High Schools on a Human Scale: How Small Schools Can Transform American Education

By Thomas Toch and Tom Toch

Book Overview

The basic blueprint of American high schools hasn't changed in a century, and we are paying a heavy price. Anonymous, enormous, and resistant to change, huge American high schools are incapable of educating all children to high levels today, as dropout rates and remedial courses in college make increasingly clear.

High Schools on a Human Scale shows the huge power of small schools, perhaps the nation's fastest- growing reform idea. Tom Toch takes us inside four very different small schools around the country-from an entrepreneur's high-tech charter school in San Diego to a school formed out the of the breakup of a huge public high school in Manhattan. All are small enough so that every student is known well by adults, and the results are remarkable. Together they show the proven virtues of small schools-safety, community, and high achievement.

This book is sponsored in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's $40 million effort to support small schools nationwide.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080703245X
• ISBN13: 9780807032459
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Makes the case for small schools!

Thomas Toch provides several examples of successful small schools in this book. In each chapter, he provides the details about a relatively new small school. Each school has a different and interesting approach. It was amazing to read about the positive effects that the small school environment has on students. The book demonstrates that it is possible to create small schools without major restructuring and a great deal of additional funding. The book is an easy and enjoyable read. With each school's story, Toch makes a very compelling case for small schools.

Smaller is Better

Thomas Toch has proven that precious things come in small packages. I agree with the author that big high schools have lost the personal touch that is needed to build relationships with students. Mr. Toch has done his homework by providing working examples and models that can be applied to any school. I recommend this book to any educator looking for a simple and concise answer to the complicated and vastly over sized American public high school systems.

Excellent description of the small schools movement

This book is an excellent read for those who desire to learn of 'case studies' of secondary schools that are changing in a positive way the school systems of our country. Discussing multiple urban and a rural school, the author goes inside the school and interviews both students and teachers. Also discussed is the mindset change that must take place to make them successful. An excellent resource for those desiring to learn more about the 'small schools' movement.