Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for April 8, 2008 DOE OFFICIAL VISITS SCHOOLS

Educator Tours Schools

By Rachel Gartner

MURPHYSBORO-- A top official with the Department of Education is touring Southern Illinois schools this week. He's visiting to learn more about the school's successes and challenges.

While lawmakers in Washington create policy that affects millions of school children and their teachers. Often, policy makers don't see the challenges of teaching on a daily basis. That's why Deputy Secretary, Todd Zoellick, is visiting Southern Illinois schools this week.

Pictured is Mrs. Whittington's 3rd grade class at Carruthers Elementary school in Murphysboro. They're excited about telling Mr. Zoellick what they're learning in class today, like math, reading and social studies.

"And they're doing all these important things that demonstrates that they're doing exactly what they need to be doing, they're learning the material that's set before them and they're learning it well."

That's exactly what Zoellick is looking for. His visit to Southern Illinois schools isn't about scolding teachers or administrators. Its about doing a little learning himself.

"Whenever I go into communities, we really have a wonderful opportunity to visit schools and talk with teachers and superintendents and principals, really to let them tell us the great things that are happening in their schools."

And what he learns here, he'll relay to policy makers.

"Those of us in the regional offices have that opportunity, to go out into schools and interact with educators who are on the front lines of education every day. And to go back to the folks in Washington and share with them some of the things that are happening in education."

Zoellick says he's found that schools across the nation face similar challenges. Such as funding, measuring students achievement and assessing how schools are performing. He says dealing with those issues will help solve a number of problems.

"Once we do that and accurately label those schools, then we can target our resources, both on the state level, federal level, to make sure they're targeting those areas that need help the most."

Zoellick will spend the rest of the week touring Southern Illinois schools. Tuesday he'll be in Cairo, Wednesday in Marion, and Thursday he'll visit Mt. Vernon.