Top down or else it's belly up

When I think about top down approach in education, I am thinking beyond the top of the food chain of principal. Yes a principal/superintendent/admin can make a major difference that leads to teachers enjoying their work. But so many of the issues that teachers have across the board are from the initial implementation of structure that even principals/superintendents lack control over.

When you think about yourself as a student, you could easily tell when your teacher was invested in the lesson or when they were just teaching to teach. The vibe was either on or off. Same for any job or career you've had. When your boss/employer/supervisor was passionate, you in turn were a little more enthusiastic.

It's hard not to be.

That enthusiasm comes from passion and purpose. The teacher/boss/employer/superivisor was driven by a bigger picture: their WHY. And that why gives them a purpose to show up to do their best.

When the purpose is strong enough, it leads to a domino effect and everyone below begins to fall into similar passionate strive...even if it's just slightly more.

So to those who create our education system (And right now it kind of feels like the great and powerful OZ.. we don't see the face behind the voice)

They've got to clear up what they are behind and what their cause is for education. If it continues to be vague punch lines, we're going to get the same thing we've been getting.

But if the top OZ can center on a Clear WHY and articulate that so it can be CLEARLY passed down tier to tier to tier. then at each level people will find ways rally behind that WHY to teach and educate students for a better purpose or future.

This may sound daunting. But I have a WHY... and I believe this WHY will create a purpose clear enough to shift our system; benefit our children, their future, and the future of our society.