Who I am: Chris Lehmann
What I do: Principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA (Opening 9/06).
What I did: Technology Coordinator / English Teacher / Girls Basketball Coach / Ultimate Coach at the Beacon School, a fantastic progressive public high school in Manhattan.
Email: chris [at] practicaltheory [dot] org.
What I do: Principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA (Opening 9/06).
What I did: Technology Coordinator / English Teacher / Girls Basketball Coach / Ultimate Coach at the Beacon School, a fantastic progressive public high school in Manhattan.
Email: chris [at] practicaltheory [dot] org.
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Thursday, November 8. 2007
That They Should Wear Our Colors There...
"Alas, that they should wear our colors there..." -- Sunday Morning, Wallace Stevens
I'm angry.
I'm angry that business assumes we serve them.
I don't. My kids don't.
My state is re-examining graduation standards. So who are they talking to?
Business. Not exclusively, but in large numbers.
Business is telling the state what they need for their workforce.
My job as a principal is not to prepare kids to be a workforce. My calling is higher than that.
I prepare students to become active, engaged citizens. I prepare kids to be scholars, activists, parents, people. And when I do that, we'll get the workforce we need, too.
Citizenry is the higher calling. Workforce development is secondary.
And let me go ahead and make the really radical statement, since I'm angry. Focusing on workforce development as the goal in our public schools is downright feudal. The ruling class in this country isn't talking about that. They aren't even sending their kids to our schools. When someone tells Dalton or Andover or Exeter that their goal is workforce development, then they can tell us that it's ours.
My kids... all our kids... should think that their job is to make the world a better place because they lived in it.
That's the goal of an active and involved citizenry. That's the goal for our schools. Focusing on workforce development as the highest goal is reductive.
Our democratic ideals should not serve our capitalist system. Our public schools are the ultimate expression of our democratic ideals. Let's never, ever forget that, and let's build a system that remembers and celebrates that.
I'm angry.
I'm angry that business assumes we serve them.
I don't. My kids don't.
My state is re-examining graduation standards. So who are they talking to?
Business. Not exclusively, but in large numbers.
Business is telling the state what they need for their workforce.
My job as a principal is not to prepare kids to be a workforce. My calling is higher than that.
I prepare students to become active, engaged citizens. I prepare kids to be scholars, activists, parents, people. And when I do that, we'll get the workforce we need, too.
Citizenry is the higher calling. Workforce development is secondary.
And let me go ahead and make the really radical statement, since I'm angry. Focusing on workforce development as the goal in our public schools is downright feudal. The ruling class in this country isn't talking about that. They aren't even sending their kids to our schools. When someone tells Dalton or Andover or Exeter that their goal is workforce development, then they can tell us that it's ours.
My kids... all our kids... should think that their job is to make the world a better place because they lived in it.
That's the goal of an active and involved citizenry. That's the goal for our schools. Focusing on workforce development as the highest goal is reductive.
Our democratic ideals should not serve our capitalist system. Our public schools are the ultimate expression of our democratic ideals. Let's never, ever forget that, and let's build a system that remembers and celebrates that.
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Outstanding post! I want to stand up and say Amen!
Money drives everything. It's just especially painful to see how it impacts our children.
Money drives everything. It's just especially painful to see how it impacts our children.
I spoke extensively last night with a prominent community member regarding her concerns about 'kids these days'. Although I believe strongly in the potential of my students, the realiity is that they are living through an educational system that does not foster community or civic values. The lack of belonging to something relevant and meaningful is starting to show amongst some students. I think a community with higher goals in mind about fostering the safety, creativity and innovation of its youth will far outpace that community that is solely concerned with the efficient worker bee.
You can have my kids.
Much longer comment was eaten by SQL. That's the gist : )
Much longer comment was eaten by SQL. That's the gist : )
I was involved when Illinois developed their first framework for teacher certificaton. The Illinois Business Roundtable representative was at every meeting. Money talks and politicians listen.
So I work in business. I sent my son to private schools. He actually spent a summer at one of those three private schools you named. My son is now a public school teacher as is my wife. Just what is it you think I want my wife and son teaching their students that I didn't want my son to learn in private school? And what things do you think I want my wife and son to teach that I didn't want my son to learn? You must have several things and I am interested in hearing about them.
Well, according to the presentation that we had today from the PA State Dept. of Ed representative, business leaders want the PSSAs to be high-stakes tests. So all the things you wrote about in your blog entry -- critical thinking skills, team work, communication skills -- all things that we work toward at SLA every day, will be pushed to the side in many, many schools as those schools have to make sure that the kids have the test-taking skills to get to proficient on the tests. For those who would say that's not true, I was recently at a meeting where a district official invited a test-prep salesmen to speak to the principals, suggesting that their products were excellent curriculum tools. The effect of that is chilling.
And, to speak to your other point on your blog -- I am fully aware that one of the things that our kids need is to be able to be a productive member of the workforce. However, it's a question of focus. I don't believe workforce development is our highest ideal. I believe having an active and engaged citizenry is. I think if we teach them that, those skills you mention will be taught. I believe being a productive member of the economy is a subset of being fully realized citizen. But I believe it's a subset.
As I wrote -- our democratic goals and our economic goals are not one and the same. We cannot ignore the economic realities our kids face. That would do them all a disservice. But to elevate that reality above the other values of our society - and the other goals of our educational system - would do them an equal if not greater disservice. And sadly, I think that's the educational reality we have in too many schools -- and too many State Ed Departments -- today.
-- Chris
And, to speak to your other point on your blog -- I am fully aware that one of the things that our kids need is to be able to be a productive member of the workforce. However, it's a question of focus. I don't believe workforce development is our highest ideal. I believe having an active and engaged citizenry is. I think if we teach them that, those skills you mention will be taught. I believe being a productive member of the economy is a subset of being fully realized citizen. But I believe it's a subset.
As I wrote -- our democratic goals and our economic goals are not one and the same. We cannot ignore the economic realities our kids face. That would do them all a disservice. But to elevate that reality above the other values of our society - and the other goals of our educational system - would do them an equal if not greater disservice. And sadly, I think that's the educational reality we have in too many schools -- and too many State Ed Departments -- today.
-- Chris
Most business people who say they want high stakes tests are actually saying they want accountability - a way of making sure that students acheive. They are confusing methods with results. Tests are not the way to get the results that they want but they don't know better. Schools unfortunatly do not always have credibility (because of the results people are seeing) when they argue that there are better ways to get desired results. So we are stuck in a communication problem. Business people are not saying "we want good test takers" rather they are saying they want well trained and educated people. They are just confused about methods. If the public schools were turning out well-prepared students (this subset of citizen skills you talk of) do you really think that business people would be meddling? Of course not - they'd have other things to do with their time.
You say that training for a good workforce is a subset of that for a good citizen. But I don't see you making a good case for that. I agree that a good case can be made but I from you I am just reading words that make it sound as if the two are in direct conflict. Your iinitial post makes it sound as if being prepared for a job would be a failure of education. Its the sort of rant that contributes directly to business people losing faith in educators. And it would help a lot if business people we seeing the results you claim are the goal.
You say that training for a good workforce is a subset of that for a good citizen. But I don't see you making a good case for that. I agree that a good case can be made but I from you I am just reading words that make it sound as if the two are in direct conflict. Your iinitial post makes it sound as if being prepared for a job would be a failure of education. Its the sort of rant that contributes directly to business people losing faith in educators. And it would help a lot if business people we seeing the results you claim are the goal.
disclaimer: Chris Lehmann is a friend and colleague of mine
Mr. Thomspon, I find a blind faith in business interests worrisome. In the same way, I teach my students not to blindly follow any person or thing.
You wrote, "do you really think that business people would be meddling? Of course not - they'd have other things to do with their time."
I think this is a misinterpretation. Businesses have but one mission - business. Their job is to make money. They need a steady stream of smart, hard-working people who can help them do that. I don't doubt that they want to decide how these people are "trained" and educated before they get to the companies. It would be that much easier for businesses if we started training them with business ideasl in mind when they were little.
This is where I think Chris (and myself) would disagree with your position. Our jobs as educators is not to prepare kids to help businesses make money. Our jobs are to prepare kids to live, work, contribute and succeed in their own worlds. Of course these overlap, but using business interests as guiding principles would be a mistake. The state of business ethics in the U.S. right now speaks to that point. I like to think as teachers we hold ourselves to much stricter standards for what our kids should be exposed to. Of course there are deviations, but I anecdotally feel that they pale in comparison to the disappointing practices of so many businesses out there.
Sorry for the long post, but a great discussion.
Mr. Thomspon, I find a blind faith in business interests worrisome. In the same way, I teach my students not to blindly follow any person or thing.
You wrote, "do you really think that business people would be meddling? Of course not - they'd have other things to do with their time."
I think this is a misinterpretation. Businesses have but one mission - business. Their job is to make money. They need a steady stream of smart, hard-working people who can help them do that. I don't doubt that they want to decide how these people are "trained" and educated before they get to the companies. It would be that much easier for businesses if we started training them with business ideasl in mind when they were little.
This is where I think Chris (and myself) would disagree with your position. Our jobs as educators is not to prepare kids to help businesses make money. Our jobs are to prepare kids to live, work, contribute and succeed in their own worlds. Of course these overlap, but using business interests as guiding principles would be a mistake. The state of business ethics in the U.S. right now speaks to that point. I like to think as teachers we hold ourselves to much stricter standards for what our kids should be exposed to. Of course there are deviations, but I anecdotally feel that they pale in comparison to the disappointing practices of so many businesses out there.
Sorry for the long post, but a great discussion.
I am about as far from blind faith in business as it comes. I've seen a lot in my years in industry. I completely agree that business ethics need some improvement in many ways. Personally I believe that a major contributor to that lapse in ethics is do to so many schools removing religion from the curriculum. Show me how to get that back into the public schools and I'll feel better. But of course you can't. But that is besides the main issue here.
I've spent nine years as a teacher. More still as school board or other elected official in public and private schools systems. And I've spent a lot of years in business. I think I have a good handle on how both operate. Business is not getting enough well trained students and they are not happy about it. You all seem to think they should be, if not happy, and least be willing to ignore the problem, and I don't understand your logic.
I don't think that business is as interested in "how" students are educated as you think. Oh there is interest in specific subjects. The company I work for would love to see a lot more computer programming taught and of course we'd love to see our products used. I know companies who would like to see more math taught. Others would like to see more English. But "how" students are taught? Not so much.
And you mistake my position by saying I am suggesting that business set the guiding principals. I am mearly saying that by ignoring the needs of business you are totally and completly failing your students. And totally ignoring the needs of business is what you seem to be suggesting.
Chris says that his school will have to push aside important things to prepare students to pass high stakes tests. What an amazing admission of failure on his part. Is that because his students arrive at his school way way behind? If so what are the feeder schools doing to fix that? Or do the students fall behind when they get to his school? I spent 9 years teaching in private schools and never saw more than a handful of students need extra help to pass high stakes exams. Get extra high scores sure but not just to pass. Is the falure on the part of students, parents, teachers or some combination? And what are public schools doing to get to a point where few if any students need to put aside valuable life lessons in order to pass exams? I hear very little about that.
One last point. You said "Our jobs are to prepare kids to live, work, contribute and succeed in their own worlds." A great goal. Unfortunatly public schools are for a great many of our children failing at that goal. Don't expect society, of which business is a part, to accept that as a good thing not to expect the people who are running a broken system to fix it alone.
I've spent nine years as a teacher. More still as school board or other elected official in public and private schools systems. And I've spent a lot of years in business. I think I have a good handle on how both operate. Business is not getting enough well trained students and they are not happy about it. You all seem to think they should be, if not happy, and least be willing to ignore the problem, and I don't understand your logic.
I don't think that business is as interested in "how" students are educated as you think. Oh there is interest in specific subjects. The company I work for would love to see a lot more computer programming taught and of course we'd love to see our products used. I know companies who would like to see more math taught. Others would like to see more English. But "how" students are taught? Not so much.
And you mistake my position by saying I am suggesting that business set the guiding principals. I am mearly saying that by ignoring the needs of business you are totally and completly failing your students. And totally ignoring the needs of business is what you seem to be suggesting.
Chris says that his school will have to push aside important things to prepare students to pass high stakes tests. What an amazing admission of failure on his part. Is that because his students arrive at his school way way behind? If so what are the feeder schools doing to fix that? Or do the students fall behind when they get to his school? I spent 9 years teaching in private schools and never saw more than a handful of students need extra help to pass high stakes exams. Get extra high scores sure but not just to pass. Is the falure on the part of students, parents, teachers or some combination? And what are public schools doing to get to a point where few if any students need to put aside valuable life lessons in order to pass exams? I hear very little about that.
One last point. You said "Our jobs are to prepare kids to live, work, contribute and succeed in their own worlds." A great goal. Unfortunatly public schools are for a great many of our children failing at that goal. Don't expect society, of which business is a part, to accept that as a good thing not to expect the people who are running a broken system to fix it alone.
How are you judging the fact that schools are failing? Is it solely based on test scores?
I'm always pained when intelligent people talk about education only in regards to test scores. It happens a lot.
When Chris says that they will have to push aside important things to prepare for high stakes testing, it may or may not have anything to do with the prior preparation of his students or their knowledge of the subject. Taking a test requires a specific set of skills. Just as reading a fiction book is different from reading a newspaper, reading a test is its own skill set. We have to teach students to take tests just as we teach them so many other things. That time spent teaching how to demonstrate your knowledge on a high stakes test could be spent actually learning something more important.
I'm always pained when intelligent people talk about education only in regards to test scores. It happens a lot.
When Chris says that they will have to push aside important things to prepare for high stakes testing, it may or may not have anything to do with the prior preparation of his students or their knowledge of the subject. Taking a test requires a specific set of skills. Just as reading a fiction book is different from reading a newspaper, reading a test is its own skill set. We have to teach students to take tests just as we teach them so many other things. That time spent teaching how to demonstrate your knowledge on a high stakes test could be spent actually learning something more important.
Let's just put aside that whole "religion in schools" comment, since that's a discussion for another day...
You write: "Chris says that his school will have to push aside important things to prepare students to pass high stakes tests. What an amazing admission of failure on his part."
Hardly. There's enough research out there to document that those tests drive curriculum. The work of Monty Neill and FairTest is as good a place to start as any. And allow me to suggest that your nine years in the private schools might have exposed you to a student body that had a different background than the fourteen years I've spent in two urban public districts. To suggest that our schools must be the panacea that cures all of society's ills -- and do it while passing tests that continue to have methodological problems year after year (See the NY Regents Physics test from a few years ago that was so flawed they had to throw it out as an example) -- is to set up our schools to fail.
And I'm not trying to suggest we do it alone -- what I am suggesting is that our democratic ideals are different than our capitalistic ideals. And that our schools do not only serve our business ideals. In fact, I would argue they serve our democratic ones first and foremost. Yet, when our presenter from the State Department of Ed told us about the make-up of this panel that is deciding upon new graduation standards, there were many business leaders on the panel and one teacher -- a math teacher from Pittsburgh, we were told.
When I look at the make up of the members of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, I see 22 members from for-profit companies -- including many education companies that have a vested interest in the new education marketplace, two members from educational organizations (AASL and NEA) and seven non-profits, although several are non-profit arms of for profit companies... and not one current educator.
So, should business have a seat at the table? Sure. Yes. Should they have the majority of seats at the table? Absolutely not.
As an aside, we've also been down this road before. The 1920s saw a great divide in American education between the progressives and the business interests. The business interests won, as it turns out. That's what led us to the "Comprehensive High School" factory model of education. That's why some schools still are doing Taylor Method time-studies today. There's a fantastic book called "Education and the Cult of Efficiency" which documents this much better than I ever could. It's by Ray Callahan, and it was written in 1962. It's a brilliant read, and his closing lines should serve as a clarion call:
"Until every child has part of his work in small classes or seminars with fine teachers who have a reasonable teaching load, we will not have given the American high school, or democracy for that matter, a fair trial. To do this, America will need to break with its traditional practice, strengthened so much in the age of efficiency, of asking how our schools can be operated most economically and begin asking instead what steps must be taken to provide an excellent education for our children. We must face the fact that there is no cheap, easy way to educate a human being and that a free society cannot endure without educated men."
You write: "Chris says that his school will have to push aside important things to prepare students to pass high stakes tests. What an amazing admission of failure on his part."
Hardly. There's enough research out there to document that those tests drive curriculum. The work of Monty Neill and FairTest is as good a place to start as any. And allow me to suggest that your nine years in the private schools might have exposed you to a student body that had a different background than the fourteen years I've spent in two urban public districts. To suggest that our schools must be the panacea that cures all of society's ills -- and do it while passing tests that continue to have methodological problems year after year (See the NY Regents Physics test from a few years ago that was so flawed they had to throw it out as an example) -- is to set up our schools to fail.
And I'm not trying to suggest we do it alone -- what I am suggesting is that our democratic ideals are different than our capitalistic ideals. And that our schools do not only serve our business ideals. In fact, I would argue they serve our democratic ones first and foremost. Yet, when our presenter from the State Department of Ed told us about the make-up of this panel that is deciding upon new graduation standards, there were many business leaders on the panel and one teacher -- a math teacher from Pittsburgh, we were told.
When I look at the make up of the members of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, I see 22 members from for-profit companies -- including many education companies that have a vested interest in the new education marketplace, two members from educational organizations (AASL and NEA) and seven non-profits, although several are non-profit arms of for profit companies... and not one current educator.
So, should business have a seat at the table? Sure. Yes. Should they have the majority of seats at the table? Absolutely not.
As an aside, we've also been down this road before. The 1920s saw a great divide in American education between the progressives and the business interests. The business interests won, as it turns out. That's what led us to the "Comprehensive High School" factory model of education. That's why some schools still are doing Taylor Method time-studies today. There's a fantastic book called "Education and the Cult of Efficiency" which documents this much better than I ever could. It's by Ray Callahan, and it was written in 1962. It's a brilliant read, and his closing lines should serve as a clarion call:
"Until every child has part of his work in small classes or seminars with fine teachers who have a reasonable teaching load, we will not have given the American high school, or democracy for that matter, a fair trial. To do this, America will need to break with its traditional practice, strengthened so much in the age of efficiency, of asking how our schools can be operated most economically and begin asking instead what steps must be taken to provide an excellent education for our children. We must face the fact that there is no cheap, easy way to educate a human being and that a free society cannot endure without educated men."
Dear Rush Limb-errrr, I mean Mr. Thompson,
If "private industry" really wanted to help our students acheive and be "better prepared" they should use their energy and resources better (Economy 101). How about provide fair wages and support a higher minimum wage so the parents of our students only need to work one job and can provide adequate food, clothing and shelter so our students minds are not distracted and in surivaval mode and they can actually use their mind to learn?
How about providing health care insurance to all employees? How about supporting an increase in FMLA? How about supporting (or better yet, providing your own employees with) universal daycare and pre-school? Those things would certainly make our schools blossom. Talk about closing the acheivement gap!!
I am reminded of a quote by Alfie Kohn about how, private industry/business world should be the most outraged by standardized tests? How many businesses do you know that give pencil and paper tests to employees to assess them? It would be seen as absurd for most industries. When I worked at Little Caesers Pizza in high school, I stunk at it. I never quite got down the whole rythem of answering phones, taking orders, taking pizzas out of the oven, ringing people up, etc. However, if Little Caesers (are you listening Mike Illitch?) gave me and my $3.35/hr behind a paper and pencil test about pizza making, I would ace the heck out of it. Some of my co-workers who were wizzes at making pizza quickly, would have flunked the tests most likely (in one case I am certain of). Could you imagine what the NFL would be like if all teams solely relied on the Wonderlick test? True, Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady would still be stars (GO BLUE!), but others? Egads!
Now, I know I might be bitting the hand that feeds me. Without private industry, my current job as an inner city guidance counselor might not exist (at least in the same context). I know the history. 100 years ago, the business bigwigs led by Rockefeller, Carnegie, and the likes were upset their employees weren't prepared for the workforce. They wanted big changes in this countries educational system. They looked over to the Prussian model, where Prussia got it's butt kicked by Napoleon and as a result more or less invented the education system that most of the world uses today so it could "mold" its military and make them obidient. Rockefeller, Carnegie, etc said they would try to same system to make and mold an obidient workforce. Viola! Todays educational system!!!
I am not in my current position to help train and mold children so they can obey future corporations. I am not an agent of Wal-Mart! And lets face it, the way our economy is going, Wal-Mart employee is just about the only jobs out there for most of our kids.
Oh, here is one more way that private industry can help our nation's children. STOP MAKING TOYS WITH LEAD IN THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim
If "private industry" really wanted to help our students acheive and be "better prepared" they should use their energy and resources better (Economy 101). How about provide fair wages and support a higher minimum wage so the parents of our students only need to work one job and can provide adequate food, clothing and shelter so our students minds are not distracted and in surivaval mode and they can actually use their mind to learn?
How about providing health care insurance to all employees? How about supporting an increase in FMLA? How about supporting (or better yet, providing your own employees with) universal daycare and pre-school? Those things would certainly make our schools blossom. Talk about closing the acheivement gap!!
I am reminded of a quote by Alfie Kohn about how, private industry/business world should be the most outraged by standardized tests? How many businesses do you know that give pencil and paper tests to employees to assess them? It would be seen as absurd for most industries. When I worked at Little Caesers Pizza in high school, I stunk at it. I never quite got down the whole rythem of answering phones, taking orders, taking pizzas out of the oven, ringing people up, etc. However, if Little Caesers (are you listening Mike Illitch?) gave me and my $3.35/hr behind a paper and pencil test about pizza making, I would ace the heck out of it. Some of my co-workers who were wizzes at making pizza quickly, would have flunked the tests most likely (in one case I am certain of). Could you imagine what the NFL would be like if all teams solely relied on the Wonderlick test? True, Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady would still be stars (GO BLUE!), but others? Egads!
Now, I know I might be bitting the hand that feeds me. Without private industry, my current job as an inner city guidance counselor might not exist (at least in the same context). I know the history. 100 years ago, the business bigwigs led by Rockefeller, Carnegie, and the likes were upset their employees weren't prepared for the workforce. They wanted big changes in this countries educational system. They looked over to the Prussian model, where Prussia got it's butt kicked by Napoleon and as a result more or less invented the education system that most of the world uses today so it could "mold" its military and make them obidient. Rockefeller, Carnegie, etc said they would try to same system to make and mold an obidient workforce. Viola! Todays educational system!!!
I am not in my current position to help train and mold children so they can obey future corporations. I am not an agent of Wal-Mart! And lets face it, the way our economy is going, Wal-Mart employee is just about the only jobs out there for most of our kids.
Oh, here is one more way that private industry can help our nation's children. STOP MAKING TOYS WITH LEAD IN THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim
There are 2 issues that strike me as somewhat unaddressed. First off, the purpose of school is still not clear in many cases. This discussion illustrates the point. Certainly agreement about the purpose of school is not evident within some buildings let alone among all society.
Chris' goals/vision are quite clear and I"m guessing his local community and parents understand it too. But those on the outside don't agree. I'd think we have schools that would side more with Mr. Thompson's view. I"m not even sure that's a problem but certainly I don't think one can question Chris' intentions for his school. He knows the need and provides the best environment for them.
The second issue is the belief that school alone will help create kids that are either prepared to live great lives or in Mr. Thompson's case be great workers. Outside influences continue to create issues. Formerly, schools could largely ignore them and simply teach content. No longer. schools have no choice but to expand their mandates to address so many issues beyond the curriculum and in the case of the US (I'm Canadian) play the testing game.
It ain't easy. But Mr. Thompson, you can rest assured if your kids went to SLA, they'd be in pretty good shape.
Chris' goals/vision are quite clear and I"m guessing his local community and parents understand it too. But those on the outside don't agree. I'd think we have schools that would side more with Mr. Thompson's view. I"m not even sure that's a problem but certainly I don't think one can question Chris' intentions for his school. He knows the need and provides the best environment for them.
The second issue is the belief that school alone will help create kids that are either prepared to live great lives or in Mr. Thompson's case be great workers. Outside influences continue to create issues. Formerly, schools could largely ignore them and simply teach content. No longer. schools have no choice but to expand their mandates to address so many issues beyond the curriculum and in the case of the US (I'm Canadian) play the testing game.
It ain't easy. But Mr. Thompson, you can rest assured if your kids went to SLA, they'd be in pretty good shape.
The way this stuff plays out gets blurry because business leaders tend to believe their own hype and generally will (and have for at least a solid decade) call for "21st Century Skills," collaboration, problem solving, independent thinking when asked for what they're looking for in workers. At worst they'll stress soft skills like responsibility, friendliness, etc. Nobody literally comes out and says to a panel: "I need compliant, punctual drones," even if they do. So a lot of these discussions end up with a vision that is better than "traditional schooling" but less than ideal.
The real problem is more that, as Chris says, accountability via high stakes test scores really appeals to business people, which sort of trumps whatever pleasant noises they make to the panel, especially since they don't believe anything they're saying enough to increase taxes to pay for the much more expensive assessments you'd need to evaluate the skills they say they need.
The real problem is more that, as Chris says, accountability via high stakes test scores really appeals to business people, which sort of trumps whatever pleasant noises they make to the panel, especially since they don't believe anything they're saying enough to increase taxes to pay for the much more expensive assessments you'd need to evaluate the skills they say they need.
Mr. Thompson argues that schools do not train for the needs of business, yet from everything I've seen of Chris's school and the discussions of the small, but ever-growing in influence, edubloggers is that we are "making" thinkers and collaborators and communicators. Or at least trying to.
While Alfred says that education is failing he offers little specifics as to what business wants...teach more math? More English? Okay, more computer programming is pretty specific. But what math exactly? When computers can do the computations at speeds we can't comprehend, isn't business in need of creativity and the ability to collaborate across borders and time zones?
Maybe this is why the US dollar is so weak right now...our businesses are focusing on the wrong thing! Education, keep doing what you are doing.
If we are making thinkers, then we are making people who can make their own choices about working for business, solving global issues, or serving as a forest ranger. Ultimately, we need all these types of people, and I, for one would be happier knowing that they all could think for themselves....and not just be able to do "more math."
While Alfred says that education is failing he offers little specifics as to what business wants...teach more math? More English? Okay, more computer programming is pretty specific. But what math exactly? When computers can do the computations at speeds we can't comprehend, isn't business in need of creativity and the ability to collaborate across borders and time zones?
Maybe this is why the US dollar is so weak right now...our businesses are focusing on the wrong thing! Education, keep doing what you are doing.
If we are making thinkers, then we are making people who can make their own choices about working for business, solving global issues, or serving as a forest ranger. Ultimately, we need all these types of people, and I, for one would be happier knowing that they all could think for themselves....and not just be able to do "more math."
Creating active, engaged citizens is SO important. This will lend itself to his/her work ethic, values, etc. We need to create adults who can think, create, make decisions, etc... not just another worker bee.
Great Post! I agree that it is not our job as educators, or future educators in my case, to prepare our students strictly for the business world. It is our job to prepare them to be better people and be able to contribute to the world as a whole, not just the business. However, by having businesses so actively involved in setting testing and graduation standards we are keeping the businesses' interests at the forefront, and simply training our students to become part of the workforce. This needs to change!
In response to Mr. Thompson’s comment: “Chris says that his school will have to push aside important things to prepare students to pass high stakes tests. What an amazing admission of failure on his part. Is that because his students arrive at his school way way behind? If so what are the feeder schools doing to fix that? Or do the students fall behind when they get to his school? I spent 9 years teaching in private schools and never saw more than a handful of students need extra help to pass high stakes exams. Get extra high scores sure but not just to pass. Is the falure on the part of students, parents, teachers or some combination?”
Teaching in a private school is much different than teaching in a public school. I’ve been in both. As a whole, the students in each type of school come from incredibly different backgrounds. Students at private schools have the money to afford to go there. This typically means the parents have a good education and also care about their children’s education (or else they wouldn’t be willing to fork over the moo-lah!), want their children to succeed, and maybe the most important part, there are two parents in the household. Whether both parents work, or the family is able to afford to have one parent stay home, the environment tends to be healthy and the teacher is not the only person emphasizing education. The foundations and opportunity to succeed is present.
On the flip side, students who attend urban public schools usually do not have a healthy environment to rely on. Parents are working long hours to make ends meet, or perhaps the home is broken and there is only one parent. In these situations, the emphasis of learning is not always there. Thus the responsibility falls on the teacher to show the student that education is important as well as giving them the foundation to succeed. Now, instead of one—or how about a handful—of students who need that guidance, with little to no help from the parents mind you, add around 25 more students (per classroom that is). See the problem?
I am not saying parents and culture are the entire problem, but it is a big issue that needs to be addressed. If anyone can provide a solution to how public schools can change the negative affects of broken homes, a parents’ involvement in their child’s education, or the values the community has, education may be perceived as more “successful” no matter what your idea of a successful educational system is.
Teaching in a private school is much different than teaching in a public school. I’ve been in both. As a whole, the students in each type of school come from incredibly different backgrounds. Students at private schools have the money to afford to go there. This typically means the parents have a good education and also care about their children’s education (or else they wouldn’t be willing to fork over the moo-lah!), want their children to succeed, and maybe the most important part, there are two parents in the household. Whether both parents work, or the family is able to afford to have one parent stay home, the environment tends to be healthy and the teacher is not the only person emphasizing education. The foundations and opportunity to succeed is present.
On the flip side, students who attend urban public schools usually do not have a healthy environment to rely on. Parents are working long hours to make ends meet, or perhaps the home is broken and there is only one parent. In these situations, the emphasis of learning is not always there. Thus the responsibility falls on the teacher to show the student that education is important as well as giving them the foundation to succeed. Now, instead of one—or how about a handful—of students who need that guidance, with little to no help from the parents mind you, add around 25 more students (per classroom that is). See the problem?
I am not saying parents and culture are the entire problem, but it is a big issue that needs to be addressed. If anyone can provide a solution to how public schools can change the negative affects of broken homes, a parents’ involvement in their child’s education, or the values the community has, education may be perceived as more “successful” no matter what your idea of a successful educational system is.
My Response:
I totally agree with your statement. As an Education Major at Illinois State University, I have learned a lot about the democratic ideals. As a future teacher, I want to prepare my students for more than just a career. I want to teach them how to make society a better place. Providing students with more classes that teach then about everyday life is the way our educational system should work. Learning life lessons in school gives students an advantage later on in life. By knowing how the world works, one can implement ideas that make society a more enjoyable and stimulating place. These students are the future and as educators it is our job to show them the way to happiness and unity as a civilization.
I totally agree with your statement. As an Education Major at Illinois State University, I have learned a lot about the democratic ideals. As a future teacher, I want to prepare my students for more than just a career. I want to teach them how to make society a better place. Providing students with more classes that teach then about everyday life is the way our educational system should work. Learning life lessons in school gives students an advantage later on in life. By knowing how the world works, one can implement ideas that make society a more enjoyable and stimulating place. These students are the future and as educators it is our job to show them the way to happiness and unity as a civilization.
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Comments
Tue, 31.08.2010 05:14
I may have linked to the
wrong Merrow article -
http://takingnote.learnin
gmatters.tv/?p=4433
Gary Stager about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Tue, 31.08.2010 05:05
Dear Chris:
We've had this discussion
privately, so I hope you
don't mind that I involve
the [...]
Julie Strong about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Mon, 30.08.2010 13:35
I'll be curious to see
how #5 evolves. In
independent schools we
rarely lack for parent
[...]
dcollins about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Sat, 28.08.2010 07:32
Those are great things to
look forward to! At my
alternative school, I'm
looking forward to seeing
[...]
Andrew Marcinek about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Sat, 28.08.2010 06:42
I am sure it will be very
weird vibe without your
original class in the
building, but now you
have [...]