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Coming from a culturally diverse background and having been educated in public schools, I have considered this issue from both sides. As I work toward the completion of my doctoral degree in education, I find that my earlier contention that local practices should take precedence over nationally researched programs has changed. While I still believe strongly in the need for local influence within the big picture of a student's life, I have found that too often these practices have limiting results on the student's academic growth.

One of the major problems within public education is the sense from some teaching professionals that once they get into the classroom, their responsibilities to continue to grow and change has ceased. Their journey to become an educator, they feel, has given them all that they will need to be a successful teacher. Sure, they will read an article about education once in a while, but for the most part, they do not buy into new methods and ideas. After all, their past students did well, so why change? What these educators fail to see is that there is a possibility that these same students could have done even better, had the teacher implemented research proven practices. And, much more importantly, the one or two students who did not succeed may have been reached with different methods.

Teaching, like any other job, requires the professional to constantly grow and change in order to keep up with changes in students, communities and the world. Teaching the way we did 10 years ago won't work with the students of today. Just imagine if your doctor treated you with only the methods he or she learned in 1998. Your physical health would be in jeopardy. The same is true for education. When teachers fail to keep up with new methods, the academic health of our students is compromised.

Learn more about this author, Terri Kelley.
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