Transforming for Success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transforming for Success - Assignment Example Transforming for Success Based on Darling-Hammond's (2010) research there are five features of successful schools which make them ideal institutions designed for producing students ready for real world adaption. a. Small size learning communities within the school The size of learning groups matter and affect the success of learning outcome. Higher incidents of safety issues, decrease learning rate, impersonal teacher-student relation and disinterests are often the results of large learning groups. To organize for success, Darling-Hammond (2010) emphasizes on small size of school units. Small groups are manageable and allow opportunities for learning and experiencing education - they can be seen, heard, noticed and participate in any activity they want. She also emphasizes that "Overall, smaller high schools are associated with greater safety, more positive student attitudes about school, higher levels of student participation and attendance, much lower dropout rates, and...higher achievement" (Darling-Hammond 2010, p.245). Small learning units therefore create an environment that fosters positive student behavior towards education. With size, personalization also becomes effective. Small learning communities foster personalization and long-term relationship building among teachers and students. Large education systems cannot be effectively managed nor can their students enjoy positive learning experience. On the other hand, small learning units can easily incorporate advisory systems through counseling, academic support and family connections, and reduce loads for teachers to pay particular attention to individual student.