One of the most outstanding features of America for most of its history has been the factors depicting a global lead in education. During the 1800s, most American states provided a free education to the majority of children.

Whereas, in Britain, only 2 percent of middle-school children were enrolled in school.

By the 1930s, a majority of American students attended high school. Former president, Franklin Roosevelt, urged the U.S. to improve the number of students who attended college. For most of the 20th century, many people might concur that mass-education produced a prospering equality status that lessened the gap between the rich and the poor.

 In the 1970s, unfortunately, inequality in the U.S. income increased and the education system became stagnant. This allowed other countries in the world to either catch up with us or move forward and surpass us.

Many people believe that—in order to offer the most inspiring and gifted teachers a job in a non-prospering school— educators must be paid more. America cannot allow ‘education’ to take a backseat in today’s society. We all know that our future and economy depend on the education of today’s youth.

President-elect Barack Obama will hopefully stand by the need to support and improve our school systems. Many Americans are crossing their fingers that he will make education a top priority and visualize repairing k-12 education as a key to our national economic and cultural success.

Education will always have ups and downs; forms of trial and error. Do you believe poor students lose much knowledge and training during the summer months, whereas, their middle-class counterparts are being educated by community services and enrichment programs?

Is there a better method for dealing with retention and higher standards in our school system?

What makes one school perform better than another?

Top-notch instructors who are dedicated and ambitious are needed to devise programs that can benefit all students in a manner easily obtainable and that improves students’ educational experiences as well as the testing scores in our U.S. schools. It is no secret that quality classrooms are in demand of enthusiastic, loving instructors who make learning fun and meaningful.

Teachers do not simply deliver speeches about curriculum; they offer classroom management techniques; motivate and encourage the reluctant learner; prepare creative lessons that can be linked to real-life experiences; engage students in learning about facts; ask probing questions; plan parent conferences; seek professional development opportunities; and develop strong relationships with their students. In addition, they become involved in school-wide and community activities that build on character and life skills.

Over the next decade, new teachers will be hired. High-quality teachers will be interviewed in hopes to make a difference in the lives of so many young people. Yet, it takes more than a ‘good teacher’ to make a difference in a child’s education; parents, community leaders, administrators and coaches are just a few to mention.

A strong community depends greatly on each person bonding together to experience success.

Schools can be viewed in the same light; everyone who is a stakeholder should contribute to ensure academic excellence.

Dr. Sonya Rogers is a certified counselor who lives in Daphne.

Her column runs every other week in the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun.