The corporate reform
narrative is based on three assertions, 1) that the collective
voice of teachers is unwelcome in the discussion of the direction of education, 2) that a
single metric — high stakes standardized test scores — can discern effective schooling, and 3) that the marketplace and profit motive are the best way to improve schools.
All I did in the second novel was try to set myself bigger challenges, what with the historical aspect, that was a huge challenge, with three
narrative voices instead of the
single narrative of Major Pettigrew, and with just considering larger issues with higher stakes.