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Here's What Needs to be Said:
- Question, Where do most of us agree? What are some of the education points about our children we can tackle together?
- One great answer: Reading. We want our children to master reading.
- Question, What academic skills must all children master?
- One great answer: How to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and do math.
- Question, What else is good to learn?
- One great answer: How to start on time, stay on task, complete assignments.
Here's What Needs to be Said:
"Let's define what I believe all children must learn. I want a nation where all our children learn the basic academic skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking, information organization and math. No matter how we cut it, learning these skills is the key to holding jobs with a future.
"Second: I want all our children to learn the three behaviors associated with success: how to start on time, stay on task, complete assignments. No matter how we cut it, learning these skills is the key to creating successful classrooms and holding jobs with a future.
"How are we going to accomplish these lofty goals? We are going to begin by looking at the data we already have about "best practices" in instructing these skills and behaviors. We are going to define what makes a good teacher, "A good teacher is one who actually uses well-tested theories of instruction, no matter what subject is being taught. A good teacher is one whose students can demonstrate that they are better readers, writers, listeners, speakers, information organizers and mathematicians at the end of the semester than they were at the beginning.
"This should be the primary job of the Department of Education: to publicize what really works, and reward schools and teachers that adopt these practices."
"This should be the primary job of our schools: to teach all kids the basic skills and behaviors to mastery
The above is not a complicated.
I can imagine a question and answer period between a politician, administrator or superintendent going something like this:
QUESTION: Mr Educator, What do you believe are the most important issues facing Americans today?
ANSWER: They are always the same: education of our young people; the family; health care reform; the well-being of the elderly; our national security; the economy; energy; the environment... The order changes, but not the list.
QUESTION: What would be your policy towards education?
ANSWER: Because education is key to the future of America, and so integral to solving all the other critical issues I've mentioned, my policy emphasizes teaching all students how to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and do math. In addition, teachers and administrators must master what it means to start on time, stay on task, complete assignments. These are the skills and behaviors associated with success in any venture and can be mastered at all levels, kindergarten through post-graduate university and the board room.
QUESTION: You haven't mentioned class size, teacher salaries, computers, more schools, better benefits?
ANSWER: These may be important issues, but they must not be allowed to take the focus off of what we must do today. Our children must learn to read, write, listen, speak, organize information and do math. This shall be the focus of my education policy, all will flow from this focused effort. As teachers learn how to effectively teach skills to mastery, all else flow. Academic success affirms that education really is for them.
QUESTION: What about foreign languages, sports, sciences, history, all the other subjects a student must study?
ANSWER: You have just put your finger on it. You used the word "study." I agree that a well-educated person must study these subjects. But, you can't study if you don't know how to read and organize information. You aren't going to study anything, or learn much about anything, if you can't complete your assignments. Teach the basic skills and behaviors, and teach them to mastery, reinforcing them no matter what subject is being taught, at all grade levels, right through college. This is the cornerstone of my education policy. No other subject or area of inquiry is at odds with this idea. I'm all for history, sports and all the other things you mentioned. But something has gone wrong. Too many of our kids believe education isn't really for them, they drop out. They must get the chance to experience real, solid academic success.
This is what I am going to do as an educational leader: I am going to charge the Department of Education to tell me what data they have about what really works. I am going to publicize this data and reward those schools and teachers that implement these programs. I am going to make heroes out of those schools and superintendents and teachers who learn how to teach reading and writing and how to start on time.
I am going to make sure that parents know what skills I believe their children must learn - no matter if they attend a private school, a public school, a magnet school, a parochial school, a charter school, an alternative school, a special-education school, a free-school, a school with vouchers, an inner-city school, a country-day school, whatever... All of our children must learn the fundamental academic skills and behaviors. This is the key to their future and our nations future. I am going to take the emphasis off of homework and put it back on the classroom.
Our children simply can't be allowed to graduate from elementary school, middle school, high school, college, graduate school without having ever heard of the three fundamental behaviors associated with success. We can no longer afford to graduate students who are virtually illiterate when it comes to reading and writing and solving mathematical equations. The place to begin is not with new buildings. It takes months and years to build a new school building and our children aren't learning to read and write and do math in the buildings we already have. My education policy is to begin by teaching them to read, beginning today. I'm going to stay on task. Next question!
For more on how to begin I recommend turning to one free website that provides solutions today: www.brainsarefun.com.
I leave you all with this, "Teach our kids to read!"
What's the answer, "Teach our kids to read!"
Yes. That's right. "Teach our kids to read."
Thank you.- end of article -
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE: AN EDUCATION POLICY FOR POLITICIANS © January, 2003 by Rory Donaldson. All rights reserved. In order to help reverse the tide of academic failure and optimize success, individuals may copy Brainsarefun solutions for non-commercial use at no charge. Contents may not be sold or repackaged in any manner without the written permission of Rory Donaldson. Since all material is copyrighted, please ensure that this entire copyright notice and contact information continues to be attached to each article you download. Mr. Donaldson appreciates the feedback. Additional solutions may be viewed and downloaded at no charge by logging on to brainsarefun.com. Titles are being updated, edited and added regularly. To view most recently added titles you may click here.
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