| On Can She Save Our Schools? By Amanda Ripley
Time Magazine, 12/08/08
by
Daniel J. Dyman, Ed.D.
While Dr. Michele Rhee may have been an accomplished teacher, with comparable expectations of others, her approach as superintendent of the Washington, D.C. public schools is indeed simplistic not taking into account all of the many interactive and intricate essential elements operating within any school system.
According to Amanda Ripley, the biggest problem with U.S. public schools supported with decades of documentation is ineffective teaching. Now, how might that have come about? First, the professors in higher education especially within the colleges of education need to do a better job. Teaching prospective teachers should be their primary focus but reasonably, they cannot give what they do not have. Perhaps, the “publish or perish” responsibility needs to be set aside for the greater good. “Busy with my research” should no longer be accepted as the understandable alternative, an excuse for in-the-classroom shortfalls. Arguably, much of the research conducted by university professors is of little consequence.
The “weed and sort” policies of the czars of reformer as Joel Klein, chancellor of the New York City schools is more managerial than what might be of more worth, the actual transforming and restructuring of teaching and learning. It is far more elementary to push, shove, and blame people for inadequacies. It is easier to be meddlesome than it is a provider of substantive change. Of course, it is impossible to bring about needed change if the only agreeable insight is that change is apparently needed but are obviously clueless about how to achieve the desired outcomes.
Teaching needs to be put back into the hands of teachers. Truly, teachers need to be the determinants of whatever goes on in a classroom. However, outside agencies have set the standards without justification and textbook publishers have established content to the extent that it is overwhelming. In an attempt to measure up, misguided teachers focus attention upon memorization of “factoids” neglecting more valued assets as comprehension, analysis, and evaluation. Investigative skills leading to problem solving seem to be what is most needed.
As needed, enrich teachers providing them with the skills and tools for effective classroom conduct. If in general teaching is ineffective it is because teachers must rely upon their intuitive abilities figuring it out on their own as did Rhee over the course of her stressful first year in the classroom. She was fortunate, able to team up with another teacher. Other teachers likely are not so lucky. However, control supported with clear expectations and rules is not necessarily the answer to student engagement with sustained curiosity, the most fundamental quality of learning.
Despite the prescription of imposing fear, only the compliant will comply. A lot of what goes on in the classroom does depend upon the mental condition of the students. Applicable is an ancient proverb, “When the mind is ready, a teacher appears.”
Lastly, Allante Rhodes, by his collaborative approach is on the right path that just might fix the schools. Congratulations.
As a graduate student, after weekly interview meetings extending over one academic year including perhaps one hundred students, an effective course of study was developed of interest to students that both measured up to academic requirements and enabled effective teaching as well efficient learning. It can be done.
Dyman Associates
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http://www.DymanAssociates.com
Creation date : 17/12/2008 @ 14:55
Last update : 17/12/2008 @ 14:55
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