Fix Our Schools: Great Teachers + Engaged Students = High School Diplomas
VELSHI: "Fix Our Schools," those three words will drive much of what you see on CNN this week and on this week, as we regularly do, we are shining the light on teachers. We're not bashing teachers, we're going to highlight some of the instructors who are making a difference in our schools and really reaching our kids. And they need it. When it comes to math, science, American students, as we know are underperforming compared to the rest of the world. Public school kids in Detroit have some of the lowest test scores on record in this country. Take a look at this, this math problem -- 301 minus 75. What's the number to that? Simple question from a national test given to fourth grade readers. The answer, obviously, is A, 226. Simple arithmetic. Only one in every three students in Detroit got that right. Clearly, there's a problem; 331 minus 75, 226. There are some aspiring teachers in Detroit who are doing their best to turn these numbers around. CNN's Poppy Harlow joins me now. Poppy and I both spent a lot of time in Detroit because of our coverage of the auto industry, and when you spend a lot of time there, you get to know a lot of other things about the community. Tell me what you found.</s>POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: You know, it's interesting, because by most accounts, Detroit is sort of in the worst situation economically and when it comes to the education system, by most expert standards, the public school system, Ali, as you know in Detroit, you've seen it, it's failing the children there. They have massive debt, they have mounting dropouts. But what we did is we found the students you see here literally cheering about learning math, and it's all because of the change that two teachers are making. These teachers determined to change the lives of their students. Take a look.</s>HARLOW (voice-over): Detroit may be trying to reinvent itself, but when it comes to educating its children, the word "struggle" only begins to describe the situation.</s>PROF. LEONARD BOEHM, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MATH CORPS: Almost every kid has to walk through a metal detector just to go off to school.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of my students said he and his friends mentally prepare themselves for what to do if somebody puts a gun in your face.</s>HARLOW: Only 59 percent of Detroit public school students graduate from high school and right now the school system is battling a $363 million budget deficit. But as desperate as the situation may be, two Wayne State university professors have found success in inspiring Detroit kids at of all places, a math camp.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Remember, you want to play mathematics up here, you better keep it simple.</s>HARLOW: In 1991 with just a few kids at first, Professors Leonard Boehm and Steve Kahn started Math Corps, a free six-week program for youngsters grades seven and up. What's different? Complex and often scary math problems are transformed into team challenges.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's perfect.</s>HARLOW: The curriculum creates an environment where supporting others is central to learning.</s>LASHONTE LUKE-OWENS, STUDENT, MATH CORPS: We have a support system. We support people like this. And when they get it right, we agree. So it like makes them feel happy when they turn around and see all these people agreeing with them.</s>HARLOW: Math Corps now accepts 500 students per year, they come from different backgrounds with different abilities, not only to learn but also to teach.</s>PROF. STEVE KAHN, DIRECTOR, MATH CORPS: Kids teaching kids works unbelievably well because it's not kids teaching kids, it's kids caring about kids.</s>HARLOW: And the proof is in the numbers, 90 percent of students who complete Math Corps graduate from high school and 80 percent go on to college.</s>BOEHM: The fact that you have them on the college environment at a young age -- I'm sorry, I'm going to lose it, but that plants that seed in them. You're worth something. You're worth a hundred points.</s>KAHN: We believe we cannot just change the school system, but change the city in a fundamental way.</s>HARLOW: So obviously their dreams, Ali, a lot bigger than just in that math classroom. And one of the students even told me she thinks that just by going through this program, becoming a better leader, going on to do great things, she thinks she and the others can change Detroit as well, Ali.</s>VELSHI: What a great story, Poppy. Thanks so much for bringing it to us. Poppy Harlow, CNNMoney.com. Tune in to CNNMoney.com to see all of Poppy's fantastic work. And listen, we're asking you for your ideas on how we can fix our schools. Here are some ideas from my Facebook page. Justin says, "The Department of Education should be done away with, along with national standardized testing. Schools should end at the tenth grade, students should be encouraged to attend a junior college for what used to be the last two years of high school." Keep the comments coming. It makes for good discussion on my Facebook page, Facebook.com/alivelshicnn. We're taking a break. I'll be right back on the other side.