I just finished reading Diane Ravitch's 2000 book??Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms. I recommend it strongly.
Though I'm currently focusing intently on changing education systems, Left Back is an excellent history of the century-long war over what goes on inside our public school classrooms. Our current debates over expectations, standards, assessments, innovation, and more have a long, fascinating, and (at times) shameful pedigree. In short, we didn't get where we are today randomly or by accident.
Ravitch's lesson is a modest, even sage one: We need to avoid new "movements" like the plague and give "more attention to fundamental, time-tested truths."
Massive changes in curricula and pedagogy should be based on solid research and careful field-tested demonstration before they are imposed on entire school districts and states. There has been no shortage of innovation in American education; what is needed before broad implementation of any innovation is clear evidence of its effectiveness.
I find myself disagreeing with many of Dr. Ravitch's current policy views (e.g. charters, assessments), but there's a great deal to be learned from this history and her conclusions. I certainly now better understand the roots of her criticisms of the Race to the Top's favored strategies.
If you're not in the market for a dose of humility, this probably isn't your bag. If read with an open mind, it's sobering stuff for hard-charging reformers chock-full of certainty. But part of me thinks it should be required reading for anyone handing out big philanthropic grants or overseeing massive government education programs, especially those dedicated to innovation, like the much-discussed 13 program.