Rising to Greatness

"Rising to Greatness"

My first reaction to this article was very depressing.  I knew that Iowa had fallen behind and I knew that we were struggling, but in the terms that this article put it made me sad. The article stated, ␣"The lack of significant achievement gains is likely hold back the Iowa economy. Every year that passes with another generation of Iowa's graduates underprepared for the global workforce is an opportunity lost that can never be reclaimed."
This statement smacked me in the face.  It's not that this was news to me, I think that I knew the what state we were in, but reading the words dug into me.  Initially I asked, is this the state I want my children growing up in? Do I want my children to be "underprepared"?   I think to many times people like to just look at the issue and instead of coming up with solutions they sit and the complain, never doing anything to help.  That is how I think we got into this situation.  So no, I don't want the next generations growing up in this mess of a system. No, I don't want the next generations underprepared and low performing.  What I can do is change my thinking from a glass half empty to a glass half full. 


Like the article said, "The days of an abundance of low-skill jobs have come to and end." It starts in the classroom.