A Time to Learn: Creating Community in America's High Schools [Hardcover]

George H. Wood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1998

In 1992, George Wood left the ivory tower of academia to become the principal of a poor and struggling high school in rural Ohio. In a few short years, he made Federal Hocking High one of the top schools in its region--and a model for what can be done when a principal, teachers, parents, and students put their minds together to creating change. As a result of Wood's innovative and sometimes radical ideas, attendance, GPAs, and graduation rates are all up at Federal Hocking High. It has been acknowledged that American education must radically change if the country wants to compete in the 21st century. This unique book about public schooling does not focus on policy decisions or legislative debate, but rather on the real lives of a dedicated principal and the teachers and students in his school. Where most books on education focus solely on what's wrong with our schools, A Time to Learn focuses on how to make it right. It is a clarion call to anyone who believes in the future of our children.

* The subject of education in America and what can be done about it is both timely and volatile.
* There is a huge audience for this book: more than one and a half million high school teachers and more than 40,000 high school principals are employed in the United States.
* George Wood's first book, Schools that Work, established him as an expert on reform.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wood explains the pedagogic inspiration that motivated him to leave his job as professor of education at Ohio University to become a principal at a poor Ohio high school. He believes we must rethink high schools to "transform them from the institutions they now are to the communities they should be." Much of the restructuring Wood advocates is occurring in countless high schools across the country, as administrators, parents and teachers realize that rewarding the desk-bound hours of "seat time" with earned credits serves no one in the public school system or society. "When social conditions begin to sour, we first see it reflected in the lives of our children." Wood and his school community have transformed Federal Hocking High School (FHHS) from a mediocre traditional institution to a community that establishes for students the relevance of academic rigor, career preparation and active citizenship. Radical restructuring efforts, Wood argues, must include a decrease in the importance of standardized testing and textbooks that are written in order "not to offend too many folks" so that they may be widely adopted. FHHS flourished with creative block scheduling, portfolio assessment and the Senior Project?all ideas gaining popularity in high schools across the nation. Although Wood's book offers no radically new information, his testimonial may inspire other administrators to begin restructuring their high schools. Editor, Deb Brody; agent Denise Marcil.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Educational reform is a complex issue; it's not enough, Wood proclaims, to install metal detectors in the schools and insist on higher scores on standardized tests. Real reform has to take into account the fact that school schedules and curricula haven't changed much since the early 1900s. Wood, a school principal, former education professor, and author of Schools That Work (1992), advocates reforming schools so that they promote connections between students and teachers and the community. He provides general guidelines to make better use of the 5,000 hours the average U.S. youth spends in high school, gives detailed accounts of how that time is currently spent, and suggests practical ways to improve education. The suggestions include reducing class sizes, reducing the numbers of classes per day, and increasing student involvement in selecting courses of study. The ideas aren't new, but the fact that Wood has actually executed the reforms at his own school--Federal Hocking High School in Stewart, Ohio--and got favorable results lends credence to his ideas. Vanessa Bush

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525939555
• ISBN-13: 978-0525939559
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,324,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The way to change is through the student, March 29, 2001

By 

Johanna Cochran (Mabton, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Time to Learn: The Story 1 High School's Remarkable Transformation People Who Made it Happen (Paperback)

As a member of a school district that was given a huge grant from Bill Gates we were encouraged to read books that would assist in thinking out of the box. This book certainly did that!! The author was able to take you through the necessary steps that worked for his school all the while not telling you that his way was the only way!! What a refreshing thing!! I really enjoyed the specifics that he wrote as well as the unique stories included. This is definately a book that will be used in our district! In fact our Administration has agreed that if not mandatory, it is a book that is recommended for all teachers and parapros. So if you are looking for tips to change, here is a book that has a ton of ideas and a real school that had real change!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Schools As You Always Hoped They Would Be!, October 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Time to Learn: Creating Community in America's High Schools (Hardcover)

George Wood's book is an amazing description of what can happen in a typical public high school, if you organize the school as a learning community, focused upon developing citizens and neighbors. Wood is a high school principal who has written a book about what has been done to improve his high school in rural Ohio. This is a must read book for anyone who is concerned with the deterioration of the public schools in America. Wood, through stories about students, provides helpful suggestions for how to improve schools. His stories will have you crying with joy as you see the impact of a school organized to care for each student as an individual. Read this book, and then, give copies to your school superintendent and school board. After reading his book, you'll want to pack your things and move to his town, just so your kids can go to his school. And the truth of Wood's approach is that it can happen anywhere. What a breath of fresh air and hope for our nation's public schools.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A man who believes in the power of public education..., May 27, 2000

By 

Stephen Armstrong (Hadley, Ma USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Time to Learn: Creating Community in America's High Schools (Hardcover)

George Wood describes the strategies he brought to bear, and others which can be brought to bear, in public education high school reform. The result? A school that does not do absurd things to youngsters, which encourages them to become good citizens, and which leaves them opportunity to go to college, or not--but not to fail as persons.

His advantage is that his high school, Federal Hocking, was small; that he was skilled at seeking teacher collaboration; and that he has imagination.

His disadvantage is that he subscribes to some time-worn Essential School maxims. Nevertheless, he is able to do creative things and you get a sense that he, the teachers, and the students are spending more productive times together.

A quick read. Implementation of his ideas takes some real planning and commitment.