The Death of Uniformity

I have been thinking a lot about education lately. Partly because school is starting but mostly because of all the budget cuts and new standardized tests being debuted in Texas this year.

I have always been a fan of the idea of public education. That as a nation we should work to educate all of our citizens. That we have a duty to provide a free education, but I have never been a fan of how the theory actually plays out in school policy, mandates, standards, school districts, and in the classrooms around the nation.

I think back to when I was in school, and as I reflect I see all of the accommodations teachers made for me in order to make the educational mold fit me as well as it could.  In elementary school I was ahead in reading and writing skills, and I remember my teachers giving me additional work in order to keep me occupied and challenged. I was also assigned to assist the ESL students with their work. As I progressed through school I became a bit more fidgety and perhaps harder to keep on task and I recall always being the student asked to run errands for the teachers. At the time I thought it was because they liked me better, but I see now that it was really to keep me occupied so I didn’t get too off-task. And by high school I had perfected the ability to sit and stare or doodle when I was done with work or was just plain bored… oh, and I was absent a lot. I am sure I frustrated the heck out of my teachers because I made decent grades (certainly not stellar) but I wasn’t living up to my potential. Honestly, I didn’t see the point. I was bored and I did enough to get in to college which is what I perceived the point of public education to be. Although I am sure my teachers did the best they could, I was disillusioned with public education even while I participated in it, but I really never could articulate why.

As I’ve gotten older and worked on the teaching end of education, I have come to realize what I feel is the crux of our educational problem – unyielding uniformity. The idea that we must teach all kids the same thing, on the same timeline, and in the same manner. The educational community pays lip service to such ideas as differentiation and multiple intelligences but these ideas rarely ever make it in to the classroom. I’m not blaming this on teachers because they are set up to fail. In their educational courses they are taught about all of these wonderful strategies and ways to make the curriculum come to life for the students, but the system is set up in such a way to make this nearly impossible – the TEKS (standards) are the same for every child, students are tested at the end of the year and are expected to perform at the same level, class sizes are huge and often difficult to manage, access to technology and resources is sparse, and in many districts teachers are provided with a teaching calendar which dictates what they are to teach when and often times how they are to teach it.

Scientifically we know that people learn differently and at different rates, so why is it we have created an educational system in direct juxtaposition of this idea? Quite frankly it is ludicrous.

So now that I have stated what I perceive to be the problem, how do I suggest we fix it? The concept is easy enough but it would require a total revamping of the educational system we have come to know. It would require our nation to embrace our differences and to develop an educational system that caters to them.

In my utopian educational system this is what I imagine:

• A variety of types of schools – traditional, trade, virtual, career based, after hours, year round, etc.

• Community involvement – pairing of students who want to learn a trade in a sort of apprenticeship with a master or masters in their area of interest.

• Flexibility in course requirements – it is ridiculous to think that all students need four years of high level math and science. Perhaps the United States should attempt a version of “tracking” where students are tested for aptitude and interest and guided into an area of study (note I said guided and not required).

• Realism – I strongly believe that all children can learn; however, not all children can learn at the same level. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Can’t we play up our strengths instead of focusing on our weaknesses?

• Realistic standards – take a look at the TEKS for various grade levels and you will note many skills, concepts, ideas that you never developed or have ever used. It is ridiculous to me to spend time attempting to teach all children skills, concepts, etc. that they will never need within their lifetime. Why not focus on realistic standards for all and allow students to self-select other standards they would like to work towards?

• Testing – testing would not be standardized. If testing were to be continued (and notice I say IF) it should test actual basic skills and chart individual’s growth from year to year instead of creating a standard that everyone must reach in every discipline studied.

• Resources – technology, staff development, job shadowing, apprenticeships, etc. would be available as needed. Teachers would have the resources they need to educate their students and help them grow.

• Creativity – creativity and problem-solving would be infused in learning. Both teachers and students would be encouraged to take risks and try new things.

I could go on forever with my wish list, but the unifying thread throughout it all is that we – teachers and students – would be seen as individuals and would not be bound by uniformity. Schools could be different and offer different courses. Creativity and individuality would be praised. Students would understand the relevancy of their education because it would actually be relevant. Students would be assessed on their educational growth and not penalized for advancing slower or faster than their peers.

Perhaps I am just being naïve and idealistic. What do you think? How would you fix the educational system or do you even think it needs fixing?