Education Reform Intro and Part 1

Do we need to reform public education?  Yes, we do.  The people in Lansing and Washington, however, do not understand what needs to be done.  They think that by making the curriculum more rigorous we will produce smarter graduates, but we won't.  Why won't we you ask?  Well, we have many cognitively advanced students now who are excelling in their studies, going on to college and being successful there.  Then we have some cognitively advanced students who are not excelling, not doing average work, and some failing.  They don't "do school" well.  We have many cognitively average students now who are excelling in their studies, going to college and being successful there.  Then we have some cognitively average students who are not excelling, not doing average work, and some failing.  They don't "do school" well either.  And we have some cognitively below average students now, who because they work really hard, are excelling in their studies, going on to college and being successful there.  Then we have some cognitively below average students who are not excelling, not doing average work, and many failing.  They not only are less able, they don't "do school" well.  Kids who "do school" well, make it their focus.  They get to class not only on time, but early.  They prepare for learning by getting out the materials necessary and they are armed with all they need for that class, including their homework!  They sit up, they lean in, they turn their heads to the point of instruction or discussion.  They participate.  They want to learn, and they are willing to work hard to gain knowledge.  Kids who don't do well in school don't make it their focus.  We need to help them learn how to "do school."  Just "raising the bar" will not increase our graduation rate nor get our kids career and college ready.  So how do we do this?  Step 1:  Colleges need to improve their teacher training programs.  Those studying to become teachers need to be instructed in the basics of how to engage kids, (not entertain), and how to develop relationships with kids so they will want to learn from you.  Teachers need to KNOW KIDS.  All teachers should have many classes on child and adolescent development, not just one or two.  Teachers should LIKE KIDS, and there needs to be way to weed out those who think teaching is just a grand career because they fancy the time they think they will have off, or they just love a subject area and want others to love it too, but don't really have time to bothered with kids!  Teacher education in college should include some sort of interview/dialogue process (before student teaching), with seasoned teachers so those who probably shouldn't be teachers can be identified and gently led down another path!  Colleges need to have in the teacher education curriculum courses that will instruct teachers-to-be in how to share control with their students, in other words, to explore the idea of active learning as opposed to passive learning.  Teacher in charge and talking, talking, talking, just doesn't work for kids, at least not American kids and that's where we are.  It is time the people in Lansing and Washington realized we are not Japan and if you know about the educational system in Japan (and many European countries), that's a good thing (not that they don't have some excellent ideas that we should embrace, and I'll get to that).  We can best them, but not by just making school really, really hard.  Okay enough for tonight, Part 2 later. 
Rosemary