ISLAND VOICES
Here's how to shake up schools
By the Rev. John Norris
Rev. John T. Norris is a pastor at Wai'anae United Methodist Church.
Your Feb. 23 editorial on school reform contains a crucial point: " ... improving the quality of the learning relationship between each teacher and each student in the classroom."
It seems clear that in the legislative season, all the politicians are going to tinker with governance, claim improvement and continue to miss your point. Then each will campaign in the next election that he is the one who is truly concerned with education.
Why not openly challenge this politics as usual? I suggest that The Advertiser run a contest to see who can come up with the best ideas to improve the teaching environment in the classroom. Have a student section where students can give their opinion on what one change would help them the most. Since teachers never have time to go to the Legislature to testify, have a teacher division where they can say what one change would help them improve teaching. Have an open division for the rest of us.
Put forth the very best ideas, or have a reader vote to prioritize, and then put these ideas to each candidate running in the next election to say whether or not he will commit to making sure these ideas are implemented.
To give an example, I would like to see every classroom teacher in the state be given a credit card that draws on $1,000 of state funds, which they can use to improve their own classroom-learning environment. The teacher can decide to buy extra textbooks, or a computer, or fix the broken windows, or combine with other teachers to buy AV equipment or microscopes or whatever they feel they need to improve the classroom learning.
Of course, they would have to report how the money was spent (a single page form, please), but I would not make teachers get permission first. It is the classroom teacher who knows best what is needed in his or her classroom.
Why can't we give teachers the ability to improve their own classrooms and learning environment? If this is not creative enough, why not involve the students by giving $10,000 per school to student councils to make their learning more creative and safe? Students might be the best ones to suggest how to make school bathrooms both safe and clean.
