Revolution or Evolution?

    Discussion this week at school has focused on how brisk our attempts to reform education should be.  On a local scale, change is slow - those of us who support reform are often stuck in the mire of moving so slowly that it feels like there is no change at all. How do we "do reform?"  Articles suggest systemic change, getting all of the stakeholders on board, developing a sense of urgency, etc.  But little deals with how we commit to change as teachers.  Teachers who are entrenched in a system that rewards mediocrity are often the slowest and most resistant to change.  How do you move toward effective education and serving our youth, especially those most battered by the status quo.  I have been reprimanded for being too revolutionary - for wanting change too quickly, for not giving people "space" to evolve.  I think that I am revolutionary.  To me, if you know based on research, data, experience, etc. that certain methodologies do not work, then why continue to use them??? Evolutionary change sounds fair, good and reasonable, but think about the students who are not being served as we wait for teachers to get on board. To me, it's time to revolutionize teaching, otherwise, we will never get to reform.