Does it happen to everyone in education that they lose touch at some point, like an athlete that doesn’t know when to hang it up, and they hold on for too long… to the detriment of those they have been hired to serve?

Thing about this issue though is that age, oftentimes, has very little to do with the matter of when someone should hang up their educational spurs. Truly, some people ought to take their chips off the table after but 3 months in this profession — and for a few, that’s 90 days too long in this field! Others need to stick around for another 2 decades even if they have already put in 35 years of service. (Let me tell ya, Boca Raton, Florida retirement with dinner served at 4:30 p.m. can wait.)

For a boxer, as the years roll on you lose hand speed. And you get punched in the head too many times and it becomes clear to even the most casual fans when a once-ferocious fighter simply needs to stay out of the ring.

Football players, baseball players, NBA superstars… Father Time and Mother Nature conspire to do ‘em in. As ticket buyers we see it and we let ‘em know.

But in schools, it’s not really the same. Like I said, some of the best folks we have in education are people who have been in this field for 30 years or more.

(If only they could NEVER retire.)

However, as I also said, some of people should have hung up their educational spurs when Nixon was president.

All in all, the big point is that time and age don’t necessarily translate to “excellence” in our profession. As too many of us well know, some of the best folks we have in our field have been in their jobs for less than 5 years.

And they are the ones who are first to get chopped when the budget cuts roll in.

Ouch! We butcher our most promising seedlings.

Yet, some folks in our field (no names — or organizations — mentioned) quite wrongly equate “years in the classroom” to “quality of work being done in the classroom” — as false premise as ever there was.

Age before beauty… it’s not right! And when common sense returns to public education — or finally rears its head, as some may argue — the idea that quantity of time in a class trumps quality of time in a class will be expeditiously bounced.

I had a former student — now a senior in college who can’t graduate because the last engineering class he needs is not being offered til next semester due to furloughs and budget cuts… another blog post entirely — come to visit me this week. We chatted during lunch.

I asked him how he liked his professors. He said, some were good, some were bad. Then he added, “But the bad ones are good for me because they force me to learn the material on my own. I mean I gotta know this stuff, right?”

And isn’t that the difference between kids that achieve and kids that don’t? Really, don’t ya love that ownership?

Public education in America would be absolutely revolutionized if our students — and the parents — simply had an attitude adjustment. Instead of viewing teachers as the ones responsible for making kids learn we need to flip the script so that the students feel responsible for becoming well educated… and instead, view teachers as people who are facilitators of that aim.

Not the doers of all the work for them.

Your math teacher stinks? In today’s world, that’s seems to be a perfectly justifiable reason for kids (and parents, and politicians) to blame the school for these kids not knowing their multiplication tables.

Not in my house. My kids are gonna know their multiplication tables even if they are taught by New York City’s Rubber Room All Stars!

Your English teach is lame? Well, then by all means you should not know how to compose a simple sentence.

How about a little ownership over your own education, huh? Instead of viewing school like a 5 star hotel where everyone who works their ought to be at your beck and call with white glove service, why not view school more like CostCo or Home Depot where the goods are on the shelf, but dude or dudette, you better go figure out a way to get what you need by yourself!!

And if you do find an employee that can help you, be grateful for their assistance instead of demonstrating an attitude of entitlement.

Do teachers need to do better in this country? For sure!

But if they don’t is that really a legitimate excuse for our students not to become well-educated?

All the tools are there. The internet. The public library. Teachers who care. Outreach programs. On and on and on. For the kid who is ready to apply some good ol’ fashioned elbow grease, they sky is the limit.

And for the kid who thinks it is the job of other people to “make them smart”… may the Lord watch over them.

I love sports. Always have, always will.

And if you love sports the way I do you really get into all aspects of the game. This even extends to coaches and how they speak with the media.

I have a feeling I should start to take a hint. (More on that in a sec.)

In today’s world, it’s a simple truism of life. If you can’t “manage” the media (no one really “controls” it, but most coaches and players — the more high profile, the more important this is — do work hard to “manage” the media) you are cooked.

I guess this is why coaches so often devolve into politically correct blandness. When hit with adversity like a bad call by the officials, you know they swear like sailors behind the scenes but in front of the cameras, they all know that you will not last long if you don’t work to say the right things about the refs, your opposition, the higher-ups that own the teams, run the athletic departments at the universities and so on.

It’s like that scene from the movie Bull Durham where Kevin Costner teaches Tim Robbins how to speak in cliches. Funny, but true.

As a blogger, I seek the opposite. I am trying to be honest, unvarnished and forthright. But now that the stakes are so clearly set for me and my school about “raise your test scores or suffer the consequences” I feel as if I am at risk of being too blunt.

I want to provide a window. A look in. A means for folks to see what it’s like from a real classroom perspective in a manner that actually has some flavor, some spice, some opinion and works not to pull punches so that the reality of these circumstances can be exposed — and maybe we can all learn how to be better at what we do as a result. (I really view myself as a learner, first and foremost, and writing empowers me to be incredibly reflective about my profession.)

Yet, there’s a part of me that fears the approach I take to blogging could cause me trouble. For example, if I say that teaching undocumented kids in a Title 1 school who have parents that don’t speak English sets our teachers up to have lower test scores than people who teach in schools where the predominance of kids have college-educated parents who don’t live a community plagued by things like violence, transience, little formal education, and so on, I open myself up to criticism of…

– being racist
– having low expectations for my kids
– not believing in the power of young people
– being classist
– doubting the ability to turnaround our district
and on and on and on.

Never mind that I have taught at Lynwood High and worked with such kids for years and years and loved the job, the parents I’ve met, and the work immensely. But now that the NCLB screws are turning on our staff and all our jobs are apparently at risk — while teachers who work in schools with virtually no issues of like ilk to ours are not having their jobs held over their head if they don’t immediately raise their bubble test scores — am I being too blunt?

The playing field has not been equal for kids who live in America’s lower socio-economic communities since public education began.

And now a part of me feels as if the teachers of those kids are being demonized for it. Is the playing field of teacher accountability truly equal?

Earlier this week I flew up to the Department of Education in our state’s capital, Sacramento, to get formally introduced to the new 2010 California Teacher of the Year Award winners.

Let me tell ya, it was ROCKIN’!!

In attendance: Jack O’Connell, the state Superintendent of Education, former Teacher of the Year Award winners from days gone by (that’s how I got an invite; it’s like the only real Skull and Bones Society to which I belong… and it’s WAY COOL!) and a host of other big kahuna CA. Dept. of Ed. staff… the really “high-ups” who make so many of the school wheels spin in our state (a state which, btw, serves MILLIONS of kids).

All and all I can’t tell you how invigorating a meeting like this can be. I mean how often do regular ol’ teachers get access to the folks who sit up at the highest levels of the food chain in public ed?

What never fails to amaze me, too, is how bright some of the minds in that room every year are. Truly, when you are kickin’ it with folks like that, even water cooler dialogue can turn into an epiphany. Without a doubt talking turkey with folks like this is just so informative/challenging/absorbing/confrontational/invigorating/fantastic and on and on and on.

If only more people could have a seat at this table. At least, that’s one of the big thoughts I had while sitting there (I even wore a tie so you know it’s got to be big) and so, with this post, here a few of the random thoughts/highlights from the day in no particular order:

– Kelly Kovacic will represent the State of California in the 2010 National Teacher of the Year competition. (I was the 2007 state rep… didn’t win the National, though — but the person who did – Andrea – was an amazing choice. Kelly, however, is one to keep your eye on. She is OFF THE CHARTS! Kelly teaches at The Preuss School, a charter middle and high school dedicated to providing a rigorous college prep education for motivated low-income students. Essentially, 100% of her students will be the first in their families to ever attend college. Talk about the front lines of The Achievement Gap, breaking the cycle of generational poverty and on and on… Kelly is doing WOW work… and doing it really damn well!

–We had good, deep chats about the P-16 counsel. I am not going to go into all the ins-n-outs but here’s a link to P-16 and let me tell ya, if we could pull this off, our state would be MUCH better off.

How to implement the recs cited above was a hot topic of discussion, though. And trust me, I spoke up big and bold about how our schools have devolved into the unfortunate circumstance of their raison d’etre now being — at least in too great of a measure — about how “the bubble tests are the tail wagging the dog.”

Spicy conversations to say the least because, as we all know, the bubble tests are on one hand foolishly backing our schools into a dysfunctional corner as if the entire world is about “how to correctly choose answer choice C” when presented a series of A-D answer choices (as if these are the most critical skills life will require our kids to possess. However, no one — not even me — is going to claim that we don’t need accountability and assessment in public education. It’s a complicated issue to say the least (How about another shout out for GROWTH MODEL ASSESSMENTS!?) and easy answers are nowhere to be found. PLUS, with dwindling resources, there are less people able to really look for them.

–Of course, Jack talked about the budget cuts. Let’s face it, what section of education has not been ravished? His own staff, his efforts, his ability to manage the demands of his position, and so on… the nuclear fiscal landscape has left no one unscathed (and most certainly not our State Superintendent). Publicly, Jack said this a few weeks ago… and this quote very much reflects the spirit of the meeting: “I am extremely proud of all teachers, here in California as well as across the nation, who in the past year, have had to endure devastating cutbacks in funding and programs as well as layoff notices and elimination of positions,” O’Connell said. “It is more important than ever to honor people who chose to become teachers and to celebrate this most noble of professions.”

See, recognition of excellence matters. There are so many folks in our state and nation that are doing INCREDIBLE work and with the way the media has tirned to bashing educators as if we are all a bunch of dirt-bag, newpaper reading, worksheet distributors who hide behind tenure and the unions day in and day out, it’s more important than ever to shine a light on who we truly are.

We are America’s educators. And we are proud of it. And we are proud of the work that we are doing. And we are working hard to do better work despite the incredible challenges, obstacles and political buffoons impeding us.

That room is one of smiles and positive energy and people who just absolutely LOVE being teachers.

And so, if there is one thing you take from this post, know that, Illegitimi non carborundum.

That’s latin for, “Don’t let the bastards grind you down!”

Why? Because there are a heck of a lot of people working their tails off right now who simply are going all out to make a difference in the lives of kids and teachers everywhere.

And without a doubt, they are being successful. Now it’s all about increasing our rate of success. And for many people in that room, that aspiration is their/our life’s work!

Makes me proud to do what I do.

NOTE: Here’s a pic of me and the State Supe givin’ and gettin’ some love for the Teacher of the Year Foundation.

Though I have not yet read this book, I immediately like this guy. Apparently he is an icon in the field of software testing, a guy who dropped out of school but was viscously determined to become “self-educated”… and his exploits are, from what the web says, “legendary”.

Here’s what Publisher’s Weekly has to say: “An informative and entertaining account of how to acquire a great education and a good job without classroom instruction…a healing balm for parents whose children are struggling in school, providing both with helpful tools.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

You can probably see why my curiosity gets aroused. And then, another blurb reads…

“Secrets of a Buccaneer-Scholar is a wicked smart book about becoming wicked smart.” (Stan Slap)

Since I have not yet read the book — but plan on it — I run the risk of endorsing a heathen right now. (Then again, if you support me, you do the same. LOL!) So, why am I so drawn to this type of title? I love the “take ownership of your own education” sense that this book emanates. So what if school doesn’t work for you? Obviously, traditional school is not working for hundreds of thousands of kids every year as it is currently incarnated. (I know, I know, but trust me, lots of folks — such as myself — are working on it.)

However, just because school isn’t working for you, does that give you the license to be an uneducated idiot? Well, it certainly seems that more than one or two folks in our country seems to think it does — AND IT DOESN’T! I mean I rail on the drop-out rate hard and often and yet, if a kid came at me with a Buccaneer Scholar typeof attitude about education and school and why they were gonna drop out but continue to pursue both their knowledge and their passion, I gotta say, I’d clear them some space.

Like I said, since I have not yet read the book, I am just gonna pinch the editorial review and post it here… for your consideration:

From Publishers Weekly
This is an informative and entertaining account of how to acquire a great education and a good job without classroom instruction or, as Bach puts it, how to become a buccaneer scholar. At 20, he became the youngest technical manager at Apple Computer and probably the only one whose highest academic credential was—and still is—an eighth-grade diploma. Now in his 40s, Bach runs a successful consulting business, and his work has been assigned reading for students at Stanford and MIT. As this book makes clear, Bach is also a gifted teacher. The steps along his road to achievement are detailed in clear chunks.

So let’s not rush to judgement about the demise of “brick and mortar” schools and race off into the “digital high schools will replace education as we know” just yet. Why? Because, it seems that the skill set needed in order to earn an online high school diploma is not quite as rigorous as it is in a traditional high school. Like for one thing, the students, apparently, don’t even need to be of our same species.

Yep, an online high school just awarded a degree to a cat.

And as if the media needs more reasons to pile on teachers and paint us all us incompetents doofs, here’s another fabulous story about an educator — the tale of the of the New Mexico driving teacher who got popped for drunk driving. Ain’t that kinda like me bein’ an English teecher not comprehensibilitizing and applicationifying the prooper rools of grammer and speeling?

But proof lives everywhere that we are simply not doing enough to serve the intellectual needs of our students. I mean come on, some teacher somewhere has to take some ownership over this mistake. Seems a guy gave his ID and bank account number to the teller… right before he robbed the bank. Truly, I do not think this reflects as poorly on this person as it does on all of us in the field of education. After all, are we not our moronic brother’s keeper?

And last on my list today is Mr. Phil Spector. Seem Ol’ Toupee (btw, has there ever been a less flattering mug shot taken of a celebrity? Here he is in court. Here he is after arrest number 1. And here he is in the Big House. Scary!!) wants a new prison cell because is not happy with his neighbors. Do people convicted of cold blooded murder get to have requests such as these honored? I mean I’ve never blasted away an associate and tried to cover it up in my classroom and yet, does my principal respect my wishes when I ask him to install a jacuzzi in my room so I can be a more relaxed, better-rested educator? Would working for a warden be an upgrade?

Hmmm… much to wonder about in this wacky world.

It is with great sadness that I must inform everyone that I will be retiring from the world of education. See, a few hours ago, I just learned that a dead 3rd aunt who moved to Senegal in the early 1900′s just left me 67 million Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF) — this is the official note of the Central Bank of the West African States — which translates into about 32 million US dollars.

Of course, I couldn’t begin to explain how ecstatic I was to receive the email. And lucky, too. See, I found it in the junk folder of my account but, happily for me, it didn’t get dumped before it caught my eye.

I think the first thing I might do with some of the cash is build a school. (That’ll be tax-deductible, right?) It seems even the head bankers are not very well equipped to use the English language. They misspelled a bunch of words, used capital letters in many inappropriate places and had a couple of grammar issues as well. However, 32 million bucks is 32 million bucks, right, so for me to quibble right now, well, that would smack of a lack of gratitude.

And I have to say, I love the way the internet is going to make this transaction so easy. All Messier Francoise Antoine Jamblais needed was my full name, date of birth, driver’s license number, mailing address, social security number, and bank account routing number and poof! we were off. I expect, with all the international paperwork which he’s got to fill out, it might take a week or two to process this transaction but I gave him my credit card number to pay for expedited handling of the details so it really shouldn’t be too much longer now before I am yacht shopping.

And all this time, I thought having an education was valuable. Bull-puckeys! What matters is having rich relatives, the kind that go overseas, die and leave you vast fortunes.

Well, so long, suckers! My dead long lost relative ticket just got punched and I doubt you’ll be seeing me round these parts much more ever again.

School: when it comes to amassing great fortunes, it’s so overrated.

I just witnessed a group of teens and young adults who said, with a straight face and all the seriousness in their heart that they could muster, that if they did not figure out a way to improve over their performance of last year, they’d be toast. They knew they needed to grow, adapt, change, evolve and break new ground… for if they didn’t, they knew someone else, with more hunger in the belly, would come along and take from them their, well… everything. Their future, their ability to earn a prosperous living , and so on.

Work ethic, creativity, self-determination, guts, a willingness to learn and grow and experiment and push the envelope, they showed it all.

I LOVE young people such as this. And I then I realized that if public education, and all the people who were involved in it, had this same attitude, we might literally move mountains.

Yep, I am saying it: if public education were more like the X games, I think we might all be happily surprised.

Look, I am a HUGE fan of the X games. If you ain’t seen some of their highlights, you have no idea what you are missing. Check it out…

See, the thing is, the reason I believe we, in education, have much we can learn from these X gamers is because 1) They care. I mean they really care. Passion drives this sport and nobody shows up to work at the X games without bringing their A game.

Imagine if our students showed up to class with this same hunger to learn. Or if our nation’s teacher’s showed up with this same fire to teach? It’d almost be a different world. I mean how many people who work at our schools actually show up at the start of a new school year and feel, “If I don’t have the best year as a teacher that I have ever had, if I don’t give my best, reinvent parts of myself, give 110% this year, I’ll be toast?

X-gamers do.

2) They bounce back from adversity. There’s not an X-gamer out there who does not know what it means to fall flat on their face. It’s a world where falling and failing is part of the process but woven into the fabric of being a participant is the notion that YOU GET UP.

You get up. Getting knocked down is inevitable. When adversity strikes, you don’t fold your tent, you don’t weep, “Poor me”, you don’t give up.

You plan to keep going.

3) They celebrate one another’s achievements in a way that is characterized by authentic camaraderie. They are rooting for one another’s success. It’s not a back-biting, undercutting, talk trash about your kids and your colleagues in the lunchroom type of world. They are each working to be their best but they are also each a part of a bigger whole and they love to sit back and admire the excellent efforts of the people in the same game.

They know how to tip their hat.

X games: it’s more than just apparently suicidal tricks. It’s an outlook on life.

School budgets need to be cut! But you better not shortchange MY child’s education. This is the schizophrenic mantra being shouted by policy-making parents today.

On one hand, when they put on their bean counter hats, they see the excess, the fluff, the areas which can “justifiably” be scaled back. On the other hand, when they wear the hat of a being a parent and they look at the education that their own flesh and blood are getting in our schools, suddenly it’s a whole different tune we hear being sung.

Art and music are expendable, non-core luxuries when policy decisions are being made for other people’s children. But when it comes to their own kids, if they don’t have flutes, paint, percussion, and piano, they bark the accusation, “What kind of Neanderthal schooling is being provided by you philistines!?”

If only the folks that made the decisions as to what’s best for other people’s kids viewed these decisions through the prism of how they would evaluate the very same questions when applied through the lens of “What would be best for my own kids?” things would be so much different.

When we start to educate our kids as if they really are “our” kids — and not the kids of “other” people — we are going to make a heck of leap forward in national education policy.

As the President has made abundantly clear, he believes the nation needs more post-high school education. He’s lobbying for it. He’s speaking about it. He’s even putting our money where his mouth is.

And then you read info like this (as reported in the Los Angeles Times) stating that University of California’s freshman class drops by 6.8%:

Freshman enrollment at the University of California will be 6.8% lower this fall, a drop of 2,603 students from last year that closely matches a reduction the university sought because of budget shortfalls, UC officials said Tuesday.

In all, 35,435 students from California and other states have told one of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses that they intend to enroll as fall freshmen, compared with 38,038 last year.

Geez, what to do? On one hand we know what needs to be done. We need to invest more money in education at every level of the system. On the other hand, the citizens of the U.S. are going to have to pay for it and the only way the government gets to pay for anything is by spending the tax money of its citizens.

So who’s up for higher taxes? Obviously, not enough of us. Matter of fact, we want lower taxes. Or better yet, no taxes. But we want all the services… please don’t cut those.

What is the cost of a highly educated citizenry? What is the expense of a poorly educated citizenry? It all brings to mind one of my favorite quotes of all time:

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
–Derek Bok

Or as the sign says, “Get a brain, MORANS!” (Go USA)