Inspired

I am relatively new to the education realm. Over my 14 year career, I have worked in the non-profit sector or for the government. Regardless of my employer, one thread has been constant in my professional pursuits...helping people improve their lives and the lives of others. I currently have the pleasure of cultivating community partnerships for a charter school in my city. Being imbedded in a school setting but not being "from" here, I have noted that all of society converges in this single forum. We underestimate the many roles educators must navigate in order to adequately perform their jobs. They must be teacher, counselor, therapist, mediator, parent liaison, event planner, social worker, nurse and statistician just to name a few. We don't expect this same level of expertise in any other field. A lawyer gets to be just a lawyer, a nurse gets to be just a nurse, a businessman gets to be just a businessman. Yet, teachers carry the burden of keeping the proverbial plates of education constantly spinning while striving to achieve adequate academic progress for their students.

There has been a lot of discussion about education reform and the need to improve teacher quality. I couldn't agree more. Movies like "Waiting for Superman" and "Won't Back Down" sensationalize the critical state of America's public education system. One need only look as far as his/her state's department of education website to find the disparity in resources among schools. Each year, principals and staff are shuffled to try to bring some level of equality to the "system". Who can blame teachers for giving up at times trying to combat a system that is ineffective?

But is the real issue teacher reform? Or even educational overhaul?

Maybe there is a better way. At least those of us passionate about not settling for the status quo had better believe there is.

Perhaps the education realm has something to learn from the non-profit sector? Non-profit agencies understand the importance of cultivating partners. Their sustainability depends on it. What if there was a mechanism for schools to access partnerships that improve their capacity to address the needs of all of their stakeholders? What if there was an attorney imbedded in the school to authoritatively address any legal questions that arise? Or a social work department that proactively worked to improve the social/emotional development of students rather than contracted social workers who serve to intervene in extreme cases? Or perhaps a mandated on-site health clinic that served the area around the school and not just the students who attend that school? Better still, a health and wellness facility that doubled for occupational and physical therapy for students with disabilities.

We must rethink the design of school if we are to continue to have any hope for public education. But then public education is an antiquated model itself. We are stronger together and we must enlist the help of the private sector to see the value in investing in schools from their personal pockets. We must make a way for incentives for private donors to provide resources for public education. They are already doing it for private schools, consequently increasing the disparity gap among America's students.

We have spent far too much time placing the burden of "fixing" education on the backs of educators. They have a role to play, yes. But their role is no more important than mine...or yours.

My goal is the same for my own children as it is for all children. I want them ready to launch successfully when the time comes. In order to achieve that goal, we all must embrace our place in the educational landscape. We all must accept responsibility for the outcome. Only then can we expect to create exemplary students.