Solving Problems By Improving Education

Today, Newsweek asked people: "In 6 words, tell us your thoughts on the American educational system." I submitted: "Improving it will solve many problems."

I strongly believe that if we can improve our education system here in the United States, we can solve many of the problems we face as a nation and a world, avoiding financial crises, keeping more people from starving, responding quicker to disasters, bringing people together with open minds to move ideas forward and even preventing wars. We may still make mistakes and the world may still have its issues to deal with, but a better educated society is no doubt a solution to so much.

With all of this running fresh through my mind again today, I received the following in an email from an ABCTE colleague. It came from a Mississippi resident who is currently working in law enforcement and is a candidate in our Teach & Inspire Scholarship Program. Teach & Inspire recruits, prepares, certifies and supports individuals who want to teach in high-need schools and subjects in Florida, Mississippi and South Carolina.

He writes...

"In law enforcement I am responsible for taking people to court and incarcerating them. The stories I hear from the prisoners and the testimony I hear presented in court are closely related to education. Without exception, the people have failed to finish high school. I feel strongly that those people could have been saved if they had been encouraged to finish school. Some of them wanted to but had no one to encourage them. I want to teach so I can work with children and hopefully save some of those considering dropping out."

We need more of that right there! None of us—teachers, parents, students, anyone—should put up with hearing something like "summers off" as someone’s main motivation for wanting to be a teacher. Having the summer off is a nice perk for some in the teaching profession, but the story above—from an individual who wants to teach because they have seen firsthand what an education, or the lack of one, can do for people—that’s the kind of thing we need from more people if we’re to roll up our sleeves and truly move education forward in this country.

An application deadline for our Teach & Inspire Scholarship Program is coming up next Friday, March 19. If you or someone you know is determined to make a difference in the lives of students, please encourage them to apply online for a scholarship. We have a vision at ABCTE of making sure "every child has a great teacher" and every single great person we can recruit into our program takes us one step closer to making that vision a reality.