The Hardest Questions Aren't on the Test: Lessons from an Innovative Urban School

To be truthful, I know Linda Nathan and have visited the BAA several times as I worked in the same district. Most amazing is that Linda is still there practicing what she preaches. Thoughtful theory lived every day. Read page 62. As a former teacher trainer, I appreciate her comments on how to change people, and thereby change schools. I heard the same naysayers during other reform initiatives. Ten years later, staff turnover/retirement has started. To me this is the real test of whether the school endures. And will it sustain, endure, and growth if/when Linda retires? Her inspiration and leadership are amazing, although the whole team is top notch. My one criticism of the book is perhaps a reader cannot capture the genuine affection in the school's atmosphere. Perhaps not appropriate for Linda to say it but I can as an outsider. Note also, the school continues to evolve after the period discussed in the book. Even onto an international stage. Quite remarkable. BAA proves, creative, amazing schools can exist and they can exist in large urban districts. Lots of people made it happen including colleges, corporate partners, and dedicated Board members. What the book covers, however, is the vision,mission,and teaching practices that made the school take shape and become a success.

This is one of the most thoughtful and introspective books written by an educational leader that I've ever read. It is surprisingly honest and Nathan takes on topics that school principals often gloss over or couch in off-putting educational jargon. If you care about creating effective schools in urban communities, this book should be on your reading list.

Wow! This is an extraordinarily honest, deeply personal, and remarkably exhilarating journey into the life of a school where public education really works. With a joyous, unrelenting focus on creating a school environment that literally "leaves no child behind," Linda Nathan and her team have worked miracles at the Boston Arts Academy. A must read, not only for teachers or those considering careers in education, but for anyone who wants to feel energized and optimistic about what a great group of teachers and administrators can accomplish. Without even trying to, this book demolishes the false promise of standardized testing, and shows that by concentrating on how individual students learn, and on building a school environment dedicated to uniting teachers and students alike in a common mission, real success is possible. I've been passing this around to all my friends.

I wish this school was around when I was a kid. It's filled with a type of passion and energy one seldom experiences or hears about in public education. For anyone seriously interested in public school reform, this book is a must-have.

You have to admire the courage of the author. She shares their struggles (their "warts and wounds") and doesn't claim to have all the answers...the questions ARE hard and sometimes painful. But she, her faculty and staff of this innovative and imaginative urban high school tackle them head on and certainly make progress - over 95% of graduates regularly go on to college. For those who believe that public education remains our last best chance at leveling the playing field for all kids, you'll be glad to read this important book.