From Theory to Practice: Teaching Today's Students, by E.J. Wood, Science Teacher at Watertown High School

     After 30 years in education (10 as an educator the rest growing up in an educator’s household) I have seen quite a bit.  Movements in education have changed as often as the weather.  Regardless where you stand on these issues (Phonics or whole language, portfolio vs alternative vs formative assessment, or NCLB vs common core) if you don’t stand for something it is very likely that you will fall for anything.  The Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic Inc., polled the 2015 Teachers of the Year on a range of issues affecting public education.  They were asked to identify the greatest barriers to student academic success and didn’t come up with any policy or movement or other educational fad that has made its way back around the block.  This small but elite group of educators, considered among the country’s best, ranked family stress highest, followed by poverty, and learning and psychological problems.  “Those three factors in many ways are the white elephant in the living room for us in education,” said Jennifer Dorman, Maine’s 2015 Teacher of the Year.  This group was also asked to rank the top funding priorities; they didn’t mention technology or research, and funding for testing and accountability ranked at the bottom.  The top funding needs were “anti-poverty initiatives” and “reducing barriers to learning” such as providing health care and other services to poor children.  The survey comes at a time when studies show a large percentage (51%) of U.S. public school students in pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade were eligible for the federal program that provides free and reduced lunches. So, while we are dragged into the “race to the top” don’t grow weary educator!  You make a difference daily in the things that really matter to our students.  Every student is one caring adult away from being a success story.  

“Be the Change”