I finally mailed off Minnow’s N-600 yesterday. So he is on his way to officially–in the eyes of the US government–being a US citizen.

Okay, so I am not the perfect parent. I have gotten my poor impressionable toddler addicted to Spongebob Squarepants. Minnow loves “bun bob” as he says it. He picks up and hands me the remote in the morning and says “bun bob, bun bob.” I have been pretty vigilant about not letting him watch too much. Yes, I know for many of you uberparents out there that any TV at his age is too much. We are a tv watching household, so let me just say that I don’t really think TV is the real bad guy. I don’t use it at a babysitter. We watch it together and usually play while we watch it. It is only on for a limited amount of time–yes there are somedays when it is on more than others–it is hard when the weather is bad and we are cooped up inside. I admit my imperfection and embrace it. It is nice to have the pressure taken off about being perfect…

Summer is fast coming to a close. We go on vaction a week from today. We will be in Indiana Dunes national park, where my brother has a country home 3 blocks from Lake Michigan. We will hopefully be enjoying some fun in the sun and playing on the beach.

Minnow has been home for almost a year now. It is so hard to believe that a year has passed already as I remember so very vividly what it felt like this time last year, knowing we were leaving to meet our son in less than a month. What an amazing time it was and what an amazing time it has been. I could not even imagine the slightest bit what joy our little one would bring us.

As grad school gets ready to start up again, I have been doing a lot of thinking about education. As I wait to hear about my doctoral application, I have been doing a lot of thinking about the state of education and where I really want my focus of study to take me. Do I really plan to just go back to the classroom and try and make a difference in a small number of lives–don’t get me wrong any difference made is substantial. Do I want to work at the district level trying to improve the writing programs across the curriculum and across grade levels? Do I want to focus on leadership so that someday I can open and run my own school? The questions are deep and the answers varied. On some level the answer to each question is yes. Well isn’t that a bit of a pickle. Can I really do all of those thing and manage my own sanity and raise my family? I am pretty sure I can. But do I want to?

Would I be happy in the classroom teaching? Yes. Would I be happy administering a writing program for an entire district? Yes, as long as it is a district that is under performing–those of us with a head start don’t need more of one. Would I be happy running and managing my own school? Without a doubt, but I would be doing the first 2 things as well. What about teaching teachers? I would love that too. Or community college folks–that would be great as well. The choices appear almost limitless. What is a girl to do?

Where can I affect the most change? That is where I want to be. I have been doing a great deal of thinking about why our educational system is in such turmoil. I have an answer. I know it only I was the head of the Department of Education–but if I were, I would probably no longer be able to clearly see the problem. Is our educational system broken at some level? Yes. If so who does it really work for? Well let me tell you in case you haven’t guessed–but I know you have as you are all pretty smart out there in my virtual little world. The educational system works for those middle and upper class folks–of all races and fails those working poor folks–and immigrants–regardless of resources most often. Those in power don’t realize the failings because their kids and the kids of their friends function just fine in this educational system that was designed to replicate what the rich folks were able to give their kids hundreds of years ago.

I know this isn’t politically correct–but why can’t we design a system that works for the have nots? Well, because the have nots don’t have anything to offer to the haves who are the ones who are in charge. I am a have. I wasn’t always, but I was enough of one that I have been afforded most of the same privileges they have. Without the opportunity to attend college I would not be where I am today. It was never a question of whether or not I would graduate high school and go to college. But for so many it is. For so many their values and cultures are overlooked in schools and we wonder why they don’t want to go. Who wants to go somewhere for 6+ hours a day to listen to someone who has no idea where they come from talk about something that has no bearing on their lives presently. When you are worried about putting food on the table or where your next meal is going to come from, do you really care that Shakespeare wrote 144 sonnets and what the rhyme scheme of those sonnets are? I don’t really either and I was and am an English major and English teacher.

If when you get home to have to help cook, take care of siblings and hope the gunfire stays at bay, do you really care that you have a 2 page paper due on the rise if Imperialism? No. When you can make more money selling drugs do you care that you can borrow money to go to college–that you have to pay back with your entry level $30,000 a year job?

Yes the educational system is broken. But only for those who are different than those in charge–which we all know is a huge majority. I want to help fix it. But can I? As I resemble those in charge and not those who are being failed?

or does it? I think we all know that it doesn’t. So, then why do we continue to try to fit everyone, country, etc into the same size? Why do we teach different kids in different communities the same thing? Why don’t we tailor the education of children and communities to their needs. Couldn’t we start a school in an agriculture community that teaches the kids about agriculture and better ways to farm, raise cattle, etc?

I am so angered by how our educational system works. Why are we all so stuck in this idea that everyone has to or even needs the same education. Each student, community, state, country has different needs. Why do we lump everyone together and not worry about what might or might not be relevant to them?

I have done all of my teaching in schools where the population is pretty much entirely blue collar and nearly all black. Yet the curriculum we used was not designed with them in mind. As the district at its inception was an all white district. Why is it politically incorrect to say that we should teach these black students, asian student, latino students, etc things that are culturally relevant to them? Why can’t their curriculum focus on issue, events and people who are important to them? Wouldn’t they be more inclined to like school if they are being taught or exposed to things that than and their parents can really relate to?

I am fed up…so much more to come.

We have our USCIS approval. It took just over 5 weeks. What an improvement. Last time it took 4 months. I am so excited to have that step done. Now there is nothing standing in our way except for the long list of people ahead of us.

I am not-patiently waiting to hear back about my application into the doctoral program. I know I won’t hear until after the beginning of August if my application packet is complete by then–I am waiting for a recommendation from a professor who is travelling Europe. If my application is not complete by then, I will have to wait until September. Then once they decide they like me as a candidate, I have to go for an interview infront of an admissions panel to show them that I know something about what I plan to study. I assume they will ask me questions about research I have done and plan to do, about my teaching experience, etc. It is all very intimidating.

I hate waiting…