How To Improve Education: Give A School A Makeover? [VIDEO]

By envisionGood | May 18 2010 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Malcolm Gladwell, author of the New York Times bestseller, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, describes how graffiti and broken glass can change people’s social values and lead a neighborhood to go swiftly downhill if the environment is not repaired.

To “tip” a neighborhood back into a positive direction therefore, Gladwell suggests that one of the first steps needed is to actively repair broken glass and clean up graffiti in the neighborhood. According to Gladwell, when residents take pride in their environment, studies show that crime rates and vandalism drop.

Given the impact that a positive environment can have on a neighborhood, we’re especially excited to hear about an upcoming show on NBC that applies this principle to the school environment. Airing this fall, NBC’s School Pride aims to make an impact in education nationwide by giving schools a makeover. Check out the fantastic video above for a preview of NBC’s School Pride and see how a school in Compton, California was transformed in ten days by the community.

What are schools like in your neighborhood? In what ways can students, teachers, parents, and the community come together to give your own community’s schools a makeover? Share your story by leaving a comment below or sending us a note.

SCHOOL PRIDE Overview: From executive producers Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Denise Cramsey (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “True Beauty”), “School Pride” is a proactive, alternative series that tells the stories of communities coming together to renovate their aging and broken public schools. While transforming the school, the community also restores its sense of value and school pride. The cameras follow students, teachers and parents as they roll up their sleeves and rebuild their own schools, concluding with the unveiling of a brand new, completely transformed school. They are motivated by a quartet of community organizers and personalities — SWAT Commander Tom Stroup, interior designer Susie Castillo (“House of Payne”), comedian and former substitute teacher Kym Whitley (“Til Death”) and political correspondent Jacob Soboroff (“AMC News”). Together, the team of experts will lead the community through the makeover process. Months later, cameras will revisit the school to discover the lasting effects of the transformation — a renewed sense of school pride and an increase in student achievement scores. “School Pride” is produced by Horizon Alternative Television.

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