Transforming the Education Debate

            This afternoon on MSNBC, there was a continuation of the Education Nation series.  Today’s topic was teacher evaluations. The town hall style meeting was held in New York with the audience consisting of educational advocates, various grade teachers, and individuals from higher education.  As I watched the broadcast, what started as promising discussion, quickly became a rehashing of the same ideas from previous Education Nation discussions.

            The broadcast did not shed any new ideas that would get our educational system back on track to producing world class students.  The reason for this that everyone views education through a narrow lens.  This lens is based on the educational experience of the individual and whatever personal, social or political agenda he/she have.  When all these individuals come together, their competing agendas take precedence over what is best for the children. 

Most people believe our educational system is not broke; it just needs to be “fixed” or “reformed.”  The band-aid approach of reform that has done to our education system is not sustainable and “wears off” after a couple of years.  More importantly, the band-aid approach has discouraged any meaningful discussion by inhibiting the voices of parents, students, and in many cases teachers from having their concerns and or ideas heard over the noise of senseless banter of the competing agendas.  This is evident in many of the discussions on educational reform by those who postulate positions on how to improve education that are out of touch with the realities in the field.  Until the narrow lens on education is widened, the language and ideology that dominates education will remain the same.  Thus, the problems plaguing education will continue and our children will fall further behind. 

            It is time to widen the lens, end the band-aid approach and change the language of fix and reform to transformation.  Our educational system continues to fail because the ideas that have been implemented are based on fix and reform.  Utilizing a transformation approach will dramatically change the direction of the discussion and the language used to create effective and sustainable change of our educational system.

A transformative approach seeks to establish a continuum of learning that assists struggling learners, supports advanced learners, prepares students to compete in a global economy and ensures our country remains an economic superpower.  By establishing a continuum of learning, the achievement gap should be greatly diminished because struggling students would have the academic support needed to get back on grade level.  Additionally, a transformative approach would also greatly diminish the engagement gap that affects teachers, parents, and students.  A transformative approach would invest in teacher trainings, provide multiple opportunities for parents to become actively involved in the education of their child and create enthusiasm for learning among students.  Lastly, a transformative approach would build a genuine parent/school partnership.

            Finally, a transformative approach will attract partnerships with institutions that habitually do not involve themselves with our educational system.  Being skeptical about the commitment to education and the preparation for the global workforce have inhibited our students from benefiting from the expertise and resources partnerships have to offer.  A transformative approach will allow potential partners to view a partnership as mutually beneficial to their institution and the country.

            If we truly want to provide our children with a world-class education we must change the approach.  The fix and reform ideology that dominates our current approach to education must be replaced with the ideology of transformation.  A transformation ideology changes the direction and discussion of our approach to education.  A transformation ideology will end the competing agendas by being inclusive of many voices to create effective and sustainable change of our educational system.

The Missing Elements of the Teacher Evaluation Debate

                The Chicago teachers strike has brought the debate on teacher evaluations to the public.  While the teacher evaluation debate appeared to be discussed only among those in the educational realm (teachers, administrators, educational advocates and some politicians); the rest of the country did not seem to care about the evaluations of teachers given the current state of the economy. 

            Many are wondering why there is such upheaval over how teachers are evaluated.  The primary reason is that states are receiving pressure from educational advocates and politicians to have a section of teacher evaluations on the standardized test scores of their students.  Teachers are not in favor of student test scores being a part of their evaluation due to the socio-economic factors that affect learning.  Teachers do not feel it is fair for them to be evaluated on the test scores of their students when some students lack school readiness, have poor attendance, reading and other academic deficits, and lack parent participation to increase academic achievement.  Additionally, teachers do not feel it is fair to be held accountable for the ineffective instruction of a students’ previous teachers.

            The teachers have a strong argument against having part of their evaluations include the test scores of their students.  However, there needs to be an effective evaluation system that is fair to teachers and is able to isolate ineffective instruction to support struggling teachers or to terminate them if necessary.  While teachers agree to improving the teacher evaluation system, their ideas don’t offer the necessary change required to develop an effective evaluation system.  The current evaluation system where the principal conducts classroom observations is no longer adequate.  In order to effectively evaluate teachers, states will have to look at alternative ways to determine teacher effectiveness.  Instead of evaluating teachers based on test scores, states should consider these alternatives: 1) evaluation of lesson plans and 2) evaluations from parents and students perspective. 

            The evaluation of lesson plans is an effective way to evaluate a teacher.  Lesson plans are written by the teacher and demonstrate the level of content knowledge and instructional practice.  Additionally, lesson plans also demonstrate if the teacher provides instruction to the various learning styles (auditory, visual, etc) and if he/she is utilizing specifically designed instruction (SDI) for students with disabilities.  Finally, since many lesson plans are due weekly or monthly to the principal, a principal is able to assess over time the quality of instruction students are receiving.

            The final alternative, parent and student evaluations will likely be the most controversial and contested.  The purpose for suggesting they are part of the evaluation of teachers is that parents and students are an underutilized and ignored knowledge resource in education.  For those who care about improving the teaching and instruction of our children, they need to hear what parents and students have to say about their experiences with the individuals responsible for grading, assessing, and promotion of children.  There will be some who will claim that having parents and students evaluate them is unfair because parents and/or students may give them a poor evaluation due to receiving poor grades, being disciplined or suspended.  As with any evaluation whenever you are evaluated by your subordinates, there will honest evaluations and evaluations based on retribution.  However, only a small weight percentage is assigned to the overall evaluation and a majority of the time the positive and negative balance evaluations balance out to provide an informative representation of a teachers’ strengths and areas of improvement.

            If the goal is to develop a new teacher evaluation system that is fair and accurately assesses a teachers’ strengths and areas of improvement, adding lesson plans and parent and student perspective into the evaluation process will be vital to obtaining the data needed to improve teacher effectiveness.

What if You Could Only Have One Child?

            What would happen if our country had a one child policy?  Would there continue to be an achievement gap among youth African-American youth and their peers?  Would our schools and parents continue to be at odds, or would they truly become partners in the education of children?  Would our schools continue to be plagued with poor achievement and low expectations, or would our students lead the world in math and science?

            Let me say that I am not advocating for a one child policy.  The following ideas are based on my travel to China in 2002 as an Educational Ambassador. Based on my observations of elementary, middle and high schools, talking with school administrators, students, and parents, I learned several aspects of the one child policy that if implemented, could change the course of educational dialogue and reform efforts.

            In my discussions with parents, I came to understand the true meaning of children being our most valuable resource.  Parents retold stories of how they took the proper prenatal care, spoke positive affirmations, played classical and traditional music, and read to their child in the womb to ensure their child would be born healthy and intelligent.  Parents also discussed the plans they made to help their child get off to a good start academically.  Plans such as beginning academic enrichment prior to formal schooling, paying for tutors or attending Saturday classes and paying for music lessons, were part of many success plans parents talked about.  Parents also taught their child about family, honor and the importance of education.

            Parents understood their role was to provide every benefit possible in order to place their child in the position to become successful.  Extended family and close friends were also included in helping the child to become successful.  The concept of it takes a whole village to raise a child is an idea that was embraced and taken seriously.  The failure of a child is viewed as the fault of the family and causes the family shame.  Therefore, parents and the “village” become heavily involved in every aspect of the child. Nowhere was this more evident than the parents/school dynamic.

            During my visit to schools, I witnessed a true parent/school partnership.  I observed parents volunteering inside and outside the school building.  I observed parents and teachers meeting without hostility, I observed school administrators being a presence in their buildings, observing teachers, talking with teachers, talking with students, and meeting with parents.  While talking with school administrators, their words were not disingenuous or cliché, they spoke of their role with passion and conviction.  The administrators understood they were being entrusted by families with their country’s most valuable resource.  The administrators knew failure was not an option.  They understood that a child’s failure was a reflection of poor leadership and their failure caused shame to the family, to themselves and to their country.

            Imagine if parents in our country adopted the one child ideology for every child.  All of our children would get off to a healthy start because parents utilized proper prenatal care.  Children would be ready for school because their parents would provide early reading, basic writing and math and children would begin school eager to learn. 

            Imagine if our educational system adopted the one child ideology and understood that children are our country’s most valuable resource and integral to the future prosperity of our country.  Administrators, teachers and parents would work together in a true partnership for the benefit of the child?  Administrators and teachers would view the failure of a child as their failure and would do everything to help the child succeed.  There would be no achievement gap, our children would lead the world in math and science, and our country would continue its dominance as an economic superpower.

Unfortunately all we can do is imagine

A Message to Teachers for the New School Year

            As a new school year begins, I would like to speak directly to teachers both seasoned and new.  First, let me thank you for your service on behalf of our most valuable resource, children.  It is important that you never forget this fact and it should inform your pedagogy.  In order for any society to continue to thrive, its children must receive a world class education. 

            With this in mind, remember the crucial role you as the teacher play in the life of a child.  A teacher not only provides educational instruction, a teacher is responsible for the preparation of the next generation of adults who will take their place in society.  The success or failure of each generation will depend on the quality of the education they receive.  More importantly, the country’s future prosperity will depend on the quality of their education.  Although society may not value teachers as much as it should, the services you provide to children are immeasurable and essential to our future. 

            As you embark on a new school year, there are several things I would like for you to consider: first, you should strive to teach your students the same way you would want your child to be taught.  By doing this, you will ensure that your lesson plans, assignments and instruction will reflect a personalized approach that is lacking among many teachers.  By taking this approach, students and parents will recognize you are a teacher who is looking to provide students’ with an opportunity to take advantage of their future. 

            Second, you should remember if students’ are struggling to grasp the materials, it is the responsibility of the teacher to help them understand the materials.  Too many times students are blamed for failing to grasp the materials when the fault may be due to the failure of the teacher to present the materials based on the various learning styles in their classroom.  If a teacher does not present the material to their students’ based on their learning styles, the students’ do not have the opportunity to learn, will fall behind their peers, and lose confidence in their ability to learn which could lead to disengagement. 

            Finally, review your philosophy of education.  If you do not have a philosophy of education, develop one.  A philosophy of education is a blueprint that establishes a foundation of core beliefs from which a teacher will: 1) set goals for the school year 2) set up their classroom, 3) impart instruction, 4) motivate students, 5) manage classroom climate, and 6) conduct student discipline.  Additionally, having a philosophy of education instills confidence in a teacher because it provides structure in the classroom and provides points reference based on best practices that a teacher can call upon when needed.

            You are a teacher!  It is important that you never forget that.  It is important that you understand your true worth to our country, regardless of those who underestimate or fail to value your talents and contributions.  You have been given charge of our most valuable resource and you have been entrusted with the survival of our society.  You should not take your job lightly or take it for granted.  Our future depends on you!

The African-American Education Office Part 2

            In part two of the African-American Education Office, suggestions will be given to decrease the achievement gap among middle and high school youth.  In an effort to build a continuum of services from birth to adulthood, the office should focus on the preparing these youth for careers that will make them competitive in the global economy and achieve the American Dream.

            One area the office should focus on is eliminating the technology gap.  In order to compete in the global economy, African American youth must become proficient users of technology and understand how it can be applied in the global economy and advance the marketplace.  African-American youth must learn the science behind writing code to create video games, how an algorithm captures and sorts data for target marketing, or for investing/trading in the stock market.  African-American youth must also learn how technology is used to advance society.  Advancements in the fields of medicine and medical research, automobile and manufacturing industry, and improvements to agriculture are fields which has been greatly impacted technology.  These are also fields that lack a significant African-American presence.

            Another area the office should focus on is teaching career development and workforce preparation skills.  Skills such as critical thinking, the ability to multitask projects, the ability to summarize larger amounts of information into a report, the ability to work individually and in groups, the ability to effectively communicate, and the ability to be resourceful are skills that should be taught in conjunction with resume writing, interviewing, punctuality, reliability, and appropriate grooming and attire.  These are skills that are not being taught in a majority of middle and high schools and are not taught by many parents.  As a result of this lack of knowledge, African-American youth are uniformed about the skills needed to be competitive in the global economy.

A final area the office should focus on is helping African-American youth understand how to match their strengths and interest to a career.  By failing to teach African-American youth proper career development, they have mistakenly believed a job to be a career.  Therefore, when they see their parent, relative, or neighbor talking negatively about the poor pay, long hours, or how they hate their job, the uniformed youth internalizes these experiences as a definition of a career.  This belief is further cemented as the youth witnesses their parent, relative, or neighbor moving from job to job for minimal salary increases.  The message African-American youth are receiving is that a job and career are synonymous.  Another message they receive is that a job is about making money.  They are not receiving a balance where they see people who love their job because it their career.  They are not hearing as much as they should about the passion, joy, and satisfaction one has for their career.  They are also not learning how a career can lead to the American Dream.

In order for African-American middle and high school youth to become competitive in the global economy, the Office of African-American Education must provide access to knowledge about the business applications of technology.  The office must also provide access to career development and workforce preparation.  Providing access to these crucial areas of need, will eliminate the technology gap, provide them with the tools to competitive and increase the presence of African-Americans in areas of the global economy where our presence is lacking.  It is up to the office to help African-American youth not get left behind in the global economy.

The African-American Education Office

            President Obama recently announced the creation of the African-American Education Office.  The purpose of the office is to improve the education of African-American youth by better preparing them for high school, college and career[i].

            The creation of the African-American Education Office is a significant event in African-American history.  For the first time since the War on Poverty, the Office of the President of The United States has taken steps at the federal level to specifically address the educational plight of African-American youth.  Understanding the importance the education of African-American youth impacts the economy, social equality and access to the American Dream, President Obama appears to see the educational plight of African-American youth as a national crisis.  Although President Obama did not elaborate on how the office would tackle the complex and unique multi-layered enigma that affects the educational aspirations and achievement of African-American youth, I would like to offer a few suggestions.

            First, the office must focus on school readiness.  This can be achieved by mandating and funding a full day Head Start program for all families. Head Start programs have made minimal, but sustainable academic gains over several decades.  Proponents of Head Start have been calling for the expansion of Head Start to a full day to increase these gains, but the previous administrations did not fully support the expansion.  Head Start is one of the few programs that mandated parent involvement, which is the second area of focus, parent engagement.

            Parent engagement is crucial to the educational aspirations and achievement of African-American youth.  As their child’s first teacher, a child will learn to love, dislike or become indifferent to learning based on the involvement and encouragement of the parent.  Therefore, the office should develop a strategy on how to provide parents with the tools to create an environment conducive to the enjoyment of learning and creating a culture of high expectation of educational aspirations.  One way this could be accomplished is to emphasize to parents the importance of reading to their children at an early age.  Reading to children at an early age will give them the confidence in their ability to master the concepts of reading and comprehension.  Additionally, parents who read to their children at an early age provide good social and educational capital that aids in school readiness and success in school. 

A final way this could be accomplished is for the office to assists parents with developing a school readiness plan.  There are a number of guides that discuss school readiness.  However, the information is not consistent and in many instances the content may not address the needs of the diversity of the African-American community.  Needs such as how to prepare an African-American male child for school is a topic that is desperately needed since most African-American males struggle in school.  Additional topics such as the difference between home rules and school rules, the differences between aggression and self-defense and appropriate usage of standard language and language used with friends are areas where the office could develop a manual to aid African-American parents with school readiness.

If the office cannot improve school readiness and parent engagement, very little will be accomplished to change the current educational plight of African-American youth.

---

[i] www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/african-american-educatio_n_1704406

Suspending Students With Disabilities

            A recent study conducted by the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) found that students with disabilities are twice as likely to be suspended from school as their non-disabled peers.  Using data from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the study found that during the 2009-2010 school year, 13 percent of disabled students in grades K-12 were suspended compared to 7 percent of non-disabled students[i].  The study also found that African-American students with disabilities had the highest rates of suspension than their disabled peers and non-disabled peers of other races.  According to the study, 1 out of 4 African-American students was suspended at least once.  A majority of these suspended students were diagnosed with a learning disability[ii]. 

The high rate of suspension among students with disabilities concerns policymakers and civil rights advocates.  Their claimed that school districts with high rates of suspensions also had a higher dropout rate and lower student achievement and test scores, which increased the risk of delinquency and incarceration, especially among African-American students.  According to the study’s author, Daniel J. Losen:

                        “Kids with disabilities make up a very large portion of

                        the kids who are in the juvenile justice system...That’s

                        a very disturbing pattern because kids with disabilities

                        are supposed to be getting additional supports and

                        counseling[iii].”

To support this statement, the study found there were states where African-American students with disabilities were suspended at a rate above 60 percent, with one state having a rate of 92 percent.  Additionally, report also found that the Civil Rights Office of the Department of Education had opened 19 investigations in 15 states to examine school districts where African-American students were disproportionately disciplined[iv]. 

            The UCLA study has brought to the forefront a problem that has been ignored for a long time.  Unfortunately, the study failed to consider the disproportionate suspension of African-American students with disabilities as a flawed systemic ideology, instead the study claims the problem is a matter of policy. 

            The ideology of school discipline in a majority of school districts across the country is embedded in a belief that all students should be held accountable for violations of district policies.  This believe is evident in district zero tolerance policies that provide the same consequences to disabled and non-disabled students.  Even though students with disabilities are provided certain protections, such as they cannot be suspended more than 10 consecutive days in a school year for each violation or when a serious violation occurs, a school must convene a Manifestation Determination team meeting to determine if the violation is a result of the student’s disability under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This information was surprisingly absent in the UCLA study when discussing the disproportionality of suspensions of African-American students with disabilities.  With such high rates of suspensions, the study should have addressed how many suspended students were afforded their rights under IDEA law?  How many students were suspended more than 10 days during the school year?  How many students were provided with a Manifestation Determination team meeting prior to suspension?  With high rates of suspensions in some districts, there is seems to be enough evidence that schools are not following IDEA rules prior to suspension.

            Lastly, the ideology of school discipline appears to be biased against students with disabilities that are not physically present.  For a long time, the faces of students with disabilities were considered those with physical manifestations such as downs syndrome, cerebral palsy, and students in wheelchairs.  Students with no physical manifestations such as learning or emotional disabilities may appear by some to “know” what they are doing and should be punished as their non-disabled peers.  The UCLA study confirms this in their findings that a majority of suspensions were students who were diagnosed with a learning disability.  Although the UCLA study did not discuss the racial bias against African-American students with disabilities one cannot deny the systemic entrenchment of racial biased in the ideology of school discipline.  It is time to change the archaic ideology of school discipline.

---

[i] www.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/education/analysis-examines-disabled-student-suspensions

[ii] ibid

[iii] ibid

[iv] ibid