The Big Picture: Education Is Everyone's Business

What is the purpose of education? What kind of people do we want our children to grow up to be? How can we design schools so that students will acquire the skills they'll need to live fulfilled and productive lives? These are just a few of the questions that renowned educator Dennis Littky explores in The Big Picture. The schools Littky has created and led over the past 35 years are models for reformers—small, public schools where the curriculum is rich and meaningful, expectations are high, student progress is measured against real-world standards, and families and communities are actively engaged in the educational process. This book is for principals and district administrators, teachers, college admissions officers, business leaders, parents, students, and anyone who cares about kids. It shares a moving account of what is possible in education, with many examples from the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center in Providence, Rhode Island, exemplifying personalized learning and student-centered approaches.