The Loss of Creativity and Innovation

"If school's function is to create the workers we need to fuel our economy, we need to change school, because the workers we need have changed as well."

-Seth Godin

If you have been within ten feet of me this last month,  you've been subject to the rant I've been on about standardize testing and the loss of creativity, innovation and critical thinking skills in our education system.

Specifically, I've been ranting about how my 8th grader will need to pass a standardize test for the high school to allow her to not repeat Algebra I as a freshman.   For someone with a history of weak test taking, the fact that my daughter needs to show a year's worth of knowledge on a single day, on a single test seems obsurd to me.  To further my frustration, I learned that the high school only requires the private school kids to take this test and not the public school kids.

So I've been ranting about how this is exactly what's wrong with our education system and how a single standardize test isn't the only way for a child to show proof of knowledge.  Isn't proof of knowledge what we are looking for regardless of the method used to identify it?  For some, this is like saying the sky isn't blue.

It didn't help that I saw Sir Ken Robinson speak this month on how our education system is based on utility and linearity with the assumption that we can predict the single best path for all. "We've designed a system that kills the discovery of talents and passion.  A system that alienates students.  No wonder they drop out," says Sir Ken

It didn't help that Seth Godin published a 30,000 word manifesto, Stop Stealing Dreams, pointing out that the public school system was designed during the industrial revolution to churn out good factory workers.  He also points out that the multiple choice test was designed during a crises in World War I when the male factory workers enlisted in masses.  The government needed a temporary and effecient way to sort immigrant students and quickly assign them slots in the factories.  The creator of the multiple choice test says this about the methodology he developed, "This is a test of lower order thinking for the low orders."

It didn't help that the other week, at Partnership for Excellence, when asked what keeps her up at night, that the women on the panel representing the Health Careers Collaborative stated, "Employers comments that we've lost a generation of people with critical thinking skills."

It didn't help that an expert on early childhood education for low income families told me that she is seeing a wave of low income kids being medicated in schools.  Unfortunately, this is not always because they have true issues requiring medication, but instead these kid's behavioral problems are due to unresolved social and emotional trauma from their home lives.  Kids are being medicated to fit into the system because the system isn't flexible enough to fit their needs.


So it's been a month of ranting and what have I learned from it?


TAKE-AWAY #1:

My loss of sleep about my own daughter turned out for not.  The public high school made the sane decision to not standardize test the private school kids as the sole determinant of their math placement.  Thank you for renewing my faith.  However, if she had bombed the test, which many capable kids did last year, I would have fought tooth and nail that the results of the test were not an accurate proof of knowledge.  Every time I push back on the system for my own daughter, I am pushing back on the system for other children who don't have an engaged (okay, sometimes too engaged) parent to do it for them.


TAKE-AWAY #2:

I imagine my battles aren't over.  However, I have been impressed with the high school's talk about creating different pathways for kids.  I am proud of them for seeing that there is no singular utilitarian pathway for every kid and success lies in providing multiple pathways.  For this reason, you will see me donating my time to supporting the existence of these different pathways with programs like MAD and VADA.


TAKE-AWAY #3:

I need to push myself to think outside of the box.  I am naturally a linear, in the box thinker and yes, the school system was just perfect for me.  However, without creativity and innovation we wouldn't have people thinking like the biomedical engineers in my last post, who are creating innovative solutions to health issues in developing countries.  I am also reminded of a post I did a year ago where I realized we need creative and innovative thinkers to find solutions to gobal development issues, not factory workers.

TAKE-AWAY #4:

As for the lower income kids being alienated from the system or being medicated to fit the system, my heart bleeds for them.  I continue to have faith in early childhood education programs, like Storyteller.  I truly believe being ready for kindergarten, as shown on the Cradle to Career Roadmap, including being socially and emotionally ready, is the single first critical benchmark on the path to college.

Cradle to Career - A Road Map to Education Reform

Special thanks to Lois Mitchell, Orfalea Foundations President for her help with this post.

 

I recently learned a new term, “Cradle to Career.”  I learned this term from Lois Mitchell, Orfalea Foundations President, when she mentioned to me that she was attending a convening in the Washington, D.C. area on the topic. The convening, put on by Strive, was titled, The New Normal: Building Cradle to Career Education Partnerships to Support What Works for Kids.  It was also the launch of the National Cradle to Career Network, and included speakers from the federal government.  At the event, leaders from regional place-based efforts across the country worked toward developing plans to build civic infrastructure that creates the underlying framework and systems necessary for creating and sustaining systems of learning where every child is successful, every step of the way.

“Cradle to Career” is the perfect term for this because we hear a lot about:

• the importance of Early Childhood Education on impacting a child’s future academic success,
• the dire state of our K-12 program, and
• that we are not only not preparing students for college, but that we aren’t fostering enough innovative thinkers to compete in the global market. 

Additionally, the White House web page  on education reform addresses these same three focus areas.

At the convening, the group committed to actions, including specific next steps for strengthening progress in this area.  One of the tools reference during these discussions and customized by various regional, collaborative initiatives was the following “Roadmap”

I know, I know you can't read it.  I exhusted my blogging abilities trying to bring this in so you can see it.  So let me explain, the items in gray above the time line are academic milestones, the items in blue below the time line are social/emotional milestones and the years on the time line in gray are key transition year.  Too see this roadmap better click here and then in the upper right hand corner click the plus sign to blow it up.  Sorry I wasn't able to bring it in better here.

I am brushing the surface of understanding the complex concepts behind this roadmap, but a few things strike me as impactful about the convening Lois attended and the concepts on which it focused:

TAKEAWAY #1:

The fact that there is a national collaborative effort working with the same framework, or Roadmap, gives me hope that our nation can succeed at improving education.  Call me a structure junkie, but its similar to my feelings about the Millennium Development Goals.

TAKEWAY #2:

The fact that the Roadmap covers 1) academic milestones, 2) social/emotional milestones, and 3) key transition years also impresses me and further strengthens my sense of hope.

TAKEAWAY #3

There are leaders in our community, like the Orfalea Foundations, Santa Barbara Foundation,  J.S. Bower Foundation, First Five, and Hutton Foundation that are leading the charge in working with this Roadmap and are making serious investments in it.  The existing efforts underway weave school districts, non-profit agencies, service providers, government, business, families, higher ed, and other public-private partners into a supportive safety net focused on strengthening families, neighborhoods and students ability to succeed.  In the recent Santa Barbara Foundation newsletter, Lois was quoted as saying, “Santa Barbara has the resources, expertise and passion to improve education.” I am proud to be living in a community where such focus and investment is being made. More on what our community is doing to improve education to come in future posts. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

An earlier post on Education Reform 101 and What You Can Do included actions to help support Education Reform.

Education Reform 101 and What You Can Do

I've been struggling to write a concise recap on Education Reform.  The issues and solutions are complicated.  So, I am starting with the basics and building the conversation from there.

Providing quality education to poverty level and below children is my main concern when I think about Education Reform.  Is this a political issue or a philanthropic issue?  I think both.


THE FACTS

Luckily there is wide-spread bipartisan agreement that reform is needed (Associated Press). Here's why:

• In the highly publicized international PISA tests, USA 15 year-olds, out of 65 counties ranked 29th in math, 16th in Reading, and 21st in Science (source) 

• For every 50 kindergarten children who have difficulty learning to read, 44 of them will still have difficulty in third grade. (source)

• 4 out of 10 4th- and 8th-graders are proficient in math (source)

• On average, only 58 percent of students in America’s 50 largest cities make it to commencement  (source) 

THE PLAN

According to the White House Education Website Obama has outlined a detailed plan for K-12 that focuses on three areas:

#1- Modify unwieldy testing requirements, like No Child Left Behind requires, with goals that would foster critical thinking and innovative use of knowledge to prepare students for college and careers.


#2 - Put a new focus on teacher performance and the lowest performing schools.  This includes better support and incentives for teachers as well as removing ineffective teachers

#3 - Support high-quality charter schools that offer reform, innovation, and choices for parents.



THE DEBATE

 It goes as no surprise that these three focus areas aren't without their challenges.  These include:

#1 Modify unwieldy testing requirements:

• Democrats want a full overhaul of No Child Left Behind and insist it has to be done this year, before the 2012 campaign takes over the political agenda. Republicans, on the other hand, favor an incremental approach and insist they will not approve any new spending (Slate). 

• There is lack of agreement on how big of role federal government should play in day to day education (Washington Post and Bloomberg).

#2 - Put a new focus on teacher performance

• I think we are all aware of the hot topic of teacher tenure.  "There is a consensus among education reformers and some teachers'-union leaders that the rules need to be changed and the process streamlined. The contentious debate tends to be about how to modify what constitutes due process."  I highly recommend this article, from Time, for a fuller discussion.  Of course there are several articles a day published on this one topic alone.

#3 -   Support high-quality charter schools

• Are charter schools as effective as they are being hailed?  Read this article from the Washington Post for a fuller discussion on this topic.

WHAT YOU CAN DO


Stay informed: Articles on Education Reform are published about as frequently as kids are dropping out of high school.  I hope this post encourages you to read these articles and provides you a framework for understanding the issues.  You can also click here to see my prior postings on Education Reform and here for websites I like.

Contact your politicians:  Regardless of your party, there is a concern that Republicans will not make this a top priority.  It is important that you contact your political leaders and let them know you consider this an issue needing immediate action.  This can easily be done via the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate websites. This is my goal for the week.



Help your local school:  Check with your local schools to see how you can help.  Can you help gather needed supplies, assist in a classroom, or provide tutoring?

For more ideas check out these two websites:
Takepart.com
Waiting for Superman -Take Action

Education Reform/Rhee's Blueprint Pulished

Rhee is controversial, but leading the charge on reform and getting a lot of attention.

Rhee's New Group Calls for Changes in Education - WSJ.com

Rhee's anticipated blueprint of her new advocacy group was released with three priorities:

1) focuses on overhauling teacher pay and evaluation plans, 2) giving parents more say in their child's education and 3) spending tax dollars more wisely.  

Michelle Rhee: In Budget Crises, an Opening for School Reform - WSJ.com

In her own words  and in the first article, she states, "A lot of the reason I started the group is so we can provide the cover a courageous political leader needs to push this agenda."  Also check out, StudentsFirst.org

Improving teachers: Lessons learned | The Economist

This article talks about the perils of Education reform, but the part that I found so interesting, and hopeful, is that "John Kline, the new Republican chairman of the House education committee, has praised Mr Duncan’s reforms."  Remember Duncan is the Secretary of Education and he also support Rhee.

To foster high-achievers, think beyond the classroom - Washington Post

 This article dissects the U.S.'s poor performance on the recent international PISA to show that whites did not do that poorly and the problem with our education system lies in educating the blacks and Hispanic students.

11 Education Activists for 2011 - TIME

 Admittedly, I haven't gotten a chance to go through this list yet, but plan to.

Obama aims to revise No Child Left Behind - Washington Post 
From Obama, himself, this week.

The Latest in Education Reform

Before September, I had never heard of Michelle Rhee.  Now, she is dominating the media on education reform.   She was the D.C. Chancellor of Schools highlighted in the film "Waiting for Superman."  In October, she resigned and followed up with a large media blitz announcing her new venture StudentsFirst.org. 


Is Rhee's Project Right on Track?
from greatergreaterwashington.org
This article sums up how I feel about Rhee?  I am cheering for her, but I am unclear on her new venture.  Rhee is suppose release her legislative agenda this week so keep an eye out for it.


What Rhee Wrought
from Washington Post
Despite this negative article on Rhee, I am still rooting for her.


School Reform: A Chance for Bipartisn Governing 
from Washington Post
After reading this article, I was disappointed to realize it had been written by Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education. I would have liked a more unbiased author.  However, it's still worth reading and here is a link to a response to what he says, The Answer Sheet: A Reponse to Arne Duncan


Economist's Plan to Improve Schools Begins Before Kindergarten
from  New York Times
A prominent businessman's and a prominent economists' opinion that the solution to reducing the budget deficit and strengthening the economy is investing in early childhood education.  It is one more reason I am such a strong supporter of early childhood education.  Additionally, in David Brook's op-ed this week, regarding the size of government, he lists early childhood education as the first thing democrats believe is needed to compete in our society.


Low Performing Schools Replace Staff
from NPR
The Obama administration is behind and continuing to support nationally what was Rhee's controversial decision, as Washington D.C. Chancellor, to replace poor performing teachers despite huge battles with the teacher's union.


The Value of a Good Teacher
from Wall Street Journal
One economist estimates the added value of a good teacher to the future earnings of a class of 20 students to be $240,000 annually.

This Week in Education Reform

I can't help, but be drawn to any article on education reform.  If you aren't already familiar with the topic, a few of the key players to watch are Arne Duncan, Geoffrey Canada,  Michelle Rhee, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

A Former School Chief Shapes Her Comeback
"Ms. Rhee, one of the best recognized, and most polarizing, figures in public education."  After resigning as Chancellor of Washington, D. C. schools, the nation was waiting for her next move.  Read about it at NYTimes.com.

What I've Learned by Michelle Rhee 
For those of you who want more on Michelle Rhee and her thoughts about education reform, read this Newsweek cover article.

New Challenges for Obama's Education Agenda in the Face of a G.O.P. Led House
NYTimes.com covers how the administration is having to recalibrate its goals for working with Congress

Teach Your Children...Better 
This interview with Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, appeared in Nov in the WSJ.  Here is my favorite part of the interview and the reason why I believe so strongly in the long term impact of Early Childhood Education.  

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: President Obama has a goal of increasing college graduation rates. I believe the U.S. has now sunk to No. 9 in the world and he wants to make us No. 1 by 2020. How is he going to do that, given the state of public education?

MR. DUNCAN: We're putting a huge emphasis on early-childhood education, which is a long-term play. We've talked a lot about K-to-12 reform.

We've also put a huge amount of money to make college more affordable, have increased Pell grants, lots of money behind community colleges. And so with a comprehensive—we call it cradle to career—continuum of change, we basically need about another eight million young people to graduate. 

 Many Officials Willing to Replace Half of Staff to Turn School Around 
In the much talked about film, Waiting for Superman, there was a lot of blame placed on a system with the inability to replace low performing teachers.  This article from the Washington Post addresses the Obama's administration attempt to tackle this issue.

Geoffrey Canada Said to Have Rejected Chancellor Job 
We might not live in NYC, but Geoffrey Canada is such a leader in education reform that anything about him is worth reading.  Read at NYTimes.com

What Works in the Classroom...Ask the Students 
  This NYTimes.com article covers a two year project sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Part of this project was research that shows preliminary findings that students views of their teachers are quite useful.

 Growth in Test Scores is a Sign of a Good Teacher
Another article on the two year project from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  This one, in the Washington Post, discusses the effectiveness of using test scores to measure teaching ability.