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Challenges
Scripts
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| Scripts for the Drama
of School Change |
This is a brief
overview of the academy,
economy and
community
scripts. These scripts represent forces from beyond the school
that are working to help shape what takes place in schools. For a
complete description of each of them, including examples, resources
and references, select one by clicking either on the words or the
icons associated with them.
Very few people
think that school should focus solely on one of these areas. The fact
is that learning almost always involves some balance of intellectual,
workplace and social-emotional skills. However, it is the balancing
of these different aspects of learning that is the focus of those
who write different scripts for school renewal.
After you read
this introduction, please respond to our poll
to indicate which script is most dominant in the schools you represent.
| THE
ACADEMY |
Scripts for The
Mind |
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Schools are places
where students learn to participate in the world of knowledge. Each
field of study--math, science, humanities, arts, social science--wants
to influence the content of school learning. The disciplines set
both national and world-class standards for student achievement
and establish ways to measure student mastery. In each field of
study, there are reform efforts that are directed at rewriting these
scripts for the mind. These scripts help students understand
conceptual relationships, evidence-based reasoning and knowledge
building. |
| THE
ECONOMY |
Scripts
for The Body |
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Schools need to
prepare students, mentally, socially and technically for work. In
an interconnected and transnational economy, there is a shift in
the skills that students need. Those who invest energy in writing
these reform scripts seek to increase the relevance of school learning
to work in the community. Often these scripts call for students
to use the tools of the trades, the new technology. All workers
will have to be comfortable with technology and schools are the
place where this can be accomplished for all students. These scripts
for the body focus on helping students acquire new competencies
that will be useful in the workplace. Understanding economic opportunities
and acquiring the skills of the twenty-first century workplace are
central in this perspective. |
| THE
COMMUNITY |
Scripts
for The Heart |
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Schooling involves
more than learning discipline knowledge, and learning to be productive.
It includes learning that we are interdependent and our actions
have reactions. Schools engage students in civic education by promoting
the values that are basic to communal living. Community leaders
from parents to presidents are engaged in writing reform scripts
for education that support democratic values. These scripts for
the heart promote meaningful participation to support and renew
our civil and social structures. They help students understand political
power, influence, interdependency, and interpersonal structure to
facilitate the development of social-emotional intelligence. |
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