My thoughts are that when you are able to spend twice as much as other schools, can throw students out if parents aren't involved, have the ability to take kids on worldwide trips for little to no parent fees, are able to hold an application process, and can ensure that you do not ever add new students outside a starting cohort, your educational outcomes probably won't be replicable.
His books are excellent. There is a lot of good information there, but I have to get over the fact that he think's he's the world's greatest educator before reading the books. (As a Survivor fan, I will say he went home last season because the other contestants weren't able to get over Ron Clark's high opinion of self.) I would like to visit his school.
As an new teacher, I read and was very inspired by one of his first books. I agree that his current school model is ideal but not very realistic. A friend actually went to visit the school and her thoughts mirrored yours - excellent program, but incredibly difficult or nearly impossible to replicate.
His books are very good, and I have gotten several things out of them. I think he is great at promoting what he does, but that doesn't mean that he is the best at everything. He does show how to inspire students and how high standards can lead to some really great results. He has succeeded in teaching at a public school in Harlem and also at creating his own private school in Atlanta, Georgia. He could succeed anywhere.
Okay, that might describe Ron Clark now that he created his own private school, and I agree he is getting harder to replicate as he spends more and more money at that school. He did have great success when he taught in Harlem on a shoestring budget which showed in his first two books. The guy could succeed in teaching anywhere.
I think he's a great teacher, however, he has strayed from his purpose. With his school, the strategies that he employed in his early days are really not necessary. If you have a school like his, with the rules and policies in place, even a mediocre teacher will have success. I think there's a lot to be said for his methods--but what he does in his current school is not applicable to the majority of teachers out there.
I read up a lot on this nonprofit, private school and I only have good things to say about it. There is a reason that over 38,000 superintendents and educators all over the country continue to go there and watch how the school conducts itself and operates. And in reading through the comments on here, it seems that every time a private school does well there is always something negative to say because it is not a public school. Ron Clark has it right. Similarly, my private school spends a lot on our students (we have a $20-30 million annual budget) and programs and it’s totally worth it because our students benefit tremendously. The RCA is the type of private school I wholeheartedly support.
And I think that's a great way to view it. Not everyone has the chance to attend a private school. It does not mean it's a bad model, but it does mean that these students and teachers may have opportunities afforded to them that others do not. For those who do get to attend, I am sure they are receiving a wonderful education.
His school is great for the 32 kids who get accepted each year. Doesn't do much for the hundreds of kids who don't get accepted though, since what he's doing there isn't replicable elsewhere. I'm not down on the guy, he's really helping the kids at his school. It isn't really something that can do much to move the field of education forward though, because... well, read my first post.
What negative comments are not accurate? If it is true that a private school can remove behavioral problems easily or remove students who can't keep up or require parents to pay extra to tutors in order for them to keep up, it may sound negative, but it is a reason why a private school can have highly successful students. When public schools either cannot or will not do the same, you end up with chaos which hurts learning for all.
Possibly true for some private schools. The Ron Clark Academy though is mostly minority students from troubled backgrounds. Most are able to attend by scholarships where the money is provided by large sponsors such as Coca Cola and Delta Airlines. Also when educators attend to observe the Ron Clark Academy (some estimates are well over 30,000) this money mostly goes towards scholarships. The point here is that this school is not succeeding because they charge large amounts of tuition and only go for students who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. The Academy has really found a way to succeed with a tough group of students. I do agree that huge donations from Coca Cola and Delta Airlines don't hurt.
My comment had to do with the comment I quoted which was a generalized comment. I did find your information interesting though. So, Ron Clark schools keep kids who will not behave in class just because they are troubled? They can disrupt the learning environment for all students?
They aren't likely to get kicked out for disrupting, but they do have a strict discipline policy with silent lunch and other consequences. Also with so many fun things to do such as trips to other countries, there is a lot more to lose than most schools if one chooses to misbehave.
So this school makes the students accountable for their actions. Acknowledging that their behavior is a CHOICE rather than making excuses for them is probably what makes the school work.
I went to high school with him (small, rural, public high school...I actually teach there now), and honestly it doesn't surprise me that he's so successful. I haven't really followed him all that closely since he became well-known, but what little I have, he's being exactly who he is. Still Ron from school. I'm proud of him and find him inspiring, though that's not true of everyone here "back home". I chalk it up to jealousy. He loves what he does and he does it well. Nothing wrong with that.
Nothing but respect for him and his school. I don't care if everything is transferable to any school. That's true of literally any institution that ever existed. You take what you can use and use it. I have read a couple of his books and they help me to stay motivated. Though I don't ooze confidence or charisma I can definitely take some tips that I can use to make my class more engaging and exciting.
I taught in a small rural school for decades. We did our best to hold children accountable for their actions and that lead to having a great school with many A grades (in Florida) and parents were very satisfied with our methods. IF you can manage behaviors and understand the root causes for disruptive students AND show them you care you have a chance. I swear when my first year teaching in 1978 I thought my kids were wacked till I found out about their lives away from school. Then I realized they were actually doing pretty well all things considered.
Amen to that! We are in kind of an isolated place. I had never heard of him when I first saw this post. I found a couple of you tube videos on his schools out of curiosity. It works for his schools. I would like to work in a school like I saw his schools to be. If he wasn't arrogant which I think I read above from a PP. I know best foot forward when you are recording. There is a lot that probably goes on behind the scenes that we don't see.
What are your positive takeaways about Ron Clark? I think there are plenty - no matter what kind of school you are in.
