Review of Chaos in Our Schools

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Chaos in Our Schools" by T.L. Zempel.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

A​s a retired high school teacher, I was drawn to this book. As I read, I found I was able to relate to most of the scenarios described by T.L. Zempel. Although Zempel taught elementary school in Colorado, the frustration with bureaucracy was also prominent in my state. Sadly, the focus in education is no longer on the individual students and their needs. Zempel's inspiration for writing this book is described in the chapter "Jumping In Without A Plan."

E​ach chapter deals with a different "cure" implemented by the legislature and trickled down to the classroom. As you can imagine, during her 30-year teaching career, Zempel was subjected to many of these mandates. The author's solution to fixing modern education is found at the end of the book. Zempel encourages readers not to skip to the end of the book, but she realizes that many will. She compares this to a test-taking strategy taught to students where they are told to read the questions first before reading the passage, so they will know what information to look for.

A​long with extensive research on the lack of effectiveness of these solutions, the author includes anecdotes of students, teachers, and administrators. These stories break up the statistics in an enjoyable way. Zempel also includes her experience with faulty teacher evaluations and the futility of dealing with the issue.

S​tandardized testing is addressed in several chapters. The author explains the problems with the current system. She explores the difficulty of motivating students to do their best on a test where there is no accountability for their performance. She also reveals ways that teachers fraudulently administer the tests to increase the overall score for their schools.

I like that I could easily understand and relate to the material presented. It is hard to imagine that this book would appeal to a broader audience beyond teachers and administrators. I recommend that legislators read it as a precursor before enacting any more reforms. The author issues a call to arms to encourage parents to become activists and question their district's policies.

M​y rating for Chaos in Our Schools is 5 out of 5. I found no errors in the 187 pages. There were no negatives. The table of contents is a good indicator of the contents because the chapter titles are self-explanatory. The foreword explains the author's purpose and concerns. She places blame on the lawmakers and describes the "pitfalls of addressing technique while ignoring setting." Her solution is thoughtful and feasible. I applaud the author for writing this book and hope its publication will bring about the change that she promotes. Zempel has included a link to her foundation's website [schoolmattersfoundation.org] where readers can learn about ways to encourage reform in their own districts.

******
Chaos in Our Schools
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Patty Allread]

Thank you for your review. I agree with you that parents, as well as teachers need to be activists and question district and legislative policy.

[Hubre De Klerk]

I absolutely love the idea of this book and correcting the educational system. My son will be in gr.1 in 3 years, and it truly frightens me with the stuff going on in some schools and how big they are. I loved this passage: "She compares this to a test-taking strategy taught to students where they are told to read the questions first before reading the passage, so they will know what information to look for." I was never taught this, and I think this is an eye-opener as it makes so much sense! It is something that I will definitely teach my son as he gets older. Thanks for an amazing review and I can't wait to read this book!

[Ogunkoya Mayowa]

A book where the author talks about cures that must be implemented by the legislature and solutions to fixing modern education. I'm glad you enjoyed reading the book. Nice review.

[Yasmine M]

Thank you for your insightful review; It is interesting to see how the education system changes constantly, always in an effort to 'fix it'. I can't help but wonder if there were any time in history where the education system was perfect. You mentioned that the book might only attract teachers and administrators...I am sure that some parents might relate too.

[Vickali]

The subject of this book seems to be informative, as depicted from this review, which I also enjoyed reading. Thanks for providing this insightful review.

[Diana Lowery]

Thank you for your review. I agree with you that parents, as well as teachers need to be activists and question district and legislative policy.

I appreciate your comment.

[Diana Lowery]

I absolutely love the idea of this book and correcting the educational system. My son will be in gr.1 in 3 years, and it truly frightens me with the stuff going on in some schools and how big they are. I loved this passage: "She compares this to a test-taking strategy taught to students where they are told to read the questions first before reading the passage, so they will know what information to look for." I was never taught this, and I think this is an eye-opener as it makes so much sense! It is something that I will definitely teach my son as he gets older. Thanks for an amazing review and I can't wait to read this book!

I am glad you liked my review, and I hope you enjoy the book.

[Diana Lowery]

A book where the author talks about cures that must be implemented by the legislature and solutions to fixing modern education. I'm glad you enjoyed reading the book. Nice review.

Thank you for reading my review and leaving a comment.

[Diana Lowery]

Thank you for your insightful review; It is interesting to see how the education system changes constantly, always in an effort to 'fix it'. I can't help but wonder if there were any time in history where the education system was perfect. You mentioned that the book might only attract teachers and administrators...I am sure that some parents might relate too.

You bring up a good point, but some parents might be turned off by the statistics and research included in the book.

[Diana Lowery]

The subject of this book seems to be informative, as depicted from this review, which I also enjoyed reading. Thanks for providing this insightful review.

Thank you for commenting.

[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

Due to the pandemic, the current school system is drastically changed. I think this book talks about how to improve the school systems, and what is lacking. And I'm curious about the statistics regarding this matter presented in this book. Great review!

[Diana Lowery]

Due to the pandemic, the current school system is drastically changed. I think this book talks about how to improve the school systems, and what is lacking. And I'm curious about the statistics regarding this matter presented in this book. Great review!
[/quote
Yes, There are a lot of statistics in the book. Thank you for your comment.

[Grace Elkana]

The book cover says a lot about what this book tends to deal with, albeit in the school system. When there are so many different teachings that get students confused, there's need to standardize resources out there to address them. I guess this is what the author tried to deal with.

[Geraldokeke]

I appreciate this review and the author's efforts to shed light on some of her unpleasant experiences (which must have been difficult for her). I'm happy she is stronger for all of it