I am now hooked on reading the highlights for the Oprah show online. It is about a 13 page transcript of the most important points made. I was extremely interested in the piece she has done this week on the Crisis in the American school system. The huge dropout rates and actually calling some schools in the SF Bay area "feeder schools" for get this ... the PRISON SYSTEM! I am not surprised because of the stories Stacy has told me about being a social worker in a high school in Oakland. Stacy - please correct me if I am wrong - There are 3 adults in some class rooms. One Social Worker, One Teacher, and One disciplinary person. These are not large classrooms. I think she has mentioned they are under 20 students. Oh - this is also the middle level high school in Oakland meaning there is one that is worse.
The two part episodes also discuss some revolutionary ways to attack the growing problems of drop outs and the dumbing down of American education to teach to the lowest level. This has been occurring in American schools since at least 1978. I remember our elementary school vice -principal, Mr. Tierney telling my mother, " We have some students start 1st grade here (hand at eye level) and some students start first grade here (other hand at the stomach level) and by Third grade we have everyone here (hands meet at chest level). What is wrong with this ... The bright kids are not challenged. They are brought down to chest level. Instead, of this expecting each student to go to college from day one. Realizing that they come in with 101 reasons why they can't and having to combat that with 101 reasons why as adults we believe in them and that they can succeed. My teachers knew my name (even the middle one), knew my parent's names, and some of them knew my grandparent's names. How much power is there in believing in success? There is more power than an atom bomb. Every business owner, every successful athelete and star personality must believe in their ability to succeed.
Another group that was trying to make a difference said that it was time for teachers, administrations, parents and students to stop pointing the fingers at each other and realize the whole system has critical flaws. We need to step back and re think how we are engaging the students, parents, and teachers. We keep giving them books but is it better to give them laptops? Are we embracing the Web 2.0 and community 2.0 into the school system? Our kids text message, are on myspace.com, and are plugged into their iPods and video games. Why not teach them through the tools they embrace? What is wrong with CD rom text books? Pod casts lectures? Time to move education into the next century.... If we don't we risk losing the grip on what has made this country the economic and moral success over the past two hundred years.
