New ideas and what to do with them

So today was an interesting day for me. I spent the afternoon at Pepperdine, helping out in the master's program and I found something interesting (that I hope my close friends won't take the wrong way.) And that is, that I've outgrown this. The good news is, I think that's actually a positive thing, and I'm guessing a lot of my classmates outgrew this long before I did. What I mean to say is that I learned all this information from Pepperdine and I got all of these great ideas that I've been using and implementing and I'm now to the point that I'm moving a bit away from those ideas, in different directions and seeing what I really think is important for education reform right now. I guess you could say that the reformers I was listening to back when I was doing my master's had a great impact on me, but they are still saying the same thing and I'm wondering what's next. What else do you have to say that will make an impact on the educational system?

I'd love one day to come back and teach here, if I ever decide to get my doctorate. But first I need to figure out more about the solution to the problems that are out there. What I've discovered in the time that I've been out of grad school is that no one has the answers. I used to idolize Jonathan Kozol. I still think he's done amazing things and I frequently reread his work, but I don't think he has the answers. He does a good job at raising the questions. I used to idolize Gary Stager and think that he was on the right track. I don't think his solutions work for the schools we have. When we are ready to demolish those and create new ones, Gary has great ideas. I think Alfie Kohn is awesome, but until more people do, I'm stuck quietly implementing what I can from him.

What I have thought a lot about in the last year or so is that we can think all we want about what our ideal is. We don't have the ideal and today's kids are in these schools. My students, the ones who are right this very minute texting me to try and get my attention need good teachers who care about their learning and even more so care about them.

It's a struggle to give students the instruction they need. We do have a flawed system. I see my students for two 45 minute blocks per day. That's because I teach Reading and English. Most instructors get the kids for one 45 minute block per day. Sometimes that feels like a long time, especially when you have a particularly difficult kid, but most of the time, we realize how little can really be accomplished during that time. I'm lucky that at least I have the option to go back and revisit something the second time they come in. Is this the best way for students to learn? I don't think so. Do I really have the option to change it? I don't think so.

I thought to make a strong impact in education that I really needed to leave teaching and teach teachers. I think, still that maybe one day I will. Right now, I think figuring out how to work within the system, creating a viable model of powerful learning might better serve my students and eventually others. It's taken me a while to think that just teaching was an important enough change to make. I think, however, that it is. If I can figure out how to do it the right way.