Chapter 9

While reading this book, I keep thinking of people I would love to share it with.  The people range from “educators” who oppose any type of reforms to family members that are pro-business models for education.  Wouldn’t it be nice if this was required reading for all education policy makers?

Darling-Hammond’s five key elements to transform education in the U.S. just seem like common sense.  They sound like nice, very simplistic ways to reform our educational system.  However, when looking at all it will entail to make these changes, it seems very daunting. I wonder if a whole cultural shift is required. 

Yet, there do seem to be some small shifts towards the key element of “Meaningful Learning Goals” with the adoption of the CCSS including the Mathematical Practice Standards.  We are now asked to focus on fewer concepts, but at a much deeper level.  Lesson development involves more than skill level drill and kills lessons.  We are now encouraged to create a learning environment where students have the opportunity to construct and develop deeper understandings of concepts.  This is slow and there is resistance both in and out of the educational community.  Obviously there is no published curriculum that meets the needs of the CCSS.  For the CCSS to really be effective I don’t think any massed produced published curriculum is the answer. Many teachers are lost without a guideline of what to teach, when to teach it, and for how long.  The element that is missing to support us as we move in this direction are PLCs to provide us with the time to develop pre-assessments, lesson planning, lesson implementation, assessments (formative and summative), reflection opportunities, then more lesson plan development.  There are individual teachers in our district who are trying to do this, but the time and effort makes it a real struggle.  Our district formed a math committee team to try and address the issues teachers are having as we move away from the published curriculum to the CCSS.  This committee is working to providing teachers with tasks to supplement the current curriculum with CCSS type of tasks.  Although I appreciate the effort to help provide teachers with supports, I do not think these were the most effective supports.   It is a start, and we can build and improve from here.

Another small shift occurring is time set aside for PLC’s.  Our district is moving to a late start on Mondays for students, so teachers have the opportunities to meet.   Although, I have concerns over how much really can get done in one hour a week.  It is a move in the right direction.  I just hope that these small efforts are given time to grow and develop, before being cut because results are not instantaneous.

SBAC is another move towards assessing students’ ability to transfer knowledge into new situations.   I do not think it is the complete answer, especially since it is tied to student, school and teacher rankings.  I hope that school and district level performance tasks will start to be valued as well.   

I am not sure that any sizable shifts have been made in the other 4 key elements (intelligent, reciprocal accountability systems, equitable and adequate resources, strong professional standards and supports, and schools organized for students and teacher learning).  Hopefully, we as educational professionals can keep the dialogue open or open dialogue about these concerns, and facilitate the opportunities for change to happen in the lives of our students.