Transformation of public education requires the reawakening of the sleeping giant in the room: the learners. Students, teachers, and principals must develop a learner-centric, standards-driven school. Reawakening the Learner is a guide to creating just such an environment.  Continua describe the journey of teachers, teacher leaders, and principals in partnering with learners.   Adult-driven routines must be replaced with learner-centric practices.     All stakeholders must identify a common moral purpose, create a culture that supports change, and commit to the learner improvement cycle. Common moral purpose must be driven by beliefs and behaviors that support all learners to proficiency.  School culture must be developed to be ready for change, have enough trust in one another to doubt current practices, and develop collective efficacy.  This new culture will support the components of the learner improvement cycle (assessment, evaluation, planning, and learning) by involving the learners during each step of the cycle.   The authors call for national dialogue with educational experts to reinvent public education, where all students are given enough time and support to reach proficiency on the standards.

"Stoll and Giddings (both, Don't Ever Stop LLC) offer a compelling argument for today's struggling public schools. Working from a learner-centric, standards-driven platform, they walk the reader through the problems with today's schools, noting the need to align six critical systems: learner, classroom, school, central office, district board of education, state legislature, and state department of education. With ‘proficiency for all’ as their guiding light, Stoll and Giddings provide the steps for and discuss the challenges of creating a culture of continuous improvement from planning to implementation. Not surprisingly, significant changes in practices at the classroom and school levels are recommended, as well as the initiation of a national dialogue to support the transformation. Most impressively, and unlike many authors recommending substantial changes to public education, Stoll and Giddings have embedded their recommendations in the actual transformation of a school district, including reflections of principals, teachers, students, and parents. Given that all chapters begin with thought-provoking guiding questions and end with key points, the reader is assured of understanding the authors' recommendations on this critical topic. Given the current national agenda regarding Common Core State Standards, this book a must read for everyone concerned about the future of public schooling in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. " - CHOICE