• What School Could Be

  • Insights and Inspiration from Teachers Across America
  • By: Ted Dintersmith
  • Narrated by: Tom Perkins
  • Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (198 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
What School Could Be  By  cover art

What School Could Be

By: Ted Dintersmith
Narrated by: Tom Perkins
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Innovation expert Ted Dintersmith took an unprecedented trip across America, visiting all 50 states in a single school year. He originally set out to raise awareness about the urgent need to reimagine education to prepare students for a world marked by innovation, but America's teachers one-upped him.

All across the country, he met teachers in ordinary settings doing extraordinary things, creating innovative classrooms where children learn deeply and joyously as they gain purpose, agency, and real knowledge. Together, these new ways of teaching and learning offer a vision of what school could be and a model for transforming schools throughout the United States and beyond. Better yet, teachers and parents don't have to wait for the revolution to come from above. They can readily implement small changes that can make a big difference.

America's clock is ticking. Our archaic model of education trains our kids for a world that no longer exists, and accelerating advances in technology are eliminating millions of jobs. But the trailblazing of many American educators gives us reasons for hope. Capturing bold ideas from teachers and classrooms across America, What School Could Be provides a realistic, and profoundly optimistic, roadmap for creating cultures of innovation and real learning in all our schools.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2018 Ted Dintersmith (P)2018 Tantor

What listeners say about What School Could Be

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    141
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    118
  • 4 Stars
    38
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    125
  • 4 Stars
    27
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

What this book could be

I was hoping to have good insights from this book. However, it is organized according to the trip the author took, rather than the lessons learned. It can become rather boring after a while. I hope in his next book the author organizes the book as lessons or ideas worth exploring and give examples from his experience.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Anything

My personal world philosophy rests, nestled inside my seed of belief that there’s nothing more important in life, than learning. Every moment that we’re alive, we’re continually learning, whether it’s conscious or occurring somewhere under the surface. Education and learning are seemingly synonymous, but clearly not one and the same. Through his passion, curiosity and an unyielding commitment to learn for the betterment of our society, Ted Dintersmith makes a compelling effort to bridge the gap, in my opinion, between what our education system teaches and what’s most important for young minds to learn, in preparation for successful, productive, and compassionate adulthood.

In short, to answer the question the title poses, the simple answer is... anything.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I highly recommend this book for anyone

Ted introduces a sense of urgency into the need to change our current education model in the US that is unprecedented. He put in the time and traveled to all 50 states to see what real innovation and change is taking place in classrooms across the country to better prepare our kids for the new innovation economy and jobs. He's keenly aware of the price tag of college and the metrics being used to admit kids to college that do not prepare them to enter the job market, to innovate and create solutions to real world problems

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A bell-weather classic for every educator.

A non-negotiable staple for insight and innovation in our educational system. Listen to it. Hear it’s message.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Education Excellence

This book is a great read. It reviews what good schools aren’t and what they could be. It affirms that all students have potential, but the system defines them and categorizes them based on standardized tests. It encourages teachers to cultivate thinkers not test takers. It challenges leaders to spark innovative teaching rather than status quo informative teaching. I’m also left scratching my head about how to make real impactful change in a broken education system.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Many Great Insights but Lacking Conclusion

The author misses an important point from every success situation he encountered and derives an incorrect conclusion. His conclusion that students need to be self-taught and get online more is NOT what successful, innovative educators are doing to foster creativity and produce lifelong learners. He needs to go back to his notes and see that we do not learn in a vacuum and behind every inspired learner is an inspired teacher/mentor.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best Book On EDU

This is flat out the best book to read if you see yourself as a potential change agent on your campus. And, visit InnovationPlaylist.org to gain a valuable resource as you move forward.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
  • MF
  • 11-17-19

Old boys

While the topic is interesting, this author only seems to cite achievements of (presumably white) men in the field. I feel this is so disrespectful to the majority of teachers who are women. Ugh!!!! By citing mostly men’s achievements, he reinforces the invisibility of women’s achievements.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very important piece of work on education

I wish all educational institutions would read this book.
I always said that school is broken, but was quickly dismissed by my parents and teachers.
This book shows you just how much most schools are broken and cites many many great examples of schools that are making a difference.
School doesn't have to suck!

This book is important not only for those in education in any way, but also to parents and students alike.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Must read!

This book will change the way you think about education in America. Please share with your communities.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!