John Goodlad’s Influence on the BYU–Public School Partnership

By Robert Patterson

Robert Patterson is a lifelong educator and author. He was a former dean of the McKay School of Education at Brigham Young University between 1999 and 2003, during which time he worked closely with John Goodlad.

As I participated in the various activities of the BYU–Public School Partnership (BYU–PSP), I experienced an oft-repeated query from fellow participants: “Why do we pay so much attention to the opinions and ideas of John Goodlad?” I want to offer three possible responses.
    First, I suggest we look at the professional record of this man. His colleagues have publicly acknowledged the extent and value of his work by literally showering him with prestigious awards, including the Horace Mann League Outstanding Friend of Public Education and the John Dewey Society Outstanding Achievement Award in 2009. He has tirelessly done his utmost to address educational issues in a manner to help fellow professionals as well as the larger interested public.
    The second compelling reason relates to his role in helping to launch and enrich the organization of the Partnership. On invitation from Curtis Van Alfen, the BYU dean of education in 1983, Goodlad spent several months at BYU helping school district and university personnel catch a vision of the benefits of a collaborative relationship.
    Goodlad also invited the Partnership to become a member of the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER). As a result, participants of the BYU–PSP have received outstanding leadership training as well as the opportunity to interact with school or university faculty members from other NNER sites. One result of this interaction has been the replication of the Seattle Associates Program at BYU. The Partnership has used associates as one of the main ways of sharing ideas and promoting a common value position within the BYU–PSP.
    Another significant and valuable application of Goodlad’s leadership is our Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling (CITES). By accepting Goodlad’s challenge to experiment with this new organizational structure, we have found ways to include other BYU colleges in the Partnership, to strengthen the in-service provisions offered for school personnel, and to generate ideas through research and program evaluation.
    John Goodlad has encouraged and supported the BYU–PSP in powerful ways. Without the benefits derived from the focus associated with his writings and programs and the example of excellent leadership through skillful mentoring and modeling of ideas and practices, the BYU–PSP would be far less able to speak with pride of the quality of education in our partner districts and in our university teacher preparation programs. We continue to be richly rewarded for celebrating Dr. John I. Goodlad.