Educational Media Reviews Online

To make changes in any enterprise, one must envision and believe that alternative possibilities exist. Imagining the Possibilities for Public Education centers on the need for new thinking to reform American urban public schools. Nine individuals drawn from academia in New York and Chicago discuss the need for new ideas in six areas. A general discussion on the importance of imagination and the ability to see beyond present problems opens the presentation. The group of nine then extends this line of thought to discuss significant educational problems such as labeling of students, funding equity between rich and poor school districts, limits on curriculum choices for students in predominately non white districts, lack of status for teachers by many individuals in modern society, the need for greater authority for teachers in the area of curriculum design and school administration and the importance of public schools for American society. This video is not a nuts and bolts approach to improve schools. It is useful as a motivational tool to encourage teachers, public school boards and the general public to develop creative ideas for improving schools. Recommended for all libraries.