Ideas For Fixing America: Education
Time to put up or shut up. So, to try and show I am not just some angry right-wing blogger simply complaining about Obama and Congress, parroting things on the radio, I have never been shy about putting my own words and thoughts out there. There are so many topics which cry out to me, and which generally make the average American go, yuck, politics, it's all so ...pointless.
Sorry, but no, it isn't pointless. It is your civic duty as an American, and your kids future surely will depend on it, as well as your future. I know many of you say "God bless those soldiers fighting for freedom overseas", while at the same time you show them absolutely no respect at home by not bothering to educate yourself and take part in the electoral process. The very freedom they fight for, you simply give away because you don't like the process. You say politics is too confrontational, too much "spin control", too much corruption, too much work, and you don't have time for it. Well, you need to make time for it, because those in power are making major life altering decisions right now.
Alright, so what topics do I see writing about? For starters I can see fiscal responsibility (a.k.a. the budget deficit, probably the biggest problem going right now), health care (it will be staying in the crosshairs), the economy, religion, American values, but perhaps it all should start where our formal learning begins, with education.
Abraham Lincoln, truly a very intelligent, amazing man and leader once said, "The philosophy of the classroom today will be the philosophy of government tomorrow." And since our public school system has failed more than it has succeeded in the past 40 years, it is little wonder we are sitting where we are today.
Once upon a time, students learned to write (with their actual hands, using a pencil), read (actual books, not Facebook), perform arithmetic (I will bet most kids today don't even know what that word means, let alone how to do all the functions of it), history (not the sanitized, re-written versions of today, but the actual words written by the people who were THERE), science (for some the new religion; maybe we should sue to make them remove all science books from the schools now that some think of it as a religion?), and the arts (yes, some actual CULTURE is important).
Today's schools no longer resemble that bygone era. Now, education seems to have become an assembly line, an endless stream of Power Points, year-round test preparation, and a one-size fits all philosophy. All in the name of moving on to college. In principal I totally agree with getting today's kids ready for college, but what about getting them ready for life too? See, that is where I see the schools failing miserably. The two goals are NOT mutually exclusive.
Before I go any further though, I know and acknowledge, there are plenty of teachers who don't fit this mold. They go above and beyond every single day to try and help bridge the gap between the national and state requirements (for the tests) and all the areas a true education should encompass. They rarely have a voice, they are simply taken for granted. To them, I tip my cap and say, we want to help you. We want, dare I say, we need you to succeed.
To illustrate the problem though, I can provide an example, a very personal one. Both of my children have done well with the public education system here in our community. Donna and I have been very engaged and involved in their education and I dare say, that has played a key role. But, I can clearly recall a conversation I had with my son's elementary school teachers over the years. He is left-handed and his handwriting was always a challenge. We asked the teachers to work with him on it. Generally, their reply can be summarized as, "We understand and sympathize, but we don't have time to work on handwriting, we have to get ready for the FCAT." Excuse me? You don't have time to teach handwriting in grade school? Are kids supposed to learn it through some form of osmosis, or is there some magic pill which will suddenly provide them with the requisite skills needed to write?
Writing is a basic form of communication, one of the inherent building blocks upon which a child’s education will be built. Since almost all schoolwork will not involve oral testing, oral reporting and oral skill assessment, but rather will be written reports, written assignments, essays, and tests handed out and answered by hand and graded later by the teacher, I would think being able to write legibly would be one of the most necessary skills.
We did have a couple of teachers who worked with us to help improve his writing where they could. Those who went above and beyond. But their time to help with this was limited. This is when I realized the FCAT, in its current form, was ruining the education system in Florida. Look, I certainly think some form of standardized testing is needed. I clearly remember back in the dark ages of the 1970s, we had to take state tests. Somehow you have to ensure the local school systems are not failing their communities. But the FCAT fundamentally changed the way schools worked, perhaps some for the better, but certainly also for the worst.
So, how do you help right the ship so to speak? Personally, I think you have to get control away from the big governments (the federal and state level) and get the people closest to the issue more involved. Let the state set the parameters for advancing students, and set some standards, but you have to quit trying to make an education plan in rural Kansas the same as the plan for a student in New York City. Set the standards and let those people in charge of those schools establish the curriculum with the best chance of success for their students to meet those standards.
So many politicians think it is a matter of funding. It isn't. If funding were the be all end all of education, Washington DC, New York and New Jersey would be the most successful school systems in the world. They all spend over $13000 per student. Instead they rank near the bottom. Because it is HOW those dollars are spent that matter.
Do you know in Florida we spend $6905 per student on education. In a 22 student classroom, that equates to just over $150K. Have you ever wondered how the money gets spent? How much of it do you think is actually utilized IN THE CLASSROOM? I think the answer is obvious, not nearly enough.
I am not a teacher, nor have I served on any school advisory board. So, I am sure there are some vastly more qualified people than me who can better plan and explain what we need to do. I know it will start with compensating teachers better. A way has to be found to make teaching a quality profession where those tasked with educating our youth are compensated at a rate commiserate with such a responsibility. However, you have to figure out a way to keep the best, and flush the rest.
Here in Florida, the legislature thought they had a nice little education reform package, simply known as SB6. It sought to radically change the education system in Florida. It had some good parts, but also had some bad parts. But, instead of following normal procedure and holding hearings and having reviews of the bill throughout, some in control simply said, no amendments, no discussion, just pass it as is. Amazing, just like the Health Care bill in Congress. Shut up public, we know what's good for you. Now take it and like it.
The one truly good act Charlie Crist has enjoyed this year as Governor was his veto of the bill. Simply put, our education system in Florida needs to be discussed in the open, and the best teachers sought for their ideas and input, not a bunch of politicians sitting in some back room, having fun brainstorming. It didn't work for Health Care and it certainly won't work for education either. Where does all this arrogance come from?
The bill did have some good ideas. I love the idea of ending tenure. I love the idea of getting rid of an education union which serves only itself and not the public itself, certainly not the students of Florida's school system. I love some form of merit pay for teachers. Personally, I would like to have a say as a parent during the year about my opinion on a teachers performance. Some kind of test needs to be designed to measure progress made during the school year.
But why would you NOT want to have the public supporting you on these good ideas? Why wouldn't you want the best teachers offering feedback? Ask some of them, and ask a few of the newest teachers out of college what they see? Keep it all in the open.
Okay, I need to get off my soapbox quick. I have only one other idea I have to say something about now. I have long thought high schools need to somehow work in some kind of life management course. Teach kids how to balance a budget, how compound interest works, how much loans and credit cards really cost. Throw in some basic first aid, drivers education. Have some kind of student store and let them see how to run a small business. And you know what else, there was absolutely nothing wrong with shop class. In other words, life skills, not test skills. Lord knows those clowns in Congress could use some lessons in those skills, at least the budget, spending and interest parts.
Okay teachers. Pipe up. I know some of you have long held ideas for making things better. I hope those ideas are listened to, given thought, studied, considered and the better ones used in crafting a new education bill in Florida, and elsewhere.
Parents will have to be involved and made accountable too. So, let's see if the next education bill can actually include all the good ideas out there, and give our youth the kind of education system they deserve.
Sorry, but no, it isn't pointless. It is your civic duty as an American, and your kids future surely will depend on it, as well as your future. I know many of you say "God bless those soldiers fighting for freedom overseas", while at the same time you show them absolutely no respect at home by not bothering to educate yourself and take part in the electoral process. The very freedom they fight for, you simply give away because you don't like the process. You say politics is too confrontational, too much "spin control", too much corruption, too much work, and you don't have time for it. Well, you need to make time for it, because those in power are making major life altering decisions right now.
Alright, so what topics do I see writing about? For starters I can see fiscal responsibility (a.k.a. the budget deficit, probably the biggest problem going right now), health care (it will be staying in the crosshairs), the economy, religion, American values, but perhaps it all should start where our formal learning begins, with education.
Abraham Lincoln, truly a very intelligent, amazing man and leader once said, "The philosophy of the classroom today will be the philosophy of government tomorrow." And since our public school system has failed more than it has succeeded in the past 40 years, it is little wonder we are sitting where we are today.
Once upon a time, students learned to write (with their actual hands, using a pencil), read (actual books, not Facebook), perform arithmetic (I will bet most kids today don't even know what that word means, let alone how to do all the functions of it), history (not the sanitized, re-written versions of today, but the actual words written by the people who were THERE), science (for some the new religion; maybe we should sue to make them remove all science books from the schools now that some think of it as a religion?), and the arts (yes, some actual CULTURE is important).
Today's schools no longer resemble that bygone era. Now, education seems to have become an assembly line, an endless stream of Power Points, year-round test preparation, and a one-size fits all philosophy. All in the name of moving on to college. In principal I totally agree with getting today's kids ready for college, but what about getting them ready for life too? See, that is where I see the schools failing miserably. The two goals are NOT mutually exclusive.
Before I go any further though, I know and acknowledge, there are plenty of teachers who don't fit this mold. They go above and beyond every single day to try and help bridge the gap between the national and state requirements (for the tests) and all the areas a true education should encompass. They rarely have a voice, they are simply taken for granted. To them, I tip my cap and say, we want to help you. We want, dare I say, we need you to succeed.
To illustrate the problem though, I can provide an example, a very personal one. Both of my children have done well with the public education system here in our community. Donna and I have been very engaged and involved in their education and I dare say, that has played a key role. But, I can clearly recall a conversation I had with my son's elementary school teachers over the years. He is left-handed and his handwriting was always a challenge. We asked the teachers to work with him on it. Generally, their reply can be summarized as, "We understand and sympathize, but we don't have time to work on handwriting, we have to get ready for the FCAT." Excuse me? You don't have time to teach handwriting in grade school? Are kids supposed to learn it through some form of osmosis, or is there some magic pill which will suddenly provide them with the requisite skills needed to write?
Writing is a basic form of communication, one of the inherent building blocks upon which a child’s education will be built. Since almost all schoolwork will not involve oral testing, oral reporting and oral skill assessment, but rather will be written reports, written assignments, essays, and tests handed out and answered by hand and graded later by the teacher, I would think being able to write legibly would be one of the most necessary skills.
We did have a couple of teachers who worked with us to help improve his writing where they could. Those who went above and beyond. But their time to help with this was limited. This is when I realized the FCAT, in its current form, was ruining the education system in Florida. Look, I certainly think some form of standardized testing is needed. I clearly remember back in the dark ages of the 1970s, we had to take state tests. Somehow you have to ensure the local school systems are not failing their communities. But the FCAT fundamentally changed the way schools worked, perhaps some for the better, but certainly also for the worst.
So, how do you help right the ship so to speak? Personally, I think you have to get control away from the big governments (the federal and state level) and get the people closest to the issue more involved. Let the state set the parameters for advancing students, and set some standards, but you have to quit trying to make an education plan in rural Kansas the same as the plan for a student in New York City. Set the standards and let those people in charge of those schools establish the curriculum with the best chance of success for their students to meet those standards.
So many politicians think it is a matter of funding. It isn't. If funding were the be all end all of education, Washington DC, New York and New Jersey would be the most successful school systems in the world. They all spend over $13000 per student. Instead they rank near the bottom. Because it is HOW those dollars are spent that matter.
Do you know in Florida we spend $6905 per student on education. In a 22 student classroom, that equates to just over $150K. Have you ever wondered how the money gets spent? How much of it do you think is actually utilized IN THE CLASSROOM? I think the answer is obvious, not nearly enough.
I am not a teacher, nor have I served on any school advisory board. So, I am sure there are some vastly more qualified people than me who can better plan and explain what we need to do. I know it will start with compensating teachers better. A way has to be found to make teaching a quality profession where those tasked with educating our youth are compensated at a rate commiserate with such a responsibility. However, you have to figure out a way to keep the best, and flush the rest.
Here in Florida, the legislature thought they had a nice little education reform package, simply known as SB6. It sought to radically change the education system in Florida. It had some good parts, but also had some bad parts. But, instead of following normal procedure and holding hearings and having reviews of the bill throughout, some in control simply said, no amendments, no discussion, just pass it as is. Amazing, just like the Health Care bill in Congress. Shut up public, we know what's good for you. Now take it and like it.
The one truly good act Charlie Crist has enjoyed this year as Governor was his veto of the bill. Simply put, our education system in Florida needs to be discussed in the open, and the best teachers sought for their ideas and input, not a bunch of politicians sitting in some back room, having fun brainstorming. It didn't work for Health Care and it certainly won't work for education either. Where does all this arrogance come from?
The bill did have some good ideas. I love the idea of ending tenure. I love the idea of getting rid of an education union which serves only itself and not the public itself, certainly not the students of Florida's school system. I love some form of merit pay for teachers. Personally, I would like to have a say as a parent during the year about my opinion on a teachers performance. Some kind of test needs to be designed to measure progress made during the school year.
But why would you NOT want to have the public supporting you on these good ideas? Why wouldn't you want the best teachers offering feedback? Ask some of them, and ask a few of the newest teachers out of college what they see? Keep it all in the open.
Okay, I need to get off my soapbox quick. I have only one other idea I have to say something about now. I have long thought high schools need to somehow work in some kind of life management course. Teach kids how to balance a budget, how compound interest works, how much loans and credit cards really cost. Throw in some basic first aid, drivers education. Have some kind of student store and let them see how to run a small business. And you know what else, there was absolutely nothing wrong with shop class. In other words, life skills, not test skills. Lord knows those clowns in Congress could use some lessons in those skills, at least the budget, spending and interest parts.
Okay teachers. Pipe up. I know some of you have long held ideas for making things better. I hope those ideas are listened to, given thought, studied, considered and the better ones used in crafting a new education bill in Florida, and elsewhere.
Parents will have to be involved and made accountable too. So, let's see if the next education bill can actually include all the good ideas out there, and give our youth the kind of education system they deserve.
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