If a Tree Falls

By Alison Scholl

Advocating for children and teachers, If A Tree Falls gives vivid and memorable depictions of what many classrooms in the United States truly look like inside. The authors opinions will demand conversation about solutions and engage the educational community in developing reforms specific to the needs of their population. After reading this book, you will never see eduction the way you did before.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481712972

Alison Scholl

Alison has a Bachelor's degree in special education (K-12) and has a Master's degree in Montessori education. She has worked in private and public schools for 14 years in a variety of socio-economic areas and grade levels. Happily married for 15 years, Alison has two daughters who are the inspiration for improving the world we live in. She has resided in Cincinnati, Ohio her entire life hopes that her advocacy work will be successful for both the students and teachers who work tirelessly every day.

Book preview

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1

What We Ignore Can’t Hurt Us?

Chapter 2

Summers Off! What’s the Problem?

Chapter 3

Money! Money! Money! Money!

Chapter 4

The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 5

Who Says I Have To?

Conclusion

About the Author

I dedicate this book to my amazing husband, Jeff, who helps me navigate through the forest of life.

I also dedicate this book to Sami and Alex. I should have stood up and advocated for you long ago. Though I know it won’t change what you’ve been through, I pray your experiences change education for other children as kind, caring, and brilliant as both of you.

I love all three of you with all my heart.

Two roads diverged in a wood and I

- I took the one less traveled by,

and that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

(1916)

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I must acknowledge and thank God for the role the Divinity plays in my life. Through my many experiences, I never recognized that a path of advocacy was the one I was working toward, and I am ever so grateful for each experience that brought me to where I am today. I ask God to continue to bless me every day and work through me to help as many children as I can.

Secondly, I need to recognize the people I dedicate this book to, my husband and daughters. Words truly cannot express my gratitude to them. They have seen me at my worst and my best as I experienced the events that brought me to the writing of this book. They willingly supported me as I rehashed those experiences during its development. None of this has been easy, and they never once hesitated to be supportive.

Next, I must thank my parents. My parents raised me to know right from wrong and to help those in need. That foundation provides me the willingness to put my views out to the public, regardless of the response, in an effort to make change. I am grateful for the strong woman they support, even to this day.

I want to thank my friends who pushed me to finish this project and reminded me that my voice is for the children. They read my work, helped me edit my work, and just listened to me as I evaluated my work. I cherish your support and assistance.

Finally, I would like to thank the extraordinary staff at AuthorHouse. This being my very first work, I needed a great deal of support and guidance. Their exceptionally talented staff made wonderful collaborators.

Introduction

The field of education has been ever changing, and yet it is still struggling to effectively prepare our children for a competitive economic market and empower them emotionally in a challenging social society. In an effort to define viable solutions that will improve education for our children, I believe, it is necessary to find a way to advocate for children, teachers, and families. Pinpointing the definition of success is a formidable challenge we face today. To effectively work to make education better in the United States, it is necessary to identify a clear definition of success, sort through and prioritize the problems that create barriers to the success we are seeking, and open our minds to the possibility of a dramatic change in how we utilize and implement educational practices.

The goal of this book is to create a springboard for these discussions, which must engage parents, teachers, policy makers, and the business world. The conversations need to reevaluate our understanding of the needs of children. Solutions must include methods for presenting children with both the skills and knowledge they need for a successful future. I want to share my experiences so that when the discussions begin, the struggles of children and teachers are not forgotten. I want their stories told, their voices heard, and most importantly, I want them to be helped.

I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings and districts. I have taught all grade levels from kindergarten to twelfth grade in some capacity. I have worked in private schools, schools with a religious affiliation, and high-economic and low-economic schools. I worked very hard to find my purpose in the field of education. I turned to my faith, my belief in service to others, and my love of children. I have now written this book. I will provide several real experiences in the hope that by sharing there can be a fundamental shift in the process and concept of education.

Chapter 1

What We Ignore Can’t Hurt Us?

The worlds of science and philosophy often clash when it comes to the question If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? If a protective agency investigates a family for abuse and there is no visible evidence to further the investigation, does that mean there is no problem? If a person is abusive to another and the victim does not acknowledge being a victim, was it abuse? If a child says he is going to kill other students and no one listens, did he say it? Who decides what is heard in a school and what is not?

When I started teaching, I was in what is considered a really good district in our city, but I wanted to teach Montessori, and the district did not have that style of education available. I decided, when I finished my specialized training, that I would go to another district, with a poorer reputation, and teach the method I felt so passionately about. I was pleasantly surprised when I met the staff and found they were exceptionally talented and passionate about the children too. I thought I’d found where I would be forever.

Being a new and naive teacher, willing to do anything to have a job, I accepted at face value the offer of a position in a Montessori School at a higher grade level