AUSSIE

Blog entry posted September 15th, 2009 by Bill McConnell

Last Saturday we at AUSSIE had the honor of being addressed by the New York City Chancellor of Education, Joel Klein, at the launch of our new school year.

Chancellor Klein spoke highly of our work and commended our commitment to student achievement and accountability. His personal, ongoing commitment to improving the quality of education for all students is driven by his own experience of how a solid education allowed him the opportunity to rise from a struggling working class background in the Bronx to advising the President in the White House.

The Chancellor’s message is one where educational reform is about taking risks by creating a climate that allows educators to think differently as well as innovate on their practice. When he became Chancellor in 2002, he decided it was time to think creatively about education as he believed that if you keep doing what you have always done then you will also always get the same mediocre results.

The Foundation of New York City’s tremendous reform is built on three pillars that he put in place - Leadership, Empowerment and Accountability. Whilst each pillar worked together to provide a strong base that supported the educational reform platform, each one also had its own unique set of challenges and successes.

It was very moving to hear the Chancellor mention the stories he has heard of how successful our work has been in schools across the city and how pleased he was that we supported his initiates. He went on to explain how delighted he was when he looked at our results indicating how our professional development increased student improvement, particularly how it showed that we in fact also held ourselves accountable for our partnerships with schools.

Going forward Chancellor Klein’s vision is to sustain the momentum the New York City education system has generated in order to continue to strive for an equitable and quality education for each student. He believes that this is achieved through strong leaders creating a synergy so that everyone appreciates that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. He also wants to see a passion in teachers, principals and consultants; a world in which all educators wake up each day excited about their work with students.

Additionally the Chancellor supports a culture of innovation where risk takers are rewarded for trying new ideas. He cited five new schools that are opening, each one unique and trying a different way to ensure that students are preparing for their future.

Chancellor Klein’s passion and commitment to reforming education for New York City students was indeed motivating. His belief that education is the key that gives students access to an exciting world of opportunity is truly inspirational and is shared by all the consultants.

It was a privilege to be part and such an exciting journey in educational reform. Leave a comment below describing your thoughts on the changes the Chancellor has brought about in NYC - I look forward to reading your response!