Prepared by Diana Taverner [USA]

Content introduction:

We don't need to choose between success and satisfaction for our children, because they can have everything.

Diana tavona

200 1 high school teacher tawena found that society needs a system to screen out who is suitable for what kind of work, and the school has become such a platform. However, most students don't know what it means to graduate from high school. No one is really ready to step into the adult world except studying hard.

Just when she felt powerless to change the arms race education system, she found herself a mother. The outbreak of "9. 1 1" made her start thinking about how an uncertain world would wait for her children.

She decided to do something really valuable for her children's lives, and she chose education.

Samit Middle School started from scratch. Six years later, it ushered in the first graduating class. There are unfortunate girls from drug-addicted families whose parents are both in prison, and talented teenagers from upper-middle class families. In this school full of miracles, no matter what family background, children have learned valuable self-awareness, cultivated the ability of self-study and reflection, understood what they want, knew their future goals, and learned how to prepare for a full and meaningful life with economic security.

Children who enter this school are lucky, so their life has changed direction and height.

At samit's graduation ceremony, there were no speeches by outstanding students and no speeches by the principal. Students are accompanied into the auditorium by the people who are most important to them (usually their parents), just like a father leading his daughter down the wedding red carpet. Just like samit's educational philosophy, this ceremony should be seen by every child and ensure every child's success.

And every parent's greatest wish is to look at the young people who are about to start a new journey and say confidently:

"I am ready!"

About the author:

Diana Ta Wen Na

Diane tavenna

She is a pioneer of new educational ideas in America. As the co-founder and CEO of samit public school, Diana advocates a new school-running concept, that is, paying attention to practice, autonomous learning, teamwork and reflection, aiming at training all students to enter the university, adapt to the working environment of today's society after graduation, and live a rich and meaningful life with economic security.

Today, there are 15 samit public junior high schools in California and Washington, D.C., which are well-known non-profit organizations in the United States. All the income from this book will be donated to a student scholarship fund for free.

Samit has won many awards and praises. American News and World Report rated it as the best high school in the United States, Washington post rated it as the most challenging high school in the United States, and Fast Company listed it as one of the top ten innovative companies in the field of education.

Diana received a degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in management and policy from Stanford University. After graduating from college, she has been devoted to education. For twenty years, she has worked as a teacher, administrator and principal in public schools in urban and suburban California.

Wonderful book review:

One: Short comments

# Seeing so many recommendations at first was actually a sneer, but after reading a few pages, I knew I was wrong. This book is really, really good. Ms Devina's efforts really warmed my heart, and I even felt like crying when I saw many places.

# A good education can really change a person's life.

# It is said that it is on Bill Gates' recommendation list. I bought it and looked at it. I am so disappointed. It feels like a book about pie painting. Or is this book not for me, but for people who really have the ability to change the environment? The only thing that inspires me is the project learning method, which makes full use of network resources and parents' curiosity to study with children. Because of the epidemic, I have more or less realized something from real life, and the author is more clear with this little dialing. In the process of learning, if parents play the role of teachers or teaching assistants, I find it difficult to continue, or children can't surpass themselves, but should become extremely bookish or partners.

# Diana's samit Middle School should be a school that every child yearns for, and a school that really considers children's personal development. The most special thing about samit's school is that all children are expected to give full play to their strengths and be admitted to universities. It should prepare every child for the future life. Because Diana grew up under the influence of the environment, and because she has her own children, she hopes that her children can live a better and more suitable life. Therefore, I decided to establish this truly people-oriented middle school to cultivate children's ability to study independently and discuss social problems in groups, to stimulate children's internal drive and to make them useful to society. This book is worth pondering by domestic educators and parents. What do we want to give our children, what kind of future do we want them to have, and what can we do for them? Even if the current education system cannot be changed, we can change our ideas and do something for them from the perspective of children rather than from the perspective of grades.

# This is an easy-to-read and inspiring book. I admire the author's courage and innovation. This made me think more about myself and my children's education. Education is a lifelong career every day, and it is worth our time and energy to better understand it.

Two:

When I picked up this book, I was skeptical. It was less than 300 pages, 1.5 lines, priced at more than 20 dollars, and it was about education. In the process of reading, I was attracted by the great mentality and framework introduced to prepare our children in this ever-changing world. I should say that this is subversive and requires great courage, because a group of educators actually established this different school education institution, instead of just writing it as a philosophy. I want my little guy to go to school and prepare for his life.

Reflecting on my own education, I feel lucky that I survived. But I wonder what would have happened if I had been told long ago why we need to learn writing, coding, math and study. This should not be to survive, but to be prepared and understand all kinds of life and possibilities. Maybe I don't think a finance or engineering position is an intuitive choice. I want my little guy to know why he needs to learn, and he has the skills of self-study, critical thinking, curiosity about the world, and a sense of accomplishment and goals for his life.

I like this book not to be lengthy. I will use it as a reference book to prepare my children and maybe myself.

Three:

? Although undergraduate education and postgraduate education in the United States are sought after by many international students around the world, the quality of education and the ranking of global data indicators of universities are very leading, giving people the impression that the quality of education in the United States is very strong. However, this book has written many dark sides of the weak primary and secondary education in the United States, such as the school bullying phenomenon in schools and even gang fights, especially in low-income community schools. Many American parents who want their children to succeed in life suffer from the unbearable educational environment in the school, and the teaching methods and quality are not guaranteed as expected, so they are quite worried about whether their children can go to college. Only about 50% of students in American four-year universities apply for admission, and only 55% of them can successfully graduate and get a degree.

It is against this background that the author founded the Summit Foundation Charter High School 17 years ago, that is, in 2003, after five years in the education industry. 99% of the high school graduates in this school got the university admission notice, and the graduation rate was twice the national average, which shocked all walks of life and was rated as "Top Ten Most Innovative" by Fast company. By the time this book was published, California and Washington State had opened 13 junior high schools and high schools, and the free summit learning program was extended to 400 schools in 40 States.

? Why is the enrollment rate of this education so high and the quality of graduates so good? After reading this book, my understanding is that the achievements of this school are mainly attributed to PBL(project-based learning), that is, project-based learning. Problem-based learning (PBL) is not a new thing. Academic circles published Project Methold in 19 18, and it was popular for a period of time after 1950s. However, due to the high degree of freedom, it is difficult for individuals to guide them. There are also courses on the market that specialize in developing such projects, but the price is too expensive and it has never been used as a leading learning method in teaching. On the basis of the original PBL, the author has made many optimization adjustments, including redefining the overall goal of talent training and education, and re-exploring and guiding the recruited teachers in the process of teaching implementation.

? "If there are no external restrictions, what is a good school?"

? With such a series of questions, the author and her colleagues have made a lot of efforts to explore. Communicate with people from different education industries, and even invite the authors of educational monographs to give on-site guidance, constantly optimize practice and constantly reflect, thus forming a relatively perfect system for cultivating students. I have also experienced many difficulties to overcome. The following are theoretical illustrations of some training systems in books. This paper expounds the main educational concept books in the table, especially some concepts are interpreted from actual story cases, which are easier to understand. If you are interested in educators, parents and students who are interested in education can take a look.

? The more important concepts of educational guidance are autonomous learners and curiosity-driven knowledge. How to learn, what to learn and how to solve problems are all decided by students themselves, and when to arrange exams after learning is flexible, and the time and content of exams vary from person to person. All learning projects must be based on real-life problems. Students start from their own interests and find the relevant points. Teachers only ask questions from the side to help students fully understand their curiosity, interest and ability. During this period, they will not directly teach students how to do it, but focus on guiding and assisting teaching. In the whole learning process, teachers test and evaluate according to some training items. Perhaps each child's learning progress and projects are different, and the themes and teaching tools are different, including the envisaged solutions. At the same time, due to the large projects in the learning process, many students need to unite and cooperate instead of fighting alone, which poses new challenges to everyone's strengths and cooperation ability. Sometimes students can't figure out a solution for two or three weeks, and they get stuck. When they encounter difficulties, the teacher can't help them directly. The greater the degree of freedom, the greater the personalization, the more difficult the learning evaluation, and the greater the growth and progress of students.

? In addition, like five kinds of power behaviors (strategy shift, challenge seeking, persistence, persistence, dealing with setbacks, difficult feedback, and seeking timely help appropriately), the principles of effective goal setting, intelligent goals (concreteness, measurable quantification, operational enforceability, reality authenticity and time limit) and all learning project models should be based on such grand principles (real world experience, real world experience and self).

? In my opinion, these habits and methods are very free and independent, based on practical experience, fully respect students' curiosity and learning rhythm, truly set out from educational purposes, build the foundation of lifelong learning ability, exercise their abilities at every moment of learning, and fully mobilize students' enthusiasm, which can be said to be an ideal learning paradise. Although in the process of implementation, teachers will encounter many difficulties and problems in the exploration, but the final result shows that it is successful. After comprehensive training in junior and senior high schools, students not only lay a good academic foundation and successful study habits for university study, but also lay a foundation for pursuing their perfect life in the future.

From a realistic point of view, that is, the college entrance rate, the concept introduced in this book is successful. From the perspective of personal quality development, I'm afraid it can be said that there is progress compared with simple exam-oriented study. Although the author of this book also complains that there are too many standardized textbooks and standardized tests in the traditional American middle school learning methods, this educational method is worth developing in an era when innovation and creation are becoming more and more important.

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