For some, part of Dartmouth's charm is largely contingent on the existence of "the Dartmouth bubble." Being in the middle of nowhere, it becomes easy to forget that the world does, indeed, exist beyond our campus. While tutoring at Mascoma Valley Regional High School in nearby Canaan, N.H., I was very quickly reminded of the world beyond Hanover and the surprising discrepancy between our small bubble and neighboring towns just down the road.
Even though Canaan is separated from Hanover by only a short car ride, there are visible socioeconomic differences between the two towns, as evidenced by a cursory comparison of their respective high schools. While Hanover High School is housed in a formidably sized, multi-level building, Mascoma High School is a low-ceilinged, one-story complex. And unfortunately, the socioeconomic divide between the two schools manifests itself in more than just the infrastructure. Hanover High reports on its website that 91 percent of its graduating class of 2011 enrolled in college, while 89 percent of its teachers hold at least a master's degree. In comparison, official statistics for Mascoma High are conspicuously absent from its website. But according to City-data.com, less than 40 percent of Mascoma High graduates went on to a four-year college.
The differences between Mascoma and Hanover High Schools point to a problem present across the country: an unequal distribution in the quality of public schools and teachers. We cannot undervalue the importance of strong teaching in our efforts to reform public schools. While formidable educators certainly abound, they are largely concentrated in wealthy areas like Hanover, while schools about 20 minutes down the road seem to be struggling to find the most qualified, motivated and experienced teachers to lead their classrooms. If the United States seeks to remain competitive in this rapidly globalizing century, a second look at the posterity of our education is in order, particularly in the realm of its teachers and particularly in poorer areas.
A large part of the problem comes from the undeniable truth that the word "teacher" does not carry the most inspiring connotation in the job market. Low pay and long hours do not entice many otherwise well-qualified individuals to pursue teaching, leaving a shortage of inspiring and able teachers. At the same time, there are many teachers especially in schools located in disadvantaged and troubled neighborhoods who are disinterested in and lack passion for their jobs. They are unable to relay important concepts, inspire a love of learning in their students or make a concerted effort to demonstrate that they care.
The evidence of such compulsory styles of teaching is all around us. While tutoring at Mascoma High, I discovered that some of my 16 and 17-year-old students did not understand even basic algebra. This was not a group of unwilling or disinterested teenagers. Rather, these were curious and bright students who told me that their teachers had never taken the time to explain simple algebraic concepts. The problem was with the teachers whose lack of concern for their students fostered complacency in the classroom.
In some districts, it seems that students are passed from grade to grade, year to year without ever having truly learned anything.No teacher steps in to push the students to grapple with and critically analyze the material beyond the level required for a test or inspire a love of learning in their students. Kids in the most struggling districts often have teachers year after year who are only able to teach their students how to regurgitate information written on blackboards and in textbooks, to memorize and recite without developing a deeper understanding of the material.
What is necessary, then, is to incentivize our strongest teachers those that are truly invested in their role to work in less-than-ideal neighborhoods. Socioeconomic lines should not be visible in quality of classroom education. Those teachers who can make a tangible difference in their students' lives must be encouraged to do so in schools that arguably need their services the most. Otherwise, we propagate a vicious cycle of consistently failing to provide every student with the opportunity to succeed. While continuing a standard of excellence at Hanover High School is paramount to building a successful future, we must also look to instill that level of excellence at schools like Mascoma High School.
