For 20 years, I worked in a public school system.
For four years, I worked in a residential school for the Deaf. In
addition, I worked for a couple years with a university. I've been there
and have seen how our educational system is highly successful when serving
the motivated and gifted student. It does, however, often fail to serve
the unmotivated and "at risk" youth.
I've seen administrators and teachers that shouldn't be in the educational
system...and, we protect them and they stay. I've heard lots
of great ideas for change coming from teachers but I see the only changes
coming from the minds of the administrators. I've watched teachers
give up their freedom to teach in-order-to-be compliant. I've watched
the educational system expel those teachers who love their work and the population
they serve. I/ve seen teachers and administrators crush the already
damaged learner, disregard the healing process of the emotionally recovering
student, and, then, accept only their responsibility for teaching facts.
We conclude with an educational system that looks good to the distant viewer
but fails terribly to educate at least 25 percent of their population and
some of their successful students are often ill-equipped to meet basic educational
standards.
Maybe we should return our educational system to the teachers?
Or, maybe we should just laugh a bit with our friend, The Ol' Sage?
The 'Ol Sage Takes On Education
He began with a statistic...25 percent (one
in four) of our children enter the 9th grade but never graduate. And some
of those who do graduate aren't really working near a 12th grade level.
"Why?"....he asks.
Then The Ol' Sage mentioned some of the changes
that have occurred since he was in school. The community/neighborhood school
has "bitten the dust" for bigger, cost efficient complexes. Punishment is
limited to verbal reprimands, detentions and suspensions ...too often unsupported
by the
parent. The teaching profession frequently offers good pay and teachers
have a good work schedule (180 days a year)....thus the profession attracts
many folks who do not possess the qualities necessary to be a good teacher.
The public school system serves many children with
problems for which the community offers no solutions. And lastly, he added
that there 
are no "easy ways" to remove individual school staff who have failed to
"measure-up". Other than these few things, education goes on as it did when
we were children....and for many of our bright students, the system continues
to work well!
Well, needless to say, I was breathless when
I heard the list. I asked the Ol' Sage what we should do now. He looked
down at his shoes. They were showing signs of wear. He looked at me as he
continued.
"I like my shoes. Some folks may not. I intend
to keep them until they hurt me. I really don't care if my shoes hurt others
or if others make very valid criticisms....I plan to keep wearing them.
If folks give me money for polish or new laces....I will accept that help.
But the shoe is on the foot and
there it will stay. So it is with public education.....there are kids for
which the system does not work. I do suspect the percentage of students who
fail is greater than when I was a kid! But isolated occurrences of failure
will not bring about change."
When you total them together and reach the
unbelievable 25 percent failure rate, a wise politician would say...."give
me more money to correct the problem". Other politicians cry for better statistical
methods of evaluation, more regulations and rules. But, like my shoes, new
laces or more polish won't correct the problem....only hide it or disguise
it.
What we do need is smaller, neighborhood schools
linked to the community; teachers who care about the children as well as
academic standards; a community that responds "person-to- person" to the needs
of 
children and their families; and, alternative educational programs that
are not punitive. And, while we're at it, maybe greater expansion of vocational
options for students who are "failing" within an academically focussed program.
Well. again, you can only imagine my amazement
as I listened to that wise old man as he shared his thoughts. I looked down
at his roughed-up old leather shoes and added....I did have some brown shoe
polish he could use. He thought a moment and then replied...."You know, I
really like them as they are." "They've done fine for me." The Ol' Sage grinned
and gave he his "sly ol' look" as he added...he expects many of our fine
school administrators feel the same about their schools. So we can talk and
dream all we want about public education....but the forces that "keep it
afloat" like things just the way they are.
That's it. With those closing thoughts, the
Ol' Sage walked down the driveway. It was then I noticed his flapping right
shoe sole. I noticed how he adjusted his stride to a shorter step. I noticed
how he had shifted his
weight to his good left shoe. I realized his entire movement was distorted
in-order-to disguise his shoe problem. It was sad to see. If he had only
addressed the problem to begin with, he would not have to be walking in such
an uncomfortable way. Wonder where he learned his problem solving skills?
At school? Maybe.
