Longtime teacher shares ideas to improve schools
‘Language of Life’ begins at home, grows through school years
TROY, N.Y. >> A longtime local teacher has some ideas on how to improve public education, and he’s sharing them in a new book. Roland Blanchet, a Speigletown native who has taught in Troy public schools for many years, will discuss and sign copies of his book, “Improving Public Education,” from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the main branch of the Troy Public Library at 100 2nd St. in downtown Troy. Blanchet describes “Improving Public Education,” released in 2015, as a succinct, sure-fire guide to improve public education anywhere in the U. S. or around the globe. As he was writing the book, he was featured as a guest columnist in The Record, and the beginnings of the book were printed in a series of the same name. Over 10 chapters in his book, Blanchet creates a universal, cultural code of conduct called the Language of Life. The language is explicitly defined and expressed alphabetically, in hopes it can be integrated into public school curricula.
The ABCs of this language begin with attitude, behavior, character, discipline and education, and Blanchet said it forms a core of common knowledge, understanding and skills to create an personal learning philosophy that begins in preschool and builds through all grades.
“This Language of Life — or cultural standard — begins at home with the right attitude,” the book states. “All students attending school will be polite, appreciate and be ready, willing and able to learn to improve their well-being and lifestyle.”
The author’s educational approach is meant to improve both student achievement and school performance without additional cost
“I spent a lot of years in school, and they seem to be going all around the subject,” Blanchet explained. “They introduce all of these expensive programs, and they don’t work. They keep spending more money for school aid, and we still have distressed schools. We’re spending the highest in the nation [about $20,000 per student] and have a graduation rate of 76.8 percent, among
the lowest in the nation. That was my incentive to write the book.”
Instead of spending resources in the schools, Blanchet strongly believes that it all starts at home. “The Basis for a Solid Education Begins at Home,” is the title of the book’s seventh chapter, in which Blanchet discusses empathy, equality, faithfulness, creativity and freedom.
“The main reason for student under-performance is that dysfunctional caregivers quite often did not accept the progressive educational path in school,” Blanchet writes in the book. “Since youngsters learn by mimicry, they too habitually show little interest or
effort towards success in school.”
The book goes on to explain how this poor attitude can lead to problems with gambling, alcohol, drugs and crime. The antidote, Blanchet believes, is his Language of Life.
“We need to change the culture, and the only way to change the culture is changing the language, by introducing the Language of Life,” he said.
“Improving Public Education” is Blanchet’s first book.
“I think this is a very important topic,” he said. “I’m passionate about this because we really need to change this culture. This culture needs an improvement.”
Blanchet hopes readers will include parents, school officials and members of the community, all parties who
can help to change the culture and improve public education, by embedding a spirit to learn in younger generations.
“There has to be a selfinitiative, and that’s what we don’t have,” he said. “It’s all about attitude, and I stress that. That’s the most important thing. It’s all about attitude and a positive work ethic, and that all starts at home.”
Improving Public Education is $13.95, for sale at Market Block Books in Troy, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs and Good Buy Books in Rensselaer. It will also be available at Saturday’s event, which is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www. thetroylibrary. org or call the library at 2747071.