We got Forbes magazine at home this past week, and in it, their best 100 Companies to Work For. As I read through the columns on the chart, to see why these places were so great, I lamented the state of public education in America.
Things that made a difference for employees included gourmet meals, special employee incentives (such as extra vacations, or bonuses), and conveniences at work (gyms, laundry, car detailing). While a lot of these perks are financial, and can no doubt be ultimately attributed to the company’s success through capitalist practices, I’m saddened that a) teachers mean so little, b) get paid so little, and c) can’t compete in their system (our public schools) like folks in business.
As I gear up to attend several conferences this month and next, I’ll no doubt hear solutions to all sorts of educational problems presented by fellow educators. But I also know that what teachers do in the classroom in a given day is only a piece of the puzzle. And no one piece can solve the puzzle, or our educational concerns.
I have no doubt that our educational system is in need of serious reform. But so many of the things that could provide a catalyst for change are behind the red tapes of finances, politics, and parental involvement.
I know from experience that many of our teachers are overworked, are disrespected by students and their communities, and are asked to contribute more of their lives to their jobs than any teaching contract is ever honest enough to admit. While I have been following the online discussions about School 2.0, Classroom 2.0 and watching the blog Students 2.0, today I pessimistically feel that little of the wonderful ideas for change and improvement can take hold when there is so much else holding us back.