Providing my children with a quality education is one of my top priorities, so I was excited to read Mission Possible: How Academy Success Secrets Can Work In Any School. The authors, founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, Eva Moskowitz, and literacy expert, Arin Lavinia, were determined to do something about poor education and lack of education. They took a school where the kids weren’t on track to graduate and turned it into a college that offers kids a stellar education. It’s a worthwhile read and explains how they raised the educational bar and changed things.
Teaching is a calling, it is not just a vocation. To excel and be a quality educator, one must have a true love of teaching. I am fortunate that my children attend an excellent elementary school. Most of the teachers are excellent and the level of parental involvement is extremely high. Some say it’s very competitive but that doesn’t bother me. I would rather have my children attend a school where there is healthy competition than a school where the authors refer in the book as a “good enough is good enough” attitude.
Why do we treat the teaching profession differently in this country and what can be done about low teacher morale? There are flaws in our educational system that desperately need to be addressed. Many problems come from the unions, so they are doing themselves a disservice. One of the biggest problems is that we can’t get rid of bad teachers. Job security and permanence harm the profession. Seniority cannot be the only reason to keep teachers employed. It should work like any other job – get a promotion when you deserve it and get a pink card when you’re not giving students your best.
Many policies are made at the government level by people who do not understand brain-based education and research, so policies are implemented by those who do not keep up with new research or take into account what is appropriate. for the development of the child. People often have a personal agenda and will vote for what is in their best interest, not necessarily what is best for teachers and students.
Like any field, teachers can be competitive. They want to be treated like professionals but, unless they teach in a private school, they belong to a public management institution. Those who are content with mediocrity do not want public employees to stand out or the bar will be raised too high and will make the mediocre look bad. As they say in the book, “Don’t be afraid of competition. It’s what made America great and what can still save American education.”
Mission Possible provides detailed, practical advice on how they turned an underperforming school in Harlem into a top school that is comparable to elite private schools and public schools for gifted students. His approach is inspiring and workable, not intimidating. However, it is a daunting task. It takes commitment, focus, and determination to change a school and make such improvements. One of the key components of its success is strong parental involvement and focus on adult performance. Moskowitz and Lavinia emphasize that success depends on the level of commitment of teachers and parents.
Every child deserves a good education. If your child’s school is not at the level it should be and you want it to be a success, this book is a must read.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead