Five basic lessons on public education (short and long versions)
Here’s a primer on public education for those moments when you are having a discussion about school reform and public education and you need some facts to back up your argument. It was written in the form of five basic lessons by Brian Langley, a physics teacher in suburban Detroit and received a National Milken Educator Award in 2007. He can be reached by email at langleyeducator@gmail.com. Langley’s original, available here, has many footnotes and an extensive bibliography.By Brian Langley
THE SHORT VERSION
Lesson #1: Americans think the nation’s public schools are troubled, just not the public schools their kids attend.
Lesson #2: The U.S. has never led the world on international exams.
Lesson #3: We are not a country of average students.
Lesson #4: Teachers are the most important school-related factor, though out-of-school factors matter more.
Lesson #5: Nothing in education is simple.
Lesson #2: The U.S. has never led the world on international exams.
Lesson #3: We are not a country of average students.
Lesson #4: Teachers are the most important school-related factor, though out-of-school factors matter more.
Lesson #5: Nothing in education is simple.
HERE’S THE FULL VERSION:
The day I officially changed my college track from dentistry to education, I ventured into Barnes and Noble and perused the shelves devoted to my new major. I switched to education for the opportunity to positively impact the lives of young people, though I