Friday, August 22, 2014

Optimism in Education


While the New York State Education Department has had its’ share of criticism over the years; there was unprecedented backlash last year in New York State around Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), the 3 through 8 State Assessments tied to those standards and the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) system for teachers and principals which incorporate student performance on those assessments as part of the evaluation process. You couldn’t turn on the news, open the paper or spend any time on social media without reading about it. Everyone has an opinion, some more informed than others, and unfortunately most of the recent initiatives in public education have been lumped by many into one big negative mess giving the impression that everything going on is a disaster. Now I’m not going to defend the rollout of CCLS, the current assessment system or every component of the evaluation system used for our teachers and principals. But with the release of the 3 through 8 State Assessments and the debate now shifting to include commentary on what the assessment results mean about our kids and our schools, we need to acknowledge that while aspects of the latest educational reform of public education need serious attention (and attention from people who have spent their careers in public education teaching and leading teachers, not politicians), what is happening instructionally in our classrooms and schools has never been better, regardless of what the assessment results show.
In my 16 years at West Genesee, as a teacher and administrator, there has never been a time with more productive and focused conversations around curriculum and instruction, pinpointed research-based instructional practices embedded into our daily routines, and a student centered culture of continuous improvement built into all that we do. We still have a lot of work to do, and there are areas that need significant attention as we move forward. But we are doing great things with a driving desire to do what is best for our students in order to maximize their achievement and learning while preparing them for their future.   
State Assessments are part of the current reality, but I do not believe that any one assessment over a three day period gives an accurate and reliable measure of student achievement and learning. What we hang our hat on at West Genesee (and every district should for that matter) are the essential skills and knowledge that we have identified in each grade and curricular area as most important for our students and incorporate them into meaningful, relevant and rigorous learning opportunities. Nobody should have the State Assessments or the results of those assessments as their primary focus.  

If nothing else, the ‘perfect storm’ of reform within public education, regardless of what you think about it, has created an opportunity for educators to engage in serious reflection on our practices and has led to important conversations that have been long overdue.  

While rational discourse continues around the current reform agenda in public education, we will remain committed and focused on preparing students for their future, which is worlds apart from the past that we experienced. We need to think about education in a completely different way if we truly want our kids to be ready for the world that is significantly changing every day. With that said, it is an exciting time to be in education, and I believe that our best days are ahead of us.
At West Genesee our teachers reflect a culture of continuous improvement. This summer they have been involved in extensive professional development and have put in countless hours preparing for the year ahead. I am so excited to start the 2014-2015 school year and have our building come alive again with the enthusiasm, curiosity and creativity of both our students and staff.

Continued Success, 

Steve Dunham
Twitter: @Sdunhamwgms