Jenny's Story: Taking the Long View of the Child, Prospect's Philosophy in Action

Jenny Williams, a student mislabeled as slow, thrived in a bilingual, multi-age classroom in a public elementary school in Phoenix in 1993. The school was a successful experiment in transplanting the philosophy and teaching methods of Prospect School in North Bennington, Vermont. An introduction reviews Prospect's history and its philosophy. Jenny's story is integrated with three essays connecting the narrative with Prospect's political and educational message. The next section of the book locates Jenny's story in the wider context of recent educational history. Two final chapters offer theoretical and philosophical perspectives and a vision for the future. The book ends with Jenny's voice in an interview conducted in 2007. Color images of Jenny's schoolwork are included. An appendix provides a document from 1968, 'The Vermont Design for Education,' from the state's Department of Education. Carini is a co-founder of Prospect School and the Prospect Archives and Center for Education and Research. Himley served on the Prospect Board of Trustees and is a professor of writing and rhetoric at Syracuse University. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)