How would YOU fix the education system in our country?

[tortoise1956]

In my opinion, it's pretty obvious that the United States educational system is broken. Kids leave high school with a diploma that isn't worth the paper it's printed on - if they hang around long enough. Colleges are forced to enroll a large number freshmen students in remedial math and English classes . Illiteracy, functional or otherwise, keeps young Americans from qualifying for many jobs. Kids today are not dumber than my generation was (class of '74), they are not receiving the same quality of educational experience.

With all that in mind, I would like to hear from the posters here what they think the answer is. All I ask is, no whining without providing a solution, please.

[baldguy]

1. .

Oh, and take away local control of the curriculum.

[RandomThoughts]

2. I gave many good arguements.

I found that they were not listened to, or the news posting about events are not true.

So might as well play music. :)


I'll outlast them if they want to go that route.

AC/DC - Thunderstruck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoeeq-BH4w

[WCGreen]

3. We need to demand more of our children in the way of classic education

and quit trying to appeal to their "inner child"...

Classic studies prepare people to learn for the rest of their lives. We have made it almost impossible to determine what is classic learning and what is learning by what ever new technique the schools of education discover.

Open a book, read.

Open a book, cipher.

Open a book, question.

[kiranon]

37. Agree. Too many educ professors want to make a name for

themselves by reinventing math or English and the kids are the losers for it. Need better teacher training and more mentoring of teachers by experienced teachers. Need better pay for teachers and fewer administrators.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

first and foremost.. bring back Phonics. nt

[doc03]

4. Fire about 90% of the administrators and hire more teachers

get rid of the bad ones make kids adhere to a strict dress code bring back corporal punishment.

[mzteris]

18. WHAT? CORPORAL PUNISHMENT??

Absolutely NOT.. Unfortunately it's still very much alive and sick and practiced in many many districts in the US.

There SHOULD be, however, much better "alternative solutions" to disruptive children. Remove them from the classroom, and if they continue, remove them to a different building. However, all avenues should be exhausted to determine exactly what the CAUSE of that "disruption" is. For many, there are solutions if only they were looked for and addressed. IEP's have become a joke really. Nothing but meetings and then the "plan" is poorly and unevenly administered - if at all.

[doc03]

24. We had corporal punishment for decades and it worked just fine,

Now days if you have a disruptive little spoiled brat and the teacher punishes him the parents show up with a lawyer. Today's solution for kids like that is to dope them up with Ritalin.

[mzteris]

25. No, it did NOT "work just fine"

BEATING children is NOT acceptable in any way shape or form for any reason at any time.

People go to jail for beating children. And they should.

[PDJane]

5. First thing would be to ban the teaching of

religion except in a comparative religions course, and I might make that course mandatory. I would encourage tolerance.

I would encourage students to question and to learn outside of the curriculum. I would encourage reading and writing skills, because reading is the main basis for intellectual growth; the total experience of man through the ages is available through books. I would stop teaching to the test; that gives you a very narrow standard and it discourages learning. Rote learning is necessary for a few things, like the times tables and addition/substraction; the rest of it needs a more agile mind.

I would take the writing of textbooks away from the right wing and the wealthy, and encourage students to go outside of the textbooks for answers.

[ClassWarrior]

6. In this state, fixing the dysfunctional funding formula will be a key first step.

NGU.

[Orrex]

7. Standardize textbooks at the federal level

And make it impossible for a half dozen conservative assholes in Texas to (in essence) steer the curriculum for the entire country.

[BadgerKid]

40. I think that's in the pipeline. n/t

[mopinko]

42. part of rttt

[Skink]

8. When I was in school the requirements for a HS diploma kept getting easier.

how can you purport to be an educational institution when you require only one year of social studies etc. we probably should cut back on the mandatory testing and just start requiring more classwork.

[doc03]

9. What's the deal now with 6 valedictorians? We have a Principles

List, 1st Honors roll a 2nd Honors roll and a 3rd Honors roll. What do you have like 3 kids in the school that aren't on some kind of Honors list?

[Tansy_Gold]

26. Principal's. Principal's. Principal's.

People who can't spell "principal" really should reconside whether or not they're qualified to be giving advice on how to fix the American public education system.

My high school graduating class (1966) had six valedictorians. We had six students with straight-As. Why shouldn't they all be valedictorians?

My daughter's high school graduating class (1994) had four valedictorians. All had straight-As. All had advanced placement credit. Why shouldn't they all be valedictorians?


Tansy Gold, NTY

[doc03]

27. People who can't spell (reconsider) don't exactly have

the qualifications to give advice on how to fix the American education system either I guess. My dictionary says valedictorian: (the student) ranking highest in the graduating class. Everyone has to be a winner in today's system if not it may damage their self esteem. I have had to train many people on my job over the years, not all but most of today's young people have a sense of entitlement and zero work ethic. You take your eyes off of them for a few miniutes they are on the computor playing games, texting or looking for porn on the net.

[Tansy_Gold]

28. You got me on the typo. Good for you.

but there's a big difference between a typo -- accidental mis-keying of a word -- and the complete misspelling of one.

All that nonsense aside, have you never heard of a tie? You know, when two players end up with the same score or reach the tape at the exact same time? They give both of them the medal, and then drop down another place for third. That's what happens when you have four or six or eight or ten students who all have the same GPA, the same number of credits. You don't hold a lottery to see who gets "the prize" because it's something each and every one of them has earned and deserves. It has nothing to do with entitlements and everything to do with rewarding a job very well done.


And it's "computer" and "minutes."



Tansy Gold, who never offered any suggestions on how to fix the American education system because spelling and typing skills aside she really doesn't feel all that qualified, who won't point out the poster's punctuation/grammar/syntax errors, and who raised two young people not only to have NO sense of entitlement and LOTS of work ethic but also to choose spouses and raise their own children the same way.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Who is requiring only one year of Social Studies?

That's insane.

I see the opposite trend in my state. Algebra way before kids are developmentally ready for it, complex Science courses, fewer art and music offerings. We are moving toward a college prep high school curriculum and eliminating voc ed offerings. It's giving kids more reasons to drop out, IMO.

[Skink]

21. This was in the 80's.

I think they were down to one year on Social studies, two years math and science. English was the only four year course. I guess for kids going to college it was understood with SAT's you had to take everything but not alot of kids were going to college.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Well it's not like that anymore

[madfloridian]

10. Please lose the "no whining" phrase. It shows scorn for those who do speak out.

[tortoise1956]

33. Hey, I did say please..

and it might have been a tad over the top. However, in my defense, 53 years of life have left me with very little patience for those who have no problem comlaining, but won't lift a finger to help change things. Kinda like working with people who are fully capable of emptying a coffee pot, but develop serious physical infirmities when it comes to making more...

Having said that, I will try to temper my words in the future.

[Starry Messenger]

11. Fix the economy

Make sure there are jobs and opportunities for the young to pursue in abundance. Expand welfare and benefits for working & nonworking parents so they can better support their family and their children's successes as students. Fund the schools fully with a nice big chunk of what we are currently shoving down that rathole in the Middle East. If we're really going whole hog here, I would destroy Wall Street and eliminate capitalism. I'm a big picture kind of gal. One of my students graduated last year from my "broken" school and is doing nicely at Sarah Lawrence and she was only one of many going on to higher education. Thanks for your concern.

[mzteris]

19. how're the rest of 'em doing? n/t

[Hannah Bell]

12. Larger & more diverse populations have taken the SATs every year:

Mean scores have risen in math since 1987 & are higher than in 1972.

Mean reading scores have bounced between 500-510 since 1978. And that's despite huge increases in both legal & illegal immigration since the 1970s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mean_SAT_Score_by_year.png


In 1976, when scores were first reported by race, the number of black SAT and ACT test-takers combined was equal to 20 percent of all black 18-year-olds. By this year, it nearly doubled, to 38 percent. This big growth in black students aiming for college should result in lower average scores, because test-taking is no longer restricted only to the brightest black students.

Yet average black scores have risen while the share of the age group taking tests has also grown. In 1995, the College Board changed its scoring scale; the ACT changed in 1989. Scores reported here have been converted to the new scales.

Average black SAT scores, math and verbal combined, have risen from 790 in 1976 to 860 today. Black students' ACT scores have risen from 15.1 to 17.0. (An ACT score of 17.0 is similar to 830 on the SAT.)

The picture is also positive for whites. White SAT and ACT test-takers have climbed from 32 percent to 57 percent of all 18-year-olds. So even if schools improved, average score declines should be expected. Yet white scores, math and verbal combined, have gone to 1,058 from 1,043 on the SAT, and to 21.8 from 21.1 on the ACT. (An ACT score of 21.8 is similar to 1,022 on the SAT.) Again, both verbal and math scores have gone up.


http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/webfeat_lessons20000830/



I don't believe "schools" are generally "broken". I don't believe that sweeping generalization.

But I believe there's been an effort to intill that belief since before Reagan.

[Golden Raisin]

13. Generous funding

(and not just for the football team) would help. Ten percent of the billions we're pissing into the black holes of Iraq and Afghanistan would be a nice start. Upgrade teacher's salaries, repair and build infrastructure, etc.

[Orlandodem]

14. Strict discipline, longer school year, high school tracking.

After 10th or 11th grade a student should either choose a vocational track or a college prep track. If the high school doesn't have the vocational classes, the kid goes to a vocational school. By the end of 12th grade the kid graduates with a diploma that certifies a skill or qualifies them for college.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Fire Arne Duncan or force him into a classroom for a couple years

[Catshrink]

17. Kick the politicians who know NOTHING about learning out of the classroom.

And the armchair teachers as well - those who don't know how to teach, or think it's easy because they've seen someone do one aspect of it. (By this I mean those who've watched a teacher lead a discussion or deliver a lecture, etc. - this is only one aspect, the most visible one. The rest of it - lesson planning, modifications for sped, meetings, grading, administrative duties, parent communication, activity supervision, tutoring, etc. are rarely considered but yet constitute a huge part of the job.)

BTW, the national drop out rate has been about 30% for the past 40 years. It's nothing new - it's not good, but it's not new.

[mzteris]

20. national drop-out rate -

do you have state-by-state numbers and trending? Or broken down even further? I'd be curious to see if it's remained static across all lines or if it's just the aggregate.

Also, is it broken down by ethnicity?

[Tansy_Gold]

29. I just want to give a round of applause for this post for a very specific reason

After I got my MA, I thought maybe I could do some substitute teaching for a while. I took a short 1-credit "class" specifically in substitute teaching. I got my fingerprint card and FBI clearance. I got my substitute certification from the AZ Dept of Ed.

And I never set foot in a classroom to teach. Why? Because I didn't feel qualified even to stand up there in front of a bunch of first graders and fill the time while their real teacher was out sick or attending a funeral or whatever.

I had a master's degree. I had co-taught a college class with a visiting professor. I had helped another professor assemble the syllabus and reading materials for a proposed class. I had made hour-long presentations in classes, presentations that had required a lot of preparation.

But I still didn't feel that qualified me to be a teacher. I didn't have the specialized training under supervision of "real" teachers, and I wasn't going to make the job even worse for other subs.

:yourock: all you teachers. Every last one of you.



Tansy Gold

[txlibdem]

41. You're wrong about the dropout rate being the same for 40 years

Armchair teacher here, just "helping" to educate you about your incorrect assertions. The dropout rate has not been the same for 40 years, they have in fact increased from 23% in 1969 to over 32% in 2000.

While still rising in the 1960s, the completion rate declined in the 1990s. The rate peaked at 77 percent in 1969, dropped to 70 percent in 1995, and held close to that through 2001, although it dropped to 68.8 percent in 1998.
http://www.ets.org/Media/Education_Topics/pdf/onethird.pdf

From 1990 to 2000 graduation rates declined by a nationwide average of 2.4% but this masks the state-by-state statistics which show a 13% decrease in the worst performing state (NH) versus a 23% INCREASE in graduation rates in Vermont.

A 2004 report from the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development finds the United States falling behind internationally in high school completion, and is now 10th, behind such nations as Korea, Norway, the Czech Republic, and Japan.

If we can't trust our educators (and their sycophants) to be truthful about the problems in education how can we trust these people to solve the crisis we now face?

In a nutshell, we've entrusted the running of our educational system to the people who know how to teach and yet graduation rates have declined, our students fall farther and farther behind other nations in math and science achievement, new programs are introduced year after year yet the decline continues, and those running the education system want to deny the problems even exist? Something's rotten in Denmark.

[YvonneCa]

23. A synopsis of mine from the past year or so...

...follows. BTW, I never whine. ;) These have been previously posted...mostly in the Education Forum.

First one:

Number One: Recognize that teachers are NOT the problem...
Posted by YvonneCa in Education
Sat Apr 11th 2009, 11:27 AM
...and stop scapegoating them. In 2001, under the Bush Administration's Education Secretary, Rod Paige, teachers (unions, specifically) were called terrorist organizations. For the last eight years, NCLB has done nothing but blame public school problems on ineffective teachers (probably because they prefer vouchers). There has been almost NO recognition for eight years of the job teachers do. The general public has NO IDEA what the job entails and our leaders have worked to make that WORSE for eight years. A better start would be a HUGE and LOUD apology to the teachers of this nation who have dedicated their lives to teaching kids. Most with little support, either financial or in respect.

Number Two: And then ask teachers what they think, and make THAT public. What a difference that would bring! Much of the public and many politicians (who rightfully want to improve public schools) have no real idea of what is wrong with them. So they try 'canned solutions'...like merit pay...most of which are the wrong thing to do. JMHO. Merit pay is divisive...just like NCLB was. That doesn't mean it can't be a tool for improvement if done in the right way, but it HAS to be done fairly. Example: NCLB has good things in it, but it became bogged down because it used AYP to pit schools and districts and teachers against each other..instead of helping us to work together toward a goal we all share: Improving education for kids. I think ANY workable solution will require input and support from teachers...not just unions...teachers. In all the talk of fixing public education and schools...which I wholeheartedly support...the idea of involving teachers in this process is never brought up by anyone in a position of authority. I'm glad to hear they may 'rename' NCLB and start to include a 'progress' measure for accountability...but talk about putting lipstick on the proverbial pig.


Number Three: My reform ideas, with the underlying prerequisite that teachers MUST be involved in designing a program in order for it to be successful...

1. For teachers, stop demeaning them and start treating them professionally. Create career paths for them. Very few exist now, because teaching used to be a 'traditional woman's job.'

2. Integrate curriculum. Learning makes more sense to kids when connections to other knowledge can be made. We have lost that in the era of NCLB. And we can still keep standards to meet...just not in isolation.

3. Create multiple pathways/goals for students' graduation...all of them rigorous. Have it kick in at about age 10 or so...be flexible until age 12 (to be sure the child has made a good personal choice)...and then be the student's committed choice after that. Some kids may choose science/math, others may go into writing/journalism, others to a third choice. It's important to design these pathways well...for areas students will need to work in in the future. When they finish, they are job-ready or college ready...but THEY have some buy-in to their future goal (not just their teacher or their parents).

4. Ungraded schools at the elementary level. As some have said here, mastery of concepts should be required to move on. It's WAY more complicated than that...but clearly passing kids from grade to grade does not work.


5. Find ways to involve parents in their child's education...ie. Student Led Conferences, Curriculum Fair, technology, etc. The list is endless.








I worry that much of the public and many politicians (who rightfully want to improve public schools) have no real idea of what is wrong with them. So they try 'canned solutions'...like merit pay...most of which are the wrong thing to do. JMHO. Merit pay is divisive...just like NCLB was. That doesn't mean it can't be a tool for improvement if done in the right way, but it HAS to be done fairly.

Example... NCLB has good things in it, but it became bogged down because it used AYP to pit schools and districts and teachers against each other..instead of helping us to work together toward a goal we all share: Improving education for kids. I think ANY workable solution will require input and support from teachers...not just unions...teachers. Lately, teachers have become the scapegoat for ALL that is wrong in public schools. Personally, I can no longer tolerate that.

I also believe NCLB also put great pressure on administrators to meet AYP goals. I think it's important not to paint ALL administrators with a broad brush, either, because there are MANY good administrators who do their best to work cooperatively with teachers to educate children in their districts. But there is a conflict...most administrators are 'at-will' employees, which means they would lose their job if goals were not met, which means they do what they have to to reach AYP. In some cases, as I have witnessed, they resort to harassing teachers to make this happen.

I am an educator. So are most administrators. We HAVE to work together to fix our system. THAT'S why I feel so strongly that teachers...not just unions...have to be heard. I also think GOOD administrators should be involved.







It is CRITICALLY important that we fix public education. We, as a country, have talked about it the whole time I have been a teacher...but we haven't done the right things. Politics always gets in the way.

THIS TIME, I want Obama to do it right. If all he does is 'fix teachers', he will...sadly...learn what teachers already know: WE are not the #1 problem. And we will have wasted more time and more money and we still won't be educating our kids for THEIR future. THAT is no longer acceptable...at least not to me.

I voted for President Obama. I think he is a smart man, and the person we need now to lead. I want him to make good decisions for our country. On education, I believe he can only do that with ALL the information out there...and that includes the point of view and experience of TEACHERS. I, too, have great hopes for what he may be able to accomplish. My hope comes from knowing he is intelligent enough to understand problems we face and find solutions, seeing that he has great empathy for all people (even those who don't agree with him), and observing that he is willing to learn from what has gone before (both in politics and policy) and builds a strong foundation for the things he proposes.





Another one:



After MTP today, it's clear none of us will ever get through to Duncan or Obama either. They have chosen their path and the saying goes, "When you choose the behavior you also choose the consequences." The die has been cast.

As to these words "...find me even one quote where teachers at-large have been cited by a Democrat as being 'the problem' with education" my Dems find ways to not say that as it is politically a loser for them. But without saying the words they align with Republicans who have preached a different philosophy for years. That is not comforting...and I say this as a huge proponent of unity and bipartisanship.

Finally, you relentlessly cite your data to make the case that bad teachers need to go. Yes, they do. There are a small number of bad teachers and I don't know any teachers who want them protected. They need to find another line of work. Agreed.

What I question is data, because I've watched it gathered, I know much of it is invalid, and I've experienced being on the wrong end when the sledgehammer comes down. Some here have that experience, as well. That doesn't mean I am against testing. That doesn't mean I am against data and accountability. That doesn't mean I oppose fixing the broken teacher evaluation system.

It just means I think Duncan, Obama, Klein, Rhee, Gingrich, Sharpton and others in education reform are choosing to ignore this problem...because it goes counter to the goals they seek.



A third:


Duncan (and Obama) are following someone who has totally missed the point. He ..

...said, "When I was at Bertelsmann, we were constantly focused on how to incentivize the workforce, inject increasing accountability, deciding where to substitute technology for human capital."

The workforce in schools is the STUDENTS...not the teachers. THAT's the bottom line and it's why we keep failing at trying to fix schools. Teachers are a part of middle management, as APs and principals are. We have to be on the same team to manage our students' academic growth. EVERYTHING these NYC reformers are doing misses that point and it's CRITICAL to fixing schools.

I agree with the need to fix our schools to compete globally. I understand that requires big changes....go for it.

I do not...and never have... opposed the goal. AND I want Obama to be the President that 'gets it done right.' But these guys are WRONG. They are focusing on the wrong thing, and we in education know it. THAT's why teachers keep speaking out...not because we oppose the goals.



Fourth:


I never accepted that is is okay for even ONE student to fail...

...let alone 93% of students to fail in my 24 years of teaching. I STILL don't accept that. What I also don't accept is the assumption that...to 'turn around' a school...it is right to fire all the teachers, including the good ones. Can you accept that there might be even ONE good teacher at a low-performing school?

As to vouchers, I am glad President Obama opposes them...he should. He needs to FIGHT the right wing...not enable them. And he needs to fight WITH TEACHERS...not against them.

As a teacher, am I supposed to just say, to my teacher colleagues who worked with me in the trenches for years to reform schools in our district FOR OUR KIDS, "Thank goodness we'll never have to worry about the voucher issue anymore, now that we've elected President Obama...but sorry you were fired in the process" ?


My standards for the President are higher than that. I expect him to respect and support good teachers EVERYWHERE...even in low-performing districts...AND prevent vouchers at the same time. He CAN walk and chew gum at the same time. YES, he can.

I (and my teacher colleagues) voted for our President. I (and my teacher colleagues) went door-to-door for him in far away places. I (and my teacher colleagues) support almost all his policies and think he is off to a good start in a VERY difficult Presidency at a very critical time. I still support him.

But I (and my teacher colleagues) need him to support US.


Last (I promise :) ):


The article seems, to me, to make the case for...

...better trained administrators. It is a 'jumping on the bandwagon' style OpEd that continues the delusion that teachers are the problem, when that isn't true.

In 2001, under the Bush Administration’s Education Secretary, Rod Paige, teachers (unions, specifically) were called terrorist organizations. For the last eight years, NCLB has done nothing but blame public school problems on ineffective teachers (probably because some reformers prefer vouchers). There has been almost NO recognition for eight years of the job teachers do. The general public has NO IDEA what the job entails and our leaders have worked to make that WORSE for eight years. Now, it seems, the effort is to use data unfairly to document the delusion.

Rather than continuing the fantasy that 'if we better evaluate and quantify what a teacher does we'll be able to get rid of the bad ones and our schools will get better', a better start would be a HUGE and LOUD apology to the teachers of this nation who have dedicated their lives to teaching kids... most with little support, either financial or in respect.

Most teachers I know expect and have no problem with fair evaluation. If the past system needs reform, then we SHOULD make it better. But, unfortunately, it is not teachers who have the power to make evaluation fair. Right now it is politicians...most of whom know little about teaching in a classroom. They must not know that judging a teacher by a student test score is inherently unfair. There are too many variables out of a teacher's control to do that.

This is a problem in need of a solution. But it is time for politicians to stop this game and publicly apologize to teachers for scapegoating them in recent years. Should we work together to make evaluations better? Absolutely! Should we work together to get rid of the FEW bad teachers that tarnish the reputation of the majority? The sooner the better. Should we work together to finally fix public schools for the 21st century? Sign me up.

But let's be honest. Truth in Teaching? It has yet to be heard in the public discourse. It is long past time we had a discussion about what is truly wrong in our schools. The simple answer (the one that is usually wrong) is not teachers. It is very multi-faceted and will require honesty from ALL stakeholders.

ALL of them, including teachers.


















But they WON'T rehire that one good teacher....
Posted by YvonneCa in General Discussion
Wed Feb 24th 2010, 07:31 PM
...unless that teacher is CHEAP (think 'new teacher') because this is also about saving states (who are in financial trouble) money.

Then again, it is not ONE teacher at Cedar Falls High...it is probably SEVERAL teachers at Cedar Falls High. It is not just ONE school in RI, it will probably be SEVERAL schools in RI. It is not just ONE state doing this, it is SEVERAL states doing the same thing.

That is a LOT of good teachers being treated unfairly. And it is Duncan's policy the states are implementing.


My hope is that he is SUCCESSFUL in...
Posted by YvonneCa in General Discussion
Tue Mar 30th 2010, 07:04 PM
...making public schools better for children...and for the future of our country.

I think the wrong people have Obama's ear. Klein, Bloomberg, Gates, Rhee...all the reform establishment...should be heard. But so should teachers. Teachers do not have Obama's ear. That doesn't make Obama (or the others) 'clueless'...but they don't have the full picture. To be successful, the President needs complete information. Someone has convinced him otherwise. I disagree.

I think Obama has honorable intent. His goals are critical...and time is 'of the essence.' But, if he shuts out teachers, our schools will suffer. It's what I (and many others) see. I DO hope we are wrong.

[tortoise1956]

34. Great post,

and just what I was looking for. I don't agree with all of your ideas - an example would be committing students to a track by age 12 (hey, I'm almost 54 and I STILL don't know what I want to do when I grow up!) - but at least you laid them out there for discussion. Thank you for your thoughtful comments.

now, for the biggie...how do we go about implementing changes? I am of the opinion that too much power in education rests in the hands of faceless bureaucrats who are not held accountable for their actions. Thus, the best first step in my mind would be to bring control of school districts closer to the user. By this, I mean the students and parents. I realize that many parents don't seem to care about schools, but I believe that a lot of this is due to the fact that parent input is neither welcome nor is it heeded in most cases.

Along with this, we need smaller districts. I live in Las Vegas, and I have seen what a large school district with literally hundreds of bureaucrats who may not have even visited a school in quite some time, can turn into. Break up the super disricts into more manageable chunks.

Finally, we need to get involved. The best way to effect change is to work within the system. Organizations such as the PTA, school boards, and the like are only as strong as their members. Here's a thought - get some like-minded parents, teachers, even students together and SLOWLY start speaking out for change. Remember, a little at a time - don't overwhelm folks, or they will resist you as a matter of course.

I intend to practice what I preach soon. My stepkids have blessed us with two granddaughters and one grandson. I am almost looking forward to my granddaughters starting school in a couple of years. I never had any kids of my own, so this will be my first shot at taking on the system from a position other than that of being a juvenile delinquent...

[LWolf]

30. How would I fix education in our country?

I've answered this question over and over and over and over.

Several times a year for the 8 years I've been here.

One more time:

1. Abolish poverty, which is the single most significant factor is student achievement levels.

2. Get rid of all forms of high-stakes testing at all levels.

3. Fully fund and fully staff every public school.

4. Smaller districts, smaller schools, small classes. Class sizes based on the research. That's imperative if you want to establish and maintain a safe, constructive environment and make sure that nobody falls through any proverbial cracks.

5. Abundant resources to address every child who is having trouble for any reason whatsoever, regardless of whether they have an IEP. Counselors, tutors, Special ed teachers....see # 3.

6. Hire full-time all-the-time supervision, enough to cover every square inch of grounds and building, in the interests of the "safe" and "constructive" part of #4.

Once those things are accomplished:

7. Remove the demands that every school adhere to standardized methods, materials, schedules, structures, and formats, while maintaining enough regulation to make sure that student and employee rights are protected.

8. Do away with attendance zones. Fully fund transportation to any school within a district, allowing all families to choose the school that fits their child best, (with caps on enrollment to prevent over-crowding of any school.) When # 7 is implemented, each school would be free to offer a customized program, under the district's watchful eye.

9. Use a method of teacher evaluation that promotes professional growth and improvement, rather than using ineffective forms each year or using evaluations as weapons against teachers. Charlotte Danielson's work comes to mind, but there are other models, as well.

10. Make schools transparent and open. Parents, after signing in, should have access to classrooms at any time, with the understanding that they will not interrupt or disrupt in any way, or interact with students without teacher guidance. Whether to hang out and watch, or to volunteer, doors should be open to parents. Education is not a business, and parents are not customers. They are vital members of the team.

11. ALL hiring done by committees that include an admin, teachers, and parents.

12. Parents welcome to attend staff meetings, and encouraged to take an active role on School Site Councils.

13. Year-round, single-track calendars that give students and teachers shorter, more frequent breaks, which avoid burnout, keep everyone refreshed, and do away with the need to reteach everything lost over long summers every fall.

14. A 190-200 day school year.

15. Schools open early and late, with before and after-school programming for students: tutoring and enrichment. Add adult ed and parenting classes, family fitness classes, etc. to that mix. Staffed by someone other than the regular classroom teachers, to avoid burnout.

16. Speaking of teacher burnout, how about scheduling to ensure that a teacher can complete all contractual duties within contractual hours? See # 3. Right now, every district depends on teachers putting in unpaid hours well beyond their contract to get the job done. Scheduling to include time for all meetings, all the necessary prep and paperwork involved in managing a classroom, and abundant time to meet with and talk to parents, as well.

17. Full family health services available on campus, including mental health.

18. Something like the "Family Action Network" available in my state, except fully staffed and funded. This program provides things like health care, coats, shoes, glasses, school supplies, etc. for families who can't provide their own, and tracks and assists homeless students.

19. Did I mention a well-rounded, well-balanced curriculum, including the arts and daily PE? Marzano calculated that it would take 22 grades, instead of 12, to fully teach every standard on the books in any state. How about narrowing that down, with a focus on thinking skills, and basic literacy and numeracy, so that students would actually have the opportunity to master all the curriculum schools are supposed to deliver?

20. Do student teaching differently. Make student teaching a paid intern position, lasting two years. During those two years interns work with more teachers, and more grade-levels. A broader range of experiences and responsibilities.

21. Staff schools with permanent substitutes who always work at that school site, and, when there is no teacher to sub for, work in classrooms assisting teachers, getting to know students, procedures, expectations, and everything else that keeps the classroom running smoothly when a teacher is absent or pulled out of the room for other duties.

22. And finally, here at the end, a pet peeve of mine: How about banning all sugary, greasy junk, and have school cafeterias serve healthy, fresh food prepared on site for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner (see # 15.)

Please notice that there is nothing in my fairly comprehensive list about charter schools or merit pay, about privatization or union-busting, or any of the other favorite policies currently eroding the system further.

So, what do you think? Do you think parents, students, and teachers would be happy with these things?

[Catshrink]

31. I think you should be Secretary of Education!

You know what works. I'm sure your "plan" would cost less than Arne's corporatization scheme.

[LWolf]

32. Teachers know what works.

And, isn't that really the bottom line? Decades of looking at all kinds of bogus "reforms" because nobody wants to confront what it would cost to do the job right?

Isn't that why nobody listens to us when we tell the nation what schools need?

Arne's got billions to play with, to do whatever he wants with, and Obama doesn't want to see him lose any of those billions to the effort to keep school districts solvent, doors open, and teachers in classrooms.

Imagine if all that determination were focused on giving districts and schools the resources they need to offer a superb education to every student in the nation.

[tortoise1956]

35. Most parents would love this

Another great post, especially the part about getting the junk food out of school. Hear hear!

I have a question for you:

From what I have read, the biggest complaint about TFA is that there is no training in teaching. I can understand that could be a problem. However, most of the TFA squad are truly interested in making a difference. What would you say to having them spend the first year as a paid substitute/intern/tutor/activities leader? After the first year, cut them loose in a classroom for two more years. That way, they receive valuable mentoring in how to teach BEFORE they are on their own, and the schools can put more eperienced teachers in the classroom instead of auxiliary duties such as detention. Do you think this would work?

[LWolf]

36. Why not pay all interns (student teachers) and extend their

on-the-job training? Instead, people pursuing a regular teaching license have to give up paying jobs to work unpaid for a couple of terms completing student teaching. Paying them, and extending that internship, would give them more experience and make the first year teaching a lot less stressful.

Why try to replace fully professional teachers with under-educated young people to begin with?

Why try to set up education as a temporary job filled by people who will move on when they become experienced?

If they are interested in making a difference, I think they ought to be fully educated, earn their license like the rest of us, and commit themselves to a working life-time of service in schools.

That IS why most people become, and remain, teachers. To make a difference. The real challenge is to figure out how to do so in the face of regulations and policies that set us up to fail.

[mopinko]

43. afaik- that is what tfa does.

i don't claim any deep knowledge, but what you just describe was my understanding of how it works.

[RetAZEd]

38. My ideas

Hi, I retired last year after a wonderful career, mostly in a suburban elementary school. I survived educational overhauls (Anyone remember Goals 2000?)and have watched great teachers rise to each new task and add it to the always increasing "to do" list. I have watched teachers try to implement poorly designed tests, and make them better, if possible. I have seen poor test design skew scores and know there is cultural bias in test language. And, inspite of the superhuman effort I've seen, teachers are mostly ignored when the "experts" decide to overhaul a system that, for the most part, works pretty well. The current education model does not reward good teaching, it rewards administrators and consultants.

My ideas: Make the school day and year longer, but don't expect the same teachers to take on all the new teaching time. The stimulus money could be used to double the school day with extra curricular activities and additional instruction. This can also be used as the incentive needed to motivate kids to do their best. I once learned about a model program where students were cycled through art, sports & tutoring classes after school. Online testing was used to monitor student progress and the students knew that they needed to do their best in the academic parts to continue to participate in the fun things. I also saw how online testing and tracking of individual students could help many teachers share information and develop lessons to reteach concepts not mastered. However, the new technological advances never come with money for additional professional or paraprofessional help, so teachers become data entry clerks in their "spare time".

This brings up my other strong feeling, one that is not always popular with Liberals. We need to return accountablitiy to students. We suffer from "precious child" syndrome in this country. We also have what are, sometimes, unrealistic expectations enforced by law, specifically the Special Ed laws. But, if each student understood that he/she is responsible for learning and putting forth effort, and every family supported that goal, all our schools would be succeeding.

[YvonneCa]

39. I second your...

...proposals. :7

[mopinko]

44. i have 2 pet ideas, both pretty much free.

first is to keep kids with the same teacher throughout primary grades. i know there is a certain amount of turnover anyway, especially in poor areas. but it could foster the kind of relationships that anchor neighborhoods. i can see parents trying harder to stay put while there is someone who is helping their kids.
you wont need a lot of teacher evaluation. by third grade the teachers abilities would be obvious.

second is to start the day later for high school. especially put creative classes later in the day. you can have the sports stuff in the morning, most of those kids don't have any trouble getting up early. schools that have a lot of kids with long commutes should start later still.
i think this would cut attendance problems quickly. i think it would retain a lot of the kids who drop out now. imho, dropouts tend to be creative kids in some way, and that just doesn't fit in a lot of places. maybe if they aren't exhausted out of their minds they will stick around for art club or theater.
i don't give a shit about mcdonald's staffing. and if schools had good early education, and extended day care, they wouldn't need to cut into their education to take care of sibs. win win.

part 2a there takes some money, but the other parts are mostly free.

[Catshrink]

45. ...

[LWolf]

46. I have always looped students

in the fully public schools I've worked in, and I agree. I've spent 2 years, 3 years, and, in a few rare cases, 4 and 5 years with the same students, and the benefits are tremendous.

It has nothing to do with teacher evaluation, and looping kids with the same teacher for evaluative purposes isn't going to be helpful. It's to do with relationship building and team building. Teachers spend a great deal of time at the beginning of every year getting to know students, establishing and practicing procedures, expectations, routines, team-building, and setting up a classroom that functions efficiently. When students and teachers stay together for more than one year, a lot of instructional time is saved. Instead of starting over every fall, the class comes back together, picks up on day one with business as usual, and forges ahead. Spending more time together builds a stronger, and better, working relationship. Even with, and especially with, those students who come with behavior issues. For my part, more time to work on those issues has almost always resulted in more progress, better behavior, and a positive relationship.

If I were to choose, I think 2 years with each teacher is enough, though, rather than the entire elementary period. I teach kids for 3 years now, and I've found the 3rd year to be challenging. The formal teacher-student relationship begins to erode in that 3rd year, and they often begin to treat me like their mother. Which can lead to academic laxity, if I'm not careful. That, and it's good for students to experience other styles.

I also agree with starting the day later for older students; research supports it. We've been trying to move that direction in my district. The problem is that each year for the last 2 years, the district has surveyed teachers and families, and the community doesn't support it.