A book about our discoveries is currently being written. Following is likely the introduction:
Education…
Where could we be?
Where could we be in five years? Ten? Forty?
If we continue on this course, we will be worse off. If we take steps toward improving our situation we could be most of our way to something we are proud to call the American Educational System. Currently I know no one happy with its structure, its results or its methods.
It is because of my personal lack of contentment that I embarked on a journey to find a better way. On this journey I have learned more about students, families and learning environments than expected. An environment where our students are engaged, learning happily and collaborating can exist. Such an environment should be what we demand of public education.
Public education’s purpose is to serve the youth of our country. Its purpose is to educate. Its purpose is to prepare tomorrow’s leaders, inventors, writers, entrepreneurs, performers. Currently it is failing its mission. Pages of documents and articles reflect disappointment with the performance of our students. Districts are losing students to private schools and home schooling. The system is obviously broken.
It doesn’t have to be…
This book’s purpose is to ignite action. As parents, teachers, administrators and community members – we all want the very best for our kids. We want them to be smart, effective citizens who facilitate harmony and live fulfilling, productive lives.
I will spend little time arguing that things are broken – the literature on that topic is superfluous. In this book, I will speak of solutions, potential and tangible outcomes. It is my hope that we will not continue to idly stand by but will unite in an important mission to utilize what we know and demand the best from our public dollars. Educational research is brimming with successful methods that our schools are not using and more are to be discovered. Can you imagine the field of medicine inventing a successful treatment for stroke victims, but refusing to use it? Or sending the patient through testing episodes at a critical time instead of implementing treatment we know will make the difference? Our students are losing valuable time. Excellent teaching methods exist. Structures and systems that will engage and prepare our students for tomorrow can be implemented. We have the potential, the knowledge and the expertise to offer a powerful education to our students instead of choosing mediocrity.
What do you want for your child? What does our culture want from its youth?
We want the best. We want our children to be happy, fulfilled and kind; we want them to work hard, learn well, and know stuff. We want them to get good grades and be successful students. We want them to work well with others. We want them to think. We want them to feel good and safe and steer clear of “bullies” (more on that later…). We want them to follow their passions and become what they want to be. We live in a country of free will and of endless opportunities. We want the moon and rightly so.
Children come into this world un-carved blocks. New parents are full of hope for this brand new being. As the child grows, he is undoubtedly inundated with the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At this point in a child’s life we are all under the assumption that he can and will be whatever his heart desires. And then his culture, his educational system proceeds with actions that unconsciously, methodically rip away his abilities (and desire) to do so.
Of course it is not education’s intent to do so. I categorically dispute and despise the argument that there is some sort of evil intent to suppress students or that our current system was built in an effort to produce factory workers and assembly line employees. That correlation is ridiculous; the timing may speak to its relevance, but timing alone does not denote cause and effect. Those involved in “education” enter into the field to teach, spread knowledge and better the lives of students. However, sometimes even with the best of intentions we inadvertently fall into situations that do not produce desired results. Currently (inadvertently) we are not supporting our youth to become what they want to be when they grow up, to have passion for knowledge or skill, nor are we convincing them that they can achieve. We are instead consumed with measuring, benchmarking, boring, scoring and attempting to shove in knowledge so that we can produce data. We are not individualizing or differentiating with the student’s best interest in mind. We serve data over serving students. And it is all backfiring. All of it. Is it good test scores that we desire? Or capable students?
I envision a world where…actually, I teach in a world where…students think. Students love school. Students collaborate with each other – effectively. Students pursue their passions and think up new ways of doing things. Students love reading, not because they are required to meet a specific level at a specific time, but because they value literature the way authors hope they will. I envision a world…actually, I teach in a world where…students give their teachers valuable input and make choices about their learning. I teach in a world where students value their time and are not bored. I teach in a world where students absolutely love learning and understanding new concepts; I envision the world of public education offering such an existence. There is no reason it can’t. If we demand it, it will have to answer to us – ultimately, we are the customers.
How can we change such a broad system?
It will be easier than you think. The first step is to directly question some of our current structures and systems – where do they hope to take our students? Is it working? Could we implement better strategy? The second step is to speak up – to demand better – to refuse mediocrity and mundane days for our students. We must insist that our schools begin to step up to the plate. It is not test scores we are after; it is capable students. Next we can begin introducing effective methods of engagement, productivity and collaboration. Chapter XXXX is full of implementable strategies that will enhance engagement tomorrow. They don’t require more school days or more dollars. They are neither radical nor difficult to implement. We are approaching our third year in their testing. They require only a little faith in students themselves. These strategies are a route to student centered, individualized and differentiated approaches. (Really all of those fancy educational terms mean exactly the same thing – treat the child as an individual – value him as an individual – teach him as an individual and according to loads of research, you will get better results).
The strategies outlined in chapter XXXX give children what they desire most – independence, freedom, creativity and variety. Given the above elements, children thrive. Children are quite capable beings if we allow them to be. They are capable of making valuable choices. They are capable of seeking knowledge and knowing how best to learn a concept. Us grown-ups will do well to let go of a little bit of control.
