Haaaaarvard
by Harvard
I’m at Haaaaarvard attending a Summer Institute for School Administrators. The last time I was here, I was just sight seeing. This time however, I’m actually attending classes and marinating in the prestigious educational reputation of Haaaaarvard University, “Ve Ri Tas”
I must admit that I feel kinda special being here. Even though anybody and their grandmother could’ve been accepted to the program, the tiny elitist bone in my body is tickle to death that I’m actually here walking the hallowed grounds of Haaaaavard Yaaaaard.
While basking in the glory of this bastion of education, I can’t help but think how education is so much out of touch from the real world. Consider this. Harvard has a reputation of being one of the best schools in the world. They earned this reputation because they attract the best faculty and the best students.
Now, would Harvard still be a great school if they have below average and average students? Think about it? If I have a school that has a student body of all valedictorians and geniuses, wouldn’t my school be awesome also?
A school’s greatness should be measured on how it educates its underperforming students. If a school can increase the reading and math competency of traditional low performing students, then the school should be viewed as a great school.
I’m not trying to suggest that Harvard doesn’t deserve the reputation it receives because it does. What I’m questioning is how we currently classify our schools. What I alluded to earlier is that the way we classify school is out of sync from the way everything is classified outside the realm of education. For example, a hospital is viewed as a great hospital because it is able to deal with the most difficult and dire health conditions. Another example would be that a law firm’s greatness is determined by its ability to handle seemingly impossible cases.
Why can’t we do the same thing with schools or education in general? Why is it that the best teachers are usually in schools where the students are going to perform well regardless of who their teacher is? Why is that the state-of-the-art educational resources are usually found in schools where the students can personally afford the said resources.
Obviously, the result of this educational misclassification and misallocation are failing schools in poor neighborhoods. Instead of assigning well qualified teachers in these failing schools, you have teachers who are either inexperienced or with too much experience and can’t wait to retire.
So, going back to Haaaaarvard, yes, it’s an awesome school but it will be even more awesome if it decides to accept academically challenged students and turned them into good students.
Enough said, I’m going to contemplate and “philosophize” more and maybe all these greatness around me will soak in my mind through osmosis.
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On a different note, I will still try to post everyday but my blog visits will be infrequent this next couple of weeks because I’m inundated with Haaaaarvard homework.
