Heart & Soul

Discussions are taking place online that get at the core of the struggle to reclaim and reinvigorate the heart and soul of public education. Please read the following three short threads and consider how you can contribute to a new, common understanding of where we are headed as educators:

Thread 1: A discussion around Finland hiring teachers from the top 10% of its university graduates to teach in public education.

 Link “Academic, security worries at Dunbar.” 

Dunbar Senior High School is becoming an important test of reform efforts under an interim D.C. schools chancellor and a new incoming city administration. Concerns are rising about the school’s management, academic performance and security.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/12/14/GR2010121408292.html?sid=ST2010121500057

Colleague 1 This is an old story. So the kids progressed from throwing algebra textbooks to sexting and doing unspeakable things with technology. The care and feeding of kids in inner city situations is not something that can be met by boot camp teaching.

Colleague 2 Yes I knew you had some years in DC. I understand all this, and I appreciate the link, but there's a disconnect about the top 10% of university students teaching. The top 10% of college grads includes inner city kids who earn degrees, yes? Is there something I'm missing that the top 10% wouldn't include that demographic?  I've also worked in urban schools with the kind of conditions you describe, so I do understand what you’re saying about the unique needs of inner city schools.

Colleague 1 The problem is that in the learning landscapes in which we are now, only those teachers are honored. Teachers who are as effective, but not Ivy League graduates are dissed. It is the subject of much discontent in the learning community.

Colleague 2 Yes but it seems to me that is a defensive backlash (Lord knows the profession has multiple reasons to be defensive) that paints us in a bad light. It is not the case that Ivy League teachers are the only ones being recognized. Instead of defensive posturing we would be better served by taking charge of the dialog and agreeing that "of course we want the highest caliber teachers in our profession." It doesn't mean that current teachers are any less high-caliber. It just means as new teachers come in we want the best and brightest...who wouldn't? With that point behind us we can get on with the REAL dialog, how to save public education before it is completely co-opted by private interests.

Colleague 1 Be realistic. Read the New York Times essay. I have experience. My cousin was one of the friends of Bedford. I reached out to Rhee, and she was brutal not wanting anyone who was not an Ivy League graduate. My cousin had NEVER taught school. He was however a friend of Bedford.

Colleague 2 I don’t mind being a voice of dissent in a profession where everyone points to Diane Ravitch and the NYT to hear what they want to hear. It's good to have voices that disagree and make everyone think. And it's ok to disagree. Keep fighting the good fight! I will do the same. :)

Colleague 1 I don't care about Diane Ravitch. She helped to create the situation. When we have more and more dropouts, and when the technology that kids use is for nothing, we have a problem. No one ever speaks of Margaret Spellings who did not want people to teach science. Here's the thing. We will lose most people interested in teaching because of the problems in the press. Teachers are being made the scapegoat. The real problem is society and class.

Colleague 2 You know we both agree on the problems. As a profession we need to get our house in order and agree on the solutions.

Colleague 1 Some of us had our house in order. My family begged me not to teach, but I did it with a passion. I believe that there are people who need to make change, but the people who make the decisions in education are NOT the teachers. I have been through those hoops.

Colleague 2 Not individually....collectively. There are too many pockets of innovation and equally as many pockets of self-interest. Too many agendas and not one single strong voice to lead. We've all been through these hoops. Time to completely reinvent public education. The old model has to go.

Colleague 1 If teachers are to blame for the state of education in the nation, who is responsible for a decade of neglect in science, math, engineering and technology? Those of us who tried to create possibilities for students and who broadened engagement, were mocked by those who preached NCLB, and who held the nation, in leadership. Teachers are at the bottom of the sphere of influence and are a small part of the learning landscape in that they report to school boards and administrators.

Colleague 2 The only difference between you and I is how we are interpreting the same set of facts. I refuse to see myself as a victim. I want to take responsibility for my part in the current state of education and I want to help take charge of transforming education into what it needs to be now and for the future.

Thread 2: A discussion of the role of technology in transforming education, and in education meeting the needs of society, in response to an eSchool News report on the cost of a 1:1 computing initiative in New Mexico.

 Link “High-tech classrooms come at a high price”

New Mexico district’s experience shows the challenges in maintaining a mobile learning program. http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/09/02/high-tech-classrooms-come-at-a-high-price/

Colleague 1 The model needs to be personal devices on a campus network....the higher ed model.

Colleague 2 Explain equity of access to me.

Colleague 1 The equity is in providing the network. Government does not owe everyone a personal computing device.

Colleague 2 Why do you allow government to provide personal sitting and writing devices then?

Colleague 1 If you follow that logic, the government might as well provide everything. Not that people don't love being given things, but philosophically where is the responsibility of families to provide their students with tools like technology that they will not only use in school but at home?

Colleague 2 It sounds like you're prepared to draw a line then. Where will that line be? If everyone went home to June and Ward Cleaver, it might be possible. That's not today's reality. There are over 2,000,000 people in prisons in your country. If education isn't the savior and the great cultural equalizer, what is?

Colleague 1 That must be the line....whether we are in the business of saving everyone or whether we are willing to offer a solid education opportunity in which people must engage themselves and turn into their personal success story. The prison example - they have computers in prison and inmates have the opportunity to learn skills. But to suggest they each deserve their own personal computing device goes beyond common sense. If we return to public education, schools cannot continue to try and bear the brunt of the cost of arming every student in every classroom with computers. Did you see the eSchool News story about the NM district losing thousands of dollars annually through its 1:1 initiative? It's a noble attempt to provide equity, but it is logistically unattainable if schools are also saddled with maintenance and upkeep. Families need to provide handheld devices the same way they provide calculators.

Colleague 2 If it was fiscally possible for all families, I would agree with you. I'm not sure that 1:1 is possible or even desirable. I firmly believe that we need to provide enough so that there is equitable opportunity for all the students in our charge. We haven't even begun to address the true costs which lie in the acquisition of software and the technical support needed along with the professional learning to make it all worthwhile. That's where school systems can step in and bring this in line through scale.

Colleague 1 I used to believe it was attainable. When I led tech departments with insufficient funding I kept thinking, "If I only had enough $ I would do it right!" Then I lead a school system's technology dept that had all the money you could want and guess what? They had the same problems as schools with inadequate funding.

Colleague 2 Regardless, you have to have your ideals and goals. Out sourcing a technology plan to parents is going to cause more problems than it solves. While you may not have achieved what you wanted with your budget, you have to be closer to moving along in a progressive direction than not to have it or not to spend it at all.

Colleague 1 Oh I have my ideals and goals. We're just having two different conversations.

Thread 3: A discussion around NCLB, Common Core standards, and the Finland model of public education.

 

Link "Vermont poised to seek waiver from education law"

Only 28 percent of Vermont schools met federal performance benchmarks in 2010, a result that some say begs more serious education reform and that others blame on unrealistic targets.http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110825/NEWS03/108250307/Vermont-poised-seek-waiver-from-education-law?odyssey=nav|head

Colleague 1 - The Common Core seems to be the answer to improving school performance, I am trying to maintain a positive attitude about this. Let's hope that it promotes readiness for college and life after high school. The current testing situation with standardized tests, does not seem to be doing so.

Colleague 2 - I don't think it's a magic bullet for everything we know we need to do to transform education in the 21st century, but having common standards state-to-state will certainly make the dialog easier to have....

Colleague 3 - I still can't comprehend why we think every student should learn the same thing? Maybe it makes sense in courses like math. I always think that if I were teaching an intro biology course to bio majors in college, I would rather my students have a varied background. Some strong in ecological biology and others in molecular biology. Imagine asking a philosophical like question to a group of college students, what is the point if they all spit back the same answer. I may not be expressing myself well here, I just worry that next they will be telling us how to teach the common core as well. There are benefits to a varied education amongst our youth.

Colleague 1 - Other countries do not do a one size fits all approach and they are ahead of us by yards. Some allow for different types of exit requirements and more are completing their education than in the U.S. Perhaps to keep up we need to see where they are doing better and do something similar.

Colleague 2 - How about FInalnd? The biggest difference there from us are that teachers are recruited from the top 10% of university graduates, they are expected to do action research every year as they teach, and yes they are given flexibility to teach using their own professional judgment. ALSO, in Finland education is highly valued as a national priority and that is reflected in how education (and teachers) are compensated.

Colleague 3 - I was thinking yesterday that all the negative discussion about education in today's media can't help but rub off on students. If parents, public officials, and the news media do not respect teachers or public education then why should they? I haven't experience it from my students yet, but it makes you wonder. Would love to live in a society that values education...

Colleague 2 - I hear Finland is nice this time of year!  :)

Colleague 1 - Just because someone is in the top 10% of their class doesn't mean they are the best teacher. The negative attitude is a problem for teachers, media doesn't help any and is busy following along with the what we are doing wrong in education rather than what is going right. This is what the parents and community members hear, pass along to their children, and is reflected in the classroom in student performance and behavior.

Colleague 2 - Doesn't being at the top of your class mean you are a "best student"?

Colleague 3 - Totally agree! Top ten certainly doesn't mean you will be a great teacher. I disagree that this means you are a great student too. I have seen many brilliant students that have ended up in the top ten that sadly never tapped into their full potential in all their courses.

Colleague 2 - So then...you reject Finland's model?

Colleague 3 - I think they are doing great things. I am not completely informed about everything they do so I can't accept or reject the model. Since they are successful and not using standardized tests I think we should consider what they are doing. I do think that we would lose a lot of great potential teachers by only accepting the top ten percent of college students. Personally I think there is a lot more to teaching than subject matter knowledge. No doubt it is important, but certainly not the only qualification our teachers need. Also, why duplicate when we could improve? I think their greatest accomplishment is the respect they have instilled in the entire population for education. Creating a community that truly values education could just be the silver bullet that standardized testing will never be...

Colleague 2 - Then let's not reject Finland's hiring teachers from the top 10% of their universities out of hand...

Colleague 3 - Are you saying someone who was not in the top ten percent of their college class cannot be a good teacher? Is everyone that is in the top ten percent definitely going to be a good teacher? Abilities demonstrated in a classroom are more important to me. I have found on numerous occasions that brilliance unfortunately does not equal quality teaching. I still believe that a culture that values education is more important.

Colleague 2 - What I am saying is the system needs to be redesigned so that people at the top of their profession will consider teaching as an option.

These discussions all took place in the last week on different social media channels. They stopped where they ended here, as they are too large for any one conversation.

We have all experienced the experiences shared in these threads. It is how we respond to our experiences that defines our filter. How would you add to these discussions to help identify a single, common, strong vision that resonates with and emanates from all educators, so that we can get on with the work of transforming education? Whether you post your ideas below or have the discussion offline with your colleagues, it is important to vet out these issues and come to agreement on how to proceed.