A problem I perceive in current educational thinking is that there are far too many people who have ideas about how we should build the house, but too few who know how to use a saw and a hammer.
Don't misunderstand me. The architects are important. The architects give us a plan, a direction. But, there have to be builders with the real, practical skills and knowledge to actually execute the plan and get a good house put together.
Without a specific tactical plan the strategic plan, regardless of how well conceived, has little chance to succeed.
Classroom teachers need to be highly skilled in all the many facets of delivering effective instruction. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Many teachers lack one or more the the essential qualities that are needed to be a good, potent educator. Maybe they can't manage a classroom or they are unable to appropriately relate to students. Perhaps their understanding of their subject is not as good as it should be. They might be lacking in organizational skills, can't manage their time well. Maybe it's one or more of dozens of other things.
Knowing the big, broad goals and objectives of education is not enough. An effectual teacher needs to have a grasp of the day-to-day logistics, the nuts-and-bolts, of driving learning to that target.
I hear to too many voices suggesting that we need to be here or be there. Not enough are talking about how we get from where we are, using what we have, to that Utopian place. How do we get it done when there are not enough teachers, not enough money, not enough parent/community support, not enough time, not enough of anything? Because that's where most educators are working. Few real teachers are in idyllic places with seemingly unlimited resources and support.
Education is not going to change much until the boots on the ground are able to take things by the horns and figure out how to make it happen.
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