Being a proud graduate of a local public high school and now making a career as a proponent of education, a few things have become clear.
First, the concept of what teaching and learning looks like has certainly changed, primarily due to the integration of technology and software in the classroom.
Schools have been forward thinking over the years, doing things like diversifying curriculums and committing to universal literacy standards for grade-school students, understanding that reading and comprehension are fundamental components to educational success.
Public schools have, what I consider, the privilege to support and give additional resources to students with disabilities by creating Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s), which allows students that may have unique learning styles the capability to achieve academic success.
It seems that public education and its systems have been doing everything possible to ensure that students are qualified and prepared for the next steps in their personal, educational and professional lives.
So why is public education under attack?
There is a perception that not enough is being done to maintain academic achievement at traditional public school districts based on standardized test results and other governmental metrics.
If that’s not enough, the quality of public education is regularly questioned locally and throughout the nation.
So, what has happened? And more importantly what is the answer that can restore public trust in our education system and how can we ensure that all students are privy to a quality education at our traditional public schools?
Oh, you thought I had the answer?
Sorry, I am an amateur columnist, not an expert in scholastic ascendancy.
But what I can offer is an educational advocate’s viewpoint, one of a public school product, and a parent of five public school graduates.
In my experiences with patients that suffer from depression, addiction or mental health disorders, they often avoid mirrors and refuse to look at themselves directly. A mirror is a simple instrument with a specific purpose, which is to replicate the image that is in front of. It does this in a way that is raw, unfiltered and without subjectivity or bias. It reveals the truth, unapologetically.
So what does this have to do with K-12 education?
As a community, our schools are nothing more than the mirror that reflects our successes as well as our trouble areas as the local citizens. Our schools are a microcosm of the collection of neighborhoods that make up our community, nothing more or less.
Unsatisfied with your local school district or have had poor personal experiences with the schools? Tired of seeing the less than stellar results on the state report card?
Let me offer this insight:
There are many great things happening in our schools and so many brilliant minds being nourished, pushed and challenged in the classrooms.
I have the benefit of witnessing, first hand, the promise of students that work hard on their studies and are driven to do their best academically, as well as the commitment of teachers that stay late working with students that need extra help.
Some of them are there toiling over how to present the next day’s lesson in a way that all their students can grasp the concepts and succeed.
I was working late one evening and from my office I overheard a teacher on the phone for over an hour with various parents of her students. Each parent she called, she was telling them positive things about their child and encouraging the parent to please let her know if she can be of any assistance with the student and that the parent should feel free to contact her with any questions regarding the child.
I watch administrators and school officials everyday try to develop and maintain a positive and productive culture of learning while balancing disciplinary methods that create teachable moments rather than just punitive justice.
I can go on and on about the great things happening in schools, but just like most of us when we look in a mirror, it is our blemishes that shine through.
So instead, many choose to focus on the struggle with test scores, behavior issues and we even have the audacity to criticize the most undervalued professionals in the history of civilization! Our teachers (Just my opinion).
While criticism certainly has its place and is the right of every individual the best version of our schools will come as a result of us taking an honest look at our reflection as a community.
How many school board meetings have we attended? Not to complain about specific policy or decisions, but in effort to be engaged and aware of what’s going on in the schools.
How many of our local agencies and businesses offer their support and services to the schools as partners with a vested interest in the products being cultivated in every classroom of every building. Are we as parents engaged as we should be with the place where our kids spend the majority of their time; school?
Some may believe that none of these things make a difference and it becomes the default stance for individuals to focus on why certain initiatives won’t or can’t work as opposed to figuring out ways to support new and innovative ideas that may be the change needed to help our students and teachers succeed.
I am a believer that the traditional public school model is one that can prepare and shape students for the diversity that exists in society at large. And not only cultural diversity, but diversity of thought and the ability and experience that provides practical solutions to complex problems.
The answer to the enhancement of traditional public education in our community, fortunately is not in the hands of our federal government or even our state policy makers.
The key to continued improvement of public education in our community, IS OUR COMMUNITY. It involves all of us taking a good look in the mirror as local residents, community leaders, businesses, churches, non-profits and service agencies and plug-in to the educational process of our youth and invest in their success.
A students’ journey through our public educational systems in north central Ohio should be a community experience. Where our teachers, school officials and most importantly, our young people will know that we are all-in when it comes to their success in the classroom and in life.
With the ultimate goal being when they graduate and their educational journey ends, they will decide to raise their families, start their businesses or make their living right here in our community and begin a new cycle to pay it forward to the next generation of students in our schools.
Sounds too far-fetched? Don’t think it will work?
Well, mute your default button and open up space for a positive outlook. I challenge Us to start with Us; to pick up the mirror and ask ourselves, “Can I do more to help my community?”
If your answer is Yes, then welcome to the vocal majority because all of us can and should do a little more for our community and what better way than to get involved and invest in our community’s greatest asset. Our Schools and our Kids … Stay Blessed.
