by Marisa Hefflefinger

Created on: April 10, 2008

LEADING CHANGE IN EDUCATION

Every school district wants to send its students around the globe as successful lifelong learners. However, in an unpredictable world, America's schools are falling short. Unemployment rates have soared, crime and violence have become the norm, and education takes a backseat to it all. Students will never be prepared for life after high school unless districts work together with parents and community members to create virtuous, challenging goals.

Although many teachers have advanced degrees and a long list of credentials, they are not truly preparing students to go out in the world and survive as societal participants. They seem to dig deep into a rut of anti-change as their years of service increase and confidence in their abilities surmounts what they actually do. Aside from this, it is assumed that certain students will be going to the work force immediately after graduation, so effort is not put towards them. When it comes to the way education is presented, it should not matter who the students are, where they are from, or what they will do after graduation. Must all students receive a formal higher education? No. Not all people were created to shine in learning. However, even if students will work jobs paying minimum wage for the rest of their lives, they should all be equally educated and appropriately challenged in school in order to learn the importance of hard work and the essentiality of critical thinking. When students receive their diploma, they should be walking away as well-rounded, intelligent, responsible individuals who are prepared to lead and/or be productive citizens in an advancing society. "Students learn best when faced with genuine challenges, choices, and responsibility in their own learning" (Zemelman, Daniels, & Hyde, 2005. p.10). These ideals will arm students with the means necessary to become more than social scavengers.

Forget state and national standards for a moment. Without those guidelines, how would teachers know what students should be learning? The answer is as simple as looking around. Look at the community in which a district is located and assemble teachers, past students, parents, community and business leaders, and college and university professors in a working partnership. These are the people who see and experience what is truly essential to make a living, therefore are obvious pieces to the puzzle. Past students could list what would have been helpful for them to have learned during school,

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