Thank You Mr. Brennan

            This week in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Day, I would like to thank my Junior High Teacher Mr. Brennan.  Mr. Brennan unknowingly gave me the desire to be an educator and he planted the seed for me to pursue my doctorate.

Mr. Brennan was a Science teacher.  In his classroom we had a snake and a miniature alligator, which for junior high school kids was cool because we would take turns feeding the snake and alligator mice.  Mr. Brennan made science engaging by making it hands on and relatable to the world outside of academics.  Mr. Brennan taught us to see science everywhere. 

Another lesson we learned was the importance of being a life long learner.  When Mr. Brennan was pursuing his Administrator license at Long Beach State, he would take a few of us to class with him.  We would sit in the back row of the lecture and listen or do our homework.  Every once in a while the professor would acknowledge our presence and at the end of the lecture would talk with us to see what we had learned from the lecture.  The professor also thanked us for being attentive and quiet students and hoped to see us as college students in his class one day.  On the drive back from college, Mr. Brennan would talk with us about the lecture and how the lecture related to our education and to being an administrator.

A final lesson Mr. Brennan taught us was we are important and have something to contribute to the world.  As a teacher for a Christian Junior High School, Mr. Brennan taught us that we all have gifts and education will help us learn what those gifts are and how to use them.  Mr. Brennan was the first teacher who utilized project based learning and he encouraged us to question, challenge and think critically about what we were learning.  Mr. Brennan encouraged us to think outside the box and he would always let us know that he doesn’t have all the answers.  There were times where Mr. Brennan would let us lead the instruction for part of the period.

Most teachers do not get to see the “fruits of their labor.”  A day of recognition for the teacher who inspired us allows us to say “thank you” and to let them know their efforts were not in vain.  The day also reminds us of our own educational journey and the educational journey of our children, nieces and nephews and the children in our community who are beginning, in the middle or ending the chapter of formal education.  This day should also remind us of the ongoing fight for quality education for all children.

Mr. Brennan, wherever you are thank you!

Euphoria over the 80 Percent High School Graduation Rate?

            This week a report was released that public high school graduation in the US has reached 80 percent.  Citing that 4 out of 5 students graduate from high school with a diploma, educators and politicians claim by 2020, the graduation rate could reach 90 percent[i]. 

           Credit for the increase in the graduation rate has been given to 1) a greater awareness of the dropout problem.  At all levels (district, state and federal), accountability measures, initiatives targeting the closure of “dropout” factories and aggressive actions by schools to hire intervention specialists who work one on one to keep students in class.  Credit has also been given to 2) the growth in the graduation rates of African-American and Hispanic beginning in 2006[ii].

            While this is good news, lost in the euphoria is the quality of the education and the skills the graduates received prior to graduation.  Also forgotten is how students in our public high schools are out performed by their international peers in science, math and technology. 

            Our high school graduates are leaving high school without the knowledge or skills to compete in the global workforce.  The gateway jobs (fast food, retail etc) that were traditionally wide open to graduates have been taken by displaced and underemployed adults. 

The lack of knowledge and skills is primarily due to the over-emphasis in public education on enrollment into college/university as the sole conduit to success.  By ignoring that fact that knowledgeable and skilled high school graduates can succeed if they are properly prepared for the adult world that awaits them, the graduation rate could be higher with less concern about unemployment and underemployment among recent high school graduates.

            We seem to be in an era of public education that is more concerned about the appearance of good data instead of the quality and substance of data.  Having an 80 percent high school graduation rate appears to be good.  However, if the graduates being produced are unable to take their place in the adult world and become a productive citizen, the data is skewed and does not reflect the reality of the high school graduate.

Increasing the graduation is good..high school students living at home and unable to work…bad!

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[i] http://news.msn.com/us/report-4-in-5-us-high-school-students-graduate#tscptme

[ii] ibid