Why I'm starting to speak now

For two years, I've watched my Twitter and English Companion Ning friends engage in reflection in a public forum. While I've participated

I'm not new to blogging, but I've always been in closed communities, with a tightly controlled group of readers. Inspired by Mary Tedrow, George Couros, Gary Anderson, Meredith Stewart, Glenda Funk, Bud Hunt, Jim Burke, and many others that I follow via RSS, I've decided it's time to join the public conversation about what's going on in K-college education.

Right now, I have my feet in both high school and community college education. I teach English at a suburban public high school and I teach a section of freshman composition as an adjunct instructor. I love both populations of students, and I hope my reflections here and my own grappling with and engaging in public discourse helps me be an even better facilitator for thier learning.

Today, as I write this, I wait for the start of NBC's Education Nation 2011. Like many educators, I've been disheartened by the focus of reform discussion on "bad teachers." To me, the overwhelming emphasis on this single facet of education has drown out some other serious concerns and has made effective reform of public education almost impossible. The blame game isn't going to help and will only drive more and more educators away as the profession is de-professionalized.

I hope NBC will help expand the national discussion to move beyond this narrow and polarizing focus and further critical discussions not only of what really needs to be improved in education, but also of what works and is transferrable.

I will likely blog about my reactions to NBC's effort and will continue to reflect on what's working and what's not working in my own practice as well.