Launching Learning?

Our job is to establish safe and supportive relationships first between teachers and students, and then student to student. Our parents are primarily concerned with the physical and emotional health of their children; scholastic education is in the backseat. We need to address that before instruction can begin. To do so, teachers must establish solid communication channels with both students and parents. The village has been on lock-down for months and parents are desperate to engage with their academic collaborators, their children’s teachers. Children too miss the support and caring they receive from their teachers and classmates. This must come first. Many summer school teachers commented on the importance of daily check-ins that included eye contact and asking questions like, “how are you today.” The students’ worlds have been restricted to their homes and their phones. They need people. They need to laugh. They need to feel good. Teachers can facilitate that. In fact, I believe Maslow would argue they need that before learning can resume. The first week of school should be focused on self reflection, and establishing a personal learning plan for the school year, no matter the classroom format. 

We must create engagement by first acknowledging the anxiety levels of our pupils, and then helping them design a pathway to success that relieves that anxiety. Whatever tasks are completed need to count towards a grade. Hold harmless was anything but harmless. When students are held accountable they respond appropriately because the recognition of a grade shows that what they do is important. And for the last few months, nothing they have done has been very important.

Messaging from the school district is vital. A video announcement from the superintendent welcoming students back to school that is shared on the first day will set the tone for the year and encourage students, teachers, and parents. A similar consistent message from each site principal that includes clearly identified expectations for teachers and students will make the difference between success and failure. We all need to be on the same page. Everybody.

To regain our parent’s trust in public education we must once again lead, and not just react, to our circumstances. True, we are governed by many forces that we cannot control. However, we can speak a message of hope for the future back into reality by once again presenting the opportunity that education provides. Education is our way out of this mess, and we should celebrate that by supporting our teachers and students while being open to the challenges brought on by a time of reformation.

Steps:

• Establish daily communication to build relationships between teachers, students, and parents

• Acknowledge the students concerns and create a pathway plan for educational success

• Positive messaging from Superintendent and Principals including clear expectations

• Focus on the opportunities education provides and be flexible to the reformation

Learning in a Time of Covid?

Rahm Emanuel said, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” COVID-19 changes everything, including education. I believe that this crisis will end the 19th century industrial model of students meeting in classrooms sitting in straight rows taking notes from a sage instructor. Although some educators have already engaged in the online learning model, it is now the clear answer for delivering learning to many students where they are, quarantined or not. 

The role of the classroom teacher has changed forever. No longer is their primary job to deliver information, we have TED and YouTube for that. Nor are they alone in their assessment and grading practices, there are digital supports for that as well. The duty of the teacher now is to guide students in their learning. That is a change in thinking and approach. An experienced Art teacher once entered my multimedia classroom and looked around at the walls. He asked me, “Where is your art?” I dodged the question by explaining that we worked in a virtual environment, often with animation or live video, and that’s hard to display. He pushed back with something like, “you need to demonstrate your work as you learn alongside your students. You are the lead learner.” Effective teachers lead their students through the learning process as they strive to build their own capacity as learners. Teachers now have an unprecedented opportunity to redesign their own learning experiences and invite the students to participate with them.

It’s never been about what teachers teach; it’s always been about what students learn. We now have the opportunity to embrace a new model for learning that focuses on the importance of student efficacy. And it’s important to their long term successes in the new economy where entry level service jobs may not be available. Service has been a staple industry sector for young people in the United States for years. From baristas to fast food, many entering the workforce get their first jobs in the service industry. It’s a great way to pay for higher education, no matter what path they choose. However, periods of isolation diminish the need for service as consumers spend more time at a distance from large groups. While many established businesses can shift to a work-from-home model, our youngest workers have not yet ascended to that level of success.

Students in the TK-14 system must be prepared for success in a world unlike any other. They must be creative entrepreneurs of the highest quality if they are going to succeed in the “gig” economy that now has no gigs. To be successful, they cannot be passive receivers of knowledge, but active engagers in their futures. After being told that school was canceled indefinitely, my 14 year old daughter asked if she could enroll at the local community college for online classes. While she waits for the public school system to respond, she wants to get started on her associates degree. Another avenue for students is the trades. Vocational education was once seen as a place to put students who did not fit into the academic track. Today, Career and Technical Education is viewed as a pathway for student success that begins with preparation during high school and leads to employment opportunities in high wage jobs as they pay their way through a post-secondary certification or degree program avoiding student loan debt.

For high school students, the answer is courses available through a variety of online platforms guided by a teacher actively engaged in their own learning process. Virtual meetings with students through video conferencing tools along with 24 hour chat boards for questions and answers replaces the need to meet in person. Many virtual lab activities are available for students learning laboratory science. In addition, simple project based learning opportunities completed in small groups at home provide other worthwhile experiences. On the job work based learning experiences in smaller office settings or virtually provide opportunities for CTE students to practice their professional skills. Online education could also expedite the process of earning a high school diploma along with an associates degree as students are no longer restricted to a school site master schedule. Success in an online environment requires that a student exercise discipline and commitment, two extraneous lessons that set them on a direct path to efficacy and long-term personal success. 

Right now, the rule for gathering is 10-12 people or less. That’s not very different from the current model for some levels of special education and could still work for our lower elementary students. These classes could resume for these populations to meet on a more traditional schedule at school sites as soon as school reopens. For upper elementary and middle school, a hybrid model of meeting in smaller groups for shorter periods than the traditional school day could be effective. These meetings could be an opportunity for small group instruction and pacing. After a few hours and a meal, students would be sent home to complete their studies for the day. Another option for some families is homeschool. Families who are able to support their students’ learning at home full time have access to many resources available through both public institutions and private groups. And they can get started immediately.

Perhaps the most regrettable victim of the epidemic is student athletics and other extra curricular experiences like field trips, dances, and graduation ceremonies. Although an effort is being made in many districts to go virtual through social media platforms by asking students to post pictures and videos of them celebrating at home, this cannot replace the experience of hitting a home run, exploring a new park or museum, dressing up for a formal dance, or hearing your voice called as you walk across the stage. Children already spend a large amount of time interacting on their devices, but real social development must evolve through an in-person environment. For now, these events may be postponed, but they are too important to whole child development to be canceled.

Public education is just that. Daycare is a byproduct of the system, but not its primary purpose. Nor is parenting students. I am impressed with school districts who have sent out parent resources that include a daily schedule for students including cleaning their rooms and going outside to play. I share parents’ frustration and their desperation at these challenging times, but a child’s daily routine is not the responsibility of educators. This is the time when groups beyond public education also need to support children and families. This Coronavirus crisis will pass, but the impact will be felt for many years. We need to rethink, retool, and reinvent our education delivery system along with our cultural, political, and practical responses to existential threats like this. 

Director

In August of 2019 I was promoted to Director of College and Career Readiness in my school district. My experience in Career Technical Education helped me secure the position which includes support of all 8 indicators on the California Dashboard College/Career Readiness indicator. My new professional responsibilities and the challenges of my personal life through the last two years have kept me from posting here, so I don't know if anyone is still tuned in. If you are, please leave a comment below.

As the majority of employees in my school district are waiting at home for the Coronavirus pandemic to pass, I continue to work with a small team of administrators in the central office brainstorming ideas of how to support our families. We are diligently studying the resources provided by our neighboring districts and contemplating what this lengthy school closure means to our students.

I am preparing a longer post about the impact of COVID 19 on education that I will share soon. While we educators are separated from our students, classrooms, and each other, it's important that we continue to dialogue about education and the issues we are facing. Hopefully the time away will be an opportunity to reflect and prepare for the inevitable changes that await us.

Mastering Competencies?

The student learning experience in Career Technical Education, and by extension in all of public education 6-12, will be focused on a pathway of instructional units based on mastering competencies. These competencies will be identified by specific industry sector partners working with post-secondary and secondary educators identifying key skill sets required for entry level jobs in their industries. Each competency will be assigned 1 unit of college credit from the post-secondary institution, and embedded into the secondary course curricula. Students will retain earned credit as they work towards a degree awarded upon completion of the pathway at the post-secondary institution.

Seriously?

I want to be taken seriously as an educator. I realized this recently while responding to an interview question for summer school principal. The question was, “why did you apply for this job?” I paused, then out of my mouth came, “I want to be taken seriously as an educator and administrator in this school district and I see this job as an opportunity for growth.” Stunned silence. I continued, “I consider myself to be my principal’s ‘right hand man’ responsible for the campus when he is away from school.” Apparently, this was not what the panel expected to hear.

The panel was composed of four comprehensive high school principals, and my district CTE supervisor. The next day my principal stopped me outside my office to let me know that he had selected me for the job. I explained during the interview that I was not available to work the whole assignment due to a conference and family vacation plans. He told me that he also selected another district administrator to split the assignment with me. Later, in an email he sent out to a colleague he referred to me as his, “right hand man.” Something changed in that interview.

I pivoted. Through all the reflective writing, teaching the graduate level preliminary teacher credential courses, 20 years of public middle and high school classroom experience, two master’s degrees, and a year and half of administration, I never said, “I am serious about being an educator.” I think this is something that all educators should stop and do right now because being an educator is a serious job. Education is about being committed to teaching people how to improve their lives. Education is about making a positive difference. Education is about growth and change. Education is important and necessary right now.

Administrative Qualifications?

Before launching my teaching career, I spent five years working in Hyde Park, South Central Los Angeles. My father bought an established wholesale barbeque rib business where I worked in sales and delivery. It was an amazing experience in diversity. All of our employees spoke Spanish, and most of our customers were from West LA. Koreans and African Americans owned most of the surrounding businesses. When the riot broke out in 1992, our shop was looted, but not burned down. I believe the business was saved because of the excellent relationship we established with our neighbors.

That was my “day job” while I worked on television and commercial production on the weekends. Production work is high-energy and complex. It requires excellent time-management skills. I learned how to create and keep a tight schedule, and how to complete tasks with precision. For example, I was once given three hours to find, purchase, and transport a size 54 orange jumpsuit (without the benefits of the Internet). I delivered the costume on time. I understand working under the pressure of a deadline, and the importance of accuracy.

In my first two years of teaching drama in middle school, I directed a group of traveling actors knows as Mime and Madness. Next, I brought my production experience with me to Redlands High School. I was asked to create a new media arts program. Today, the students in this program use technology to create their own short films and animation projects. They send their projects to competitive student film festivals. The "Digital Dogz" won top awards in the PAH (Project Accessible Hollywood) Festival sponsored by Christopher Coppola; the Inland Empire Media Academy Film Festival at San Bernardino Valley College; and the SLATE Short Film Festival.

In addition, I advised the RHS Associated Student Body while teaching Student Government and Leadership for two years. I also advised a service club of students who built houses for needy families in Mexico with the Hands of Mercy organization.

Administrative Application?

I am deep into the administrative application process. I have answered essay questions, listed my references, and uploaded my transcripts many, many times so far. My goal is to apply to 12 districts in 6 states before April 1. I’ve finished 6 applications for 9 jobs, so I’m well on my way. Each application process is a little bit different. Sometimes I luck out and can import my basic data from other applications or profiles. Most of the times I have to start from scratch. I’m glad that there is a vetting process; I just wish it wasn’t so repetitive.

Each time I respond to an essay question, or write out my personal statement, I feel compelled to answer the prompt, and I do. But I always feel like I’m leaving something out. How do I share my passion for education in 300 words or less? I’ve written 150 so far right here! I’ve published over 100 essays and articles and even a book. How do I zip everything I love about teaching and learning into a one-shot essay that is scanned next to a pool of other applicants? How do I stand out and share what I’m all about?

Let me try:

I am an educator. I teach people how to learn. When I work with a student in a classroom on an assignment, I serve as an instrument that actively changes their life. Their life! I guide and shape and mold and lead and engage and push my students to grow not only in their relationship to the subject matter, but also as people who will change the world. There is no better, more rewarding, or more exciting job on the planet. (Well, maybe obstetrician.) But a doctor only passes the ball; teachers take it to the house.

I make a daily effort to improve the people in my family, my classroom, and other areas of my life. I focus on being a positive force that encourages people by showing them how smart, capable and able they are to do anything they choose. I firmly believe that we are all unique creations gifted with talent and purpose. I think many people miss that. We all need someone to challenge us so that we can discover for ourselves just how powerful and successful we can be. That’s what educators do for their students each and everyday in the classroom.

I want to be an administrator so that I can encourage not only the students in one classroom, but also all the students on campus, along with all of the teachers, support staff, parents, volunteers, walk-on coaches, and anyone else involved. Imagine a campus where collaboration was a fundamental strategy for instruction. The whole staff working together to improve the lives of all of the students. Student success in the classroom was contagious and continued throughout their lives after commencement. It’s possible. It’s what’s best for kids. We can do it all together. I am so ready to get started!

Open Cover Letter

Every human being is unique and significant. I believe in the value, ability, and potential of each student, teacher, and advocate on campus. We all have abilities and talents ready to be discovered and developed through education.

I launched my teaching career at Royal Oak Middle School teaching drama. Next, I served for 17 years working with students as a teacher at Redlands High School. I taught a Perkins approved Arts Media and Entertainment Program of Study in Media Arts. In addition, I designed the curriculum for the entire media arts program.

While at Redlands High School I also taught English 9-12 and Screenwriting as Literature. I served as the Career Technical Education Department Chair, and was an active member of the leadership team through two WASC accreditation cycles. At the University of Redlands, I taught a variety of courses in the Preliminary Teacher Credential Program.

My goal is to share my enthusiasm for education. I want to support schools that are safety-zones for learning where students, teachers, administrators, and community members collaborate to achieve excellence in academics and activities. Together, we will excel at preparing students for college, career, and life.

Administrative Experience

This is a version of the final writing assignment from my completed administrative program.

Professional Gains

Insight
The time I spent with the high school principal  and  middle school principal shined a bright light on the function of public school administration. They invited me into their offices and escorted me through a world of challenges and support opportunities at multiple levels. My ideal of administration received a reality check. Now I feel prepared and enlightened. I am ready to turn the page and open the next chapter of my career in education.

Leadership Learning

Build relationships
The Superintendent emphasized the importance of working with all stakeholders from all groups. She stressed the value of communication with and gathering support from all individuals involved in education at the local level. I learned the value of successful communication in diverse settings.

Solve Problems
She also explained that 95% of her job was solving problems that she didn’t know existed until she faced them. Both principals echoed her statement. I learned that effective administrators respond to the wide range of needs both expressed and sometimes unknown by those they support.

Think Innovatively
I learned the importance of staying current on research, and thinking “outside of the box.” It is crucial that the educational leader be well prepared to build the essential relationships and solve the emerging problems they encounter. The principal can’t have all of the answers. What they can have is a strategy to marshal the required resources to guide their campus towards success.

Impact

Improved Instruction
My two highest rated assets on the LCAS survey were, “Helps people develop their abilities,” and, “Encourages new ideas.” I believe that the impact of applying these two assets to my work improved the quality of classroom instruction. Working with CTE department teachers, I promoted the development of new curriculum aligned to the CCSS. I also advised and provided individual guidance to these teachers that helped improve their pedagogy. In addition, I built the foundations for new programs that help students develop their talents and encouraged them to express new ideas.

Evolving Attitudes
My two highest rated opportunities for growth were, “Manages conflict skillfully,” and, “Confronts others skillfully.” I developed these two areas by building improved relationships with administrators and other teachers. I changed my approach to many educational issues from individualism to collectivism. I believe that the impact of these changes elevated my personal maturity and educational acumen. As a result, I was more effective in my leadership roles in school programs.

Strengthened Leadership
My personal strengths themes included: Input, Connectedness, Learner, Achiever, and Arranger. I believe the impact of my strength themes on the school programs was to complement the administrative team. Working throughout the program in a quasi-administrative intern-like role, I was able to contribute to the efforts of the administrative team by taking on projects that supported their leadership agenda. Serving as a teacher-liaison, I was able to effectively bridge the gap and make connections between teachers and administrators. I was also able to provide input and feedback from my unique perspective as a veteran teacher pursing an administrative position.

A Quiet Voice?

I wrote more this year than any before; mostly quietly (and not here). I wrote a third screenplay to add to my two previously completed efforts. You can read about them here: screenwriterbibo.blogspot.com. My first completed screenplay was recognized as an Official Finalist in the Thriller category of the Hollywood Screenplay Contest. That was fun. I am also blogging for my church and cross posting here: ph413blog.blogspot.com.

But most of my writing in 2014 was in pursuit of my administrative credential. Yes, finally. I submitted my case study today. It's on Teaming. Message me if you want to read it. I haven't posted the endless words recorded in that effort because not all of them were inspired or inspiring. Maybe, when I'm finished, I'll look back and post some highlights. In 2015 I will pursue an administrative position, most likely outside of California. Let me know if your district is hiring.

I am encouraged to see my cyber writer friends John Spencer, Matt Harmless and Kelly Tenkely continue to post regularly. I'm sure there are many fresh voices out there I haven't discovered yet.

Perhaps a change of blog title may soon be appropriate.

Administrative Support?

I’ve been critical of administrators in the past. I continue to take issue with many of the shortcomings of administrators in general. However, I have to give credit where credit is due, and recently my principal went to the mat for me, and won.

The issue had to do with technology in my classroom; the old computers needed to be replaced. I was teaching on Apple Macintosh computers. They had survived for seven years, way beyond their life expectancy or usefulness. In the Spring, the principal came to me and explained that money was available for new machines and asked me to put together a proposal. I did. I selected new Apple Macintosh computers to replace the old ones because I believe that they are the best tool for the job. (By the way, I do not work for Apple Computer, I really don’t. I can’t even get them to send me a nifty black polo shirt. Nothing.) I sent off my request and got back to teaching. However, having no power to guarantee my selection, I’m just the classroom teacher afterall, I wasn’t very confident that I’d get what I had asked for.

In addition, I had a feeling that my selection might cause some problems at the district level. You see, I work for a Windows/Dell ONLY district. Someone somewhere decided that it would be easier to support a single platform, and they selected Windows/Dell. That’s fine. I can understand the need to simplify the support process and the benefits of everyone having the same type of computer hardware and software. BUT, mine is a special case. I teach multimedia classes. More specifically, University of California category F (Fine Arts) approved college prep Art classes, not ROP computer classes. I’m in no way knocking ROP computer classes, their hugely important. I teach the elements of Art and principals of design, NOT THE SOFTWARE. Again, I believe that the Apple Macintosh computer is the better tool for the courses I teach.

To further complicate the situation, the money to pay for the new machines could not be spent until July 1st. School starts on August 15th, so the purchase process had to be expedited. The purchase requisition floated in limbo until the end of June when it finally hit the district technology coordinators desk. After the technology coordinator read the requisition we spoke on the phone at length defending our two positions without resolve. As a result, representatives from both Apple and Adobe, who writes software for Windows, were invited to make presentations to a panel including most of the district technology support staff, my principal, and myself. Five hours over two days were spent listening and carefully considering the merits of both groups of software applications. While I was thoroughly impressed by what Adobe had to offer my mind was not changed. Neither was the mind of the district technology coordinator… at first.

The last three paragraphs have been prologue to what happened next. I went on at length because I felt it was important for you the reader to see the whole picture. To recap: I was placed in a situation where I was asked by my supervisor to make a decision and I made it. However, I was given no power at all to enforce my decision, and my choices were rejected at the district level. District 1, Teacher 0, end of story, right?

Wrong, the story continues. Instead of my principal turning to me at the end of both presentations and saying, “oh well, we tried, enjoy your new PCs,” she began to ask questions of the technology coordinator. Keep in mind that this is not the most “tech-savvy” (her words) person in the world. The Principal stressed that this decision should be prioritized with the curriculum and the needs of the students at the top of the list. The technology coordinator agreed. The Principal pressed on by asking about the potential problems that having two platforms on the same network would create. What at first appeared to be a monumental problem, quickly dissolved into something “doable.” I kept my mouth shut. The end of the story was that in spite of district policy deciding against the teacher’s choice for his classroom, the principal stood up for the teacher and fought for victory and won. I’m getting new Apple Macintosh computers for my classroom.

As a teacher I have to say that it is a wonderful feeling when I am given the respect I feel that I deserve, and when instead of being told what, how, when, where, and why I will teach, I’m asked, “what do you need to be successful with your students in your classroom?” And then I get it. Sure, it’s rare, even in the best districts, with the best administrators. But it happened to me, and for that I am very thankful.

I think that sometimes we teachers forget our place in the world. Not in a bad way. But because we get dumped on so much, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance that we make as individuals building up the lives of the students in our classrooms. I can’t even get curtains to block out the sun so that the kids can clearly see my LCD projection. I’ve been asking for them for four years! But then, every once in a while we’ll get that special note, or an email, or phone message from a parent or a former student that makes us say, “oh yea, that’s why I do this.” And sometimes, after being told there’s not enough money in the budget for more microscopes, or we must teach these standards on these days, and give this test before that date by our administrators, the administrators are able to do something extraordinarily significant to support the teachers. Sure, it’s their job, and they get paid more than us, and they’re really just Sith anyway (Star Wars reference), but I believe that in their hearts, most administrators want the same thing the teachers want: to do what’s best for the kids. Sometimes the administrators fail, and sometimes they save the day.

Administrative Awakening?

I recently met with an old friend and former principal who responded to my previous essays on principals and administration with this email note:

Your ideas on administration are right-on. Of course, you would try to do too much, but that's what makes a good educator. You'll never get everything you want, but the goal setting increases the possibility of getting much of it. When you are finally ready to recognize the sacrifice of giving up teaching can mean dividends for other teachers and their students, you'll begin to think about administration. If that day never comes it's perfectly OK. However, the fact you're thinking about these things puts you in danger of acting on them....

He also just happens to be the interim Dean of Education at our local University. I think I'm in real trouble here. So how does it sound, "Cal Administrator Blog"? Not quite as catchy, but maybe...

What really struck me about what he wrote was, "When you are finally ready to recognize the sacrifice of giving up teaching can mean dividends for other teachers and their students, you'll begin to think about administration." Isn't “dividends for other teachers and their students” what I've been writing about? Does taking the next step mean that I have to leave the classroom?

We also spoke about my teaching at the University level. I'd like to be the first face a teacher candidate sees in his or her teacher education program. The one who asks the question, "Are you ready to become a teacher?" And, "Why have you chosen teaching?" Followed up by, "What are your goals in education?" That would scare at least a few of the meek away. I could be like James Naughton in the Paper Chase, "You come in here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a..." teacher.

Am I experiencing an administrative awakening, or something else? Is this simply a "grass is always greener" moment? I don't think so. I must be crazy. Most of the teachers I know and spend time with would never consider a move to administration. Those people are the suits! So why is it nagging at me? Why am I writing about administration? What have the last six months of blog entries really been all about? Is this the natural conclusion?

I am afraid that if I become an administrator that I will spend my days suspending students and attending meetings that have nothing to do with improving the experience students have in the classroom. Well, I guess they might, but not with the direct influence I currently enjoy. My friend described administrators as the “teacher of teachers.” That’s what I want to do, not spend my day on the phone with Johnny’s parents because he’s been a naughty boy, or arguing for more funding because my budget is in the red.

I’ve been investigating credential programs. I haven’t even paid off my Master’s degree yet and here I am considering going further into debt. I’m still paying off my teacher credential loans and that was 12 years ago. I have a few options to consider, but I’ll end up taking the path that gets me to the goal the fastest and with the least amount of time spent away from home. I like online courses (naturally).

The other thing that concerns me about administration is the increased time commitment. Right now I enjoy my afternoons with my baby daughter and being available to attend all of my sons’ baseball games. I’m afraid that I’d have to forfeit some of that personal time to be on campus later, longer, and for more days during the year. The brighter side of that concern is the increased income. The pay scale in my district shows our principal earning 6 figures. That would be nice. But money is not my main motivation, and never has been. If it had, I wouldn’t have chosen education as a career path in the first place.

As far as trying to “do to much,” is concerned, well, I spend a portion of my free time each week writing a blog about teaching that is not widely read or recognized so… I am already trying to “do to much.” Maybe as an administrator my efforts would be put to better and for effective use. Imagine if I required my staff to read my blog entry each week. They’d hate me.

However, I have already considered the first person that I would hire wherever I ended up administrating. She is a substitute teacher here completing her pupil personnel service credential. She was also the Pep Commissioner during her senior year when I was the ASB Advisor. We established an excellent working relationship. She is hard working, dedicated, brilliantly intelligent, and passionate about education. A perfect employee. I wonder how many more like her that I could find to staff my school? Email your resumes to…

Just as I believe that teaching chose me (to the point that that is possible), if I am to become an administrator, the process will be much the same. I had to be convinced to substitute teach, but once I did, I was hooked from the first day. I’ve already performed some quasi-administrative duties at my school. I’ve enjoyed working with my colleagues in leadership positions. I’ve received some positive feedback, and some suggestions for improvement. I’m not yet as excited about administrative leadership as I was about teaching, but that could change.

Often we don’t see ourselves as others see us. I am guiltier of this than most. I am reluctant to change and if it weren’t for my wife, I’m convinced that I would still be stuck somewhere in 1991 (the year that we were married). I rely on the advice and perspective of those around me to help me make the best decisions possible. I’ve been consulting my friends and family seeking their guidance on this decision to make the administrative change. I haven’t made up my mind yet. If you are an administrator, or have ever considering taking the leap, I’d be interested in your observations and experience to help me make this decision.

Please post your comments below.

A leap into administration?

I don’t want to be an administrator. Of course, there was a time I didn’t want to be a teacher either. I once held a Teacher on Assignment position for two years where I only taught three classes and spent the rest of the time advising a student group on campus. When I went to my then principal to resign I explained that part of the reason I was quitting that position was that I didn’t see myself as an administrator, and that I wanted to spend more of my time in the classroom. He accepted my resignation, but shared that he didn’t see me the same way I did, and that, like it or not, administration would be in my future sometime.

The last time I wrote about administration I really stepped in it. Part of the reason I don’t want to make the leap into administration has to do with what I wrote before:

…I also believe that the minute you lose daily contact with students, you lose your effectiveness as an educator. I believe that one must have the best intentions and desire to improve schools if they take on an administrative position, but that motivation often gets set aside by the requirements of security, discipline issues, parent contacts, and now, test scores.

But if I were to become an administrator, what would my “best intentions” be?

First, I would make sure that the life-long success of the students was the primary focus of the campus. Seems obvious, but sometimes I wonder if that is really the goal of education today. By that I mean that the current educational environment measures student achievement in test scores. How well do they perform on the standardized test? While testing is an important measurement for student progress, in my opinion, standardized tests do not reflect a student’s ability to survive in the world we send them into after graduation. I don’t know about you, but once I graduated college, the only tests I took were to become a teacher. If a person doesn’t plan on teaching, or medicine, or law, then what is the value of making them professional test takers? I think we are doing the students a huge disservice by focusing so much attention on test scores. I don’t know what difference I could make from a campus administrative position to this nation-wide current in education, but I would do my best to make sure that my students left my campus with more practical skills than just test taking.

The second thing I would do was to make the teachers the educational leaders of the campus, and not the administration. I believe that administrators are there to support the teachers, and not the other way around. Frustrating when not all teachers are willing to take on leadership roles with their colleagues. But it’s the teachers, and not the administrators, that have the daily, hourly contact with students. Teachers should be given all of the support they require to do the best job possible for the students. Support in the form of funding, time to prepare, and appropriate staff development. I would schedule time to not only visit every classroom at least once a week (if physically possible), but also sit down and talk with my teaching staff about whatever they wanted to talk about. Our conversations could be school related, or not. The important reason to talk to the teachers would be to make connections and build relationships with the staff, just like we should be doing with our students. Teachers, like students, will work harder for individuals they know, and who they feel know and appreciate them. Once I knew my teachers better, I would encourage them to exercise their areas of strength by sharing and collaborating with their fellow teachers within and outside of their subject areas.

Third, I would strive to include more parents in the educational process. After all, its their kids were teaching. Not all parents feel like they have a place at their children’s schools. That feeling needs to be changed to one of invitation and inclusion. Kids do better when they see their parents actively involved and caring about their education. Parents volunteering in the classroom (yes even in middle and high school) and office, parents involved with activities, parents as not only guest speakers, but also guest instructors. The teacher credentialing process makes becoming a certificated teacher very challenging, and excludes some very qualified candidates. However, that does not mean that experienced parents cannot contribute to the education of students in the classroom with credentialed teacher supervision. Of course parents work and have commitments that keep them occupied while they send their kids to public school, but with a little creativity, and maybe through the use of technology, parents can become even more involved. The school belongs to the community; the education of students should be a community effort.

Finally I would require my administrative colleagues to work directly with students for some portion of their day. Not in the role of disciplinarian, but as a teacher. Whether it is teaching a single class during the day, or working with student government, or coaching a sport, or sponsoring a club, this type of connection with kids is vital to staying focused on the most important thing schools do, teach students. In exchange for time not spent administrating, I would encourage teachers to share in part of the administrative burden. Instead of teachers always sending their problem student out to administrators, relying on admin to handle parent contacts, I would leave that up to the teachers to handle on their own. In this way it would require teachers to improve their classroom discipline, relationships with students and parents, and gain a real appreciation for what administrators face everyday.

I’m not an administrator and that’s probably a good thing. It’s likely that after reading this few teachers would want to work for me anyway. A current administrator reading this might remark that I had no idea what I was writing about. There is a whole world of administration I don’t know anything about, for example: working with the district office, maintaining buildings and grounds, the expulsion process, attendance issues, operating a security force, holding cabinet meetings, dealing with legal issues, and of course making sure that every student performs adequately on the standardized tests. Maybe if campus administrators didn’t have to deal with any of these issues they could spend more time on the four areas I listed above. I suspect that if I did join the administrators it wouldn’t be long before my idealism was weighed down by the realities of marinating a public school. And maybe not. Sure my ideas may be wishful thinking, but change and reform does not happen until somebody dreams up a crazy idea and then takes a leap of faith.

Please post your comments below.

How to deal with your principal?

This post is a response to an email request.

"Principals come and go." That’s what I was told early on in my teaching career. Since then I've survived four principals in 10 years. So, the statement is true. In fact administrators are far more transitory then are teachers. However, at my high school we have not only experienced a high turn over of administrators, but also a 60% turnover in teachers in the last five years. When I was a kid it seemed like teachers and administrators were fixtures of the high school: they never got older, never changed jobs, and never retired. But that of course is untrue, and in the world of education today, it’s understandable how administrators, especially principals, find it difficult to stay put, at least at the high schools.

The pressure attached to administration of public schools is unbelievable. I have no desire to become an administrator because I don’t want that pressure in my life, and I also believe that the minute you lose daily contact with students, you lose your effectiveness as an educator. I believe that one must have the best intentions and desire to improve schools if they take on an administrative position, but that motivation often gets set aside by the requirements of security, discipline issues, parent contacts, and now, test scores. The threat of complete administrative staff dismissal and alternative agencies taking over campuses is real and frightening. I don’t know if it is actually happening anywhere yet, or if improvements were made, but the intimidation alone is enough to scare most willing administrative souls to be very cautious, and focused on whatever means are necessary for them to keep their schools, and more importantly, their jobs.

Teachers are often completely frustrated with their administrators because the teachers don’t feel like the administrators are paying the right kind of attention to the teachers’ classroom or personal needs; or that the principal, or anyone is actually in their corner. Teachers are often blamed for the lack of student achievement. When teachers do get support from administrators, it is often not in a form the teacher is seeking. Example: test score data in our district is collected by district officials through end-of-course exams, and then returned to the teachers to be analyzed and disaggregated in a timely fashion. It’s the “timely fashion” part that makes the teachers crazy, because while the student results are given to the teachers the same day they give the test, results by question results are not always returned within a significant and useful time frame. The data is critically important to teachers who desire to improve their students’ performance. The data is available, but not delivered quick enough to make appropriate changes. The principal and other administrators serve the unfortunate role of go-betweens and receive the brunt of the teachers’ frustration. But there is little administrators at the campus level can do to improve the situation.

I’m not defending administrators, or suggesting that there is nothing they can do to improve their job performance from the perspective of the classroom teacher. However, I believe that in much the same way that the demonization of teachers for poor student performance can be disingenuous, teachers blaming site administrators for what isn’t happening at our public school campuses can be equally inappropriate.

I’d like to see my high school make changes that I feel the administrators could be more effective in making happen. But to be honest, I don’t completely understand the administrators’ jobs. That’s a little like a parent expecting me to turn their child into a computer genius when their son or daughter doesn't understand keyboarding. Administrators, like teachers, have a lot on their plates. Teachers get frustrated and disappointed when their administrators cannot effectively attend to their problems. Understandable, but perhaps not realistic, for teachers to treat administrators that way.

Perhaps we teachers need to do a better job of handling our own issues and being more effective educational leaders when given the opportunities. (Heretic! I can hear some saying aloud.) Seriously. In my entire teaching career I’ve only written a handful of referrals, and only when I absolutely had to due to fighting in class, theft, or some other egregious act. When little Johnny is a pain in my class, I deal with it myself; I don’t send him to the Dean of Discipline every other day. But then, I don’t have many Johnny Pains in my class because my students are actively engaged in learning.

There are some areas that are out of our control completely. I am continually frustrated beyond words by our counseling office. Year after year I go to the counseling staff with clear and precise information about my courses, and year after year I am either ignored or… For example: my Multimedia CP course is a SOPHOMORE level Art course that carries a prerequisite. The prerequisite is an authentic preparation for the work in the multimedia course. I literally pick up exactly where the prereq finishes off. Yet every year I have freshman students or others who did not take the prerequisite course show up on my class roster. Infuriating! Then there was the year that our programming courses were omitted from the course listings. Students cannot sign up for courses that are not available to them. Had my colleagues and I not caught the error, well it didn’t matter, because we caught it after the course lists had gone to print and had been sent home to parents.

I don’t believe that you can “deal” with a principal anymore than you can “deal” with anyone. Nor would it be appropriate or effective to approach an administrator with such an attitude. I believe that most administrators do the best job they can given the requirements of their position. I think that many teachers fail to recognize what exactly the administrative job requirements are. It would be a very eye-opening experience if every teacher spent one day shadowing any administrator, (but who has time for that?) Teachers need to be willing to work with their administrative staff. Of course we should always voice our concerns, but stubborn insubordination is a dead end. Frustrating, disappointing, even angering at times, but unless teachers are willing to take on even more responsibilities then we already do, we cannot expect more from the principal and his or her assistants who are equally overwhelmed by the current state of education in which we all struggle.

Am I saying just get along and get over it? No. Teachers have two choices. Either work with the current administration as best as possible, or wait it out. The burnout rate for administrators is so high these days that it won’t be long before another one comes along to govern the campus. Maybe they’ll do a better job.

Please post your comments below.

WASC Process?

I kept this journal during our WASC accreditation week this year. I shared this blog entry with my Principal before publishing as a professional courtesy, and in an effort to self edit. She had some concerns that we discussed in a private meeting. Mostly she was interested in my motivation: was I trying to use this writing as a catalyst to take on a educational leadership position, or just expressing my thoughts and sharing my experience. The latter. I'm not bent on changing education in a single blog post. So if you are approaching your WASC week, take comfort in knowing that you're not the first, and you won't be the last to go through the "process." You will survive.

Day 1, Sunday 3:00 PM First Meeting.
The visiting team arrived today and toured the campus. The team consists of 8 administrators and teachers; some power players and some regular guys. The leadership team (I was co-chair of the Assessment Focus Group) sat down for a 75 minute meet/greet/Q&A session. The good news is that we did a great job on the self-study document so there weren't many questions that we hadn't already covered in some capacity. Everyone volunteered some response, but not me. For a change, I kept quiet. Not because I didn't want to contribute to the discussion, but because I wanted to listen and pay attention to the process. The visit is a 4-day process, I'll have many opportunities to share.

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Day 2, Monday 6:45 AM Meeting.
Many follow up questions from Sunday afternoon. This morning the visiting team asked about the AP program; specifically what we are doing for the higher level kids. Redlands High School traditionally excels at helping higher level kids from a mostly middle to upper level income background succeed and go on to college. We offer a full schedule of H, E, and AP courses. But RHS is changing: we are now officially designated Title 1. The current challenge is to continue to send a large number of students on to college, but now from a population with greater than 40% low SES. The atmosphere among the teachers has always been more like one from a university: very professional, committed to teaching, and expert in the individual content areas. The good news is that this group of professionals is excited about the new challenges it's facing.

Day 2, Monday 2:00 PM Observation.
I planned a great lecture/presentation for today in anticipation of being observed. I was demonstrating the use of the digital video camera. I had my PowerPoint presentation going, the camera plugged into the LCD projector, and the kids were taking notes. It was perfect. (Not only that, but I bribed each one of my classes with doughnuts if they behaved well when observed.) Traditionally 6th period is a tough room so of course that's the one that got observed. I think my overall presentation was pretty impressive, and the kids were actually great, but as luck would have it, my observer came to watch during the worst possible part of my lecture. As she took notes, I sat in a chair in front of the live camera, with a bright light on ME, while the kids watched the cool built-in camera special effects on the projector screen. Of course, I was clowning around having a great time so I probably looked like an incompetent who spends his days "playing" with technology and "entertaining" the kids. Oh well.

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Day 3, Tuesday 6:45 AM Meeting.
The visiting team leader shared some concerns after a full day of meetings and observations. First the visiting team saw a lack of what they consider "differentiated instruction" in classroom visits. This is tough since the week is topsy-turvy with multiple meetings, teachers pulled out of classrooms at irregular times, and visitors showing up in classrooms unannounced (see the previous paragraph). The second issue concerned formative assessment at more regular intervals. For example, testing for progress at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 9 weeks instead of just a the midterm or end of year. This too is problematic since teachers already assess their own students in their own classrooms nearly daily. The fact that this type of assessment is not formal, regular, or coordinated with other teachers of the same subject does not mean that the teachers are not using the assessments correctly, or making appropriate modifications. Hmmm.

Day 3, Tuesday 8:00 AM Focus Group Meeting (the BIG Show).
We were divided into two groups. Being a Co-Focus Group Leader I was separated from my partner, a math teacher. In my group I had a handful of "aces" and other teachers and staff members who made excellent contributions. I was the "lead man" so I got the first question concerning process directly at me. I stumbled through some incoherent response, and was pleasantly bailed out by some of my colleagues. The questioning continued in a non-confrontational atmosphere of respectful curiosity. There were two important points I wanted to make. First, when asked about structured meeting time, I responded that while the staff in general resented formal meetings when little was accomplished, they took advantage of multiple informal opportunities to collaborate. This staff genuinely enjoys each other's company. For example, the Science department barbecues every Friday at lunch. Sure they spend time visiting socially, but they also use that time to improve their teaching by sharing useful experiences. Two teachers walking down any hallway on campus will most likely be discussing something school related, usually positive, and almost always constructive. The second talking point on my list concerned our approach to the changing demographic. The good news is that this staff is not stuck in the "that's the way we've always taught it" mentality. However, there is a "that's the way we've always done it" approach to the traditions on campus, as there should be. These teachers come to school everyday ready to face the challenge of the kids that show up everyday, to fulfill their needs wherever the kids are at. That is how this high school is going to survive and continue to excel.

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Day 4, Wednesday 8:30-10:30 AM
The worst part is being pulled out of class during random hours. The same random hours. This is the second day in a row that I will miss 2nd period. The problem with that beyond the chance of my class being observed without me in it, is how my absent throws off my teaching schedule. I try to keep my five similar classes heading in the same direction at the same pace. I can't do that when I miss the same period two days in a row.

For two hours this morning I sat through a word-for-word reading of the rewrite of the chapter 4 self-study. Why a visiting team who spends less than 20 hours on campus is qualified to rewrite our "self" study I do not know. Mostly they used what we wrote with minor adjustments. However there were a few areas I am concerned about.

The first one goes back to what I wrote previously about random observations during irregular days. They wrote that based on their observations in the classroom, "daily instruction appears to be predominately teacher-centered with few research-based instructional strategies..." This seems to imply that our teachers don't use other than teacher-centered instruction, and that is simply untrue. Unfair in my opinion to site such a finding based on very limited classroom observation time under strained circumstances. We provided evidence to the contrary in our original self-study, but that was not referenced in their rewrite. A few paragraphs later they list some of the ways technology is used in instruction, but leave out specific examples that could have been observed if a better schedule had been created for observation time. Perhaps I am being a bit whinny here, but I don't like the idea that our teachers might be misrepresented.

The second and much larger issue relates to the lack of Frequent Common Formative Assessments. Apparently "everybody" is doing it these days. Really? My problem here is that this is already happening by the teachers on this campus in their own unique (and I think unique is important here) way. Teachers are constantly assessing, and reteaching based on data collected from these assessments. The current method allows teachers to assess specifically to their own unique population of students. Apparently the research shows that teachers who create these (shall we call them FCFAs) do show improved results. My question is, where do they start from? From a 700+ API? Part of the reason we do as well as we do here is that teachers are allowed some freedom in their teaching. Freedoms that have already been restrained by standards, standardized testing, and NCLB. It feels like we're heading to a place where the "art" of teaching is being replaced by the "science " of teaching and (to make a leap) computers and software alone will be sufficient to teach kids. All we really need is labs of really fast PC's (Macs are for "artists") and a tech who can turn the power on while Read 180, NOVANET, and the Rosetta Stone take over. Am I nothing more than a future iTeacher or is it I, Teacher? Seriously, if my teaching schedule is going to be so regimented, my quizzes and chapter tests written and given to me by a "testing committee," my finals provided and scored by the district office, then where exactly is my input going to be used? Oh, that's right, to make sure that no child gets left behind. But what about leaving the teacher behind? Thank God I'm an elective teacher; we get ignored because we're Dodo birds (soon to be extinct). Someday I'll be back in the English classroom. When I am I hope that the job requirements includes more than simply unlocking the classroom door.

Day 4, Wednesday 2:30 PM The Final Meeting?
The staff collected for the visiting team's presentation of the WASC report. They shared the same basic information I had heard earlier in the day. We all applauded. We also applauded a woman, a retired teacher of over 40+ years, who did a wonderful job organizing the entire experience for our school; without her, we would have never made it. And so it ends.

One of the comments I heard, and I've been hearing since the current administration took over awhile back, is that ours is a "good" school working to become "great." I resent that. Maybe it's my ego. I think my school is not just good, or great, but unbelievably, off-the-charts, cosmically GREAT! Sure, we have areas we need to improve upon, and the "WASC Process" helped us identify and created an action plan to address those needs. My father used to tell me, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." My school is not "broke." I fear that in an effort to fix what isn't broken we may actually become "good," and then need to strive for "great." Or perhaps we can indeed put the WASC recommendations into action and move from "unbelievably, off-the-charts, cosmically GREAT" to "SUPREME GREATNESS!" Time will tell, or at least the midterm WASC report in three years.

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UPDATE
My hostility towards the Frequent Common Formative Assessments is wearing off a little. While I still reject anything that forces teachers into unbreakable look-alike molds, I do see the benefit of sharing comparable data and collectively choosing the best test items. As for post-WASC cleanup, we're now faced with the challenge of figuring out how to bank time. I still feel that our WASC report misses some very important issues on our campus, but the areas it does address will be important to our continued success educating kids.

iTeacher or I, Teacher?

What is the future of teaching using technology? Will teachers wag the technology tail, or will the technology tail wag us? Schools all over the country are embracing the use of technology in the classroom. Not just computers, but LCD projectors, VOIP phones, and video conferencing are all common in many of today's 21st. Century classrooms. Software titles abound in an effort to help the classroom teacher meet the needs of "all" students. From Microtype Pro to Geometer's Sketchpad, there is a computer application to fit almost every need. Teaching is changing, and change is good. But what kind of change is on the horizon? And have we already gone too far? Some teachers are still in the "how do I use this e-mail thing?" stage while others spend their days simply facilitating the online experience for their students. How can technology best be applied to the everyday regular-ed classroom? It starts with teacher training. But before we go blindly into the great electrical unknown, I think it's important that we pause and consider our futures as teachers using technology. We must ask ourselves, will I strive to become a competent tech-savvy iTeacher, or will I simply react robotically as if Asimov had written I, Teacher?

Technology is good for education. Certainly our pupils need to be well prepared for their future's and their future contributions to the world. That includes technical literacy. However, technical literacy is not on the public school agenda at this time. Right now, high school public education in California is about the A-G requirements and passing the CASHEE. Neither requires any technical know-how at all. Finding a class in a high school that teaches technology can be challenging. I teach multimedia courses that not only use technology but also teach technology. But my courses are the exception. It's didn't use to be that way. Elective courses in high schools today that could teach technology are being re-designated VOC ED or replaced by math and English review courses designed to leave no child behind. I am in not in favor of leaving any child behind, however I don't understand the logic of replacing important and effective elective courses with remedial academic courses on the master schedule. But that's not what I am writing about right now.

In 2006 there are more and more software applications available and more and more money being invested on hardware and software designed to help students succeed in passing the standardized tests. Money that in my opinion would be better spent on paying people to repair, maintain, and instruct teachers on the proper use and care of the software and hardware we already possess. While this equipment requires electricity and a dry environment to operate in, it doesn't require much input from a biological life-form beyond supplying access to the electricity and monitoring the "on-task" status of the students engaged in "learning". And the software works. Students who use these tools show improved test scores. They don't get "left behind." But what about the teachers? What is our future here? Will we be replaced by classified lab-techs? (they're cheaper to employ)

Our survival is being threatened here. Don't you see it? We teachers need to fight for our futures. We need to fight the I, Teacher syndrome by becoming iTeachers; by training ourselves to use the technology wisely, appropriately, and effectively, so that the technology doesn't end up using us! It's easy for me since I teach technology classes, but all of us, especially the regular education classroom teachers need to learn how to use this stuff, and use it well. It's no longer acceptable to say, "I didn't get the email because I don't know how to use that thing." We are not dinosaurs. But if we ignore the changes in education, if we deny the role of technology in our daily classroom lives, we are destine to suffer the dinosaurs fate.

I’m clearly preaching to the choir here. The mere fact that you are curious and competent enough to search out into the Internet and find a blog site like this is evidence enough of your own technical mastery. You know all of this already. Together we must make a stand for our survival and indoctrinate our colleagues before they are assimilated (Star Trek reference, sorry).

At my school funding is drying up for technology courses, even those that satisfy the category “F” art requirement for UC/CSU. We got a huge start with the Digital High School grant way back in the late 90’s. But now that money is gone, and the equipment purchased during that period is at end-of-life, and in need of replacement. Sadly the funding is just not there if the program is not somehow tied to improving API, AYP, or AMOs. So, I’m going to try and sell the concept that not only does the multimedia program stand alone on it’s own merits deserving of being continued with a new generation of hardware and software, but also that this new equipment will be used to help train the rest of the staff on how they can better use the technical stuff they have at their disposal in their own classrooms. Survival is the name of the game.

I don’t know exactly where education is headed; it’s silly to speculate too much. But one thing is clear to me: I want to stay employed as a teacher working with kids. Are teachers really in danger of being replaced by automated education? Probably not. But the chasm of technical literacy between students and teachers today is frightening. The idea that software can remediate more effectively than a human teacher is just plain weird. But who knows? Perhaps the more we rely on computers to teach the basic core, the more time we’ll have to teach the really fun stuff. The pendulum always swings back, and while in the current environment of “it’s about the test scores, stupid,” we have no time to really explore Shakespeare, to rebuild the great pyramids using geometric shapes, or to explore the universe. In the future, if we master teaching using technology (and not technology using us), we may get back to a place where we can return to the “enrichment” part of the educational experience.

Education Industry?

I went to an open house recently for the Art Institute. During the presentation one of the speakers referred to her experience in the "education industry." That was a new one on me. It got me thinking. Maybe we are approaching this public education thing all-wrong. Maybe education should be run like a business. Many in the past have tried to apply the business model to education and failed. However, more and more we are seeing private educational institutions like the Art Institute pop up, recruit students, and achieve success unequaled by traditional Ed. What's that about?

Perhaps it's their approach to education. They specialize. Standard 4-year universities focus more on a well-rounded general education for students. Great if you want to teach at the university. Not so great if you want to actually go out and use your education for a career aspiration. Not these days. I agree that an education in the "classics" is very valuable and applies to many aspects of life. But being trained in the "classics" is not the same as job training. Of course, education should be about more than job training. The "university" experience is full of a broad spectrum of experiences including meeting different and interesting individuals, fending off radical professors, and don't forget the wild parties. But all that can be included in a more rigorous and fine-tuned course of study off campus. Not to mention the timeline. I don't know about you, but it took me 5 years to get my 4 year undergraduate degree, 2 years to get my teaching credential, and close to 10 years after that before I finished my Masters. Perhaps my experience is unique, but I don't think so. The Art Institute offers a 36 month long bachelor’s degree. Three years, that's it.

Of course I am talking about higher education, not K-12, but what would be wrong with specialization in K-12 education? Oh that's right, we used to call that tracking, and tracking was bad because it pigeonholed kids who were never able to break out of the stereotype (or so I heard.) Now we have charter and magnet schools. I visited a school named CART in Clovis a few years ago. Very cool, high-tech, lots of color and airy buildings. The kids loved it. They were engaged and learning. No knuckleheads or slackers allowed. (Maybe they went to their own school for knuckleheads and slackers.) I don't have data on the success rates of the kids who attended the school, but I bet they numbers were high, and I bet they met their API and AYP in all subgroups.

Times have changed, so why shouldn't education? I was challenged in a previous post to come up with some new ideas to restructure or reform education. Mostly I was having fun, but somebody took me seriously. I really don't know where to begin to fix education, and I'm not so sure it needs fixing. I think instead we need a better and more refined focus. Public education tries to do too much. Not that educating kids is too much, but the way the current system (dis)functions, and with NCLB, we are overwhelmed. Especially here in California with the high number of ELL students.

The demographics of my high school have changed dramatically in the last ten years. We are going through the WASC process right now (blog post coming soon) so this data is being scanned and studied in detail. Teachers who have traditionally sent many middle to upper class kids on to college are now teaching a far more diverse group. We are learning new teaching strategies for reaching “all” students and adapting what we know works for our changing population. The good news is that we are still sending many kids to college.

We tell all students that they must go to college to be successful. But that’s not true for all students. Not that a college education will hurt anyone (not permanently anyway) but there are excellent alternatives that do not inevitably lead to a future in ditch digging (no offense meant to ditch diggers, I’ve dug many ditches myself, ditch diggers have my respect). In California, the standards for admission set by the University of California dictate the course load a “college-bound” student takes in their four high school years. Very soon these will be the graduation requirements for my high school as well. And yet, a very small number of students at my high school actually attend the University of California. Why is the UC wagging the tail of public education in California when the UC is not the most popular next step? It doesn’t make sense to me.

Some students do thrive in “alternative” settings. But my experience with current alternative education is that it is not an equal alternative to tradition high school. Kids behind on credits temporarily attend an “alternative,” also called continuation, school site where they get credit for seat time, and released daily before 1pm. The teachers I know that teach alternative education love it. The kids who go to the alternative school look forward to their “second” chance. But few of these kids return to graduate with their class at the regular high school.

Education is not and should not be a business. Grades can never be purchased, and degrees and diplomas cannot by granted for anything less than solid academic work. But if the current system is not being effective for “all” students, then what's wrong with inviting a different model. Progress is clearly being made in the neo "professional/trade" school approach to higher education, and charter and magnet schools are working for their target student groups. Of course there will always be a place for traditional 4-year high school and universities, but perhaps we should make more room for truly alternative education. Instead of preparing every kid to attend a university when every kid does not end up attending a university, perhaps we should be preparing every kid to be contributing members of society in ways more appropriate to their skills, talents, abilities, and desires.