What Our Children Need

Two big opportunities to have your voice heard on education matters come your way this week.  Tonight (yep, tonight!) there is a meeting at Henninger High School from 6:30-8:00 p.m. with 4 members of the school board and Superintendent Sharon Contreras, who will listen to parents and teachers.  The board members have said that they will not speak themselves, but want to hear your concerns. And Saturday, June 8 there is a rally in Albany from noon to 2 where concerned people can speak out about high stakes testing and the Common Core. 

Gaby Testani, LEAP teacher, working with 2 students.  Just 2. 

On Saturday, LEAP will be on our way down to New Orleans for the kick-off of our annual summer literacy camp in the Lower Ninth Ward, so we won't be at the rally.  If we were, what would we say?

Children do not need tons of technological gizmos to increase their learning (and, incidentally, increase the profit of Bill Gates, who is the major force pushing for the Common Core, and the CEO of the company that will then sell software to the school systems to implement it).  We do not need a one-size fits all Common Core and standardized testing that turns children into numbers.  What kids need is a caring adult in their lives who is professionally trained to work with them in a responsive and individualized way.  In other words, what kids need are good teachers -- and plenty of them. 

The teachers I know are smart and caring.  The wealth of knowledge they have about how children learn as well as about content areas is amazing!  But even greater than that wealth of knowledge is the personal commitment they have to reach each and every child.  But we have taken these caring professionals and placed them in a situation that is nearly intolerable.  Current educational policy removes decision making from teachers and local school boards in order and places it with nationwide programs.  (I hesitate to call them "federal" programs, since the Common Core has been driven by the Gates Foundation and other non-governmental organizations.) 

I've seen what can happen when children get direct attention from a well-trained, caring adult.  When a teacher has time to work one-on-one with a child a number of things get transmitted, other than the information itself.  The child learns that she is important and that the material is important -- both are receiving valuable attention. Most importantly, the child learns that her understanding of and responses to the information is important.  Someone wants to know what she thinks about this!  This kind of teaching has so many benefits -- it sparks creativity and engagement and it prepares children to take part in a democratic society, to make their voices heard.  But what do we need in order to provide this kind of education to our children?

1.  Great teacher training.  Teachers are professionals who need a broad range of knowledge (a liberal arts education!) and specific training in educational theory and practice.
2.  Retention of great teachers.  Teachers are not babysitters, nor are they tech aides who need only turn the computer on.  As well trained professionals, they need to be supported the way other professionals are.  That means a decent salary, a manageable work load and support in the form of assistants and resources.
3.  A small teacher/student ratio.  I've watched amazing teachers give so much of themselves -- in classrooms from 20-30 students.  But to truly care for kids, smaller classes are a must.  At LEAP we work for a 1/5 teacher student ratio or better, and it does make a difference.  I know that is an expensive proposition -- but surely something better than 1/20 is attainable!  (Imagine yourself in a room with 15 eight year-olds.  Could you give them direct, individualized attention?)
4.  Time to teach (less time on test preparation and test administration).  One teacher estimates that she spends 26% of her school year on testing.

If you can make it to Henninger tonight or Albany on Saturday, please do so.  If you can't (because you're in a van on the way to New Orleans or something!), please write a letter to your school board and/or legislators.  Our children need a system that works for them!