Pink Floyd fans undoubtedly recognized the headline of this post as a lyric from their popular song, "Another Brick In The Wall". You are probably thinking "where on earth is he going with this post?". Those familiar with the song remember the lyrics "Hey teacher leave them kids alone" - still confused? OK, let me get to the point.
This week I was fortunate to attend the winter conference of the state superintendent's association. While I attended several helpful training sessions, the highlight of the event was without a doubt 17 year old Adora Svitak with whom I am pictured above. Adora is a high school senior from Seattle who travels the country presenting on how to make education more meaningful to children. This amazing young woman was reading as a 2 year old, writing at 4 and has authored 3 books. And while that may not be typical of the majority of kids, Adora is to be commended for using her gifts to have a positive impact on the future of education. She is definitely not "another brick in the wall".
The purpose of this post is not to condemn educators or what happens in our classrooms but rather a call for meaningful change. I believe that the vast majority of educators care deeply about the success of their students and would willingly embrace any change that improved the engagement and performance of their students. The best teaching involves committed, engaged teachers who are empowered to innovate and continually improve their craft. Teachers are cautioned not to read too much into my Wall analogy. However 47% of high school drop outs in the U.S. do so because they didn't find the educational experience purposeful or enjoyable. Somehow, as educators, we have to tap into our students' inner drive to learn and grow. And to do so, we need to put away the worksheets and give students a voice. Now I'll be the first to admit that in this era of strict standards, allowing students a say in what and how they learn is no easy task. But in the name of reaching every child, we must find a way. Students should enjoy school. And not because it is easy but because it is challenging, relevant and interesting. Every child should find a "home" at school. Every minute spent with our students is a gift and should be put to good use. I left this presentation more inspired than ever before to reach out to our students, to hear their voices and to improve the educational experience for all of them. Stay tuned for new posts that will highlight some of the "high interest" student activities happening in our schools.
This week I was fortunate to attend the winter conference of the state superintendent's association. While I attended several helpful training sessions, the highlight of the event was without a doubt 17 year old Adora Svitak with whom I am pictured above. Adora is a high school senior from Seattle who travels the country presenting on how to make education more meaningful to children. This amazing young woman was reading as a 2 year old, writing at 4 and has authored 3 books. And while that may not be typical of the majority of kids, Adora is to be commended for using her gifts to have a positive impact on the future of education. She is definitely not "another brick in the wall".
The purpose of this post is not to condemn educators or what happens in our classrooms but rather a call for meaningful change. I believe that the vast majority of educators care deeply about the success of their students and would willingly embrace any change that improved the engagement and performance of their students. The best teaching involves committed, engaged teachers who are empowered to innovate and continually improve their craft. Teachers are cautioned not to read too much into my Wall analogy. However 47% of high school drop outs in the U.S. do so because they didn't find the educational experience purposeful or enjoyable. Somehow, as educators, we have to tap into our students' inner drive to learn and grow. And to do so, we need to put away the worksheets and give students a voice. Now I'll be the first to admit that in this era of strict standards, allowing students a say in what and how they learn is no easy task. But in the name of reaching every child, we must find a way. Students should enjoy school. And not because it is easy but because it is challenging, relevant and interesting. Every child should find a "home" at school. Every minute spent with our students is a gift and should be put to good use. I left this presentation more inspired than ever before to reach out to our students, to hear their voices and to improve the educational experience for all of them. Stay tuned for new posts that will highlight some of the "high interest" student activities happening in our schools.