Deborah Meier

The creation of progressive, self-governing learning communities can lead to true educational reform, argues Deborah Meier in the following viewpoint. Instead of drafting national academic standards and implementing impersonal, one-size-fits-all teaching methods, parents, teachers, and communities should work together to design small new schools that address students’ needs and interests, she contends. These schools would emphasize respect for parents, teachers, and children, personalized instruction, active learning, and the development of the capacity for astute, probing thought. Meier, former codirector of the Central Park East Secondary School in New York City, is program director at Mission Hill Elementary School in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. In Meier’s opinion, what is flawed about the standards-driven educational reform movement"

2. What is the kindergarten model of education, according to the author...