Many people in my life have asked me what I think is going to happen next year in education. The questions keep coming from being in my department that I’m leading, students I teachers, administrators,and friends and family.
So here it is:
Disclaimer: This is what I think on 5/8/20 at 10:30pm, and I may read something in an hour that changes my mind.
America’s leadership left us woefully unprepared for this crisis on many different levels including education. Schools were left flailing. Without any clear direction from the Secretary of Education and conflicting information on the federal and state level, schools had no idea what to do. When the directives did come, they came with little to no notice. My school warned teachers on a Tuesday to start sending stuff home just in case, Thursday we got notice that we were going to off the next Monday and we had Friday to prep ourselves and our students for distance learning.
We were lucky. Many teachers found out on Thursday afternoon that Friday was the last day without earlier warning and many other teachers found out on the weekend that school was canceled on Monday. The lucky teachers got a couple days to prepare for distance learning. Some teachers got the weekend.
Distance learning sputtered and struggled to get off the ground in communities where students had broadband internet and devices at home. In communities where students didn’t have consistent internet, districts struggled to figure out how to deal with this equity issue, while some teachers lacking broadband internet themselves sat in school and church parking lots using the WIFI to prepare lesson and teach.
There’s been no massive influx of funds or support for educators and students during this time. Some districts have actually put a hold on spending when students and teachers need resources the most.
Can American schools open in the fall with the current trends? No. The way that we think about schools, asking educator to make magic happen with limited resources, as opposed to asking them what they need to be successful and providing what they ask for is not setting us up for success in this crisis. By sheer force of will and hard work, a teacher can make an out of date history book work in a classroom, force of will cannot provide sanitation supplies and smaller class sizes.
In the past week there have been a flurry of articles talking about plans for opening schools next year. Most of them completely lack an understanding of child development. Having first graders sit six feet apart, not move from classroom from classroom, eat lunch at their desks, and have no recess is not developmentally appropriate. Is it worse than having students stay at home? For some children yes, for others no. This makes things complicated. And articles that respond to these concerns that state that children are “resilient,” should be immediately disregarded, as this pop psychology myth of childhood resilience is completely false and misguided.
If schools continue to have to make choices in the fall like they have this past spring with little financial support, meaningful leadership, and plans that are both educationally and psychologically sound, the only safe choice will be to start the year with distance learning that will last until at least until the new year.
I hope I’m wrong. Being right is not important to me on this one. Maybe our efforts over the summer will beat this virus down and the schools will receive millions of dollars they needs, funds to hire more teachers, equipment, and building space to teach students safety.
My mind may change completely about this tomorrow, and again if you think I'm wrong and time proves that to be true. Fine. You win, and so do I, because that means I will get to see my students in person sooner and get back to doing my job the way I know how best to do it.
No comments:
Post a Comment