My Rant on Education

Though relocating from New York City back to Indianapolis has filled my heart and soul, it certainly has not filled this blog!  I have seriously lacked on updates over the past month.  Here are the basics:

-We are living in Zionsville with our gracious hosts, the Smiths!  We will stay here until we figure out our next steps in the housing department.
-Murphy is in doggy heaven.  Not only does he have a backyard to relieve himself in again, but he is living in the biggest house he has ever lived in....with FOUR people that love him!  
-Eric is a research fellow for the Sagamore Institute, a think tank in Indianapolis.  He does work in the clean energy division.  I like to tell people that he is a fine, fine, fellow.  He is also doing consulting in this gig.  It is his dream job.
-I am a stay-at-home person for one more day.  It is MY dream gig.  But, all dreams must come to an end:).  I begin teaching 4th grade in Carmel Schools on Friday, as I cover a maternity leave.

Alright, now that the basics are out there, I am going to use this blog as a temporary (I will try to confine it to this one post, but I make no promises) forum for my random thoughts on what is going on with education.  As I figure out what the next steps in my career look like, I have spent much time researching schools, ed reform policies, political views, and educational organizations.  I find myself getting worked up about what I strongly agree or disagree with.  Rather than boring any of my friends, I will try to get it out of my system here:).  This will be random.  It will lack order.  I may sound like a know-it-all, but I assure you, I realize that I don't know it all.

*It is a misconception that charter schools can kick students out. 
*It is a misconception that schools with high test scores have better teachers than schools with low test scores. 
*Though some business practices will work in education, some will not.  If you are selling a product, and someone does not want to buy it, you go elsewhere.  If you are providing education, and someone doesn't want to learn, you can't go elsewhere.  You have to keep convincing your customer that your product is worth their time.
*The amount of blame placed on teachers at the moment is very frustrating.  When the automotive industry was the pits, everyone blamed the people running the companies.  When the education system is the pits, they blame the teachers.  What about the administrators making the calls?  Or the department of education?  Many of the issues I see in failing schools is the lack of support for teachers from administration.
*I am pro merit-based pay.  However, I want the system developed to be great.  Indiana is leaving it up to districts to decide the details of what that would look like, and I believe that many districts will miss the "great" target.
*I am pro making it easier to let bad teachers go. 
*What in the world are we doing to attract great individuals to education?  If we are going to make all of the proposed changes, then teachers MUST make more money, or it won't be competitive in attracting bright, capable individuals.
*Where does parent accountability fit into the picture?
*Where is funding going to come from to provide merit pay?  Does it come at the expense of paying teachers for furthering their education, as Michelle Rhee suggests?  If so, I think that is ridiculous. 

Those are all of my thoughts for now.