Speaker: Dr. Martha Kanter
We are honored this week to have Dr. Martha Kanter, the United States Under Secretary of Education, speak to us about President Obama's goals for American public education.
Dr. Kanter, a Rotarian since 1994, has a long history of service to the under-served. She began her work in the 1970s as a high school teacher in alternative programs in Massachusetts and New York, and went on to establish the first program for students with learning disabilities at San Jose City College in California. She eventually rose to the position of chancellor of the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, one of the largest in the nation, where she served until being nominated to the position of under secretary of education in 2009. (full bio at http://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/kanter.html)
Here is how she describes her Rotary beginnings:
"I was privileged to join the Cupertino Rotary Club in 1994 in my first year as president of De Anza College, the local community college serving 25,000 students in the heart of Silicon Valley. Don Allen, the Club’s president, and Jim Walker whose children had all graduated from De Anza and led successful careers in their communities. Both Don and Jim served as Club Presidents and went on to become Rotary Governors in subsequent years. They were role models to me for 'Service above Self.'"
With a special interest in technology (she opened the first Advanced Technology Center in California's community college system), Dr. Kanter is certainly an appropriate person to speak to the members and guests of our eClub. In your comments following the presentation, please feel free to share your thoughts on what you read with Dr. Kanter and the RECSWUSA community.
This week comments: 101, this week visitors: 87
Great session, I serve on our town's school board and the information was great to read.
This is a positive step in the right direction to improve education in our country.
Interesting reading. Would have thought the percentage graduating with degree would have been higher.
I can appreciate the desire to improve education; however, I cannot agree with many of the current policies of our federal government.
Thanks for providing this perspective
Thanks
Good Program
Very nice program with respect to main speaker and historical note on Father's Day.
I'm for anything that will improve our educational system. You go, Dr. Kanter!
Thank you for a good program, Dr. Kanter. it gives me hope that the tired, static educational policies my children suffered through in high school just a few years ago might finally be on their way out.
I enjoyed the Inspirational thought of seed to blossom to fruit fro generation to generation as the true spirit in the Love of Mankind. We must pass on our gifts to all: "We are responsible for the collective all!" I didn't know it was President Nixon who signed into law, Father's Day, in 1972.
I am a school board member in California. I am glad to see the many initiatives being launched. However, I am gravely concerned about the state of our K-12 system. The funds available for school is dropping across the country. There are those who claim that schools don't use existing funds well and that they are top heavy in administration. When I look out our district, Center Joint Umified School District (Antelope, CA, USA) I am azed at what our professional staff has done. Last year our superintendent left to tak on a larger district. Rather than replace him we moved his duties to our two assistant superintendents. Each received new job titles and raises, but we still saved substantial funds. They also then took a 5 percent wage cut as did other senior manegemnt. In addition we eliminated all elementary vice principals. Our teachers also offered to take three days of furlough that were not class room teaching days. Despite these efforts we still were forced to lay off some staff. Keep in mind that education is more expensive today in years past due to other factors such as expanded special education that is rightfully provided to students in need. There are also a myriad of other requirements such as compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. In the past the students who are now in these programs either did not attend school or did not receive the education they need. If the proposals enumerated in the program are to be effective, then we need to redouble our educational efforts at the K-12 level. Note to the program chair: If you would like, I would be glad to present a guest program for your club.
Interesting ideas. In addition to our children, increasing higher ed graduation rates among adult learnes should also be a goal.
Great program.
I could not disagree with your speaker more. What is wrong with education in this country is primarily the involvement of the Federal Government in what is essentially a state and local issue. Case in point "No Child Left Behind" or as some teachers call it "Let's Teach the Test". We had a great education sustem in this country unmtilm the Government started to mess with it and take authority from local teachers.
Being in Montreal was a joy - it is wonderful to hear the inspiring stories, and it was particularly moving to see Greg Mortensen's presentation (he wrote _Three Cups of Tea_).
Thanks, too, to Martha Kanter and her staff for helping make this program happen!
Rotary has always been at the forefront of literacy abroad. Sometimes we forget how our domestic educational system has deteriorated to a point of incompetence in many areas. I applaud the present legislators for recognizing the importance of our K-12 and community colleges. Here's hoping future funds will be well spent!
I am very priviledge to inspire by the work of Dr. Kanter particularly with the underserved.
Interesting and informative about the orgin of fathers day. Iespecially liked the poem on fathers.
This persepctive on American Education is interesting.
Good Information
I always enjoy the vareity of programs you have. We organized, timely and spice with a little humor. Being an OldGoat who like to travel, I expecially identified with the humor today! john g. jones
Making better teachers is a good step. We also need to make better students. I see how hard students from places like China work. Most US students don't try as hard.
Thanks for the make-up opportunity. I enjoyed Ms. Kanter's program.
I think we should be involved with District RYLA events only where our club has at least one member residing or working. Other districts should be sharing RYLA with each of their District's respective E-clubs.
We should be offering to assist any District to form their first E-club as long as we have our own members who are qualified to assist them.
We need to keep teaching the teachers.
Great program very enjoyable and educational. Thank you I will be back.
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I always learn so much from your club. I will share the highlights of the Report of Action of the 2010 council on Legislation with my club next week because I attended this meeting.
I love the links to the RI Convention
Great speaker.
Very informative - I have a 19 year old about to start college.
Good program on Education and the Convention. Has your club considered the Early Act Program for elementary schools ?
Great meeting. I really enjoyed the set up of the meeting and the Rotary convention video was very enjoyable. It was very interesting reading Dr. Kanter's program.
I am encouraged by President Obama's committment to education and to assist our future generation(s) in funding their education.
Very informative and visionary program. Having children who are Elementary School Teachers we are aware of some the issues discussed in this program. What I like is the solutions given for these issues. We know we will be changing and quite quickly so some of these solutions will not be met, but others will be created & implemented. As Rotarians we must be ready & open to assist with these changes.
As always, I thoroughly enjoy my make-ups here. It's always interesting, informational and educational.
Thanks!
Thank you for providing this program. I particularly enjoyed the format, which mirrored an in-person meeting and offered the opportunity to receive information on several topics.
Thank you, Martha, for making this exciting presentation to our eClub! It's great to learn more about where we are going in terms of developing better educational opportunities for our children.
Perhaps one of our guests of non-US club members can put us in touch with one of your counter-parts in another country to get a different perspective. Anyone?
Thanks for continuing to offer your programs for make-up meetings.
A Social Change Story
U.S. Under Secretary of Education, Martha Kanter
by 2020, America is to once again have "the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world." We once led the world in college completion. But for a generation now, our competitors have been passing us by.
The New administration has an interesting view on American education.
Lets hope 2020 isn't to late.
Sadly, I don't see much in here to help the truly gifted. To really succeed, we need to be race, gender and ethnicity blind and pick the best of the best.
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Good to see that the Obama administration appears to be focused on the problem of underpaid and undertrained teachers in our schools. It appears the administration is looking for a longer term solution to the current education system problem instead of putting a bandaid on the problem for a short term solution.
Excellent presentation!
The video of the international conference in Montreal was inspirational in that it drives home how many diverse cultures and countries are affected by and involved in RI.
The new Palistinian club was also great news. Big opportunities await there.
I ran a copy of the meeting to share with my club.
A big challenge to increase college population this much by 2020. But, I hope that we can do it.
Excellent information. Thank you!
Good job.
This is a wonderful and interesting way to make up a missed meeting.
Thank you.
Sure is a great deal of money being thrown around by our Gov't. Also seems like to get more graduates, we are going to make everything easier. That's not a solution in my opinion.
BEst wishes for success
I particularly enjoyed the Father's Day poem. It was touching to think of my Dad that way. Thank you for sharing.
Why a Mothers day and a Fathers day? One without the other is not possible, in order to make it even I would like to celebrate the “Parents Day”
Happy “Parents Day to all of you that have a child.
And Congratulation to Dr. Martha Kanter, first for being a Rotarian and for the good job she is doing.
I enjoyed this program a lot. I liked the update on the Council of Legislation actions and that you had the link to the actual document for review. I also enjoyed the reading Dr. Kanter's remarks on education.
great meeting
Your club information is so informative!
6-22-2010Dr. Kanter’s presentation was interesting in its appraisal of the current level of success that America’s school have achieved in educating our youth and in outlining the administration’s plans for improvement. The difficulty that few political or educational leaders seem to be able to grapple with effectively is that of creating a consensus between administrators, teachers, parents, and students regarding the best course of action to take. Once all these groups can agree on a proven plan of teaching and study, real progress can begin.
Excellent program Rotarian Dr Kanter I am sure Australia has similar problems as the US ,in the Department of Education
Rotarians know the importance of education has long been understood by royary
As a retired career educator, I value and appreciate Dr Kanter's analysis and insights.
Very interesting what is available for education....
We need to lot more distance learning.
First time attendee. I found it interesting.
This is a neat way to make up a meeting when you are crunched for time!
VERY INTERESTING EDUCATION VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL COUNTRY'S
good program as usual
Informative and important program. We need to keep improving our education system.
Also, thanks for the updates from RI. As a club past president it was a welcome update.
Thanks for opening up your club to other Rotarians for online use. I applaud your organization and content. That was a great presentation from Dr. Kanter!
I'll definitely be back.
Ben Lacy
I enjoyed participating in the meeting. I learned about the needed dues increase, the permanency of E-Clubs, the New Generations Board Position, and a lot about Fathers Day. All good and educational. Thanks.
Thank you for my make up meeeting and hearing/ reading DR. KANTER.I appreciate her dedication to Educationas I have a Grandaughter whois a teacher. She is dedicated to her High School Students, she give so much, so much more than she even relizes to our future leaders. We need to be ever so thankful to DR. KANTER for her unselfish love and dedication for SERVICE ABOVE SELF in her life.
Great meeting! I especially enjoyed the Father's Day poem and history of the holiday...
The Inspirational Thought for the week by Henry Ward Beecher was moving and a reminder to us of our duties to the next generation which some of us seem to have forgotton.
The news about coming changes in Rotary were presented very clearly and concisely. eg Enhanced Per Capital Dues, Permanency of E-Clubs, New Generation Services, receiving The Rotarian electronically, etc. Also the news about formation of the first ERotaract Cluband the First Rotary Club in Palestine (after 30 years) are not well known among rotarians of many clubs.
The speech by Dr. Martha Kanter, United States Under Secretary of Education on "American Education - A Social Change Story" was informative.
I'm amazed you uploaded RI convention video so fast
it was good to see such great involvement in Montreal and other international locations.
Excellent article on education and teaching. I am glad to hear that "teaching to the test" is no longer so popular.
I also want to welcome Shelton Williams and Chris LaBarge to our club. We are so happy to have you!
And now I want to answer a question that was put at the last meeting's comments regarding Rotary's building of houses. It is true that Rotary has long refused to use DDF funds for buildings due to liability and maintenance issues. However, during my year as Governor, President Glenross instituted a 3-year trial of building low-cost shelters for the poor. Thus I was able to build 9 homes in Ethiopia, 65 in Mexico, and traveled to Pakistan in an attempt to build there. Unfortunately, the Pakistani project failed. The additional houses in Mexico after the first 65 have been built by Rotarians setting up a microloan program; thus, even though Rotary no longer provides DDF funds for such building, it continues through the efforts of Rotarians.
Thanks for the update in connection with new Rotary regulations.
Speaker Martha Kanter explains President Obama's "Blueprint for Reform" program which intends to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Given the relative decline of American student performance when compared to certain other nations ("competitors"), the Blueprint targets higher education accessibility, affordability and improved graduation rates as its target priority. To achieve Blueprint goals, more financial assistance will be made availlable. Also foreign language training will receive greater attention. To attain higher graduation rates, the Blueprint plans "increased student support services, learning communities, freshmen year programs, better tutoring, more scholarship support, and more carefully targeted, evidence-based interventions". An ambitious goal to be sure, but a very meaningful first step. Good program.
Not all students are college material and do not want to go. We have our local ISD teching "Trade" classes which teach our students a trade that they can use to obtain a good paying job. Plumbing, electical, mechanical etc enable them to become productive citizens, support a family and become taxpayers instead of being supported by the Goverment- that is you and me by our taxes.
If you were unproductive in your job, you would be terminated. The same should hold true for our teachers. Unfortunatly the teachers unions are hindering progress. They and the ISD's should be held accountable for lack of progress and low graduation rate, not to mention the high dropout rate. Perform or be fired.
The crowd that are dropout candidates stay in school to learn a trade as opposed to sitting in class being taught to a test.
Not sure what to say, considering the USA ranks poorly internationally education wise - and where I come from we believe (probably mistakenly) that our students would outshine their American counterparts any day... I hope the department succeeds despite harsh economic times
