“Value the actual work that school people do every day”

Teachers, parents, administrators, and advocates react to the Times’ recent piece on Joel Klein with letters to the editor. Here’s one:

To the Editor:

Re “Debate on New York Schools Pivots on One Man at the Top” (“Controlling Interests” series, front page, March 6):

I worked in the schools of New York City for 30 years as a teacher and principal. As a consultant, I visited schools all over the country and met with teachers, principals and parents. I raised two children who attended New York City public schools.

From those experiences, perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is this: In order to create positive change in schools, the major focus must be on teaching and learning — what goes on in classrooms between teachers and students, every day and every minute of those days.

Good schools pay attention to what teachers are teaching and how they’re teaching it, how they can refine and add to what they already know, how the curriculums are created and how they make for fruitful learning.

If Chancellor Joel I. Klein is really interested in “changing longstanding practices,” as the article notes, he might consider valuing the actual work that school people do every day, directly with children, work that does not appear in headlines.

Blossom Gelernter
San Diego, March 7, 2009

The writer is the founding principal of Public School 234 in New York City.

Tagged: New York Times

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