Currently, the US educational system is run like a government entity.
In reality, it resembles the services industry. In a business that provides
services, there is a deliverable for the customer. In public schools, the
customer is the student and teachers are the front line workers who provide the
service. If schools adopted
business practices, they would ask the customer: what would you like? In
business, when clients do not believe they received what they paid for, they
take their dollars elsewhere. As taxpayers, we pay for a service from the
school districts. Therefore, we should ask: what is the deliverable for our
children?
In reality, it resembles the services industry. In a business that provides
services, there is a deliverable for the customer. In public schools, the
customer is the student and teachers are the front line workers who provide the
service. If schools adopted
business practices, they would ask the customer: what would you like? In
business, when clients do not believe they received what they paid for, they
take their dollars elsewhere. As taxpayers, we pay for a service from the
school districts. Therefore, we should ask: what is the deliverable for our
children?
The deliverable is
success, not retention of information.
The teacher’s number one job is to make students successful. In a business,
teachers would be responsible for understanding what resources are needed to
ensure they make customers happy. However, in today’s schools, the politicians
say what resources are needed to make students successful. In fact, politicians
even tell school districts what subjects to teach and when certain subjects
should no longer be taught. For example, in the state of Florida, English
grammar is no longer taught after the fifth grade. Is the fifth grade sufficient
time for a student to have command of their native language?
As you can imagine, as in business, the front line workers
become frustrated when leadership does not listen to their requests for
appropriate resources to service clients. In school districts throughout the
nation, the frustration continues to escalate.
become frustrated when leadership does not listen to their requests for
appropriate resources to service clients. In school districts throughout the
nation, the frustration continues to escalate.
While teachers may temporarily have their hands tied because
of government policies, there are a number of effective tactics that can be
introduced to the classroom to ensure the success of their students/clients.
Changing the approach of forcing students to memorize other people’s ideas.
Instead, help them bridge the gap between book knowledge and practical
application. This will force them to think through problems and situations,
instead of choosing multiple choice. One way to do that is to organize students
in roundtable discussions. Create case studies from examples in books and have
them apply what they learn to real time situations. More importantly, the
teacher should only facilitate the discussions. Empower the students to take
turns leading the conversations. It would be the teacher’s job to prepare each
student the day before for the lesson. If the students lead, they will have to
read. And their peers will pay attention. This approach fosters innovation and
leadership.
of government policies, there are a number of effective tactics that can be
introduced to the classroom to ensure the success of their students/clients.
Changing the approach of forcing students to memorize other people’s ideas.
Instead, help them bridge the gap between book knowledge and practical
application. This will force them to think through problems and situations,
instead of choosing multiple choice. One way to do that is to organize students
in roundtable discussions. Create case studies from examples in books and have
them apply what they learn to real time situations. More importantly, the
teacher should only facilitate the discussions. Empower the students to take
turns leading the conversations. It would be the teacher’s job to prepare each
student the day before for the lesson. If the students lead, they will have to
read. And their peers will pay attention. This approach fosters innovation and
leadership.
In addition, bring professionals to the classroom. They
should not be motivational speakers. They should talk to the students about how
to bridge the gap between what they learn in school and how that knowledge is utilized
in the workforce. This helps students become better decision makers for career
choices.
should not be motivational speakers. They should talk to the students about how
to bridge the gap between what they learn in school and how that knowledge is utilized
in the workforce. This helps students become better decision makers for career
choices.
In well-run businesses, leadership creates the direction and
the vision. From there, they get out of the way and allow employees to do their
job. As conditions change and requests for different resources are made,
leadership makes it available. To enhance success, leadership brings all
stakeholders together to discuss how to increase the value proposition. In
schools, that would mean teachers, students, parents, legislators, and
suppliers of educational materials would come together and talk about how to
make students more successful.
the vision. From there, they get out of the way and allow employees to do their
job. As conditions change and requests for different resources are made,
leadership makes it available. To enhance success, leadership brings all
stakeholders together to discuss how to increase the value proposition. In
schools, that would mean teachers, students, parents, legislators, and
suppliers of educational materials would come together and talk about how to
make students more successful.
For those schools that are already taking this approach,
thumbs up to you. For the rest, it is purely a matter of changing the mindset
for why schools exist.
thumbs up to you. For the rest, it is purely a matter of changing the mindset
for why schools exist.
As other countries become developed, they will make it
increasingly difficult for nations to compete without citizens with a
world-class education. To avoid this dilemma, it is time to have a
single-minded commitment that focuses on making students successful.
increasingly difficult for nations to compete without citizens with a
world-class education. To avoid this dilemma, it is time to have a
single-minded commitment that focuses on making students successful.
What do you think? I’m open to ideas. Or if you want to
write me about a specific topic, let me know.
write me about a specific topic, let me know.