-- Details the school's structure, curriculum, professional culture, and systems of accountability for all students in a heterogeneous, inclusionary setting.

-- Describes the use of teaming, advisory groups, exhibitions, and senior projects.

-- Provides a working model of the "Breaking Ranks" recommendations, including the importance of "personalization" and democracy in education.

162 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having attended this school and been quoted in this book, I'm obviously a biased reader. That said, I loved being reminded about the many things that made the high school I attended such a special place, learn more about the work behind the founding of the school, and better understand the challenges that face the school now.

[Willow Redd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the ideas behind Souhegan High School, and I wish that more schools would adopt their practices. This is the story of how this school started and the way it strives to approach high school education in a whole new way. To my mind, the right way.

This book includes testimonials from present and former staff and former students on how each element of the school affects every teacher and student and the various successes and failures (well, not failures, but falters) and it's interesting to see how things like the community council, division one portfolio, division two senior project, groups, and teams are seen differently by the varied voices shared in this book.

Excellent read for anyone interested in reformative practices in education, or education practices in general.