You can have ten of the strongest metal links in a chain, but if one has a crack, the entire chain is worthless and bound to fail.
Headlines this week have once again sounded the alarms of declining achievement for American students. From the Washington Post: "National test scores plummeted for 13-year-olds, according to new data that shows the single largest drop in math in 50 years and no signs of academic recovery following the disruptions of the pandemic." From former Mississippi state superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright: "This is more than alarming. Thirteen-year-olds are in high schools, and their futures depend on being able to recover from this.”
COVID and our response as educational institutions are proving to be the weakest link. If a means is not found to regain the learning loss and get students caught up, our students are being set up to fail.
Metal is hardened in a variety of ways but one thing each way requires is a source of heat; high heat.
What is the source of heat going to be in education to turn the current failing and worthless outcomes around? Money does not seem to be the answer as evidenced by ESSER. Perhaps it is time we return to the basics and remove all of the extraneous--the impurities--that are keeping us unfocused and lax. Roll up our sleeves and pick up the simple, tried-and-true tools that deliver results. It will be hard work. Heating metal takes effort; it will make you sweat; the constant swinging of the heavy hammer will deliver sore muscles. But isn't it worth it? To see the beauty of creation when the job is done and done right? Don't our students deserve at least that? They shouldn't have to bear the burden of the weakest link when there are ways to fix it with some focused hard work.
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