I had the privilege this week to Skype with two excellent educators about assessments. In the course of the conversation we started talking about grade, and homework and we realized that once you talk about one topic in education and look at reforming it you realize that you have just opened the door to three more areas that you need to change in order to bring about reform in the first area.
Therefore the obvious question is "What is the next Step"
At this point in the conversation I mentioned what the Rabbis said happened right before the Jews crossed the Red Sea on the way out of Egypt. They say that the sea didn't split right away and that it wasn't until Nachshon jumped in showing his faith in G-D and letting the water get up to his nose did the sea actually split.
Therefore to bring about reform it is going to take someone to jump in first. However that is not the end of the commentary given by the Rabbis they say that it did not split all at once but rather each time the Jews would have to first take that leap of faith into the water before it split. It was if you will a slow process. The same is true with any type of change especially educational change or reform.
Whether it is a new take on assessments or grading it is going to take time, at the same time however we need to take that jump and try to make small changes starting at first in our classrooms, or grade level, or school before we take on changing an entire system.
What can I do.
Well on a personal level I do try to conduct my own classroom based on my beliefs and as an administrator I try to get my teachers to buy into what I am preaching.
I blog and tweet about what I believe as well.
To be honest I still want to do more. Which brings me to a new endeavour and that is the launching of Star Educational Services which is a consulting group to provide Educational and Leadership ideas to help students and schools shine. To learn more please direct message me @akevy613
My small steps to help bring about reform.
Akevy (Akevy613)
