Hi there, I'm Teresa Gonczy, and I'm an
entrepreneur and educator. I'm in Los Angeles right now, although I
spent today putting a bunch of stuff in storage in order to start
driving cross country in a few weeks to be based out of Chicago for the
next year. Most recently, I owned an infant and family educational
center here in LA. Previously, I helped to start a charter elementary
school as well as a family-friendly makerspace. I also mentor teen
entrepreneurs as part of the Thiel Fellowship, and help to organize the
BIL Conference, a participant-powered unconference similar to TED. I
sold my educational center a few months ago, and am taking some time
right now to do a masters degree through Harvard Extension. I'm taking
this course because I'm interested in how I can expand my influence in
the educational world – to see what reforms have worked or not worked in
what areas, and to connect with others who might be working in the
field. Looking forward to talking more with you all over the course! :-)
1. What is the biggest problem facing the
United States’ public school system? At this stage in the course, what
do you think needs improvement / change?
I would say that the biggest problem for
the public school system is educational equity. But remembering that
equity is not the same thing as equality. Different students have
different needs, whether they're special needs or gifted, low income or
high income, predisposed to enjoy math or to enjoy literature, or just
smack dab in the middle of everything. We need all students to be
achieving at their own highest level of potential.
In order to move toward educational
equity, a lot needs to improve and change. To help all students, we need
to be able to differentiate instruction – which means that we need high
quality teachers who are capable of coaching and leading students at
different levels and with different interests – and we need those
teachers in all classrooms, including low-income schools. To have high
quality teachers, we need better preparation and development, ed schools
and principals who really focus on instructional quality. Which also
means that we need highly capable leadership, at the school level, at
the district level, at the university level. The people are most
important – although there are other initiatives that can also help with
differentiating and delivering high quality learning to all students,
such as technology, smaller class size or other rearranging of the
typical classroom, socioemotional learning, building community, etc.
2. What are the most important goals of
our school system, and why? (Economic growth, informed citizens,
economic mobility, economic equality, etc.)
The most important goal of our school
system is to help create the next generation that can push us forward as
a society – technologically, socially, etc. We need people who are
life-long learners because the world is changing so fast. People who can
problem solve and think critically. Who can take and give feedback. Who
are work well by themselves and with others. People who will be engaged
with their work, their family, and their community. In order to move
society forward, we need to help everyone to build their skills to
function effectively, as well as cultivate the gifted who can make the
ground-breaking leaps. If everyone is working at their highest level,
economic growth and mobility will happen.
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