The Organizational Structures of Schooling in the U.S. Chapter 7

Organizational Structures The ways in which educators and state and local boards of education determine what types of schools, classrooms, and options for grouping students will optimize learning for the students in their state and district

The most important consideration is 5 Class size Homogenous groups Heterogeneous groups Single age groups

Organizing the school year Historically, major vacations based on Christian holidays Agricultural calendar Year-Round schools

Organizing a District Neighborhood schools…positives and negatives Magnet schools…built around a theme, response to segregation Centric schools…shifting the lens

I think Afrocentric schools, Native American centered schools are 5 A good idea mostly A bad idea mostly

I think schools for gay and lesbian youth are 5 Mostly a good idea Mostly a bad idea

I wish I would have gone to 5 A two-way bilingual school A total language immersion school The kind of school I actually went to

Charter schools Allows for the creation of new public schools or the conversion of existing ones Stipulates that schools be nonsectarian and prohibits admissions testing Must be responsible for improved student achievement Waives most state rules and regulations in exchange for explicit responsibility Permits several public bodies to begin one Permits selection rather than being assigned Requires that funding follows the students

It makes most sense to group elementary students by 5 Age Ability Sex interest

Grouping students Kindergarten and Pre-kindergarten Head start…at or below the poverty line Montessori method…highly individualized Reggio Emilia…children are paramount and not hurried

Age grouping Elementary schools…were traditionally K-8, primary schools through grade 3, now often K-5 or K-6 Middle school vs. Junior High High School Ungraded schools

Organizational patterns within the school Team teaching Looping Multi-age grouping House or Team Approach