Five ideas for better schools
A panel of leading thinkers shared five visions of education’s future during an Askwith Forum on Tuesday at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). The scenarios ranged widely, from redefining the function of schools and teachers to adopting learning models that have succeeded in other nations. Jal Mehta, an assistant professor of education at HGSE, began by bemoaning the results of recent education reforms, noting that “national standards, vouchers, merit pay for teachers, etc., were not making significant changes to the system” or closing stubborn gaps in educational achievement. Four years ago, Mehta started the Futures of School Reform group “to think about different paths for our school system.” “We did not reach consensus, but developed an array of ideas,” Mehta said before introducing the other Futures of School Reform members on the panel. Robert Schwartz, Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of Educational Policy and Administration at HGSE, proposed an educational system...