Abstract:

Marsha Ratzel, a Kansas teacher, says that the author provides “a pragmatic approach for school reform.” O’Shea discusses the importance of time in creating reform, gives a fictional case study, discusses the role of administrators, and outlines the use of multiple measures of student assessment.

Citation: O’Shea, M.R. (2005). From standards to success: a guide for school leaders. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Full Text:

Mark R. O'Shea
2005 (162 pp./paperback)
ASCD
ISBN: 978-1-4166-0207-1
$26.95 ($20.95 for ASCD members)

Reviewed
by Marsha Ratzel
Blue Valley School District
Kansas

From Standards to Success by Mark R. O'Shea is a great read.
This book describes a pragmatic approach for school reform
and culture shifting that rang true from my perspectives as
a teacher and school reform coach. It defines an on-going,
dynamic process that empowers teachers to take control over
their classroom instruction, guided by a firm understanding
of curriculum standards. It is simple and straightforward
to read yet the ideas are quite powerful.

The author creates a case study from his experience in many settings
to create a fictional classroom teacher going through the
"recursive cycle of instructional planning, teaching and evaluation
of students' work—all focused on raising learning expectations
for standards achievement." Once the stage is set by "observing"
the teacher at work using a standards-based cycle to plan,
teach and evaluate lessons with her grade level colleagues,
the subsequent chapters address how principals and district
administrators can support teachers.

The author emphasizes what most teachers already know. Time is
the critical factor in implementing any kind of reform. That
message comes through loud and clear in this book, which discusses
how different levels of schools have creatively approached
the problem of creating more planning time in the teacher's
day. Collaborative time is the cornerstone of what O'Shea
calls the "Standards Achievement Planning Cycle," which uses
this time for meaningful professional dialog centered on curriculum
standards. The five steps of this process are described with
case study examples, so that the reader comes away with a
clear picture of what this planning cycle would look like.
Thankfully the author makes the argument that it is also critical
to identify the most important curriculum standards, given
that the typical teacher is faced with more than they could
teach in any single year.

The middle portion of the book describes in some detail what the
district administrator and principal's role should be in this
reform. Strong communication, commitment to teacher time,
and a willingness to stick with a plan for multiple years
is outlined as well as the importance of creating and protecting
opportunities for collaboration.

The latter portion outlines the use of multiple measures of student
achievement; classroom-based assessment, district-based benchmark
assessments, and standards that undergird statewide tests.
The unique role and importance of each is outlined and the
author shows how the three all provide complimentary, but
different views of student learning. One especially interesting
section expresses how district benchmark tests can be constructed
to reflect curriculum-pacing guides and help teachers gauge
what they believe about a student's progress before the state
tests.

From Standards to Success gives practical advice for educators
at every level in the school enterprise, from the superintendent
to the central office leaders, to principals and teachers.
It puts more structure into some of the techniques that have
been described by Rick Dufour and Larry Ainsworth and could
serve as a bridge between the different strategies and perspectives
that make up the world of professional learning communities.

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