Ted Sizer
Encyclopedia
Theodore Ryland Sizer was a leader of educational reform in the United States
, the founder (and eventually President Emeritus) of the Essential school
movement and was known for challenging longstanding practices and assumptions about the functioning of American secondary schools. Beginning in the late 1970s, he had worked with hundreds of high schools
, studying the development and design of the American educational system, leading to his seminal work Horace's Compromise in 1984. In the same year, he founded the Coalition of Essential Schools
based on the principles espoused in Horace's Compromise.
Sizer was born in New Haven, Connecticut
to Theodore Sizer (1892–1967), an art history professor at Yale University
. He received his B.A. in English from Yale in 1953 and subsequently served in the Army
as an artillery officer. He later described his experience leading soldiers in a democratic and egalitarian fashion as a formative influence on his ideas about education. After a stint teaching in high schools, Sizer earned his masters and doctorate in education from Harvard University
in 1957 and 1961, respectively. He was a faculty member and later dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education
, a position he held during the 1969 Harvard student strike. While dean, he reorganized the school into seven departments, expanding the resources available for research (particularly in the area of urban education), while expanding minority enrollment.
Sizer left Harvard to serve as headmaster of Phillips Academy
in Andover, Massachusetts
from 1972 to 1981, leaving to lead a study of American high schools sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of Independent Schools
. From 1983 to 1997, Sizer worked at Brown University
as a professor and chair of the education department, and in 1993, he became the Founding Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.
During his years at Brown, he produced most of his books, including Horace's Compromise. This text was one the most widely acclaimed works written in the aftermath of the Reagan
administration's report A Nation at Risk
. In it, Sizer examined the fundamental compromise at the heart of allegedly successful American high schools. He suggested that the students agree to generally behave in exchange for the schools agreeing not to push them too hard or challenge them too severely. Thus, he widened the scope of schools that were failing to do their best to educate children far beyond the traditionally criticized poor and urban schools and challenged the conceptions of what could be considered a successful school. The ideas explored in his Horace Trilogy supply much of the foundation of the Coalition of Essential Schools
.
After retiring from Brown, Professor Sizer took a one-year position during the 1998–99 school year as co-principal (with his wife Nancy Sizer) of the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
, of which he was a Trustee Emeritus and helped to found. Their book, Keeping School was based upon this experience. From 1997 through 2006, returned to the Harvard Graduate School of Education
as a visiting professor, co-teaching a course on resigning the American secondary school with his wife, while he continued to work on the issues of integrating the multiple services that low socio-economic status families need in poor communitities.
His wife, Nancy Faust Sizer, whom he married in 1955, was also an educator, and they had four children. He died at age 77 on October 21, 2009, at his home in Harvard, Massachusetts
, due to colon cancer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the founder (and eventually President Emeritus) of the Essential school
Coalition of Essential Schools
The Coalition of Essential Schools is an organization created to further a type of whole-school reform originally envisioned by founder Ted Sizer in his book, Horace's Compromise. CES began in 1984 with twelve schools; it currently has 600 formal members.-Horace's Compromise:Horace's Compromise...
movement and was known for challenging longstanding practices and assumptions about the functioning of American secondary schools. Beginning in the late 1970s, he had worked with hundreds of high schools
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, studying the development and design of the American educational system, leading to his seminal work Horace's Compromise in 1984. In the same year, he founded the Coalition of Essential Schools
Coalition of Essential Schools
The Coalition of Essential Schools is an organization created to further a type of whole-school reform originally envisioned by founder Ted Sizer in his book, Horace's Compromise. CES began in 1984 with twelve schools; it currently has 600 formal members.-Horace's Compromise:Horace's Compromise...
based on the principles espoused in Horace's Compromise.
Sizer was born in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
to Theodore Sizer (1892–1967), an art history professor at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He received his B.A. in English from Yale in 1953 and subsequently served in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as an artillery officer. He later described his experience leading soldiers in a democratic and egalitarian fashion as a formative influence on his ideas about education. After a stint teaching in high schools, Sizer earned his masters and doctorate in education from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1957 and 1961, respectively. He was a faculty member and later dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Harvard Graduate School of Education is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University, and is one of the top schools of education in the United States. It was founded in 1920, the same year it invented the Ed.D...
, a position he held during the 1969 Harvard student strike. While dean, he reorganized the school into seven departments, expanding the resources available for research (particularly in the area of urban education), while expanding minority enrollment.
Sizer left Harvard to serve as headmaster of Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was incorporated in 1646 and as of the 2010 census, the population was 33,201...
from 1972 to 1981, leaving to lead a study of American high schools sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
. From 1983 to 1997, Sizer worked at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
as a professor and chair of the education department, and in 1993, he became the Founding Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform.
During his years at Brown, he produced most of his books, including Horace's Compromise. This text was one the most widely acclaimed works written in the aftermath of the Reagan
Reagan
Reagan is an Irish surname, most commonly associated with Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Reagan may also refer to:-Surname:*Nancy Reagan , widow of Ronald Reagan and First Lady from 1981 to 1989...
administration's report A Nation at Risk
A Nation at Risk
A Nation at Risk: The Imperative For Educational Reform is the title of the 1983 report of American President Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education. Its publication is considered a landmark event in modern American educational history...
. In it, Sizer examined the fundamental compromise at the heart of allegedly successful American high schools. He suggested that the students agree to generally behave in exchange for the schools agreeing not to push them too hard or challenge them too severely. Thus, he widened the scope of schools that were failing to do their best to educate children far beyond the traditionally criticized poor and urban schools and challenged the conceptions of what could be considered a successful school. The ideas explored in his Horace Trilogy supply much of the foundation of the Coalition of Essential Schools
Coalition of Essential Schools
The Coalition of Essential Schools is an organization created to further a type of whole-school reform originally envisioned by founder Ted Sizer in his book, Horace's Compromise. CES began in 1984 with twelve schools; it currently has 600 formal members.-Horace's Compromise:Horace's Compromise...
.
After retiring from Brown, Professor Sizer took a one-year position during the 1998–99 school year as co-principal (with his wife Nancy Sizer) of the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
The Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School is a public charter school in Devens, Massachusetts that serves students in grades 7 to 12...
, of which he was a Trustee Emeritus and helped to found. Their book, Keeping School was based upon this experience. From 1997 through 2006, returned to the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
The Harvard Graduate School of Education is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University, and is one of the top schools of education in the United States. It was founded in 1920, the same year it invented the Ed.D...
as a visiting professor, co-teaching a course on resigning the American secondary school with his wife, while he continued to work on the issues of integrating the multiple services that low socio-economic status families need in poor communitities.
His wife, Nancy Faust Sizer, whom he married in 1955, was also an educator, and they had four children. He died at age 77 on October 21, 2009, at his home in Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard, Massachusetts
Harvard is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. A farming community settled in 1658 and incorporated in 1732, it has been home to several non-traditional communities, such as Harvard Shaker Village and the utopian Transcendentalist center Fruitlands...
, due to colon cancer.
Works
- Secondary Schools at the Turn of the Century (1964)
- Places for Learning, Places for Joy (1973)
- Horace's Compromise: The Dilemma of the American High School (1984)
- Horace's School: Redesigning the American High School (1992)
- Horace's Hope: What Works for the American High School (1997)
- The Students Are Watching: Schools and the Moral Contract (1999, co-authored with Nancy Sizer)
- "Keeping School: Letters to Families from Principals of Two Small Schools" (2003, co-authored with Deborah MeierDeborah MeierDeborah Meier is an American educator often considered the founder of the modern small schools movement. After spending several years as a kindergarten teacher in Chicago, Philadelphia and then New York City, in 1974, Meier became the founder and director of the alternative Central Park East...
& Nancy Sizer) - The Red Pencil: Convictions From Experience in Education (2004)