Engaging the Polis and Public of U.S. School Reform Landscape I

Catalog description

This module starts from the premise that schools are not only educational, but also social, political, and physical infrastructure. As such, they influence and are influenced by factors outside the traditional bounds of “education.” In this course, we will use the frameworks, tools, and knowledge from planning and urban studies to turn a spatial lens on schools. We will grapple with the “place” of schooling within neighborhoods, cities, and regions. Substantively, we examine non-school arenas (i.e., housing, transportation, neighborhood development) and the ways these contextual factors set conditions for learning. We practice using specific tools and methods to make sense of schools in space and as place-based institutions. Additionally, having analysis of the what is necessary but never sufficient; we also have to think about the how. To that end, we explore strategies for cross-sector collaboration across organizations, agencies, and with community and student stakeholders. We anchor discussions and make sense of readings and concepts in problems you identify from your practice. Through class meetings, course assignments, and multiple modes for learning, you will think about and share how concepts and tools from outside education inform and transform your own practice as an educator, administrator, and scholar.