“What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must we want for all children in the community. Any other ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon, it destroys our democracy” - John Dewey
Your Village This quote from a century ago is filled with the notion of equality, something we still struggle with today across the globe, in our cities, and even our own classrooms. In a way Dewey’s quote reminds me of the simpler notion “it takes a village to raise a child” as teachers we are a huge part of a child’s village- and as teachers we need to come together to provide for all students we encounter in our flawed education system. This is not something we can do alone, but something that has to be done by all of us, in collaboration with our student’s parents and communities. Many parents and even teachers want the best for their own children and students- but since schools , parents, and teachers do not have access to the same resources- it makes equality quite a challenge. In a recent personal example- after the Napa Fire Complex which caused us to miss 10 school days- upon returning to school, the district asked us not to bring in personal air purifiers to our classrooms. This is another example of an equity issue. I already had an air purifier, and I wanted to bring it so that myself and my students could breathe easier. Some teachers went out and bought filters for their classroom. Some teachers, I imagine, didn’t have either the money, the desire, the time, or access to the purchase of a filter. This could have resulted in parents or students thinking some teachers cared more than others, or allowing some students to be healthier than others. Fortunately when we did actually arrive back to school the air was cleaner and it was not an issue- but it goes to show how the smallest act can put some students at an advantage or disadvantage. 21st Century Context I listened to Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach’s presentation “Learning and Leading in the Digital Age” recently, and the speaker touched on a lot of key ideas in relation to the way today’s students live, how rapidly new information is being developed, and what teachers need to do in order to support their students in this environment. Today’s education world is changing rapidly, along with everything else around us because of the technology we have access to. Our students are constantly connected to the world around them through various channels. We are the last generation of teachers who will decide whether or not we will use technology in our classrooms. We have the ability to connect with teachers from around the world, tap into ideas from other cultures, share documents, ideas, thoughts, and lesson plans with someone we will never meet. We have a voice that stretches far beyond the walls of our classroom that teachers before us could have never imagined. If we take advantage of the tools we have access to, we can aid in solving the problem of the “flat world” we live in. The Flat World and Education In Darling-Hammond’s closing sections of her book, she visits many topics that are worth diving into as educators as we attempt to close the education gap and meet our student’s needs in this ever-changing 21st century context. I agree with her views on curriculum, and assessment: we need to be teaching to the actual students in our classroom’s needs- rather than what a company decided to put in a book based on what the state decided our children need to know. Her 5 main points are as follows:
When the work becomes, meaningful, and we have a way to stay accountable without holding the kids to a cookie cutter standard, and we’re able to provide for each student, and teacher, and classroom and school in a way that reflects equity- then we will have an excellent education system that can keep up with the current pace of change. If we take Darling-Hammond’s ideas about educational reform and start teaching in a way that tries to reflect them, given our individual circumstances; and talking about her ideas with other teachers via Twitter and Edmodo and countless other 21st century PLC tools we have access to- it is then that we can make a change, together.
2 Comments
Jose G. Cerda
10/30/2017 05:00:34 pm
The connection you made with the air purifiers and equity was something I hadn't thought about. It's one of those things that sometimes we don't think about because it's just how it is, but I agree that it's an issue. You also mentioned how fast things are moving in regards of technology, it's worrisome to think how far behind we are falling. It's definitely a big moving forward. I think it's important that we are continuing to take those steps for ourselves and our students.
Reply
Heather
10/31/2017 06:30:50 pm
It sure does take a village. Equity in the classrooms is something we really need to spend time examining in this country. If we all can't have air purifiers, than none of should. Just like curriculum, we need to make it even playing field!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorKayla Bryant is an elementary school teacher in Napa, CA. This year she teaches a 2/3 combo class. She keeps a journal with funny quotes from her students, and enjoys learning and laughing alongside them. Some of her main educational interests are related to goal setting, growth mindset, and creativity. Archives
July 2018
Categories |