This blog is based on the IndyStar article: Is Your Praise Hurting Your Child?: The Gift of Failure. Where Real Self-Esteem Comes From. If to err is human, why are we so afraid of letting our kids fail? Have you ever considered whether your child’s self-esteem is based on false achievements or actual accomplishments? Participation […]
This blog is based on the IndyStar article: Education Crisis Threatens U.S. Economic Future. The U.S. is Fielding an Ever-Weakening Team. Education and a country’s economic strength are interconnected. A high-quality, educated workforce directly impacts global competitiveness, making education in the U.S. exceptionally troubling. The Economic Imperative of Education Education is not just a personal […]
This blog is based on the IndyStar article: U.S. Public Education Needs Serious Reform. Our Children Are in Trouble – Perhaps for the Rest of Their Lives. Imagine a high school graduate struggling to read a simple newspaper article. This is a reality for millions of American families, and our public schools fail to provide […]
In my last blog I was very candid about the behavior of some of the students in our classrooms and pointed out that this behavior is driving many potential teachers away from our schools.
As we talk about discipline, we need to better understand the nature of a classroom. In my book: The Kids Are Smart Enough, So What’s the Problem? (Rowman and Littlefield Dec. 2019), I worked with a small team of teachers to set up a process to assess the magnitude of their discipline problems. As you will see, most students are just fine but the “bad apples” ruin it for everyone, especially the teachers.
The teachers define three kinds of students in any classroom, in the book we title this “The Spectrum of Students”. They are:
The names go a long way to defining the student type but let me add a few words.
The engaged are the teacher’s dream students. They want to learn, and they can be counted on to act with integrity the majority of time. If the teacher needs to leave the room, they continue to work. A teacher would find great delight in their work with a classroom full of engaged students.
The followers are the most complex and are often the most common type of students. They are heavily influenced by the students around them. Human nature, being what it is, usually has them following the disruptive kids.
The disruptive students are the ones who rarely make good choices in the classroom. They cannot be trusted to make good decisions when left alone. They rarely do their homework and getting them to complete class work is very difficult. These students rarely take responsibility for their actions and blame others for their choices. They are frequently bullies and do not hesitate to initiate conflict against their peers and sometimes against their teachers.
Every classroom has this kind of a student spectrum. A friend was a teacher in a very fine private school in the Atlanta area. I asked him to classify a typical class. He says Engaged – all but two students, followers zero, and disruptive two. Even with such numbers, the disruptives caused loss of instruction time in his classes.
Here was the distribution of students in the four classrooms the study team from my book:
Engaged 31%
Followers 46%
Disruptives 23%
The total student count for the four classes was about 100 so there were 24 disruptive kids spread evenly in the four classes. So, you are a teacher in one of these classes and you reluctantly admit that these 6 students in your class are so “hard core” that you cannot effectively manage them. I must say that the teachers in our study school received very little help from their administration, quite to the contrary, the administration disallowed many of the disciplinary penalties they imposed. For example, they could not hold a kid in for recess. In a later blog we show how we assessed their negative impact to be in the 28% range for lost instruction time; meaning that a child in this school who attends class 5 days a week only receives 3.6 days of instruction.
Lest we become too disappointed, in my book I write about a teacher from Houston Texas named Janice Minyon. She agreed to take all of the disruptives from, let’s say the fourth grade in their school, and teach them by herself. She says these kids were frequently called “The kids from hell.” She was a masterful teacher, having graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburg, and successfully taught these kids for about 18 years. She was a master at diagnosing what the children needed to be successful. I asked her to give me ten keys to success with these kids. These are listed on page 83 of my book. She was very proud of the successful students she created.
Grab my book on Amazon and read how you can change the discipline in your classroom and school. There are 22 proven strategies ready to be implemented. For additional information, contact Dr. Richard Garrett.
Introduction Beginning on September 9th and ending on September 20, educational expert Richard W. Garrett published a series of 12 essays on education. The series sounds the alarm about the dire state of public education in the United States. With alarming statistics and compelling anecdotes, Garrett paints a picture of a system failing our children. […]
Wisconsin’s public education system meets the national average but falls short of the educational benchmarks set by many other developed countries. Like many other states, Wisconsin faces significant challenges that impede student success. Low proficiency rates in reading and mathematics and a lack of college-ready graduates underscore a systemic issue that requires urgent attention. What’s […]
Indiana’s nation ranking of 17th by the US News & World Report might not seem alarming at first glance. However, when we consider the overall decline in national education standards, the ranking becomes a cause for concern. The book US Education is in Trouble, Let’s Fix It! 22 Reform Proposals highlights the pressing issues plaguing […]
Hoosiers are at a crossroads. The state’s current high school diploma system does not align with the needs of our students today. A new proposed update to the Indiana high school diploma system would shift the emphasis off college and instead prioritize student workplace readiness. The Indiana Department of Education has initiated this much-needed overhaul, but current proposals have fallen short of addressing students’ diverse paths post-graduation.
At Elevate Schools, we advocate for a comprehensive overhaul of the United States education system. Students must have the choice between two high school diplomas: one focused on college preparation and another on career and technical education (CTE). A dual diploma system recognizes that not all students follow a linear path after high school, providing more flexibility to explore and advance in different skills and careers. This satisfies the requirements universities in Indiana demand, adhering to the CORE 40 course schedule, and is a simpler take on the proposed update: two degrees, no seals.
Switzerland’s education system offers a compelling model for Indiana to emulate. By offering a dual-track system, they are catering to the various aspirations of their students. About 70% of Swiss students pursue vocational paths, while 30% opt for university preparation. This dual-track system ensures all students have the skills and knowledge necessary for their chosen path.
Indiana’s proposed plan to merge different diplomas into two options with seals may be a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. What’s worse? Many state universities have stated the current proposal does not meet their admission requirements. These seals do not differentiate the skill sets required for college-bound and those entering the workforce.
Institutions like Purdue, Indiana University, Ball State, and the University of Southern Indiana have expressed worries that the currently proposed “seal” diplomas will not adequately prepare students for higher education at their universities. They argue that a strong academic foundation is essential for college success. De-emphasizing traditional academic subjects could create a gap between high school and college readiness.
A college preparatory diploma should emphasize core academic subjects, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Its goal is to prepare students for the demands of higher education. While a career and technical-based diploma might also emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving, it focuses on industry-specific skills, work-based learning, and real-world or hands-on experience. This diploma equips students for immediate employment or further training after high school.
Implementing a dual diploma system allows Indiana to serve the diverse needs of its students better. This ensures that every high school graduate is prepared to succeed no matter their next steps. It’s time for Indiana to embrace a future where all students have clear and attainable goals during and after high school.
Learn more about our education reform efforts and how you can get involved.
The United States is facing a significant shortage of teachers, a crisis that jeopardizes the quality of education for millions of students. In 2023, there were more than 50,000 teacher vacancies in K-12 schools nationwide. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “44% of public schools nationwide reported teacher vacancies. 163,000 teachers were not qualified, and an estimated 270,000 teachers and staff quit or retired each year.” While this issue is complex and multifaceted, two key areas that come up repeatedly are empowering educators and improving classroom discipline.
Teachers are the cornerstone of any successful education system. While this is widely known, there is a disconnect between parents and administrators supporting teachers. Unfortunately, this is a nationwide behavior. The video below concerns one teacher's experience and why she resigned from her dream job. She fears for her safety, that of her colleagues, and, most importantly, her students, explaining they are all subjected to physical, emotional, sexual, and mental abuse every day in the Green Bay Area School District she resides and works in. It is an emotional video demonstrating this teacher's desperation to be heard.
That emotional video is about just one teacher’s horrifying experience in one school district in one out of 50 states. Still, these behaviors and experiences are common in many school districts nationwide.
This graph, from page 27 of U.S. Education is in Trouble, Let’s Fix It!, shows the dramatic and steep decline in teacher satisfaction over the last twenty years. The book details an article from Education Week citing, “What teachers want is to be able to teach and teach well, and if they can’t do it because their students are unmanageable, because they have a toxic work environment, that discourages them from acting as teachers who are learning and growing and getting better and increasing their commitment to the work. … The Survey found that about a quarter of teachers don’t feel like students’ parents or guardians respect them. In interviews, teachers said some parents can be combative and demanding, with little regard for their professional expertise.”
Teachers enter this profession for the love of it; it is a calling for many. They go into teaching with a desire to shape and change students' lives for the better, but they are not able to do their jobs, and they will not be happy until they can.
As we saw in the video, discipline in many schools nationwide has hit an all-time low. The increasing challenge of discipline and classroom management is a significant contributor to teacher burnout and attrition. Disruptive student behavior hinders not only the teacher's ability to teach but also the ability of other students to learn, creating a hostile environment.
In our blog, We Need Serious and Widespread Education Reform; we detailed how “disruptive children” steal time from other students, reporting that out of the five school days each week, only 3.6 education days occur. The rest of the time is dedicated to classroom discipline. In 2004, the Public Agenda assessed that 80% of classrooms had disruptive children—80,000 public schools. Based on first-hand reports from teachers and education groups' research, we know the problem has only gotten worse from there.
To address this issue, schools must:
At Elevate Schools, we believe in education reform and are committed to addressing the teacher shortage with strategic and ready-to-implement ideas. Teachers want and deserve a respectful work environment. By empowering educators and implementing effective discipline strategies, we can attract and retain top talent, improve student outcomes, and build stronger school communities. The book U.S. Education is in Trouble, Let’s Fix It! provides 22 reform solutions for school districts across America to implement immediately.
By prioritizing our educator’s well-being and creating a safe, supportive learning environment, we can correct the teacher shortage and ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Let’s work together to Elevate Schools and bring education reform nationwide!
Visit elevateschools.us and join the movement: Demand change from your Chamber of Commerce with this sample letter.
Summer reading programs can be a powerful tool in not only preventing summer slide but combating the falling literacy rates that are plaguing our nation. These programs also provide the unique ability to foster a life-long love of reading in children who will one day be adults running our country.
Academic Roadblocks: Reading is a foundational skill, driving success in every other subject. Struggling students can not comprehend complex texts with limited reading skills. This decreases their ability to fully participate in the classroom, hindering overall academic success. Ultimately, this leads to frustration and disengagement, directly impacting the student’s education trajectory.
Limited Career Opportunities: Strong reading skills are essential for a wide range of jobs, from understanding technical manuals to analyzing complex data. The ability to read is a key requirement for many careers in today’s knowledge-based economy. Those individuals struggling to read may be limited in their earning potential and career choices.
Civic Participation: Informed and well-read citizens are crucial to a healthy democracy. Reading skills are crucial for understanding current events, evaluating information and engaging in civil and thoughtful conversation. Low literacy rates impact a citizens ability to stay informed and actively participate in their communities.
Summer reading programs offer one unique solution to promoting literacy and engagement. Simply put: they’re fun! Summer reading programs are often contests readers play against themselves. Challenging them to read a certain number of books and providing suggestions and incentives along the way. They also foster a sense of community, encouraging the love of reading through shared experiences, collaboration and good reading habits.
Programs like Book It! use incentives to encourage reading. Library programs are friendly competition and an opportunity for choice, catering to individuals interests while promoting engagement with their peers. Developing a list of diverse, age-appropriate selections helps to foster the love of reading itself. When children discover stories that ignite their curiosity and transport them to new worlds, the act of reading becomes the reward. This helps develop a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure, and promotes continuous learning and growth.
Summer reading programs are a launchpad or step in resolving the nationwide literary crisis. Fostering a love of reading and extending that momentum through the year is imperative, try these strategies for success:
Combating the literacy crisis requires a collective effort. Support your local library, inquire about summer reading programs at school and community centers and above all, educate yourself on the declining literacy rates across the United States.
Dr. Richard Garrett explores this topic and more in his book, U.S. Education is in Trouble, Let’s Fix It!, providing 22 reform proposals with details for immediate action. Organizations like Elevate Schools and Education Week are actively exploring and sharing new solutions. You can find further resources and information on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a leading organization committed to improving education through data-driven insights.
Together, we can harness the power of summer reading programs, encourage the love of reading and improve the failing literacy rates across the United States. Let’s empower our children to become lifelong learners and unlock a world of limitless possibilities.
