Published: April 1, 2000

Why New Teachers Quit

There is a story we tell at conferences about an education reformer who holds a seance in order to call up the ghost of John Dewey. Frustrated with the pace of reform, this person asks the great philosopher of progressive education how to bring about real change in American schools. "Do you want the realistic way or the miraculous way?" Dewey asks."Well, the realistic way, of course," says the reformer.

"A million angels would come down from heaven and visit every classroom in America, wave their hands, and education reform would immediately become established," Dewey replies.

"Then what would be the miraculous way?"...