Lately I have talked with more and more parents and teachers who are quite troubled by how our education system is completely out-of-touch with the needs of children, their families, and their teachers in this 21st century. The complaints are many; the list long. Children dread the start of a new school year. Parents are scrambling to make expensive and less-than-ideal after-school arrangements that consider their work schedules and the needs of their children. The good teachers quit as soon as they find a better employment opportunity, dissatisfied with what is expected of them in larger classrooms with minimal assistance — an impossible task — all for no extra increase in pay. Bills mount for everyone. Dissatisfaction increases with each passing day. Not a good frame of mind to have with the start of a new school year just around the corner.
Countless essays and blog posts have been written about the problems that we face as a society. Much research has been done that documents the best practices of raising and teaching children. The bottom line, as I see it, relates to two basic problems — lack of money and lack of willingness to creatively think outside the paradigm of “old school” ways. Some try to think outside the box, but of course you need money to implement those good ideas… And we all know there is none of that floating around…
But here is an article that talks about building a better school day with seven inspiring ideas that can deepen learning, engage students, close achievement gaps, and better prepare our kids for a 21st century world. Maybe we can all advocate for such changes in thinking and action… Many thanks to Michael Brick for his hopeful words. Read on…
http://www.parade.com/62420/michaelbrick/three-cheers-for-school-building-a-better-school-day/