I was watching C-Span the other day and, as I often do, learned that an innovative new approach to K-12 education is on the horizon. In one of those "I wish I'd thought of that" moments I learned that retired business executives, to include Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officers, are now joining district school boards.
The retired business exec on C-Span was explaining that he is able to contribute his expertise to the betterment of the school districts in a number of ways. Having devoted his entire business career toward achieving efficiencies by reducing waste, the business fella can point out operational problems in school administration. While the "bottom line" results for business is profit the "bottom line" for schools should be the quality of education for their students. These innovative school administrations are learning that the two are not mutually exclusive. By teaching administrators how to achieve the best bang for their buck the students win and no one loses!
These execs are also giving the kids a realistic look at the "real world" and can promote the idea that school curriculums must be tied to "real world" needs if they ever hope to have a prosperous and productive career.
There's little doubt in my mind that our K-12 education system is soon bound to undergo drastic changes in how we educate our kids. Why? Because our current system is such an abject failure that change must come, and must come very soon. It will come even if we have to drag the militantly unionized teacher's unions who have rewarded incompetence with tenure while our nation's school children graduate without the comprehension skills necessary to read a tax return or even a daily newspaper. Change will come because parents are no longer buying into the age old excuses offered in the past.
I applaud those school districts who are willing to roll the dice in hopes of improving their system. I'm heartened to learn that physicists and industrial engineers and architects are retiring from successful careers to enter the classroom and offer students real world experience.
It's perfectly okay that kids learn about our history. It's great that the liberal arts are still taught, for it is the liberal arts that enrich the soul, and nothing is more important than that. But it is equally important that both our school systems and our students learn how to live, and live well, in the "real world".
1 comment:
Education is failing because, due in large part to the actions of teachers unions, education has become a business. It is funded top-down, meaning the high level bean counters/managers/supervisors are allocated their salaries, operating budgets, and funds first. Only then do the lowest levels get what is left. This explains teachers having to ask parents for school room supplies. If these former execs can help with this, God bless 'em. But they'll be fighting the teacher's unions all the way.
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