Altered Destinies: Making Life Better for Schoolchildren in Need

School Administrator, Nov, 1998 by Linda A. Fernandez

Gene Maeroff of Columbia University provides abundant descriptions of successful enhancement programs in Altered Destinies: Making Life Better for Schoolchildren in Need, skillfully driving home his premise that single-focus programs, while improving opportunities for student learning, are insufficient to meet the needs of all learners. Social capital, or rather the lack of it in an increasing number of our students' lives, is Maeroff's key concept.

Disadvantaged students do not have access to the experiences, environment or support systems on which successful learning is based. Traditional compensatory education has focused on single factors such as tutoring in reading and mathematics, values education or school-to-work. In the absence of a comprehensive approach to build social capital for disadvantaged students, they remain largely disadvantaged as adults.

Maeroff organizes descriptions of enhancements around four senses, which, when all are addressed, provide the social capital needed for academic achievement: a sense of connectedness, a sense of well-being, a sense of academic initiative and a sense of knowing.

Altered Destinies provides a clear organization for analyzing existing or potential programs. The four senses make sense. The program descriptions are inspiring not only in their creativity and intent, but also in the demonstrated effort and determination exerted by educators, parents and communities in the face of resistance and increasing demand.

Before you add the layer of another compensatory program, this book should cause you to ponder the merits of our traditional piecemeal approach.

(Altered Destinies: Making Life Better for Schoolchildren in Need, by Gene I. Maeroff, St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y., 1998, 336 pp. with index, AASA member price $24.50 hardcover. Available from AASA Distribution Center, P.O. Box 411, Annapolis Jct., Md. 20701-0411. Toll-free: 888-782-2272 or 301-617-7802. Stock #266-001-SA)