Improving Education

I read with interest and applaud the Christmas list proposed by Alibrandi to improve education in our schools. Just two thoughts:

- Education has never lacked lists of “whats”--we get them from experts that we run into almost daily--some even make sense, like Alibrandi’s. We, however, desperately need some clear “hows.” As the business community is painfully aware, “retooling” skills or attitudes are never easy or cheap.

- Any significant school reforms must have a component related to quality teacher training, before they enter the profession. Until the universities also acknowledge the changes in the schools and begin preparing the teacher candidates accordingly, we’ll be stuck retooling even brand new teachers (which we often do now).

Let’s get down to specifics; we just can’t afford not to!

BRIAN P. LEUNG

Pasadena