The Learning Curve, Part III

Possibilities

Now comes the fun part. It’s time for the good-news stories critics say the media overlook. In the first two installments of our in-depth series on education in San Diego, we zeroed in on controversial political issues and on what’s taught in today’s classrooms—an equally divisive topic. With this, our final installment, we turn to the wide array of possibilities for local schools. We show you what’s working in our schools and what holds promise for the future.

Stories in this issue include a countywide roundup of inventive and progressive programs that are helping—and inspiring —kids to learn. It’s written by our prolific contributing writer Thomas K. Arnold, who also checks in with a comprehensive look at how we teach our teachers to teach, a role often assigned to the well-respected education department of San Diego State University.

SDSU also has a starring role in the rehabilitation of three inner-city schools, aided by a huge financial boost from one of San Diego’s best-known businessmen. Jamie Reno chronicles this important story of personal commitment by Sol Price to improve the possibilities for students at Hoover High and its two companion schools, Rosa Parks Elementary and Monroe Clark Middle School. In a special commentary, Reno also lets us know where he stands on the future of history in our classrooms. For anyone over 40, it’s hard not to agree with him. And after years of contention that the needs of learning-disabled students—estimated to number 117,000 in the San Diego city school district—were overlooked by administrators, Eilene Zimmerman brings us up-to-date on revitalized efforts to reach this special group of kids.

When San Diego Magazine began this investigation of local schools, we asked if taxpayers are getting what they pay for. Are students learning what they need to know in our rapidly changing world? Or are we failing our kids through misdirected political power plays, reforms du jour, teacher and racial tensions in the classroom and parent apathy? One highly respected San Diego teacher tells editor-in-chief Tom Blair why she believes our local schools are doing a much better job than newspaper headlines would suggest. These words from Maureen Nolan, San Diego city schools’ middle-school teacher of the year, are encouraging and realistic.

In this series, San Diego Magazine has presented nearly 30 stories to help readers better understand the increasingly complicated ABCs of our local school system. After reading this final installment, we think you will agree there are no easy answers to the questions posed, but there should be a greater comprehension of the myriad practical and emotional issues involved.

When San Diego Magazine first contemplated an education series, we knew it was a formidable challenge to present a conclusive and balanced look at the state of our schools today. A decision soon was made to expand the originally planned two-part series to three sections. Now, 18 months later, it’s easy to see we could include additional articles for months to come. Instead, we have saved one of our best stories for last, and it will run in next month’s issue.

Contributing writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Jonathan Freedman presents an insider’s look at the amazing success story of first-grader Cielo, a “Blueprint baby” who struggled to learn to read under the city school district’s controversial reform movement. It’s a significant and poignant story of dedication by the student, her teacher and her principal. And it’s definitely worth staying “after school” for.

Margie Farnsworth
Contributing Editor

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to San Diego Magazine »