Bernie Schein

Bernie Schein (born 1944) is an educational activist, working in the United States school system for over 40 years. He is committed to improving the educational experience for children around the country with his stance on alternative education. Shein suggests that in order for students to successfully learn and connect with their teachers, emotional awareness need to be the precedent over rationality and formality.

Career

Schein was a principal of three schools before teaching full time at an Atlanta private school. He has been an educational consultant and teaches creative writing to adolescents and adults. He documents his experiences as an educator in his book, If Holden Caulfield Were in My Classroom, tracing the activities of his middle school class. In the book Schein suggests that by allowing his students to tell stories and become emotionally aware they are more likely to actively learn and participate in their education. Mark Rosenberg, former US Assistant Surgeon General states, "Bernie Schein delivers a powerful message of hope for the youth and families of America."

Pat Conroy, author of The Water is Wide, contributed the foreword for Schein's book. Conroy's book also confronts the shortcomings of the educational system by sharing his experiences as a teacher who refused to participate in the mistreatment of his students. The Water is Wide was made into a feature film called Conrack, starring Jon Voight in 1974.

Charity

In efforts to reform the educational norm in the United States, Schein shares him views on the shortcomings of the SAT and No Child Left Behind program. He had participated in a number of talks and workshops, promoting his theory of personalizing student/teacher relationships. He was chosen as District Teacher of the Year in the Atlanta, Georgia area in 1978.

Education

Schein holds a Master of Education degree from Harvard University, with an emphasis in educational psychology. His stories and essays have been published in several magazines across the United States. His previous book (co-authored with his wife, Martha Shein), Open Classrooms in the Middle School, was a featured selection of the Educator's Book Club.

Bibliography

If Holden Caulfield Were in My Classroom ISBN 978-1-59181-076-6

The Water is Wide ISBN 978-0-553-26893-5

Open Classrooms in the Middle School

External links

• 1 www.bernieschein.com