This letter came to my mailbox. It says quite a lot about how teaching–and the perception of teachers–has changed in the past decade.
Dear Dr. Ravitch,
Finally, I thought, someone has come forth to tell the truth about the state of education in the United States today. Reign of Error is such an important book. I have been urging everyone I know to read it now. As a retired New Haven, Connecticut high school teacher, I recognized and agreed with all arguments made, but must admit that I was shocked to learn of the extent of the malfeasance in the funding of charter schools with public monies.
I taught in New Haven for twenty-eight years or so, and retired in 2006. Just in time, as it turns out, as I have learned that remaining colleagues are now plagued by endless testing and data paperwork overload. To make matters even more difficult, this is occurring in a school climate of fear and mistrust. Over the years we teachers used to note that every five years or so, someone outside of the classroom would come up with a new plan to “solve” all of the problems of education. Though always “top down” these edicts were often innocuous, and we were still afforded the freedom to create curriculum and plan our classes.
Many of us were able to take advantage of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute which offered a seminar program with senior Yale professors on a variety of subject topics. This was a Godsend for me personally for with a ten year affiliation with the Institute I would develop curriculum that ultimately led to an entire course and also an (unpublished ) book, The Eyes Have It: Exploring Literature and History through the Visual Arts. Most important was the opportunity to work in a collegial way with the likes of Jules Prown (Professor of Art History) and Robin Winks (Professor of History) in a seminar with teachers from various city school and of various subjects. The tentative teacher and writer would become more confident, able and ultimately find the joy of both subject and teaching in the process. Without the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, I’m quite sure I would have floundered and probably would have given up on teaching in New Haven.
As you well understand, teaching in a urban school setting in a place like New Haven is challenging. Teachers often feel that no matter what they do, there are failures and disappointments. We come to recognize that teaching is an on-going experience of learning and improving. In essence, the job is never done totally to our satisfaction. Therefore a teacher must constantly empower herself to believe in continued development both in a pedagogical sense and in our subject areas. A synergy occurs when teachers and students are both learning, and then there is excitement in the classroom. Once again, programs such as the Yale New Haven Teachers Institute replenish teachers in an environment where they find respect and professional status.
Toward the end of my career, I became very aware of the lessening of respect for teachers. Somehow we had become “the other” in the eyes of administrators, central office. It felt as though a two tier class system was at work with the lesser salaried viewed as less in every way. Many of us did not view teaching as a stepping stone to higher paid administrative jobs, but elected to stay in the classroom because we enjoyed our subject areas and the process of teaching. It was disappointing to be seen as less professional because of this choice.
I became a teacher because I was the beneficiary of wonderful teachers both in public and private schools. I was lucky enough to be introduced to Art History during high school and I also remember with great pleasure a middle school literature teacher who brought literature alive through student play adaptations. These were people we and the community respected for their love of subject area and their joy in providing a broadening cultural experience. In our eyes, they represented hope.
If teaching becomes less artful, less personal in an overwhelming climate of regimentation and mistrust, I fear much will be lost, and perhaps education as I knew it will be irrevocable.
Thank you very much for writing Reign of Error. Though we seem to be living in a era of glib sound bites and quick fixes based on very little reflection, I am hopeful that readers of your book will realize: (1) that the issues of education are large and connected to the state of society as a whole, and (2) take steps to convince our leaders to dig deeper and connect with a conscience that recognizes the common goal of equality in education and an abiding respect for all children.
Jane K. Marshall
Ms. Marshall’s comments are 100% on target. I am very hopeful that change will take place very soon. Thanks to this letter and your book, we may be able to save public education from big business and provide a quality education to all students.
“…take steps to convince our leaders to dig deeper and connect with a conscience that recognizes the common goal of equality in education and an abiding respect for all children.”
Obama, Duncan, Gates, Broad, Bush, and Bloomberg read the above and were all stunned into silence for a moment.
“Hey, guys,” piped up Rhode Island’s plucky Deborah Gist, grinning across the table at John B. King and Michelle Rhee. “That woman just appealed to your consciences.”
And the lot of them exploded into a roar of back-slapping, chortling laughter, reaching occasionally for tissues with which to wipe the tears from their eyes. Broad almost choked, he laughed so hard.
As teachers we need to remember, there is more to education than the subject matter we teach. When all is said and done, the student might have forgotten the the date of the Louisiana Purchase, how to solve quadratic equations, or how to conjugate a sentence, but they will remember how a teacher inspired them to be a better person and to pursue a challenging future. We can make a difference, we need to make a difference, we must continue to make a difference – for our children and their children’s sakes.
Touche Jane!
“…I fear much will be lost, and perhaps education as I knew it will be irrevocable.”
I, too, retired while teaching was a joy and a challenge that could be met. I taught in an environment where reform came from the bottom up. Teachers shared within
the building, within the district and also with other districts – all spurred on by teacher initiative. We met on our own time after school and on Saturdays. We had district wide events as well as school wide events for children and their parents – not only sports but also literacy events. We even involved nearby college drama students to volunteer as story tellers at the malls. Those “heydays” are gone.
The governors signed off on the CC all for the sake of money. Our governors are no better than Judas. They betrayed our children for “30 pieces of silver.”
We must get rid of the Common Core Standards and its aligned testing for the survival of healthy citizens. The “Common Core is rotten to the core.” You can’t “fine tune” it. As the old cliche goes: How can you make a silk purse out of a sows ear?!
Mary DeFalco
http://maryidefalco.com/reading%20site%20reconnected/reading__language_arts_primary_teachers_2/30_Common_Core.html
New Haven – home to Achievement First, ConnCan, Amistad Academy, and a magnet lottery system that has blocked out local residents. Hopefully things will change for the better and the likes of Alec Johnson (Conncan’s former CEO who sits on the NH BOE) and Dacia Toll (highly paid AF CEO) will leave town.