The questions we came up with last night reflected a frustration with our policy makers. Why is their so little teacher input at the policy level? How long should one give to see if a new idea works? Why are the national goals and local goals at odds? In our class discussion, those that work daily in a school system are constantly saying that the changes do not reflect what needs to go on in the classroom. In T&C we have read about many reforms that either don't happen, because they go against the grammar of schooling or just die. It seems that reformers and teachers both get burned out on trying to make changes work.
It hit me in class that as teachers it is our responsibility to keep the public and policy makers informed about what is going on in the classroom. We can't just teach our students and feel that our work is done. Dr. Pope pointed out that the nature of teaching selects individuals who enjoy working with a classroom in its isolated setting. The individuals that enjoy political reform and lobbying are different types. Despite that, we can not ignore the need for our public to understand what they really can't without our help. If we are the only people that really understand the needs of the classroom, then we must do it. If we can't personally do this, then we must support teaching lobbying groups or unions that can. If we don't, we just might as well stop complaining. It is this negative, whining attitude that keeps the public from seeing teachers as professionals. I have to confess that I can't ever remember teachers ever offering solutions. When they are interviewed in the media it is often to complain about low pay, poor working conditions, uncooperative parents and the public that doesn't pay enough in taxes. My response has been just to tune them out. This would change if our profession would take educating the public seriously.
Since the semester is almost over, I'll just give my full reaction. We have been studying ways that a democracy can best provide education for its citizens. In a diverse country where there is little overall American experience, is this possible? Maybe Friedman has a point. Let's leave it up to the individual. It may result in an educational system as diverse as the people it serves.
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But, as Tyack and Cuban point out, one of the ideals of public schooling is that it's supposed to create a somewhat unified public out of all us different individuals. Can we/ought we give up on that ideal? Would there be a social cost?
I believe we do have a somewhat unified pubic made of diversified individuals with a central goal in mind. However, it's the underlying criteria of social expectations and cultural beliefs fueled by a new interest in economic competition via good standardized test scores that's driving school reform. The key is to come up with a collaborative method of combining legislators and those who have the power to institute school reform with vast amounts of input from the inside (teachers, principals, etc.) and not forgetting about local circumstances. A mix of these necessary components could help with quantum leaps toward effective school reform. Teachers need to feel as though they are a part of the reform; a necessary component that is needed in order to complete the reform. Without their input and without their implementation in the classroom, reform won’t stand a chance. If teachers are the core factor, they have to feel as though they are. I agree with Cindy that so often media coverage relating to teachers is negative and that the negativity comes directly from the teachers. A shift needs to take place from both the pubic conception and the teacher’s view of themselves that they are professionals working in professional environments to accomplish a professional goal. It is an obtainable goal although it will be slow in forthcoming. There has been a shift in thinking and our societal foundation goal for schools remains intact. The collaboration between the necessary parties is slowly being broken through. As in so many things, it is a slow process.
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