Now is the Time for Innovation

The 2019-2020 school year started off just like any other year. Then, all of a sudden, education as we knew it screeched to a halt. By bringing schooling home, some of the most pressing problems of our societal and education systems have become apparent. To name just a few: 

• The fact that teachers’s jobs are unbelievably, almost impossibly, complex. We do so much more than educate children. We act as therapists, social workers, nurses, coaches, administrative assistants… the list goes on and on. 

• The reality that many students will go hungry without the food their schools provide

• The wide technology gap that keeps even more students from having access to the technology needed for online schooling 

• The amount of time students spend doing productive work in school (and how much school time is spent waiting, transitioning, and engaging in low-level tasks) 

• The disconnection between how parents were taught and how students are being taught 

• The lack of relevant, self-directed learning experiences many students access to in school 

• The importance of weaving social and emotional learning into all educational experiences 

As people try to figure out how to address these problems and more, they need teachers to help figure them out. There are tons of ed tech companies and government officials trying to come up with a plan for how we approach virtual or hybrid education. But who knows what kids need best? Teachers! In the push to innovate education, teachers must always play a core role. 

This may be the best chance we have to reinvent schooling. Through tragic circumstances, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So what can you do to improve education for the better? Start by taking these steps: 

1. Brainstorm what you want to change.

   If you could change anything about the education system, what would it be? Write a gigantic list and don’t censor yourself. 

2. Think about what you love doing.

   Are you passionate about teaching reading? Do you love making high-quality educational experiences accessible to all? Bust out another list of all the ways you love contributing to education. 

3. Find intersections.

   Look at your list of things to change and your list of things you love. Where do they overlap? How could you use your skills to innovate education?

4. Make a plan.

   Is there an existing organization who is doing the kind of work that you want to do? See if you can reach out to them and contribute your skills. If not, or if you’d rather work on your own, make a plan for how you can get started. 

5. Dream big!

   Then break down your dreams into smaller, more manageable chunks. What can you do today to make progress towards your goals? What can you do this week and beyond? 

6. Work together.

   We’re all stronger together! Share your ideas with others and invite collaborators, cheerleaders, and mentors to help you. (Sign me up to be your number one fan!) 

This can be our moment to enact big change. We are all thinking about how to enhance and improve our lives and the lives of our children. Your contributions and expertise are KEY to figuring this all out. I can’t wait to see what you do… and what we all do together!