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1/ Important steps to safely reopen schools. 1st: Respect Ts who are reluctant to return in person. Many have complex home circumstances and understandably concerns about putting themselves and relatives at risk as the virus mutates. It's not acceptable to punish or vilify them.
2/ We've underpaid Ts for years, by large amounts. Those returning in person this spring should be paid a 'challenging duty' bonus (on the order of $10,000 for teaching through June). It's nice to call our Ts 'essential.' Time to pay them for their 'essential' service.
3/ Many young adults have interest in the teaching profession, lots of free time, and low risk of contracting COVID. Hire them as in-person classroom teaching apprentices, guided by veteran master Ts (including those staying home). Give them college credit for this experience.
4/ Get all K6 kids back in school. Challenge older Ss to create initiatives they're excited about, with some time in school, and some out, as they pursue their project initiatives, alone or with small teams (who meet in person or virtually).
5/ Challenge middle- and high-school Ss to develop a proficiency they enjoy, & that helps them contribute positively to their community -- traditional (culinary, woodworking), new economy (website design, social media campaigns), or blended (graphic design, composing music).
6/ Start caring MUCH more about whether a S is learning, and dump standardized curriculum that is often boring, irrelevant, obsolete, and quickly forgotten. Ask what a S wants to learn, support them, and then have them teach others (the ultimate form of accountability).
7/ Invest time/effort to equip Ss with the skills to direct, manage, and assess their own learning. This may seem to distract from 'progress' on same-old-same-old. But it restores the joy of teaching, empowers Ss with essential life skills, & is the key to real learning.
8/ If state- and Federally-mandated assessments are shoved down our throats this spring, don't worry about scores. Manage community expectations for declines most anticipate. Help shed light on the corrosive impact of these tests, and pilot alternative (authentic) assessments.
9/ Make this 'lost year' of school a 'found year,' setting the stage for a far better futures. Focus on what worked, what failed, what we should keep, and what should be left behind. Celebrate the power of Ts empowering Ss to direct their learning and carry out bold initiatives.
