According to Vicki Abeles in her book, Beyond Measure, this book will change the conversation about education in America. For too long, our devotion to unlimited homework, testing and competitive college admissions has been sickening kids and exhausting families. Swept up in the achievement arms race, students and parents find themselves struggling to keep up with expectations that place busyness, rankings and resume building before health and genuine learning. Even families who do not believe in it find the quicksand hard to escape.  The result is a generation of unhealthy kids who are unprepared to thrive. This course will offer a way forward – an eye opening, inspiring guide to how we can revolutionize our schools and reclaim our children’s well-being.  This book consists of stories of courageous parents, students and educators who are leading the way to correcting education reform. 

Students will read the book Beyond Measure by Vicki Abeles and collaborate discuss through COpilot a detailed focus question each week. At the end of the course, students will gather to watch the documentary and discuss with experts the solutions to our educational system.

Upon completion of this class, students will be able to:

• Compare and contrast our current educational system to the system in the book to revolutionize our schools.
• Identify implementations from the in-depth research provided that would benefit and improve our current system.
• Analyze the crisis as defined in the book and apply it towards possible solutions.
• Understand that working together to restore our children’s health and happiness will be required to reinvent what it means to be successful.
• See the value of thinking outside the box to free our students and families from the grip of high stakes testing.