A Teacher's Journal: Defining What "We" Expect of Schools

This question has been stuck in the back of my mind for quite some time because I often feel like my work is scattered and unfocused. As a teacher, that inefficiency is frustrating. As a taxpayer, it's nothing short of maddening! One of the greatest barriers to answering what "we're trying to do" in schools, however, is that there is no one clear definition of who "we" really represents!

You see, there are dozens of different interest groups served by the public school system---parents, students, teachers, the business community, taxpayers, religious leaders, the university system, local government, state government, the federal government---and each has their own expected outcomes for our work. Some want schools to focus only on content knowledge so we can beat back the perceived threats posed to our nation by a quickly growing China and India. Others expect schools to teach children character, self-discipline and healthy living habits. There are cries for an increased focus on "basic skills" (a poorly defined concept in our rapidly changing world), "21st Century skills," and "skills for succeeding in the New World Economy."

The metrics by which success is measured are as varied as the interest groups setting expectations! To some, standardized tests are the single most important performance indicators. Others look at obesity rates, dropout rates, and college graduation rates. For parents, their own children are the bellwether for the health of the system. For business leaders, it's new employees. For government agencies, it's statistical databases quantifying any number of demographic factors.

From inside my classroom, I've seen the damaging effects of these varying expectations and metrics. New programs are rolled out at a blinding pace in an attempt to adapt to changing demands. No effort ever seems to stick around for long, introducing a never-ending instability into our system. I simply worry that by trying to be responsive to everyone, we're serving no one particularly well!

How can a community passionate about providing nothing but the best for children work together to come up with a common definition of the purpose for schooling? What would it take to narrow expectations to a manageable (and affordable) list that would have wide-ranging support? Who should spearhead this effort---and who must be a part of the conversation?

When will "we" begin?