Education Reforms That Work—They Do Exist

I’m going to take a break—however short—from reacting to every wrongheaded plan disguised as education reform in Philadelphia. The last couple of weeks have left me energized and inspired by the great things that can be accomplished by our educators, the teachers union and communities.

In late July, I was in Detroit for the American Federation of Teachers Convention, where I was able to see and hear a number of education “success stories” and examples of truly effective (read: REAL) education reform. The development that left the biggest impression was the AFT’s unveiling of “Share My Lesson,” a web-based platform that allows teachers to share and provide feedback on lesson plans in every subject area and grade level.

Share My Lesson is fantastic for a few reasons. For one, it’s free, which is great news for teachers who already pay hundreds of dollars of their own money for materials and classroom supplies. It’s also a platform that improves as more teachers join. Imagine that! More teachers in the mix are a good thing—that’s a model states can learn from as they look to balance education budgets by eliminating teacher positions!

Best of all, Share My Lesson is an effort done as a collaboration between the AFT and TES, a United Kingdom-based teacher resource and publication company. This program is proof of the great things that can be accomplished when unions and other organizations form meaningful partnerships to improve education.

AFT’s work with Reconnecting McDowell is a new project, but it’s already given so much hope to McDowell County, West Virginia, one of the poorest areas in the nation. This endeavor is another great example of how unions, working with business leaders, nonprofit groups and elected officials can help to transform not just a school system, but an entire community. The people and organizations involved understand that to improve schools, you must address the poverty and infrastructure conditions surrounding the schools. Only then will every student have a real chance for a better future.

Finally, closer to home, I met with teachers last week at Fels High School, where the PFT’s Health & Welfare Department ran two simultaneous teacher trainings: the 2012 ER&D Summer Institute; and the Strong Beginnings Teacher Induction Initiative. Over 200 Philadelphia teachers took from their summer to participate in a week of intensive, all-day training to be better educators. It’s a fantastic program, the kind of professional development teachers crave, and the kind of program that should be replicated in more school districts.

And on Wednesday, the Inquirer ran a great story about the impact that dedicated school staff and communities can have on neighborhood schools like E.M. Stanton and other schools across the city.

Teachers, along with community partners are showing us the road to a better education for our kids. For their sake, I hope our elected leaders will take notice and put aside profit and politics long enough to follow the right path.

Jerry Jordan is the president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. Follow Jerry Jordan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jerrytjordan