You can get an Uber way faster than you could ever get a cab.  DoorDash delivers to your door, and you can still get a Domino’s Pizza within 30 minutes if you are close enough.  If you don’t want to wait a week til the next episode, you can wait until the season ends and binge an entire saga in a single day.  No more writing checks and waiting for them to clear – and you can even get your weekly paycheck in advance if you have the right bank.  But it will take some time if you want state test scores to go up, better SAT results, fewer student disciplinary matters, or fewer ambulances in front of your schools due to emotional strife. 

Patience seems to be a dwindling trait in a world fueled by instant gratification and the relentless urge for quicker results. Pop culture, day-to-day life, and even our education system reflect this impatience. Veruca Salt was a rotten egg, according to Willy Wonka, at least.  I recall her singing the song “I Want It Now” in the original film that starred Gene Wilder – and like all but one of the kids who found a Golden Ticket – her tour of the chocolate factory was cut short.  But seriously, what time is better to have exactly what one wants than right now?   

Veruca embodies what we now see all over the place. Her entitlement and inability to wait even a moment for her desires paint a vivid portrait of the dangers of such a trait. It is a cautionary tale of what happens when we are not taught the value of waiting and working towards our goals. In this light, Impatience isn't just a quirky personality trait; it can be a school district’s pitfall. Sing it, Axl, “Patience.”    

When I was a teenager, I worked at an Italian Restaurant where the husband-and-wife team of Lorenzo and Luciana took their sweet-ass time making orders.  I think it was one of their downfalls, as when people would complain that their food was taking too long, Luciana would say in her Italian accent, “Good-a food-a take-a time-a.”  Truth be told, it does. But for Lorenzo and Luciana, it didn’t work out.  The hangry (hungry + angry) patrons didn’t return for a second Rumpelstiltskin experience. 

Luciana’s sauce, however, was a testament to the magic that unfolds when diverse ingredients come together. Individually, ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, oregano, and basil pale compared to the symphony of flavors they produce when mashed together. As they bond with consistently low heat, the ingredients transform, each lending its essence to the other. The tomatoes mellow down, absorbing the garlic and the sweetness of the onions. By the way, I add a carrot and half of a cup of red wine to my sauce.  The basil and oregano provide depth, while the olive oil combines everything in a balanced blend. Cooking the sauce for extended periods combines the flavors – and we get a pretty nice color, too. Look…this is a prolonged process that simply cannot be rushed.

But how does this all relate to our education system, you ask?

Well, in recent years, there has been a significant emphasis on improving test scores and school performance, especially in institutions that have suffered from years of mismanagement. Stakeholders – be it parents, educators, or policymakers – want instantaneous results. They want their schools to turn around overnight, much like Veruca wanted her golden goose immediately. An after-school reading program implemented when children are in second grade will really pay off when they take their state assessments in 4th grade.  And, just like the ingredients in the sauce, the team of people putting programs together needs time to work together, adjust, learn, and grow together. 

Educational reform and school improvement are complex processes. They require strategic planning, sustained efforts, consistent leadership, resources, and, above all, patience. Demanding rapid results might lead to superficial changes, but one must be patient for deep-rooted, sustainable growth. Until this very moment, it is unlikely that Veruca and Axl have ever been mentioned together, or that either of them have been referred to as teachers.  Yet, we can learn a lot from both of them.