Untangling Urban Middle School Reform, ppb

by Cynthia D. Urbanski

Clashing Agendas for Literacy Standards and Student Success

At Rosa Parks, a middle school in a crime-ridden neighborhood, students are advised to ''do as they are told'' and they will succeed. Unfortunately, ''doing what they are told'' often translates into repeating information given to them by the teacher, especially when it comes to writing. Meanwhile, students in an affluent neighborhood nearby are encouraged to be creative and think critically. This book examines the experience of one school's resistance to the deficit model of education and how it represents the overall story of urban school reform. Highlighting the consequences of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in literacy, the author weighs the perspectives of teachers, National Writing Project consultants, and administrators. Her up-close analysis illuminates how rigid accountability structures shift power away from the teachers and administrators who know the students best. As such, it illustrates the complex nature of writing instruction in urban schools.