For the past 50 years, Americans have pursued quality education--especially in mathematics and the sciences--for all American children. Many attempts have been made by some very smart people--and with considerable success. But while these programs were often successful, the courses often were too difficult for the teachers assigned to teach them.
Most of those who developed these courses were either scientists, mathematicians, or university professors. This was good. But the efforts were wasted because little attempt was made to recruit teachers, who not only were familiar with and masters of the content, but knew how to teach that content in a manner that allows all student to succeed. That means enabling students to master content at levels commensurate with their abilities, interest and willingness to devote reasonable time maximizing their learning.
Maximizing the learning of every child is the responsibility of every school, teacher, principal and superintendent. But the job of differentiating instruction in manners that allow students to learn a their rates is not easy. And because there are too few strategies for doing so that are known to teachers, use of the strategy should not be limited to teachers who take it upon themselves either to develop strategies that works for them, or use strategies developed by other teachers.
So let's assume that effective teaching strategies are possible--or better still, exist--which would enable schools to succeed with all children. How would these strategies be placed in the hands and heads of teachers? It is a disgrace that in fifty years we still don't have such strategies available. Is it that teachers who have mastered the strategy of differentiating instruction are compensated too well by becoming consultants? Or do they earn more attractive salaries by going to school districts--or even colleges and universities--which reward them handsomely for their knowledge? For some reasons, differentiating instruction is not making it to our many failing schools.
Chicago is in the process of closing failing schools. Parents, students, teacher unions and community leaders are concerned but unsure about the reasons. Are the concerned about the closing of schools or about the reasons why the schools are being closed?
Suggestions are being made that schools are being closed because they are in minority neighborhoods, that somebody does not want minority children to receive an education. Others suggest that these schools are being closed because of poor academic performances by the students, that the students are being transferred to schools where students are performing well and, hopefully, that students from closed schools might be able do the same. Some parents believe other schools do better because they have better teachers and resources. It appears, though, that strategies that make one district or city school successful are not shared with other teachers and schools throughout the schools and school systems.
Are good teachers reluctant to share good ideas with other teachers?
And are successful teachers justified in that reluctance? Maybe they are more successful because they have joined more professional organizations, read more professional literature, attended more challenging colleges and universities, continued their college or university training at night or during summers, worked longer hour preparing to be successful and other things to extend their knowledge and teaching skills. Whatever motivates or equips some teachers to perform better than other teachers should be made available to all teacher. But how?
Adding to the confusion is the fact that there are differences both among students and among educators concerning their abilities to learn; their motivations, interests, backgrounds, ethnicities, colleagues and peers; and concern for students. Teachers have preferred teaching styles, and students have preferred learning styles. There are many successful teaching styles and strategies. The problem is matching teaching and learning styles.
Such matches of optimum teaching and learning styles are less likely to be found--or even pursued--in low priority schools. Identifying teachers instructional needs and students learning needs are time-consuming responsibilities, and are usually beyond both the interest of school boards and the expertise of school administrations. And both fail to fulfill these responsibilities because school patrons don't know what to expect of either of them.
But there is a solution: America has trained young people to become the best military in the world. She has landed men on the moon and safely return them to Earth. That America also can fix her schools. But how?
Just as the government has military academies to train its military leaders, it needs an Education Academy to train educational leaders who can head state departments of education--for states that want them--and provide leadership for and communicate academic and administrative expectations to local school districts. These educators will have explored all factors that contribute to success in schools serving all kinds and combinations of children.
The academy would also develop national curricula--again, for states choosing to use them. It would train instructors for positions at teacher-training college and universities, teaching them to differentiate instruction (mastery teach) for all students commensurate with students abilities and willingness to learn. Academy students would graduate within in six-eight years with a cross-discipline PhD. The goal always would be to produce, through research and experimentation with different kinds of students and diverse circumstances, educators who are much better teachers than their own academy professors.
Many believe that education is as important as the military to the future security of America. If that true, then let's turn our best minds loose in solving the nation's education problems, and spread educational expertise throughout the country.
Ronald
EMail: rcspoon@earthlink.net
Blog: ronaldcspooner.blogspot.com
Twitter.com/@ronaldspooner
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