Q. What does it mean for a school to be "dynamic?"

Dynamic schools are exciting places to learn and work. They exhibit certain characteristics that make them special: 1. they are "communities of learners" (R. Barth); 2. they are places where people share new and progressive ideas about learning and teaching; 3. they are set in "small" or communal environments (schools-within-a-school, "houses" configuration, etc.); 4. they are places where educators are risky and willing to take a chance on a new curricular idea; 5. they are places where teachers are sincerely empowered to make key decisions about the school's program and organization and are an integral part in the daily running of the building.

There is no one prescription that will help make a school that is stagnant and not growing become a thriving institution. Several structural and curricular ideas can be implemented to help the process along. Go to "Research" for specific ideas and information.

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Q. How does one go about making schools more dynamic and exciting?

As Barth (1990) states when describing the steps necessary for promoting a "community of learners:" 1. people from outside have to help schools foster conditions that will enable them to improve themselves; 2. adults and students alike have to learn alike- each will energize the other in this endeavor; 3. the quality of interpersonal relationships has to improve; 4. learning has to be sustained in adults and students- the culture of the schools has to allow for this.

Many districts have taken to creating smaller schools by building academies, or other schools within the confines of a larger, traditional school. Click for specific models of such facilities.

Go to the "Research" page for detailed information regarding effective implementation of programs.

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Q. Are there models of exciting schools in my region of the country?

Yes, there are many dynamic schools in all areas of the nation. For a complete list, including links to respective websites, click.

Q. Who are the key scholars in the movement to make schools more exciting?

Theodore Sizer, author of the "Horace" series of books comments eloquently and passionately about teacher empowerment and the creation of "small" schools. Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson offer a number of exciting projects and examples of exciting schools in progress. Michael Fullan has written about the need for risk-taking as an important part of the culture of a school. Roand Barth coined the phrase "community of learners." His work, Shaping School Culture details the meaning behind the phrase.

For more information, click

Q. What good will being dynamic and exciting do for a school and the kids it serves?

As kids associate learning with excitement, they will become independent and voracious adult learners. Learning is the most positive alternative mode of pleasure.

A stagnant environment can lead to the diminishing of a student's intrinsic interest in learning. When he returned to his hometown, David Ruenzel identified this problem in his alma mater. Ruenzel was discouraged to find that the many children at Whitefish Bay High, were not thinking critically, creatively, or independently (Ruenzel, 1994).

Olson (1992) described a school in suburban Minnesota that looked to reform its program because "the school [with its fine reputation] didn't really provide students with the education they needed for the world that awaits them." Olson identified the school as being "typical," a place where standardized test scores were illustrative of the schools apparent "success," yet it was also a place where students were not interested in learning.

Teachers who work in a dynamic school will love to come to work and will accelerate their teaching as a result of the progressive atmosphere

Q. What type of school needs to become more dynamic, suburban or urban?

Some suburban schools operate within a climate that lacks dynamicism. Scholars like Nehring (1999) and Sizer (1984) have described suburban schools in their studies, calling them " uninteresting places" where there is a "paralysis of imagination." This lack of excitement and vibrant creativity can act as barriers to a child's development as an excited learner who is intrinsically motivated to continue his discovery of new ideas throughout life.

The editors of U.S. News & World Report recognized the need for a suburban school to be vibrant and dynamic. In 1996 the publication's list of "Outstanding American High Schools" excluded a number of suburban schools because it included in its ranking a "value added" statistical model that identified schools that included the ability of the institution to inject excitement and creativity into its program. The publishers of the magazine recognized the fact that coming up with a list of America's "best" schools according to SAT scores and the like would not reveal much about the quality of the schools.