Tape Measures Don't Work

Each child is so important to us as educators.
We want them to have the world at his/her fingertips.
He/She is one of "our kids" and will always be.

As an educator, I have spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours working with students and teachers problem solving why a particular student is demonstrating struggles in particular disciplines. We sit in our classrooms reviewing copious notes, accessing resources, and problem solve next possible solutions on how to help the student determine the right strategy for success. Without real time during the day to conduct this work, this is a before school, after school, or late evening task for our students. We do this not because of a paycheck or even an accountability metric--we do this because students succeeding is the right thing to do. It's called integrity.

Yet, we struggle is a society on why we can't just get kids to be "at the bar". It should be easy as making a quick adjustment. Hold the phone! We need to remember, our children are not products that are built and shipped for purchase. My parents own a local sheet metal manufacturing company, and I spent a summer working in quality assurance. I would review parts fabricated, review specifications, and ensure accuracy. If the product was off by even an eighth of an inch we could make an adjustment in the process and verify the new product. Then, we could mass produce.

Kids are not mass production. We can't take out a tape measure, check the blueprints, and adjust. It is not just that simple--anyone who thinks different should spend a day with a teacher. We make broad-stroke comments about how to 'fix' education, get kids 'up to speed', and earn that school-wide letter grade of an "A" for recognition. Yet, we do not truly understand the world of a teacher in the classroom.

While you are watching your favorite TV show (maybe Scandal, Designated Survivor, or the Bachelor), just remember the teacher who lives next door or has your child or grandchild in his/her classroom, is combing over his/her notes on the child who lives across the street and just can't seem to master reading fiction texts or adding fractions with unlike denominators. As we enter Teacher Appreciation Week, take time to say thank you to that neighbor, family member, child's teacher, or other educator you know. They need our support, our appreciation, and our cheerleading.

Thank you to Chase's and Carson's teachers. You mean the world to us.

Why Inside Out?

I'm convinced education is more important today than ever more. It is also more scrutinized that ever in the history of education [#mythought]. Whether it's politics, social media, lack of where else to blame--and we have to blame someone--it's there. Each of us have to take a hard look at oneself, and ask am I creating that scrutiny? It's time to look inside out.

I knew since I was seven I was going to be a teacher. Could it be from an awesome teacher like Mrs. Schwartz who just showed me that you can solve the impossible when we look at problems different? Or maybe it was in fourth grade when I finally was 'old' enough to be in Little Hoosiers to help with the straw maze at our local festival? Or, maybe it was high school journalism when Mr. Smekens selected me as editor of the yearbook because he saw something in me that I wanted to find in others?

Interestingly, those brief memories have little to do with standardized testing, school choice, poverty, behaviors, parental involvement, title one, special education, ESSA, NCLB, and any other great 'yeah but" you may pull out in an effort to measure my experience. A great education is only measured by the individual who receives it. The job of a great education is up to everyone and no one all at the same time. It's quite a conundrum.   [#newfavewordtouse].

I am not naïve or simple minded. I'm a thirty-something, white man with a doctorate. I'm the privileged by many who would argue. I don't discount that, but nor does that discount my own beliefs and experiences. We have an obligation to guarantee a viable, accessible learning experience for each and every child. I firmly believe we have very few educators who wake up and say, "I'm going to make life a living hell for my students today." Or, do we have very few students who wake up and say, "I want to cause my teacher eternal grief today so their future children will not have my name." But, yet, we believe both to be true. Why?

Do you want to know about your community's education system? Then, go find out. Volunteer. Spend time in a classroom. Watch a teacher for a day -- guarantee that job isn't easy. But, yet, we find ways to simplify education. We give schools a rating system. We take all of the work of each educator in a school setting, and surmise the planning, teaching, reflecting, parenting, guiding, mentoring, facilitating, and connecting down to a single letter grade, number, or some other attribute.

Here's what I know in my 30+ years in this wonderful life I've been given: My passion lies in creating outstanding school cultures to help build amazing learning environments for students, changing the world to be a better place than I found it, and loving to inspire others through learning. You can't get that out of a test score.

Drummond is the Director of Professional Learning for the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) | A division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. His posts are solely his views and represent no other educator. You can follow Drummond at @adamddrummond on Twitter and follow ICLE @RigorRelevance using #leadered.