When he was the education commissioner for Vermont, new ASCD President Ray McNulty worked to ensure that schools in his state continuously encouraged students to be "great problem solvers and creative thinkers."
Striving for excellence is expected of all students, but in a rapidly changing society, educators must lead the charge in defining what a well-rounded and well-educated student is, he emphasizes.
"The current culture in the United States, for example, prefers a sit-down test over authentic assessment, especially for reading, math, and writing. Yet in the arts, it's common for students to show mastery of content through their performances," McNulty points out. "The current way of testing disconnects from what is important to the child."
Indeed, McNulty recalls a turning point when he began to see shortcomings in conventional education methods. It was the day of his twin sons' graduation. As the superintendent of schools in Brattleboro, McNulty was handing out diplomas when he encountered a family friend whom he viewed as a "bright, engaging kid and a great artist." McNulty warmly shook his hand, saying "You must really be proud of yourself today!" The student's response: "Not really."
McNulty was discomfited by the student's answer and later sought him out to discuss it. The young man told him that his final class ranking was low because of his grades in math and language arts. That class ranking seemed to negatively label the student's overall intelligence and overshadow his many talents, McNulty concludes.
Now, McNulty advocates using creative approaches to meet students' needs. As the new education director for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, McNulty will strive to foster such efforts nationwide. Educational leaders should use their expertise to persuade reluctant school boards to "spend money differently," he says. Already, education movements such as those calling for smaller schools and learning outside the school through internships are beginning to change the face of education and engage the complex needs of each student, he points out.
Education in the future will "get kids in the early grades grounded in reading, writing, and problem solving," says McNulty. "In the upper grades, we need to find out what excites kids about learning, and find out how to guide them and show them how to connect to the real world. We need to value that kind of learning."
Linking Schools and Families
Getting children excited about learning should begin early, in the home and at school, says McNulty. In the past, ready support from extended family and neighbors was common, says McNulty, who grew up in inner-city Boston. He remembers a close-knit neighborhood, with many relatives nearby.
McNulty's own family life and experiences encouraged him to reach out to families and young children when he was superintendent of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union in Brattleboro for 11 years. Chosen as Vermont's Superintendent of the Year in 2000, McNulty is proud of the initiatives he started that strengthened family-school links in five towns.
New parents, for example, would get a letter from McNulty welcoming their newborn child into the school system and encouraging them in their role as the child's first teachers. Support for young parents included home visits from school staff and setting up play groups, child care referrals, parenting skill classes, and even teddy bear teas at local libraries to highlight the value of play and imagination as well as a love of reading.
"We wait in this country until children are five before we school them, but we can learn from other countries. The Swiss, Italians, Germans, French, and Canadians start learning much earlier," says McNulty. All families, but especially the "working poor," he adds, would benefit from having their children in quality early care and education.
In his own blended family, McNulty and his wife, Ellen Harris, have between them seven children ranging in age from 13 to 26. McNulty and his family enjoy the outdoors and spend free time skiing, cycling, and golfing.
McNulty, of course, has also carved out time to play an active role in ASCD. Since joining in 1976, he has held leadership positions on ASCD's Executive Council and Board of Directors and in Vermont ASCD. As ASCD President, McNulty looks forward to working within the new governance system to engage ASCD members so that they know their voices are heard and their needs are met. "Members are an integral part of this dynamic organization," McNulty affirms. The dialogue with them about high-quality teaching and learning will contribute to providing the very best education for our children, he says. "Educators need to share and talk with other educators to create the synergy that leads kids to a world-class education—ASCD provides that forum."
