Oprah Winfrey has been someone I have always admired. She is a person who has taken her fame and done wonderful things to bring about positive change in the world. I often miss her show because I am busy with the tedious tasks of every day life, but being this is her last season and I have pretty much grown up watching her show, I have been trying to tune in each day while I tend to my other tasks.
Today, I was glad I did and she had my full attention. Her show focused on a documentary that is coming out within the next month called "Waiting for Superman". This documentary is to focus on the serious flaws that we have in our American public education system.
As a mom, and a former teacher, I was very impassioned by this show. Anything to do with children, especially when it is something that leaves children vulnerable when they have no power to act on their behalf, brings out the mama bear in me.
I felt the need to get the word out in my own neighborhood about this film and urge educators in my own system to not only see it, but walk away from it with ideas they are ready to implement to better our school systems. They will most likely file my email in their spam or junk mail bin. Some might read it and then click delete. But if even one educator reads it and takes it to heart, I hope it makes at least a little bit of a difference.
I have felt for years that our school systems were flawed and had pinned high hopes on the first George Bush to change our educational system with his promises of school vouchers, something I had been preaching for in school reports way back in my college days. Well, former President Bush let me down. School vouchers never came to fruition.
The current President, well, let's just say I am not a fan. He doesn't seem to have any interests outside of pointing the finger to blame someone else when something goes wrong. Other than that, he seems to stand for nothing. When he ran for election, we heard all about change. Well, the economy tanked, so I guess we got change. But, I digress. This is not meant to be a political debate.
Back to the Oprah show. I was so inspired by the show, I immediately set off to contact every member of the school board, superintendent, principal of my kids' schools, and all other school administrators I could find.
It is not an earth-shattering, monumental step, but everyone has to start somewhere, so this was my first step. Maybe if something comes of it, I can take another step and get a ball rolling with other people interested in change.
Anyway, I thought for today's blog, I would share my letter with you. I did change the names in case they wouldn't want to be identified, though the principal should be. He is one of the best I have seen in years.
Dear interim superintendent, members of the school board and administration, and Principal xxxxxx,
I am contacting all of you because I strongly believe it would be very beneficial if every teacher, school administrator, school board member, principal, and superintendent would go to see the documentary "Waiting for Superman" that will be opening in theaters in October 2010. This documentary addresses many of the issues that plague our school systems here in America today.
I whole-heartedly agree with this film that there are many teachers out there that are hiding comfortably under a blanket of tenure; that our schools are teaching to tests and yet many children don't learn that way. I think teachers need to be more accountable for their students' performance and that learning needs to be more hands-on. I feel that we have become so focused on test scores and overall statistics that individual students are no longer seen. I believe that our educational system is seriously broken and this film brings to light a lot of serious issues that need to be addressed.
We at ABC Elementary school have a principal that I personally feel is on the right track. We need more teachers and administrators like him. He knows every student in his school. He wants every parent involved and is implementing ways to get them there. It is a step in the right direction. I also know there is only so much he can do on his own.
I have seen teachers that are burned out and should not be in the classroom anymore. I have personally observed a teacher just a few years ago in our own school system that was so disorganized I didn't know how my daughter learned anything in her class. Yet these teachers remain in our schools year after year. Instead of focusing on children's test scores, why aren't we requiring teachers to take a certain number of continuing education classes over a specified amount of time to keep their teaching methods current and fresh; classes that might inspire them? Why is the pressure to do better on the kids and not on the teachers and administrators? Isn't it our job, as parents and educators to help our children? Isn't it our job to help them shine and be the best they can be? I think it is. It is our job to show our children the way. It's our job to give our children every opportunity to succeed.
I urge this film be shown across all schools across our county - if not across America. We can quote a "no child left behind" policy all we want, but the fact is, children are still being left behind. The fact is, in some areas, things are getting worse. Please require all educators to see this film. Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say.
With deepest sincerity,
Gianna xxxxxxxx
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