Thanks.
Public education in this country is broken and needs a change! And it’s not broken for the reasons one might think. It’s not the teachers or the students. It’s the government. I’m a teacher in a public school in Arizona and I see the devastating effects of a nationally applied curriculum on my students every day. What can I do? After spending the day attending Law Day at Arizona State University’s College of Law and meeting with the reps, I realized that attending law school is the answer. It will give me the knowledge, skills, credibility and experience to do something. It’s what I have to do for my fellow teachers and students.
When I got to my apartment that evening, I texted my mother and told her that I had a wonderful day at the event and was considering applying to law school. Shortly after, I received a response, “Law school? What about teaching?” It’s true that I had wanted to teach forever. I am a teacher. And I know full well that Monday I will be in front of my third graders again after fall break. I love teaching. I love my students. But I want more. I want change. After talking to the admissions representatives at the college who ensured us that, “If you have an interest, we’ll get you there” I realized I needed this. The student-oriented mentality really rang in my head. I asked, with trepidation, if it was even possible to study educational law. I told them that these laws have very real consequences and affect me in the classroom and my students. I didn’t expect to get an answer knowing full well that the college’s reputation was built on criminal law. However, the admissions rep looked at me and said, “Yes, absolutely.” He mentioned how I could study all of the required classes and then apply for an externship with Arizona State’s Department of Education where policies are made. This intrigued me.
I’m a New Yorker. I moved to Arizona this past summer to kick start my career. Up until that point I had considered moving back home because unlike Arizona, it seemed, New York actually puts money and resources into education. That’s not to say that it’s the perfect place, but I noticed shockingly obvious differences between the two state’s classrooms. But then as the rep continued to talk about opportunities to study educational law, I had a moment. I could stay here and make change. And if nothing else, make some noise. I see the devastating effects of the new federally mandated curriculum every day with my students. I teach third grade. And many are not developmentally prepared for the demands of the common core state standards. Students should be forming (and answering) questions about the world they live in; creating and exploring, not “close reading” dense informational texts. These are skills they need, but not now. Not all the time.
There are economic consequences too. Funding for my already beleaguered school (not to mention my performance pay) is tied to test scores. It seems every meeting I attend, the conversation (overtly or covertly) is tied to what am I doing to prepare my students to take the tests at the end of the year? This is not how it should be. Politicians in Washington – with strong corporate ties—should not dictate curriculum. Nor should they penalize those who remain autonomous. During my visit to the law school we talked about fracking –an interesting topic – and discussed federalism. This weighed heavily on my mind. It’s directly tied to public education. I want to get in there and make changes.
After talking to the admissions representative who took my concerns seriously, he assured me that I could gain the experiences I wanted. He smiled and urged me to apply. I am. The public education system is broken and needs an overhaul. We need teachers making decisions not politicians. I’m that teacher.
