Brokenness in Education – Part 2

A few days ago, I was lamenting the serious student struggles I have been seeing in my high school mathematics classes.  Students seem to be coming into the integrated math 3 course, very unprepared and I was suggesting that a core issue is related to a fundamental clash of world views, between my Christian perspective regarding education and the pervasive systemic view represented in public education after “religion” was supposedly removed [1962 — teacher-led prayer].  Discussion and argument regarding, definitions of religion, what teachers can and cannot legally do in the classroom [teacher-led prayers, proselytizing, …], what “religion” or what belief system has come to dominate public education,… could go on indefinitely, but I wanted to go a different direction in this post.

Having a background in quality improvement, I tend to constantly be on the lookout for systemic issues and am fascinated when I see struggling or failing organizations populated by many truly hard-working and well-meaning individuals.  Such is the case in my current school.  I honestly enjoy and respect the mathematics faculty at my school. They work hard, have a pretty solid understanding of the subject material, legitimately care about students, etc. and  I think our principal genuinely cares deeply about the students.  So how can it be that such a large percentage of my students accept Mike Rowe’s statement [see previous post] and are so lost and confused about basic arithmetic or simple algebraic concepts as they enter a sophomore or junior-level high school math class?   Why do I find it nearly impossible to fully embrace and uphold a classroom environment that is modeled after my “philosophy of education” statement [see previous post]?

I could discuss metrics placed on principals and school districts by state DPI folks, and note that many of these seem straightforward and good, while effectively being counterproductive to real learning as they are implemented.  I could discuss other cultural and socioeconomic factors which contribute to the malaise.  I could discuss the misguided attempts to force everyone to head to college, while neglecting solid vocational training in plumbing, carpentry, electrical and automotive trades, etc. I could discuss and ponder crazy individual student data and situations, such as a student who had 80s and low 90s as grades for 6-8th grade math classes, but then has not passed a regular math class in high school; getting passed along by doing “credit recovery” online, and finding themselves in a math 3 class for which they are completely unprepared and in which they are understandably distraught and frustrated.  However, I just want to reiterate what was intended as a key point in the previous post, because I do not think that point was clearly communicated.

The solution and “fix” for all that is broken in education ought to start with a traditional or orthodox Christian worldview as the foundation.  A path that ultimately brings Glory to God and recognizes every student as a unique individual, created in God’s image, with a purpose, and with gifts and potential for good that should be encouraged and developed, is what I envision and pursue.

Of course, this statement just raises a number of other questions.  What does this mean for public education, and can the course of this massive enterprise be corrected?  Or, would this force us to look to vouchers and the privatization of education as the solution?  Stay tuned – or comment and share your remedy – I think most seem to agree that some remedy or fix is needed.