The Oval Office- Debating Education in Ed-Reform

Admittedly at times it can be difficult to see the thin lines between political parties when it comes to agendas that seem to have strong support from both sides. 

Reforming education has been at play for multiple decades, still the words have come to be defined with visceral meaning. If you are in the field and are a devout warrior of education reform without yield or skepticism of any tactic, there is no doubt you will find some alignment with the Romney plan for education. 

It provides for ultimate choice including for students with special needs; it includes provisions for making Title I and IDEA funds “portable”; it calls for ultimate teacher tenure reform and performance based compensation; it provides for increased digital learning avenues, decreased student learning time in the classroom, decreased teacher certification requirements, increased incentives for teacher recruitment, increased market competition within the education sector including minimizing the federally supported system for financial aid and loans for college tuition in favor of private lenders. The compromises include minimizing NCLB requirements in favor of a simplified and easily consumed state created education report card and promoting and rewarding "innovation"- to name a few points.

On the surface for people who believe that students need to succeed and that our education system needs to continually and expeditiously improve, there are a lot of valuable points in this plan.

I personally spend a lot of time in the field of education, with teachers, students, parents, and school leaders. 

I often say that I have never met an educator that didn't love what they do- and that I have never met an educator that wouldn't take advantage of every opportunity to serve their students better, and that it is rare that I have met an educator that wasn't saddled with college education debt for the first ten to fifteen years of his or her career. Truly, I still believe this to the depths of my soul, but I recognize these views can earn some eye rolling because they might sound overly optimistic. Undoubtedly as students, as parents and as colleagues we may have met an education professional that did not quite fit the aforementioned characterization. 

But it is because of the vast majorities that do fit this characterization that the differences in education agendas between Romney and Obama might matter. It is all but fact that we have experience with the Obama education agenda and there has been a shift in education initiatives thwarted upon us from the Federal education department including the concept of competitive grants, teacher development and performance evaluation, investing in innovative models including public charter schools and blended learning models. However, the under lying theme has indeed been public financial investment in education including in the development of the profession to promote sustained success for students. 

If you really aren't sure what the lines are, both plans are worth the time to read (see the links below).

However, if you already recognize that you are fearful about losing the opportunity to educate the children you are most passionate about teaching, or you have experienced the consequences when the delicate balance of state and federal funding streams are altered abruptly by subtractions, know how valuable Title and IDEA funding streams are in serving your most needy students and how difficult they might be to untangle, or you are wondering if anyone values what you do on a day to day basis enough to help you advance the teaching profession and help you -help your students (our students-our children) become successful- THEN you may already be seeing major differences. If you have ever had to deal with the nagging phone calls about your privately held student loans from companies such as Sallie Mae- then you may also be worrying the calls will last for generations not because of your outstanding balance, but because the private lender calls plague your children now saddled with insurmountable high interest college debt- given a certain presidential outcome.

No matter what your issues of interest are, it is up to us as individuals to figure out the differences, decide what matters, and make a conscious choice.

Romney Education Plan:

http://www.mittromney.com/issues/education

Obama on Education:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education

http://change.gov/agenda/education_agenda/

Another proof point on active listening

At some point we have all been taught to be active listeners. Usually the concept is first formally introduced and practiced in primary school. Teachers set expectations for active listening based on the conventional wisdom that active listening is about the indicators of feedback. So- she teaches her students to make eye contact and track the speaker- take notes- raise your hand and ask questions and make comments. 

As we get older this process continues and we begin to practice active listening, sometimes with argument and debate informally. We expect our leaders to practice it- with even highly televised and structured environments- such as the Presidential debates. Active listening and feedback is embedded in our culture and a lever of our democracy. 

Still, there is something missing from the list of indicators. Perhaps something more subtle, but an indicator that excites most of us more than eye contact, questioning, writing, debate or argument.

When active listening leads to learning and sharing of information- we are most thrilled!

This becomes apparent to me when I reflect on the many conversations I have with parents. We will talk about a variety of things, but at some point I will ask if they feel their child is receiving an excellent education. 

When a parent says yes, I will ask how they know- or they will simply offer the examples. Typically, among the top examples, mom or dad will say, I know this because my son or daughter came home and told me that I can figure out how to find the sum of a number using this short cut, or my child asked me if I knew that I can save about 1.5 pounds of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere by walking two miles a day instead of driving. And when mom or dad asks their son or daughter how they knew that. he or she will say, my teacher told me. 

It is this indicator of active listening- the kernels of information we take away and share with others- that makes us satisfied, validated, and even excited.

Beginning, mid-beginning, end-beginning, new beginning

If I said that I am addicted to beginnings some might think I flit around and have trouble getting things done. maybe I avoid commitment, and hopefully some might just smile knowingly.

I am drawn to beginnings because they come with the purpose and promise of better! People are optimistic, sharing thoughts and ideas. Every person part of a beginning has energy and inspiration and their energy and inspiration just instigates more in the group.

But failure, change, progress, success, and improvement  are the start of something too. 

We are taught that there is a beginning part, a middle part and an end part to everything.

Why can’t we just start calling the parts something else?

Beginning, mid-beginning, end-beginning, new beginning

One thing everyone in the world can agree on

We all want enjoyment.