John Dewey Director of the Urban Education Institute

Someone to interview:

Dr. Timothy Knowles serves as John Dewey director of the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute (UEI). UEI is dedicated to addressing the question, how can we reliably produce excellent schooling for children growing up in urban America? UEI addresses this question in four ways: by undertaking rigorous applied research lead by the Consortium on Chicago School Research; developing urban teachers and leaders; operating and supporting PreK-12th grade schools; and designing scalable tools and ideas to improve teaching, learning and leadership.

During his tenure at the University of Chicago, UEI has initiated the creation of 20 new schools across Chicago’s south side, four of which are designed and operated directly by the University of Chicago. This portfolio of schools is designed to serve as an existence proof that poor children can learn at high levels. The schools also serve as a locus for developing new methodologies for training aspiring, new and veteran teachers and school leaders.

Prior to coming to Chicago, Knowles served as deputy superintendent for Teaching and Learning at the Boston Public Schools. While in Boston he created two organizations devoted to building the pipeline of high quality teachers and school leaders for Boston Public Schools and served as co-director of the Boston Annenberg Challenge, a nationally recognized effort to improve literacy instruction.

Prior to his work in Boston he founded and directed a full-service K-8 school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York City. He also served as the founding director of Teach for America in New York City, and a teacher of African History in Botswana.

He has written and spoken extensively on the topics of school leadership, teacher quality, school reform, and accountability in public schools.

He received his B.A. in anthropology and African history from Oberlin College and an M.A. and doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Contact info at the link above. I wonder if anyone at the Boston Foundation might put us in touch? I'm going to reach out today and see what happens.

In a New Role, Teachers Move to Run Schools

With the gradual shift from "Principal Teacher" (19th century) to "Principal Administrator" (20th century), teachers are finally discovering what Waldorf has known for such a long time. Teachers must be leaders and, ideally, have control over the environment in which they teach. That means being responsible for the curriculum, the facilities, and the schedule. I cannot reinforce enough the role of appropriate leadership in the school system. Administrators are currently measured on their ability to enforce standards from above. Leadership and significant participation from below is neither cultivated nor appreciated. Is it any wonder teacher attrition rates are so high? I think not.