The Education Crisis: What It Is and How to Fix It
A Serial Podcast Produced by Thembi Duncan and Dr. Charles Reigeluth.
American education is in trouble, and small fixes are no longer enough. In this series, host Thembi Duncan and education expert Dr. Charles Reigeluth dive into why our system needs a complete paradigm shift and what it will take to make that happen.
Each episode explores tough but important questions: Are we setting students up to fail? How can schools personalize learning so every child has a chance to thrive? What roles should teachers, parents, and students play in a new model of education?
You will hear case studies, interviews, and real stories from schools and communities already working toward change. This podcast offers practical ideas, inspiration, and resources to help you imagine what education could look like if it truly served students’ needs.
Whether you are an educator, parent, policymaker, or simply someone who cares about the future of learning, this series will give you tools and motivation to push for a better system.
Donate today to keep this podcast available for all: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-end-americas-education-crisis-now
The Education Crisis: What It Is and How to Fix It
10. What can you do to transform education?
Host Thembi Duncan speaks with education expert Dr. Charles Reigeluth, author of Vision and Action: Reinventing Schools through Personalized Competency Based Education, about the ways that listeners can help their schools transform to the personalized, competency-based paradigm of education.
Dr. Reigeluth describes what a school board member, superintendent, principal, teacher, parent, student, and community member can do. In all cases, the process should start by convincing a colleague or friend to meet with you to learn more about the new paradigm of education and learn about a school that has already transformed.
Then, if you are a board member, you should talk one-on-one with other board members to get them interested in learning more. When enough board members are interested, the board should appoint a study committee to explore pros, cons, and options, and to make specific recommendations. This should lead to forming a prelaunch team, as discussed in Chapters 8 and 9.
If you are a superintendent, you and your study partner should eventually talk to the most receptive board members individually to get them interested in learning more, and they can help you get other board members interested.
If you are a principal, you and your study partner should try to get other principals to learn more, and then talk with the superintendent to get her or him interested. And you can support the superintendent in recruiting board members.
If you are a teacher, you and your study partner should try to get other teachers to learn more, and then talk with your principal to get her or him interested. Then you can support the principal in recruiting the superintendent.
If you are a parent, you and your study partner should try to get other parents to learn more, and then talk with your children's teachers and/or principal or assistant principal, depending on your comfort with them and their receptivity. The parent-teacher's association is also a good option.
If you are a student, you and your study partner should try to get your friends interested in learning more. Also, try to get your parents and teachers interested, and help them get the principal and superintendent interested.
If you are a community member, you and your study partner can try to get friends and neighbors interested. If you know any board members or administrators, try to get them interested. If you are a member of a church or civic group, try to get them interested. When you generate a lot of interest, board members and administrators will listen.
Next, this episode features Jeff Wetzler from Transcend Education and Scott Frauenheim from Leap Innovations, two non-profit organizations that help school systems to transform. They offer additional advice for each of these stakeholders to get their school system interested in transforming to personalized, competency-based education for the betterment of their students and community.
Special Discount for our Listeners: Receive 20% off the book Vision and Action by Dr. Charles Reigeluth and Dr. Jennifer Karnopp with the exclusive code VA20 when you order directly from SolutionTree.com. This offer is available until January 31!
Give today to our GoFundMe Campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-end-americas-education-crisis-now so we can keep this podcast online!
