Can We Fix Our Schools? YES WE CAN!

There was an article Teaching is just impossible—isn’t it. In the article an educator spoke on how she taught in the classroom, observed the classroom, tutored and tested in the classroom. She stated that she discovered that there were only two types of schools, those that are successful and those that are unsuccessful.

Successful schools are typically suburban; primarily attended by well-dressed, well-cared-for, well-prepared students with involved and motivated parents. Successful schools exude an aura of excitement and optimism, a sense of order and purpose. The buildings are bright and cheerful -- and everyone is smiling.

Unsuccessful schools seem to be predominantly urban or rural. Students are overwhelmingly poor, members of minority groups, or both. Their parents often are under-educated, under-employed, or unemployed; many are alone, exhausted, and uncertain about how they can contribute to their children's education. Unsuccessful schools exude an aura of resignation and defeat. Teachers are harried; students are disorganized and inattentive. Even the newest buildings feel dark and close -- and everyone appears afraid to smile.

The educator spoke on how she believed the saying “ that we can’t fix our schools until we fix society”. She stated that many of her friends took early retirement because they believed this as well. But the reality of it is that you cannot fix society so what is left is fixing the school.

“In "Dispelling the Myth Revisited," the Education Trust identified 4,500 high poverty and/or high minority public schools that are also among the top performing schools in their states. These are some of the poorest schools in their states. They are also the best. The bad news is that we can't, in fact, "fix" society. The good news is that apparently we can fix our schools”.

Schools can overcome obstacles and become top ranking schools by looking at the characteristics of successful schools and emulating them.

*Effective schools have strong principals who demand the freedom and flexibility to hire and fire, to set curriculum and school policy. Effective principals provide instructional leadership. They support teachers' efforts to excel through training and mentoring. They find ways to help parents support their children's academic achievement but demand that students take responsibility for their own education -- regardless of the level of their parents' involvement.

*Effective schools employ teachers who support and mentor one another. Effective teachers concentrate on academic achievement. They recognize that all students need to master a set of basic reading, math, and English-language skills. They teach those skills first, and they consistently measure their students' performance through standards-based testing.

*Effective schools have a clearly defined mission, supported by specific measurable goals. That mission and those goals are communicated to staff, parents, and students, and everyone is expected to make a commitment to promote them.

*Effective schools expect students to excel and maintain a culture of excellence.

Yes, it is harder to teach today. It is harder still to teach in schools with a preponderance of poor or minority students. Kids have changed. Parents have changed. Society has changed. Educators, however, cannot throw up their hands in defeat because they are no longer greeted each morning by students who are ready and eager to learn. Schools have to change too. Some already have.

We can't "fix" society, but maybe -- just maybe -- we can improve society by fixing our schools.

This too can work for early childhood by emulating other successful programs. The thing is what is considered to be a successful early childhood program. I am sure that there are early childhood programs that are very successful, but there are more that are striving to get there. I take into consideration all of these things since I am a pre-k teacher. I want our program to be highly successful in the educating of its students.