Education Heart Attack
As U.S. president Donald Trump appoints Betsy DeVos, a flurry of comments ensue on social about what this could mean for education in the U.S.
If you recall Trumps education vision and read into Betsy’s Ed history, it paints a clear picture of what’s about to happen > a focus on giving parents more school choice.
Now although for the general public this sounds great, is definitely catchy for parents to get on board with and certainly helps for cases like the Garcias . . .
. . .when you dig into what the research says about #schoolchoice and its overall impact on student learning, it paints a different picture. The short versions:
There are many more strategies to pick that will result in increased gains in student achievement compared to choice of school
Check out these research findings:
Ironically, the above comes from the first research paper listed from the organization Betsy is chair and has been a promoter of: The American Federation for Children
The question many are asking is, if kids aren’t benefiting from #schoolchoice, then who is? (I will reserve my own thoughts on this)
OK, but what if this is exactly what the U.S. education system needs...
a heart attack !
Nothing gets people off their butts quicker than surviving a heart attack…they exercise more, eat different foods, cherish even the small interactions with loved ones…and all it took was a a brief jolt of discomfort to set these new behaviors in motion.
Giving parents the ability to choose the learning environment they feel provides the greatest opportunity for their child's success will undoubtedly pull kids out of the many public school systems that continue to allow antiquated forms of teaching and learning . . .
. . .and this is exactly what will cause a shock to public school systems as they scramble to figure out how to attract those students back…and hence, post heart attack behaviors will begin.
I spend a good deal of my time talking to, reading and listening to education reformers, evangelists and thought leaders and what I have come to understand is that there is no shortage of examples of great things happening in schools across the globe . . .
The problem is that it happens in pockets and is not widespread. Forcing entire school systems to rethink long-lived policies and practices and to open up to and search for more recent understandings of how students learn best, will undoubtedly instigate decision makers and teachers to create and spread enhanced learning environments where students are sure to flourish.
Having worked with many U.S. educators and decision makers, I have absolute confidence in their capacity to make this kind of transformation a reality with the right guidance and supports.
