So Much Reform So Little Change - Book Report/Review Example

Introduction So Much Reform, So Little Change is a book by Charles Max Payne; it focuses on the reforms carried out in urban schools and the challenges they face in the implementation. In addition, the book seeks to recommend changes that can be effected to avoid failure in implementation. Summary and Thesis The book by Max Payne dwells on the failure experienced on multiple levels in the public school system in the United States. The writer bases the book on the observation on the reforms taking place in the Chicago area. This is in regard to changes in policies in education concerning their relation to social issues and daily realities for all cadres of urban schools. The book focuses on the disconnection existent between educational policy and the said realities of urban schools. Payne seeks to define failure and looks into the causes; he refers to them as hardly surprising. In reference to this, the book proves just how much information Payne has accumulated on the said failures about which he writes (Payne, 2008). As regards the causes of failure, Payne indicates that it is due to reformers, policy-makers and school communities that urban schools fail to meet their goals. This is because they focus more on reforms but not what the reforms can do to aid their performance and achievements of the schools they represent. What he considers surprising is the fact that reformers, school communities and policy-makers never seem to learn from the mistakes they make. This is in relation to the knowledge that they accumulate in the process of improving the public school system and lack of implementation of the experiences they acquire. The failure of adults to learn lies in the basis of social issues ranging from racism and poverty to privatization of public interests. Payne shows the relationship between social failures and those that affect public school systems. The dysfunctional social systems result in overall failure of implementation of relevant social and educational understandings (Payne, 2008). As a result, the thesis of the book revolves around failures of various stakeholders in the education sector and the entire book keeps referring to the point of failure. In addition, according to the thesis, this situation remains repetitive based on mutual demoralization of schools as organizations and manifestation of the irrationality of actions taken by schools. In addition to the thesis statement, Payne intertwines various other concepts of failure in the book to demonstrate his point and air his view openly for open interpretation by members of the public – those that are affected and others who see the points he attempts to make. The points include degradation of the professional culture of teachers and the academic life of students, reinforced points of racism, bureaucratic tendencies of the central district offices and poor implementation of reform efforts, as well as suffering that results from the political theories of reductionists, which happen to be excessive (Payne, 2008). In addition, Payne looks into the issues that teachers go through in the course of carrying out their duties to their students and the entire school fraternity. This is in regard to the burden placed on them in schools enduring problems in the form of parents who, by being highly confrontational and making mountains out of mound hills, show little respect for the professionalism of teachers. He sympathizes with the plight of such teachers and the little effort, if any, with which those schools put up support systems to cope with such incidents. Concerning such issues, he points out possible solutions and other measures that schools can adapt to ease the burden on teachers and face parents who are uncooperative with the school system (Payne, 2008). In his book, Payne calls for certain measures to be taken against teachers who are resistant and corrupt administrators, as they are openly condoned in their respective fields in the education sector. Moreover, he pays attention to ideas of racism that the corrupt stakeholders bear, though misguided, about predominantly African American and Latino students they serve. Therefore, in his book, Payne does not leave anyone off the hook in regard to all the failures experienced in public school education system. In addition, Max Payne offers suggestion of what he thinks is the ideal system of running the schools reform system. He attributes failure to unwillingness and inability of people to see beyond the ideological divide, and not to the lack of knowledge relevant to educational reforms. He also terms failure in the educational reform system as a result of investments made by reformers on the basis of their own political agendas and for their own personal benefits. Payne’s suggestions also include the need to apply basic truths in a faithful and consistent trend; to produce strong ripples for stakeholders such as parents and children, resulting in true teaching and understanding to the core (Payne, 2008). The other attribute of the problem he brings forth is that of difficulty in communication between stakeholders. This way Payne highlights the importance of communication in the reform process that allows for the success through the formation of consensus, as well as highlights another means of failure in reforming the urban schools system. This is the superficial implementation of programs and shallow work on the different aspects of the program. This shows Payne’s level of knowledge of the ailments of the country’s education system and how to overcome them. It is only natural for Payne to highlight all the issues he perceives to be the main problems affecting reforms, and to offer sensible solutions. The solutions affect all stakeholders, as they do not discriminate between the guilty, including administrators and parents, showing the openness the author was dedicated to in the writing of the book (Payne, 2008). Bias Despite offering viable solutions to the issues affecting reforms in urban schools, Payne appears to be biased. This is because he appears not to appreciate, in any way, the hard work put in by reformists towards improving the education system. Instead, all the basis of this book is about the wrongdoings perpetrated by administrators, parents and teachers, and about labelling students as the sufferers. In this light, the entire reform process, to him, is irrelevant and not worth going through as it suffers from the bias of personal and political agendas and selfish beneficial policies of the individuals involved in policy-making. This way the book brands stakeholders as corrupt individuals who cannot be trusted with public resources and responsibilities. He makes his suggestions and recommendations in an authoritative manner though he could have done it in any manner. His recommendations are made in a self-righteous manner that makes him appear like a know-it-all who can run all reforms on his own. Therefore, his approach to writing the book is highly offensive, albeit truthful, as regards the issues that affect the field. Anyone without prior knowledge about the education sector would easily be put off by the content and approach due to such self-awareness raising antics employed by the writer. His writing style, as stated earlier, undermines the confidence of the reader and, at the same time, challenges him or her to do better than the present so-called reformers. Therefore, the book can be recommended for any potential reformers or individuals seeking to make a footing and leave a mark in the industry. Strengths and Successes Max Payne, in So Much Reform, So Little Change, successfully airs his views and catches the attention of the reader by the use of captivating point that cannot be ignored. The title on its own is appealing as it bears wording likely to be found in history books touching on issues of politics and dictatorship. This way, the book appeals to the reader from the cover and continues to attract the reader by discussing significant issues in the society and education in a sentimental way. This provokes readers to take actions in their own right and improve their own fields by adopting strategies presented in the book in an attempt to turn around their fortunes. The book successfully bears impact on the reader in content delivery, provocation of thought, and correction of wrong ideologies. This is particularly so for policy-makers, who have an opportunity to review their decisions by using the book as a benchmark for success or failure. Writing Style Max Payne focuses strictly on the details of that which ails education reforms in urban public schools. He describes extensively, in chapter one, the social climate found in urban schools while touching on rarely discussed issues such as racism and intense social views held by teachers, parents and administrators. He describes vividly how these issues adversely affect school reforms; he features different experiences that teachers face. In addition, the book is a progression of an argument for avid readers and followers of Payne’s works. This is in regard to a previous argument between him and his colleague, Miriam Kaba, about the demoralized culture of failing schools. In this light, the book can easily be termed as a follow up to the essay going by the same title as the book, only that the book brings to light deeper details and analyses of the failures of school reforms. In addition, the book portrays honesty in its writing and courage required to point out such controversial issues, as it may potentially anger teachers in their efforts to improve their institutions, and administrators and foundations that contribute financially to them. Also, the accuracy of the content of the book is irrefutable, despite the earlier statement about self-righteousness, to the extent of sobering up bureaucratic reformers and administrators. Recommendation In conclusion, Max Payne’s book is worth reading for anyone with an interest in the field of education or aspiring to understand challenges in policy-making and reforms implementation. References Payne, M., C. (2008). So Much Reform, So Little Change: The Persistence of Failure in Urban Schools. Cambridge, Massachusetts : Harvard Education Press. Read More