She has offered to work with Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas to help turn around three public elementary schools in her west side Chicago neighborhood. And still she finds time to share her insights with parents and school reform activists who, like her, passionately believe in the potential of all children. Children do not fail. We, as a society, fail them. And we are failing the children in most schools across the country, not only inner-city children.
Children fail because of our low expectations.
The answer is simple, but true. One reason for the low expectations is our teacher training. The entire training of teachers is anathema to what children actually need to learn in the classroom. There are bad private schools, and good private schools. There are good public schools and poor public schools.