Dear Educational Accountants & Engineers

Dear Business Consultants:

Oh, I just love accountants! I have one!

And, I adore engineers -- just bought a new refridg and a new dishwasher. Of course, neither one of them will last as long as an appliance built in 1950, but... I am thinking more and more about that...

So, my son is having difficulty in school and I took him to our accountant and to an engineer for a consultation and they ...

What!?! Am I a freaking lunatic? What do accountants and engineers know about children. Ahhhh... Maybe I should consult and MBA?

None of them know a stinkin' thing about children, human growth and development, neuro-science, education, child psychology... or education. Oh, I love accountants when tax season rolls 'round, but for our educational system, why not do something radical and listen to experts on children and learning?

Here are a few reasons that we should stop listening to business people and why business models or factory models should not be applied to education:

+ The growth and development of children is far more complicated than even the most complicated business.

Genetics, physical and mental illness, nutrition, poverty, parenting, physical or emotional abuse, community environment, alcohol and drug use/abuse and dozens of other factors play a role in school behavior and learning. But, most important, early development is very determined by neurological development.

+Children vary enormously in their achievement of developmental landmarks and in reading. Some children read in kindergarten and some don't read until second grade (or even later) but early and late readers are often reading on the same level by the end of 2nd or 3rd grade.

+ Individual children don't grow steadily. They grow by leaps and bounds -- and then plateau. Children may appear to be completely stalled at reading and then progress 2 or more grade levels in a single year.

+ The competence of a given teacher or school is not the easy black and white issue that so many people would have us believe.

Some teachers and some schools are a better "fit" for some students than others. There is no universally agreed upon "great teacher in a great school." My daughter loved grouchy older male teachers! The grouchier the better for her.

Not every teacher is the perfect teacher in the eyes of every parent or all the other teachers. Parents don't agree on teaching styles, or homework or discipline or humor in the classroom or affection or paying compliments or ... There will never be a time when fellow teachers and parents are in agreement about teacher competence because we all have differing values and differing standards.

So, of course, we all want excellent schools and teachers. No, none of us have the same definition. Yes, we want "high standards." But, I want to be listening to experts in education, child development, psychology...

I don't want schools run by businesses. I don't want a business model of education. What about you?

Oh, I still love engineers and accountants and... But, I do think appliances should last longer!

Your friend,

Vivian