Many struggles that schools face are the result of long term, untended, and ineffective systems at play--these systems suck the energy, dollars, and potential from school environments. What can we do about that?
Special education
It is time for a huge upheaval in special education because it is a system that is oppressing the potential in schools in many ways. What can we do?
First, of all, the special education system in many ways is a big lie. That's because many Individualized Education Plans cannot be implemented because few schools have adequate staffing, spaces, and system models to meet the plan's requirements. In addition, the ways that plans are written are often impossible to implement or measure. And, in many places for many reasons, special educators may not show up for services due to poor management structures and impossible caseloads.
Special education spelled tremendous positivity and promise for schools at its start. I was in schools before this specialized education existed and children who needed specialized programs were greatly harmed by the lack of these services. So we know that to provide specialized services that learners need is necessary for effective education. Then early in my career, the movement to full inclusion bettered special education systems, and in the recent future the change to just-right inclusion made those services even better. Professional learning communities in schools added another improvement because that provided good time for special educators and regular educators to work more effectively together and target best practices for all learners including individualized attention, small groups, and whole class/grade-level learning. The requirement for all educators to regularly gain more special education learning is also positive. Over time, there have been many improvements in special education, but now there is a need for another big upheaval to better the model in effective ways.
One idea for this is to couple education and health care services for students in Massachusetts. Make schools full-service facilities with the time, staffing, optimal infrastructure, and funding to provide the health and education services students need on a daily basis.
Remake leadership models in schools
Too many leadership models in schools are ineffective, outdated, and oppressive. Many schools have a privileged group of leaders who treat professional staff with disrespect and oppression. This truly halts and harms the potential that well-trained, dedicated professional educators and invested families/students bring to the school community. These ineffective leadership models suck the energy and potential out of school sytems which halts modern growth and development . This has to change in order to make schools vibrant, effective, modern, happy learning environments. In some cases, this ineffective leadership is the result of leadership roles that are burdensome with too much work, inhumane schedules, poor pay, and too demanding expectations.
Update learning environments
When we compare the places that students learn in versus the beautiful campus environments of top-notch companies, medical facilities, museums, and other institutions in our country, we can easily see that schools and children have been neglected. In some wealthy communities, outdated schools sit in the middle of million dollar homes--that's crazy. In poor communities, outdated, inefficient, crowded schools sit in the middle of fancy apartment and office buildings. The lack of attention to school environments is criminal--we have the opportunity to change this, and when we change, we should consider all the factors of changing communities into the future. Investing in modern day learning/teaching online and offline environments will prepare us for excellence in education. For starters I believe that every school environment today should be a green-as-possible environment, spacious, air conditioned, and able to serve the community in multiple ways all year. These environments should be welcoming with a variety of learning spaces, lots of outdoor learning places, and gardens.
Professional learning
The ready access to countless resources via the Internet provides rich access to professional learning information and tools. Taking advantage of these resources, experts in the fields, great books, Professional Learning Communities, and other collaborative teaching/learning efforts and matching tht with a system's goals and mission will put schools on a continual direction of good growth and change.
What' working
A lot of good work has been done in schools over time. Efforts to improve teacher training and educator accountability has resulted in a skilled and dedicated professional team in most schools. The training and expectations for teachers now compared to when I first started teaching is amazing--teachers entering the field today in Massachusetts have a super background for the profession.
The knowledge of how the brain works, effective teamwork, social-emotional learning, and learning in general has increased significantly, and when educators and education systems take this new research seriously and implement the new knowledge in creative ways, school environments develop substantially and children learn in better, lifelong, enriching ways.
The greater focus on Black Lives Matter, equity, and inclusion is positive for schools. For too long, in education, some people have been left out. This still exists, but at least awareness has grown. Now it is time to translate that awareness into significant change and development that gives every child the opportunity to reach their awesome potential, learn in passionate, personal ways, and prepare to live their best possible lives.
Environmental education has grown as has some efforts to better educate children about our government and democracy. There have been many efforts to positively update and improve curriculum efforts. This should continue in all disciplines.
The pandemic teaching requirement has greatly improved students access to technology and their ability to use technology in effective ways. This is positive and should continue.
Schools are complex organizations which have been greatly challenged by the pandemic. Rather than fight with one another to uphold oppressive, ineffective, unsafe systems, it's time to think big, make a plan, and then get started working for better at this big turn in the education road.