Transforming for Success - Assignment Example

Transforming for Success Introduction At the turn of the 21st century, as a nation, the United s has come to realize that its traditional educational system no longer meets rapid changing social needs. The advent of information technology, demanding employers, changing work places and highly knowledge-based social changes have put forth a challenge for education institutions. Thus, in the words of King and Frick (1999) "...our society has outgrown our schools". They are of the view that "the predominant educational system of today was created for the industrial age needs of sorting students into future factory workers and leaders, towards disseminating core knowledge, and towards building basic skills" (King and Frick 1999, p.2). Darling-Hammond and Friedlaender (2009) reiterate similar views and state traditional schools have been “designed to process a great number of students efficiently, selecting and supporting only a few for ‘thinking work’ while tracking others into a basic-skills curriculum aimed at preparation for the routinized manufacturing jobs of the time” (p.3). But we know this status quo cannot remain as it is. There is a need for change in the U.S. education system in order to enrich the intellectual opportunities offered to students to meet diverse social and economic needs by bringing in varying talents, interests, learning styles, languages, teaching and learning cultures. Although some schools have been successful in this endeavor, the majority still have to take the first step towards transformation. The following sections shall identify the features that current schools need to incorporate in order to achieve learning success. This is followed by a plan of action as to how institutions can implement them for effective transformation. Identification of Issues Based on Darling-Hammonds (2010) research there are five features of successful schools which make them ideal institutions designed for producing students ready for real world adaption. a. Small size learning communities within the school The size of learning groups matter and affect the success of learning outcome. Higher incidents of safety issues, decrease learning rate, impersonal teacher-student relation and disinterests are often the results of large learning groups. To organize for success, Darling-Hammond (2010) emphasizes on small size of school units. Small groups are manageable and allow opportunities for learning and experiencing education - they can be seen, heard, noticed and participate in any activity they want. She also emphasizes that "Overall, smaller high schools are associated with greater safety, more positive student attitudes about school, higher levels of student participation and attendance, much lower dropout rates, and...higher achievement" (Darling-Hammond 2010, p.245). Small learning units therefore create an environment that fosters positive student behavior towards education. b. Structures for Personalization With size, personalization also becomes effective. Small learning communities foster personalization and long-term relationship building among teachers and students. Large education systems cannot be effectively managed nor can their students enjoy positive learning experience. On the other hand, small learning units can easily incorporate advisory systems through counseling, academic support and family connections, and reduce loads for teachers to pay particular attention to individual student. School administrators, parents, and teachers work in collaboration when structures of personalization are in place. c. Intellectually Challenging and Relevant Instruction The current skill gap between students and the industries which are to hire them, lies in inadequate instructional programs and out of date curriculum. Successful pedagogical development is inherent in "coherent instructional program that enables students to overcome barriers to access that are often associated with race, poverty, language, or initially low academic skill" according to Darling-Hammond (2010, p.250). What is needed here is for schools to "establish high expectations, offering a common, untracked, college preparatory curriculum with a comprehensive set of academic support, ensuring explicit teaching of intellectual and research skills in the context of rigorous coursework." (Darling-Hammond, 2010, p.250). The challenge for an engaging curriculum is to develop concepts that surpass interdisciplinary contexts, prepare students for careers and college learning by applying knowledge to real-world situations, projects, community service and internships. d. Performance-based Assessment Effective and successful schools have carefully devised performance-based assessment criteria. This sets a sense of press and public expectations for performance. Students also realize that they need to meet these expectations before they will be graduated. It is the teachers skillfulness in "using various strategies and tools such as observation, student conferences, portfolios, performance tasks, prior knowledge assessments, rubrics, feedback, and student self-assessment" (Shepard et al 2007, p.275) which help develop a formative assessment process. They (teachers) should be intuitive and knowledgeable in understanding the close relation between instructions and practice to be able to assess performance of their students both in class and when they go to college or work in organizations. e. Highly competent teachers who collaborate in planning and problem solving It is not surprising then, the last feature that Darling-Hammond (2010) holds responsible for successful schools are highly competent teachers. Students development involves understanding their dimensions including physical, social, emotional, and cognitive and linguistics etc. However, competent teachers are not easy to come by and they need to be trained because as Darling-Hammond and Branford (2007) state, "At the core of effective practice is a teachers ability to identify where a child is in his development and how to support his learning within the zone of proximal development" (p.94). Successful schools develop competent teachers who are able to collaborate planning and problem solving through dynamic learning processes to support growth and development of their students. Prioritizing Redesigning and transformation is a systematic process. King and Frick (1999) believe the process should be reflected, planned and implemented step by step. At the foremost, one needs to understand that an educational system according to Steiner (1988) comprises of teachers, students, content and context. Among these the teacher should be given priority because she is the leading component who directs and leads the learning process. The relationship of other components automatically falls into place when the teacher is made competent who is able to develop relationships with students and effectively communicates learning contents in the context that would be used in the future. Hence, for transformation to take place, teachers should be trained and made competent to plan, educate and solve learning problems. They will also become the catalyst for learning structures and personalization which comes hand in hand with intellectually challenging instructions. On the other hand, the administrators should be made responsible for setting small learning units in schools and hiring and training resources. They, in collaboration with teachers, should also develop performance based assessment criteria for students. The end result should always be the goal - to develop individuals ready for further education and workplace. Plan of Action Once features have been prioritized, it is easy to create a plan for implementation. Portes (2005) is of the view that "to view higher education as that link in the socialization process that not only prepares educators but also future policymakers from a variety of other disciplines." The focus should be on principals, teachers and counselors as agents of change. Any plans for transformation should follow a systematic process as defined by King and Frick (1999). In this context the researcher would like to take on the role of administrator of the plan to ensure effective execution of features envisioned earlier. The plan should be carried out in the following steps: 1. Learning goals to produce knowledge workers should be outlined first. Among others, the need to produce individuals who will become future professionals with critical thinking, problem solving and collaborative work skills should be emphasized. 2. The next element that should be taken into account would be hiring competent teachers to developer content. If existing teachers are valuable resource worth retaining, then they should be trained to the new education curriculum and standard, as they would be the key to support learning and development. 3. Together with teachers, administrators shall also develop detailed education programs aligned with learning goals, learning structures and assessments criteria. 4. Development of learning structures and small learning groups for effective content dissemination is the next important step. This is critical for integrating students of different socio-economic status, ethnicity, achievement, etc. and brings them to one level of learning. The idea is to use instructional materials and books and with teachers experience to implement new curriculum. Since learning groups are small, teachers can immediately filter students who need special attention (King and Frick, 1999). 5. At the same time students shall be made to go through rigorous "training" and assessed on completion of projects, reference to books, and practical applications of knowledge acquired through internships. 6. This performance based assessment shall be tabulated and evaluated whether the student is compatible and ready for adapting into the real world. Implementation The above plan of action can only be made possible if teachers are given freedom and less dependence on administrators for implementing curriculum as they see fit and according to the needs of their students. To ensure the above plan of action takes place in higher schools, preparing teachers to be competent would facilitate future collaboration and effectiveness. Similarly, they would be the main component in promoting core knowledge, pedagogical strategies and learning concepts. Their roles as knowledge bodies structured in the school systems need to be emphasized. However, the role of local councils and administrators should not be minimized or ignored as they are the foundations for school programs development. They are the leading factor for sponsoring programs and make real world application possible. The challenge then lies on both the administration and teachers interaction. Conclusion There is no doubt that traditional schools have become ineffective for students who needs to be prepared for adjusting to practical work and college life. Successful preparation from high school has become imperative for all now to meet these needs. By reflecting, prioritizing, planning and implementing a systematic process for inducting practical and performance based education is one step in the right direction. By ensuring that all members of schools become acquainted with the new learning environment, pedagogical structures, and teaching approaches, traditional schools can transform into modern ones. With a little effort in training, planning and collaborating, teachers, students, parents and administrators can make it possible. The effort is worthwhile as they will be responsible for the growth and development of future professionals who will drive our country towards progress. References Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education. Teachers College Press. Darling-Hammond, L. & Bransford, J. (2007). Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and Be Able to Do. John Wiley and Sons. Darling-Hammond, L. & Friedlaender, D. (2009). “Creating Excellent and Equitable Schools” in Scherer, M. (2008). Challenging the Whole Child: Reflections on Best Practices in Learning, Teaching and Leadership. ASCD. King, K.S. & Frick, T. (1999). "Transforming Education: Case Studies in Systems Thinking" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Portes, P.R. (2005). Dismantling educational inequality: a cultural-historical approach to closing the achievement gap. Peter Lang. Shepard et al (2007). "Assessment" in Darling-Hammond, L. & Bransford, J. Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and Be Able to Do. John Wiley and Sons. Steiner, E. (1988). Methodology of theory building. Sydney: Educology Research Associates. Read More