I often write about education reform. I blast the kill-and-drill approach to teaching. I complain about the death of the local politic. I defend the profession of teaching. I write about abolishing grades and homework and heavy-handed discipline. It's easy to miss the fact that I am actually an optimistic. I am hopeful about education in America.

Why I'm Hopeful (a very random list off the top of my head):

1. Data: People pushing data and educational reform are beginning to promote Constructivist strategies. Although I've bashed Marzano, the reality is that his list of "best practices" really tend to be great strategies. The truth is that we are far more successful than what's being presented in many of the media outlets. Diane Ravitch has pointed out that when taking poverty out of the equation, the United States is actually doing quite well (and has been doing quite well for awhile). People are beginning to see that education in America isn't as bad as what is being portrayed on the media. 
2. Social Media: For the last three decades, the reform narrative has been dominated by a very insular community of journalists for the largest newspapers. (I know, The Washington Post has often been an exception) Often, the journalists only quote the big-shot corporate reformers. However, with the explosion of social media and educational blogging, people are beginning to find more accurate information in untraditional ways. 
3. Democratic Movements: When I look at the Occupy movement on the left and the Tea Party movement on the right, I see a sliver of shared beliefs in local control and in parent choice. As people grow to distrust the absolute authority of the 1% who dominate education reform, the truly innovative, grassroots movements will lead the charge for change. Maybe we'll do away with compulsory schooling. Maybe we'll see local school movements nestled within neighborhoods. Maybe teachers will be allowed to start charter schools within their own district, partnering with rather than competing against public schools. I am hopeful that we will move from competing models to a recognition that there are many models that will work for many types of students.  
4. Discipline: School-wide discipline is far less coercive than it used to be. For all the talk of Zero Tolerance, I sometimes forget that principals were allowed to paddle kids when I was in elementary school. 
5. Economic Shifts: While I typically fit into the "life-long learning" mentality, I recognize that economic necessity has always been a part of education. Whether it was the apprenticeship model, the early vocational schools or the current industrial, standardized system we have now, career readiness has always been a stream of education. As we shift toward the values of creativity and critical thinking in the workplace, companies will begin to move away from looking for great test-takers. 
6. Technology: Yes, I can be very critical about technology. However, as people begin to see that knowledge is easily accessible online, I am hopeful that the values of creativity, critical thinking and collaboration will begin to replace shallow recall and recognition.
7. Teachers Matter: Teachers are viewed as significant.  True, we're blamed for failures that are more social and economic than anything else. However, the flip side of this is that people believe that quality teachers can make a difference. If the public seems outraged by cheating scandals, it is evidence that they still believe that teaching is a noble profession. 
8. Frauds: It turns out Atlanta had a cheating problem. It turns out Rhee and Duncan weren't quite the miracle workers we had once assumed. And, while there has been a large amount of teacher-bashing in the process, people are beginning to question the culture, the practices and the results of these reform movements. The public seems more open to authentic change.
9. The Finland Phenomenon: Even the traditionalist, data-driven reformers have begun to notice Finland. They de-emphasize the test. They have fewer work days. They treat teachers as professionals. Their standards are more about concepts and processes than rote skills. 
10. Grassroots Movement: There is a teacher culture that I see among teachers who are active in the blogging community. Great conversations are happening about standards-based grading, authentic assessments, changing the pedagogy and reforming the schools. True, there are depressing battles between un-schoolers, charter schools and public schools. But there are also some truly open conversations about what meaningful learning should look like. Ultimately, it is this grassroots movement that will lead us away from focussing on compliance and toward focussing on learning.