Disrupting Class by Christensen, Horn and Johnson (2008)

Disrupting Class by Christensen, Horn and Johnson (2008)
I confess I only skimmed parts of the books so this blog is not to say the book doesn’t have merit and I have a general bias against business solutions and business organizational theory being applied to educational problems, programs and institutions.
That said.
The authors identify four purposes for schools – “They are hired to perform four distinct jobs” (p.64).
1. Eliminate poverty
2. Keep the united states competitive
3. Provide something for every student
4. Preserve and inculcate democracy
I disagree with job 1 - I have not seen a mission or vision statement to the affect that a public school or for that matter a private or charter school includes the elimination of poverty, but it is not a bad idea. I wish it were a top job and that schools were hired to do just BUT THEY ARE NOT! It could certainly change how schools are financed and the programs provided.
Job 2 is also a nice sentiment; however, seldom doe the purpose 2 make it into the mission, vision, goals, objectives, or standards. There is a strong sentiment that education is necessary to keep the United States competitive among the business leaders and their Lobbyists. Thus we have the business mentality of standards, measurements to judge those if those standards are being met, and reorganization, rewards and punishments, outsourcing, and union bashing offered as solutions.
Job three is a joke – It has to be. Since the drive for purpose number 2 is driving “non-essential programs” to the wayside. Art, Music, Physical Education, are languishing. All students are being asked to attempt a college prep-curriculum. Tech-prep and similar programs are disappearing. Pundits talk about individualization of instruction but the something everyone is the same content.
Lastly job 4, Yes. We do, for sure, want to make sure that our democracy endures and those that may not have reason to believe in it are inculcated (a nice way of saying indoctrinated) with American values. This is a strident statement on my part; however, our American democracy is based upon economic rights and benefits those who have and only those who don’t to the degree necessary to preserve their wealth. Hence, the exception of private and charter schools job 1 and 3. The defeat of school choice in California is a good example: the wealthy communities didn’t like the prospect of less fortunate others invading their community schools.
I have read that before government take over of the schools that the purpose of education was to serve the community by providing the skills necessary to survival, the life skills to foster civility and the community and imparting wisdom. In short, over the individual’s life span education was to help the individual attain their full potential in their community and become authentic.
Originally the forefathers in New England established community schools for the purpose of teaching people to read, write, and cipher. They felt it was important that people have the skill to read the Bible. They felt it was important to be able to communicate in writing with other communities. Lastly they felt it was important that people were able to not only count their blessings, but other things as well. The early education on the south was as different as the culture of the north and the south were.
And so it is today that our government serves up the kind of education the ruling community wishes. To our credit, most schools in low-income areas provide two meals a day for children who otherwise would probably go hungry.
I need to tell Christensen, Horn and Johnson that a major purpose of our public schools is to provide day care service .and custodial care. I remember sitting in a hearing on legislation to provide for automatic expulsion for bringing a weapon to school, and a notable elected person spoke in opposition to the effect that the offenders would be on the street.
Further, misters Christensen, Horn and Johnson, schools need more than innovative technology; they need major systemic changes. Our schools are beyond the point were tweaking on the edges or spending 80% of our effort to bring about a 20% improvement. We need to spend our energy creating new not more of the old.

How do you know when your hometown is dying?

How do you know when your hometown is dying?
Is it when the last large manufacturing plant closes?
Is it when there a lot of vacancies in the strip malls?
Is when there is an outcry that local government costs too much?
Is when branch libraries are closed for lack of funds?
Is it when Wal-Mart becomes one of the top local employers?
Is it when a sizable number of the students at the community college are unemployed re-trainees?
No. It is when you drive by the community pool that has been in operation for a life time and you realize that the community doesn’t have the resources to open.

Public Education

The educational "experts" and politicians have take a good concept from the 18th century, and the system/organization of the 20th century and driven public education to the saturation point. We are now precipitating home schooling, and charter schools.
In economic jargon we have reached the point of diminishing returns and we are fast approaching the point were we will be subtracting returns. In short we have pushed the current structure of public education to capacity. In leadership terms public school are suffering from transactional leadership and thinking. If we only add this, then will get that. If we do more of the same we will get more of the same.
Has any one besides me think it is time to transform the system? Has anyone besides me think that raising standards may be setting expectations to high? The people holding power and making decisions for the most part did not have to meet today's standards.
I am all for learning and quality teaching, but today's efforts are not about understanding or knowing they are about answering test questions. No Child Left behind is built on the false premise that all children start at the same place. So now there is talk of evaluating teachers on progress on the tests. Great motivator for teaching to the test and not the child.
Today we supposedly know a lot about technology, learning and well being; however, we don't apply it to schools. People learn better when they have periods of diversion - exercise, meditation, art, singing etc. Student's retention is better in year around schools than the current nine month calendar. Playing to people interests and strengths is more productive than pounding on weaknesses.
In the last century they tried to teacher proof the curriculum; today they are trying to teacher proof the curriculum with standards and tests.
Truly, if there were no schools, is this the best we could come up? I don't think so.
However, my prediction is that things won't change, and I'll be listening to the same rhetoric for the next ten years. Schools are failing. Teachers are to blame. Its the parents. It costs too much. Its the unions' fault. Those teachers need to be held accountable.
Accountability is a funny thing. We should only hold people accountable for what they can control not what they can not. It seems that we often hold those accountable that have no power and those with power we give passes and excuses.