Education Reform

It has been announced that Terry Branstad has selected Jason Glass as the new head of the Education Department. This article on the DSM Register's website has sparked a flurry of conversation about education reform and exactly "who is to blame" for Iowa's lower ranking amongst the states, and the US ranking in the world. So much of the public blames we, the teachers. While yes, there are teachers that are merely "putting in the time" before they can collect retirement, there are quite many MORE teachers that are good at what they do.

Here are, in my opinion, the top challenges facing the world of education in the United States.
Quality Professional Development (P.D.)
Teachers are required to have X number of hours of PD every year - usually this is done in staff inservice where every teacher of the district comes together in the cafeteria to hear someone lecture to them. Whether it's about quadrant D lesson plans, or assessments, or the Iowa Core, much of this this is very generalized. In order for teachers to become better, we should stop the "blanket" PD, and created individualized programs. If certain teachers need to work on integrating technology into their program - give them that! If others need classroom management skills, do that. If others need that morning to go observe someone else teach (or in my case, REHEARSE), let them go!
Priorities
For how many of us was school and getting good grades our number 1 priority? Well, if you're my friend, it was probably very high. We took great pride in doing well on our work, both in academics and music. However, for many students and their families, this just isn't the case. While, yes, more work can be done to make sure school work is meaningful and relevant, so many students are more focused on sports or jobs or having a boy/girlfriend. If a student's, or their family's top priority is not getting a good education, there is very little that can be done.
Parents
The students that excel in anything have supportive parents and families. They make it a priority to do well in everything. I see it in my own band - the students that sit at the top of sections have parents that have made "doing well" the top priority. Those students that struggle do not have the home support structure. Those students that don't do well in school, especially low income families - is education a priority for those parents?
Public Misconceptions
Here's the thing - unless you're in the system, you don't get all this. You don't understand that you can't base a teacher's salary directly to their student's standardized test scores. Why? Because there are a million and one reasons for that student to not want to do well on a test. People don't get the hundreds of things that teachers are expected to do - especially when parents aren't teaching basic social skills to their own children; it's expected that schools pick up all the slack for what isn't taught at home.

For education to be "fixed", it will take a great deal of compromise and cooperation. We must all set aside our own egos and do what's right for the kids. Trust those who are "in the know", and show respect for one another, even those who clearly have no idea how things operate.