Here’s a list of things off the top of my head that if you walked into a classroom today I think would help that classroom become better immediately. No million dollar study needed. Just ask them.

1. Hold parents accountable. Parents are just as important to their student’s success as the teacher. Really.
2. Do not expect square pegs to fit in round holes. Nothing exemplifies this more than the standardized test. If there is one area more than any other that must be brought into modern day education and out from the dark ages, it is the area of evaluation.
3. ***This is my number one suggestion *** Keep class sizes at 15 or less — proof the government has NO IDEA what they are doing nor willing to put the money where it would help the most.
4. Create an environment/atmosphere of SUPPORT and respect for the classroom teacher. This starts in the community.
5. Create administrations that celebrate the good in their staff. Start spending time on what they are doing right/well and get off all the time spent on what they could be doing better.
6. Year round schedules. (The 9 month school year is a thing of the past…literally!)
7. Setting an expectation of behavior from students that is nothing short of respectful. And here is from where it is set — from the top. I am sorry, but students do not have the right to set the standards of behavior. This is a bunch of liberal  mess. The core set of expectations should be set and modeled by the adults. Think of this like a business model. The CEO should be able to run his/her company as they see fit. Participation by the workers is fine, but the decisions as to the expectations must ultimately come from those that are in charge. There are always problems when the subordinates think they are the cog that turns the wheel.
8. Those that repeatedly disrupt the classroom must be removed and not allowed to return without a demonstrated commitment to do better.
9. New does not necessarily mean improved. Sometimes the best things are proven from past experience. While change is very important, there are some foundational types of things that keep their value. These are best learned from those we often neglect, the veteran teacher. I always respected those that had survived and had 20, 30, even 40 years of experience behind them. Yes, many needed to retire, but they still had valuable lessons they could share and we would benefit.

There’s nine starting points off the cuff, any one of which would have a positive impact immediately. Three of my most rewarding years of teaching were spent in an environment that attempted most of the above in various levels. While money helps, it is the little things that would make significant differences.

The next time you hear someone spouting off about what the schools need, ask them the last time THEY spent in the classroom teaching. Then ask HOW MUCH time was spent the LAST time they were in the classroom teaching. That will pretty much sum it up.

I usually respond jokingly that TWENTY years is long enough for ANYTHING! The fact that I was working with 8th graders almost all those years (yes, by choice) I was acting more and more like a 14 year old with each passing year! Which explains why my first inclination when asked the question why I am not teaching anymore was to blurt out, “That’s a STUPID question!!” LOL (Stupid is a fact of life to an 8th grader.)

Teaching is truly a wonderful job. I enjoyed that each day was so unique. I currently consult and advise those enrolled in teacher preparation degree programs. Their enthusiasm and energy is the key to their success in the classroom. I heard recently that the average career of a classroom teacher is just THREE years now. The challenge of longevity will be how they are able to deal with the very thing that took me out of it.

Politics.

Now I know there are politics in every profession, but the state of affairs challenging the classroom teacher today is oppressive. The educator is slammed on all sides from the parents, administration, school boards, government, kids, and the worse of all, the general public. The teacher is at the mercy of the standardized test score of their kids, which are now published in the local newspaper each year for all to judge them. Those results, let me only mention at this time, often are not the sole result of the classroom teacher, meaning if they are great or low, there are many factors involved in their determination. Yet, it is the teacher that gets either way too much credit or undeserved criticism.

I got the following announcement in an email awhile back. What do you think?

Next Season’s Survivor: School Classroom Island

Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in a school classroom for 6 weeks. They will be assigned 2 weeks to an elementary school, 2 weeks to a middle school, and 2 weeks to a high school. Each business person will be provided with a copy of his/her school district’s curriculum and a class of 28-32 students.

Each class will have seven learning-disabled children, four with A.D.D., one gifted child, and two who speak limited English. Three will be labeled with severe behavior problems.

Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organize, or create materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, make bulletin boards, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, and arrange parent conferences. They must also, at all times be ready to supervise any “unsupervised” students and monitor the hallways.

In addition, they will complete fire drills, tornado drills, and [Code Red] drills for shooting attacks.

They must attend workshops, donate 24 hours of professional development to the district, attend faculty meetings, union meetings, attend curriculum development meetings. They must also tutor those students who are behind and strive to get their 2 non-English speaking children proficient enough to take the CATS test and meet satisfactory goals of the No Child Left Behind Act. If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show.

Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, math, science, and social studies into all areas of study. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment at all times.

The business people will only have access to the golf course on the weekends, but on their new salary they will not be able to afford it anyway. There will be no access to vendors who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to 20 minutes. The business people will be permitted to use the staff restroom during their planning period, and if they need the bathroom any other time, they may go as long as another survival candidate is supervising their class.

They will be provided with one 40-minute planning each day while their students are at special areas.

If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials at this time. They cannot surpass their daily limit. The business people must continually advance their education on their own time and with their own money.

The winner will be allowed to return to his or her job.

Sound exaggerated? Not really. I can relate to every part of it. The worst part, is that I could actually ADD to it.

I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work with my students over the years. They have a place in your life for the rest of your life. That’s why those that are working presently toward gaining certification to enter the profession have all my respect. They are better prepared to meet the challenges and issues in today’s world of education.