School board candidates speak out: Debbie Holle, School Board District 7
Education is all about dreams. Children dream of accomplishing great things.
They dream of becoming like their heroes. Teenagers dream what they'll do after graduation. Dreams of good jobs and making plenty of money. It's the responsibility of leaders, teachers and parents to ensure children succeed in school. Academic success in school is necessary for dreams to come true.
Research concludes traditional, teacher-led education leads to better academic achievement at all levels. Learning is the responsibility of not just the student but also the teacher. State and local school boards can help by first establishing policy to require smaller class sizes (15 to 25 students) in the foundational learning years.
Through education, training and discipline, students will learn, acquiring knowledge, values and skills to guide their thoughts and actions in adult life. I value the work of Jeanne Chall, (Harvard University) in her book "The Academic Achievement Challenge What Really Works in the Classroom." (2000)
Corporations increasingly report they cannot find a sufficiently literate and skilled work force. Academic achievement directly relates to subsequent work productivity and income. Because we know academic achievement in the early years predicts later school success, we need to prioritize for these foundational years.
We can't afford to wait. It's essential to focus on the basics, and what we already know works. In these days of economic challenge, we must continue to search for ways of doing better with less.