What Outcomes Are We Assessing?

Given the way we bicker over high stakes testing, the Common Core, merit pay, and other educational reforms and policies, it may be hard to believe that teachers, parents and policy makers all want the same things for our children – positive outcomes.  If we all want our children to do well, why can’t we agree? The answer is that we define “positive outcomes” in many different ways.  In our increasingly test-driven educational system, the policy makers have taken control of that definition.  Positive outcomes has come to mean high test scores on standardized exams.  I remember pushing my son to study for the SAT and re-take it until he got a number that would become a golden ticket to admission to the right university and, following graduation with another number (a GPA of 3.5 or higher), a successful life.  The focus on that number as an indication of the value of a child’s education and his or her potential for a successful life has filled our vision to the exclusion of all else.  The child’s success, the teacher’s job and salary, the fate of the school and the future of our nation have all been tied to that number.

Imagine a child, number two pencil clutched in her hand, prodded and prepped for this moment, carefully filling in circles that will determine so many futures.  She reads a passage from Letter from Rifka describing a girl, about her age, arriving in the U.S. from Russia.  There is much that is compelling in this passage – Rifka’s yearning to be reunited with her parents; her unexplained baldness; the difficulties and delays on the journey; her first glimpse of Lady Liberty, holding up her lamp – but, after reading this passage, the child is asked three questions about basic facts (who is speaking, where is she traveling from, what does she see first in NY harbor) and two vocabulary questions (the meaning of “assist” and “clever”).  How does this young girl read this passage?  Does she scan it for quick answers to the factual questions?  Slide her finger over the text until she finds the word “assist” or “clever” and then focus on that sentence alone?  Let us say that our young scholar gets all five questions right – is this the positive outcome we were looking for? (This example comes from the California StandardsTest for 3rd grade.)

If this young girl were in the LEAP program, we would talk about the similarities and differences between Rifka and herself.  We would wonder what it would feel like to be separated from ones parents by an ocean for a long period of time.  We would ask if we could have endured the journey.  We would hypothesize about the causes of Rifka’s baldness and wonder how it felt to see the Statue of Liberty rising on the horizon, light shining from her uplifted hand.  We would journal about these questions, write our own letters about similar situations, act out scenes, talk about our families and a hundred other things I can’t imagine at this moment because the children would instigate them.  Let us imagine that the same young girl, in the LEAP program, wrote an imaginary letter to a cousin about a trip she had taken.  Perhaps there would be some spelling errors – which we would note and correct – but the importance of the writing would be to understand an important time in U.S. history and connect it to our lives now. Is this the positive outcome we are looking for?

I know many excellent teachers who strive for the same kinds of outcomes that LEAP works for.  However, unlike LEAP, they must also prepare students for the kind of exams that ask “Where is Rifka traveling from?” and the time they have to pursue less easily measured gains is cut short. 

Imagine also a parent listening in as a child moves his cars around the floor, narrating the adventures imaginary people are having.  “Oh no . . . the road is blocked!  But “Crash!” in comes super truck, and the obstacle is removed.  “Thank you, thank you!” squeals a high pitched voice, “now we can go to the store!”  The deepest voice the child can muster replies: “No problem!  Glad to help.”  And the parent grins, imagining a future for her son – will he be in some helping profession like firefighter?  Will he always be so polite and say “thank you” and “glad to help”?  Will he always have a vibrant imagination, turning trucks into superheroes?  And, please God, will he always be as happy as he is in this moment? Are these the positive outcomes we are looking for?  Do we teach or test them in our current educational system?

Parents want the best for their children.  We’ve been told that the best is a high score on a standardized test.  And there are valuable things that children learn that can be measured that way.  But the truly important things in life – wonder, discovery, imagination, community – cannot be measured by a multiple choice question.  And we do want our children to learn these things and they can be learned in school.  I know that I experienced many of these things in my own education (long before No Child was left behind and we all started Racing to the Top).  Accountability for schools, teachers and children is not a bad thing – but before we go any farther along this path, we have to ask, “accountable for what?”

Education of the people, by the people, for the people

As a philosopher, I often step back and look at things with an eye for large patterns.  It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day struggle -- which is so important -- and to become mired in questions about this or that practice or the contours of one particular event.  It is vital that we engage on that close to the ground level.  We must act thoughtfully where the rubber hits the road.  But it is also important to step back and look at the road itself. Where are we going?  Why this road?  What is the destination?  With that in mind, I began to think about why we have public education, with the hope that the answer to that question can be used to guide thoughtful engagement on the ground.

My concern is with public education in the United States.  It is public education -- funded by federal, state and local government and provided to all.  Why do we have such a system?  Why does our government -- a government "of the people, by the people, for the people" feel that educating young people is important?

Our government is "of the people."  Our leaders are not blue-blooded nobles, of some separate caste from the majority of citizens.  We serve in the government.  Our leaders are elected from among us and asked to take on the task of guiding all of us.  But they have no special "divine right" to rule, no innate quality that makes them suitable -- each and every mayor and city councilperson, congressional representative and senator, governor and judge, president and county clerk is one of us.  For that reason, we want to make sure that all of our children are well educated and prepared to take on the task of leadership, should they choose to run and should we choose to elect them.  Looking at a group of children -- from the 5 year old who tells an endless story punctuated with "and you know what?" to the teenage who asks why reading Shakespeare is necessary -- we cannot know which of them will be our government in 30 years.  So our schools must provide the information and skills they will need to make wise decisions for the rest of us.  Our schools must develop the leaders who are "of the people."

At the same time, our government is "by the people."  The electing of this representative or that one is done by your friends and neighbors.  The decision of guilty or not guilty is made by that kid who was sitting next to you in history class, doodling on her desk.  I have listened to people complain that they should not have to pay for the education of other people's children, because they do not have children in the public school system themselves.  But we are not so independent of one another.  Your future is in the hands of all the citizens of the United States -- they vote and sit on juries, they organize political rallies and pay (or don't pay) their taxes.  And each of the decisions they make impacts you.  So our schools must provide the information and skills they will need to make wise decisions for all of us.  We must prepare the next generation of citizens who will run our government "by the people."

Last, our government is "for the people."  As a governmental enterprise, education improves the "common wealth" -- well educated people enrich our lives by creating business that both improve the economy and provide us with goods and services we need.  Well-educated people enrich our lives by writing the novels, plays, television shows and movies that entertain and move us.  Well-educated people enrich our lives through innovation that transforms our lives -- from smart phones to symphonies.  Being well educated is a joy.  Our schools must provide the rich cultural heritage and the business skills needed to develop new ideas and share them with others.  Our schools must be "for the people" by enriching our lives.

What does this mean for public education?  We could have a meaningful discussion about content.  Surely our students need to understand the history of the United States, so that they can participate in the democratic process thoughtfully.  Students need science and math, so they can understand the challenges we face and work to overcome them.  Students need the humanities to enrich their lives and ours.  Students need a trade, so that they can contribute to the economy.  But there is one thing that all students need whether to be leaders, citizens, or enriched (and enriching) individuals.  They must all learn to think and to think well.

Yes, all of us think all the time.  But our school system must teach our children how to evaluate the ideas of others, what to make of the evidence they are presented, how to develop a new idea and test it, how to challenge ideas so that the new ideas that move us forward are tempered through public debate.  Critical thinking is the most important thing that our schools can offer to children -- and to us -- because we want smart, thoughtful people to lead us in 30 years.

What does that mean when we return from this foray into philosophy and return to the everyday struggle?  It means that when we consider the value of high stakes testing, we ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?"  When we wonder about the Common Core, we ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?"  When we choose a textbook, set up assessment systems, work out an IEP, decide whether to suspend a student, deal with bullies, have a guest speaker or write up a worksheet, we stop and ask ourselves, "Does this promote critical thinking?"

What would education look like if promoting critical thinking was the primary goal?  Would it look like the public education system we have?  Or would it be dramatically different?  Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Never Doubt . . .

The kids in the LEAP summer program in New Orleans are tying up their third week -- one more to go!  Although I am in Syracuse, watching the progress from afar, I couldn't be more excited about what the kids are learning.

First, the kids are voracious readers!  The program is committed to having each child go home with one book that she or he has read.  To that end, we bought well over 100 books before the camp began.  But the kids have gobbled those up and we've order two more shipments of books over the weeks.  How wonderful!  (Of course, that means our budget is greater than we had expected -- but it's worth it!  If you'd like to help out, there's a "Donate Now" link above!)  From Dr. Seuss to Walter Dean Myers, these kids are inhaling books with rich language and rich messages.  I'm so proud of them -- and of the fabulous teachers who are helping them improve their reading skills.

The younger elementary kids (1st-3rd) continue with their problem-solving.  (See our recent post "Is a Party a Problem?")  The second and third graders met together this week -- and the second graders had difficult news for the third graders -- their menu had too many calories!  (They wanted fried chicken, pizza and wings -- and cupcakes and strawberry shortcake and peach cobbler -- and, of course, crawfish!)  So the two groups are working together to plan a menu and activities that keeps the net calories gained from the event down to 100.  Isn't that amazing?  When you were in second grade, could you have understood the phrase "net calories below 100"?

The older elementary kids (4th - middle school) are developing their own problem statements in response to the fabulous literature they are reading.  Two groups are reading The One and Only Ivan.  One is working on animal cruelty, the other is looking at what art is -- and learning about Jackson Pollock.  Do you think that Pollack's work (which many of these kids feel they could recreate easily) is art?

The oldest kids are working on their own life plans -- if they want to be a lawyer or a mechanic; a teacher or a doctor -- how do they get there?

And the rising 5th graders, who are reading Number the Stars, are developing a report on bullying.  They have done extensive research and are thinking of ways to respond to bullying situations.  Who would have guessed that reading a book about the Holocaust would lead to problem-solving about bullying?  Perhaps the brave work of the Danish people, who systematically smuggled all the Danish Jews to Sweden -- beyond Nazi reach -- inspired them.  The beauty of the problem-based learning approach is that the kids are encouraged to take the project in a direction that is meaningful to them -- so they made the connection between Nazis and bullies and are thoughtfully committed to changing their own worlds!

More updates as the program goes into its last week after the Independence Day holiday.

Common Core -- friend or foe?

I'm torn about the Common Core movement.  Yes, there are problems with implementation -- you can't test something that hasn't been taught yet.  But setting that to one side -- what do you think about the common core itself?

I'm impressed with the standards that I've seen -- they emphasize skills, mostly critical thinking, research and writing skills.  These are skills I value highly and would love to see all my students come to college with.  But I work in my little corner of the world (academia) and, while I prize these skills, I wonder what others think.

I also wonder about how people are working out the details of turning standards into actual lesson plans.  How creative can you be?   Are you forced to use problem-based learning, if that is not your style?  (One reader raised -- and dismissed that concern.)  How will differentiated instruction work with the Common Core?

Many of you are working on this right now -- how are you finding the process?  Is it exciting and fruitful -- or another top down mandate that blacks your ability to teach?  Let's get a conversation going in the comments section.

Is a Party a Problem?

We're back in Syracuse -- but the problem solving continues in New Orleans.  We kicked off the four week, problem-based learning program, spending that first week in the classroom.  Now, we are watching the kids' progress from afar -- just as you are by reading this blog!  Here's what's going on in the K-3 classes:

Our youngest students were astounded to find out that an egg had been stolen from the camp kitchen.  Fortunately, they are reading the Nate the Great series of detective books and offered to help us find the culprit.  (Perhaps the thief wanted to make some pancakes, like Nate?)  They learned a lot about eggs and considered all the possible uses the thief might have for one.  They have hidden (and found!) eggs, dyed eggs and checked to see how strong an egg is.  But then, on Friday, the thief stole some flour!!  Now they are investigating all the things a person could use flour for . . . although they are beginning to suspect that the thief is planning on baking something!  Furthermore, the flour was stolen from a very high shelf -- so the thief may be an adult -- or a very good climber!  They are developing their problem-solving skills -- logic and observation -- learning about scientific method and generally having a blast!

The rising 2nd and 3rd graders have a different problem to solve -- how do you throw a party for 100 kids?  The 2nd graders will be planning the party activities and the 3rd graders are planning the food.  They both have honed their math skills -- you do need math to figure out how many packages of a dozen cupcakes you need to buy to ensure that all 100 kids get one.  They are working on their social skills -- do you order a little extra to make sure no one goes hungry?  How do you coordinate your plans with the other class?  And they are reading and writing -- sending me updates and receiving further instructions by email.  (As well as reading about food and activities.  They are all reading Junie B Jones books about parties, too!)

The fun and the learning continues -- we miss them so much, but it is so much fun to get their email updates!

We're so glad we had this time together

I missed posting yesterday -- it's been so busy -- and today is our Syracuse volunteers' last day. We head up north again first thing tomorrow morning. 

The program, however, continues until the middle of July and we will continue to update the blog so you can keep up with the projects the children are working on. 

This afternoon, as I walked around the empty building, already missing the kids, I noticed how much of what was up on the walls was in their voices. This is the distinctive quality of the LEAP program: we place the children's voices front and center. 

For example, in morning meeting we shared the quote attributed to Mohandis Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."  But we presented the sentence to the kids with the words "change" and "see" removed. We let them finish the sentence in their own way. Now the poster is up on the wall with one of the kids' choices showing:

"Be the real you you wish to be in the world."  So Trent Duchane, rather than Gandhi, is the author every child will see as he or she passes by. 

Here's Trent -- front row, far right. 

Stirring Up Problems

Today our teachers had some well deserved rest in the French Quarter, but only after another great day working with the kids at All Souls. 

We are running a child-centered program, with an emphasis on problem-based learning. Working with a 1:6 teacher/student ratio, we can give children individualized attention.

But even more than that, we can empower the kids to take on and solve the problems they most care about. 

We've introduced them to other children who have made a huge impact on our world (watch Cassandra Lin's TED talk when you get the chance!). And we've encouraged them to be the change they want to see in the world. 

So they are beginning to brainstorm about what problems they would like to tackle. Here's a list generated by our rising 4th graders: