Put the children first — and no excuses!
By Ruth Tschumy
Politics as usual or children first? This is the question confronting Hawai'i.
Advertiser library photo • Oct. 3, 2003
It's true that educational reform is inherently political — who gets what to spend how. But does it have to be politics as usual?
By putting children before politics, we may achieve educational reform. These are Ali'iolani Elementary School pupils.
Last legislative session, the governor's educational reform package did not fare well and the majority party's school proposals languished. Will we continue down this path of politics as usual, with the administration and Legislature thwarting each other's proposals? What about the children?
Whether we see true educational reform this session depends on the willingness of all parties to put children before politics. Simply put, will stakeholders — from the governor, to the Legislature, to HSTA and HGEA, to the Board of Education, to the DOE bureaucracy — be willing to give up some control?
Will the Legislature be willing to loosen its stranglehold on the educational purse strings? Will the governor be willing to compromise on her call for multiple school boards? Will both the governor and the Legislature be willing to take a back seat and empower Superintendent Pat Hamamoto to lead the charge on reforming our schools?
Put the superintendent in charge, empower her, and then adopt a "No excuses!" policy if things don't change.
In like token, each one of us in Hawai'i must adopt a "No excuses!" policy this legislative season. Let's make it absolutely clear to our political leaders that we will hold their feet to the fire if educational reform is stalemated by petty squabbling and turf wars.
Educational reform is complicated, to be sure, but it's not brain surgery. We already know the fundamental ingredients that lead to greater student achievement in all types of schools at all grade levels.
The scaffolding for excellence in education is the same as it has always been — high expectations, competent teachers and administrators, manageable school and class size, and involved parents.
We already know the characteristics that distinguish high-achieving schools. Excellent schools have clear goals and high expectations for students: tightly linked learning objectives, curriculum, teaching strategies and evaluations; a respectful, orderly and caring learning environment; frequent and monitored homework; teacher and administrator competence; frequent assessment of student progress; recognition of quality performance.
We already know the effective principals must have time to do the following: recognize teaching and learning as the main mission of a school; communicate this mission to staff, parents and students; set high but attainable standards for teaching and learning; monitor progress; spend time in classrooms and listen to and support their teachers.
We already know that parents who are truly engaged in their children's education respect teachers for their specialized knowledge of how and what to teach and that such parents help teachers by doing the following: have high expectations for their children; emphasize both achievement and effort; encourage their children and provide a place at home for them to study; read to their young children; establish structured routines for homework time, bedtime, etc.; monitor and limit TV watching; limit after-school jobs; discuss school with their children and attend school events.
We already know that effective teachers are given the tools they need — from paper clips to textbooks to encouragement. They are supported in their efforts to teach in an orderly, respectful classroom; they have the time to discuss curriculum and teaching strategies with their colleagues; and they enjoy the respect and support of parents and the community.
Teachers are the people to whom we entrust our children. Doesn't this make teachers some of the most important people in our lives?
With the Legislature in session, soon we will know whether it's politics as usual or children first.
Let's hope it's children first.
Ruth Tschumy is a Hawai'i educator and consultant to public and private schools and nonprofit organizations.
