Lent, EOCs, and Action!

Dear Maria,

A soggy and cold Ash Wednesday, and for the next few days not much will happen yard-wise, but tulip trees and cherry trees are flowering here and there around town—spring will come.

The last two days I have shared meals with former crew members that sailed with me here locally. I owned up to browsing through boat ads again—to take the plunge a third time, well that remains to be seen. Plunge, that is probably more awful than clever. Decisions to be made.

I have lamented, and have done so several times and not just in the last few days, that I see plenty of ills in the world but seem unable to come up with any actionable ideas. Of course, I have much time now to not only read articles but to also hunt down—or just click on the links provided—and read the research or original reports that are using the basis for their arguments, or at least their reporting.

I happened to be checking on whether the state followed through on taking over schools that were poor performers for five consecutive years, and in doing so was struck by the superintendent saying it wouldn't be worth the effort because no plan would be effective. A state education board member called for either radical plans or to forget intervention because the same ills have been noted for 20 years.

Poking around online, I found a high school about an hour from here that did not have a single student make an A on any of the state generated End-of-Course Tests in 2013, and 96% of the students scored a D or an F on the American History EOC. Of course, I see that result as disheartening, but I haven’t a clue how to address the issues of the course, the students, the school, or the community.

Common Core is no radical rethinking of schooling, nor can I see how that curriculum will change the results in historically underperforming district or schools. But, no, I don’t have an alternative to offer up.

Other than standing at the elbow of a student and providing some guidance on a piece of writing or maybe discussing options for his or her future, not a single idea comes to my mind that might be pursued and might result in some systemic improvement. Not one actionable idea.

Of course, the notion of giving up caffeine or chocolate or Downton Abbey for many this season is an actionable idea. Could go with—as others have suggested—being kinder, more generous, or more patient. But, how to measure….

Keep warm, keep dry, at least for a few more days. The weekend ahead may be grand.

As ever, just

srk