Time to Learn Reader Response

The 2nd book within George Wood’s manuscript, “Time to Learn”, addresses the idea of change within the school system. “Transforming the High School” is broken into chapters that regard how to positively change the normal, structed school environment. Wood gives examples and illustrates the need and the process of change by; how to truly interact and connect with students, on how to teach important things successfully, and enforces the need for a democratic system within the school.

Like the first book, Wood uses many students to serve as an example of situations within the school, but also to bring a connection into his story. In the Introduction, we are introduced to a new student in Hocking High School. The student came from a very rough school and was unfamiliar with a positive school environment such as FHHS. The title, “Reaching Every Student”, does just that with the new student, Leroy. The school reaches out to Leroy, discovers how he is finding trouble adjusting and corrects with problem by talking with his grandparents. The story sets a perfect theme going into the next chapter discussing how to know the students.

In Chapter 3, Wood starts right in with addressing the problem with school size. The schools are just too big. With the example of the student, Charity, Wood demonstrates that when a student becomes anonyms, they feel less connected to the school; therefore, students dismiss the importance of high school. I know that if I felt I didn’t belong in a certain place or situation, my interest and involvement would, without a doubt, be diminished. Wood also gives the examples of a boy who was very smart, but simply uninterested in the work. When his lack of accomplishment was discovered, and upon investigation of his study habits and interest, he was very active in education, just not engaged. It was not the school work; it was his lack of connection with teachers and the material of the class. Wood then goes into the five strategies on how to make a connection with the student to the teacher / school.

1- Reduce