America’s Teachers on America’s Schools

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/united-states/Pages/americas-teachers-report.aspx

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Scholastic surveyed 40,000 American teachers in order to find five ways to address the challenges facing today's schools.

The first recommendation was to establish clearer, tough academic standards, common across all 50 states.  I wouldn't call anything in this groundbreaking.  I am beginning to like the idea of common standards.  This would allow teachers across the county to collaborate.  I don't fell making the standards tougher will help anything.  I think we need to look at the types of assignments give.  Students need more rigorous assignments.  

The second recommendation was to use multiple measures to evaluate student performance.  The foundation states that teachers value the role standards play in improving academic achievement but are clear that standardized tests should not be the sole measure of student achievement.  Among the recommendations are formative, ongoing assessments during class, performance on class assignements and class participation.  Again, I see nothing new in this suggestion.  I agree that standardized testing should not be the the sole standard.  I would like to see project based learning and portfolios, where students display their own learning.  

The third recommendation was to innovate to reach today's students.  Specifically, students must see real world importance of a lesson.  Technology is suggested to keep the students engaged.  I agree with showing the students the real world importance and technology is a great fit.  A laptop in each student's hand is the perfect tool to complete projects that fit their learning style and interest.  It also gives them a platform to collaborate and share with the world.

The four suggestion is to provide supportive leadership to teachers and more collaboration time.  Principals should be the instructional leader of the school, they should have the ability to step back into the classroom and teach.  I would like to see more art programs available to students, giving teachers more collaboration time.  We also need to reduce the amount of other responsibilities and paperwork.

The last suggestion to bridge school and home to raise student achievement.  Parents are the first teachers and the most influential person in their child's life.  Same as it ever was.