Who Is Qualified?

I had an experience yesterday that has caused me to contemplate what it means to be qualified for a position. I feel that at times we put too much stock in credentials and formal education, particularly in the education field (there could be others as well but my main experience has been with education).

It is my opinion that too often people jump through the hoops to get credentialed, and they manage to become credentialed without becoming educated and/or effective. If all it took was credentials for educators to become effective, we wouldn't be facing the education crisis we are now facing.

None of this is to say that I don't value education per se. In fact I value it so much it is disheartening to see how schooling can destroy education. It is also disheartening when so much emphasis is put on credentials that a self-educated person who is passionate and committed might be discounted or overlooked who could possibly be even more effective in a position.

Joint Endeavor to Educate and Advocate

Valuing first language as a resource is so important if we are to serve our diverse learners well. Research from more and more disciplines is supporting this premise including special education, counseling, literacy, and early childhood. And position statements have been written by many organizations such as the International Reading Association and the National Education Association supporting the importance of first language.


For this reason, it would behoove these organizations--both locally and nationally--to join forces to educate about and advocate for policies, programs, procedures, persons, and places related to language issues. This joint endeavor will cause their efforts to be more powerful and effective.

A good place to start is to have all of them read the new book by James Crawford and Stephen Krashen--English Learners in American Classrooms 101 Questions and 101 Answers.

Be Intelligent

To best serve our diverse learners, we must not only be well- educated and knowledgeable, but we must also be intelligent. To be intelligent requires one to be filled with light and truth. It is possible to be forever learning and never arrive at light and truth.

What must we do to move from being educated and knowledgeable to being intelligent?

• First step: Be humble knowing that no matter how much we know (or think we know!), there is still so much more we don't know. We will learn line upon line and precept upon precept.


• Second step: Seek to learn from the most excellent sources, not just the good or even the better. In order for souces (literature, art and music, people, articles, movies, websites, etc.) to be categorized as excellent, they must teach, enlighten and inspire us.
• Third step: Feast upon and ponder the lessons being taught by these excellent sources.
• Fourth step: Always have a pen and notebook close at hand--in the car, in the bathroom, on the night stand, and in one's brief case--to record insights and ideas.
• Fifth step: Within 24 hours teach someone else what was learned.
• Sixth step: Apply what was learned.


• Seventh step: Be open to new ideas and thoughts even when they are diametrically opposed to one's personal ideas and thoughts. This will require listening to the "voices" of others, including those who are not formally educated.


• Fourth step: Be willing to be wrong.

Being filled will light and truth--being intelligent--will lead to wisdom. Wise and intelligent, not just educated and knowledgeable, answers are required to respond to the question, "How can we best serve our diverse learners?"