OK, so 2020 is basically a dumpster fire, and in many ways, itâs taken education along with it. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the many cracks in our system, as well as the ways in which weâve been using schools as a stopgap for our societyâs failures. Teachers are being asked to do more than ever before and sometimes at the expense of their own health. Itâs a tough timeâno one is disputing that. But amid the doom and gloom, there are also glimmers of hope. And while we must address whatâs wrong with education, itâs also important to recognize the ways in which we are moving in the right direction. Itâs not toxic positivity to celebrate some small winsâour reasons to be optimistic about teaching, even in 2020:
1. An increased emphasis on SEL
The bad news is that more students than ever are struggling with mental health. But because we are seeing the need for it at a level we never have before, more districts are now prioritizing social-emotional learning. Itâs not that it wasnât essential before. Itâs that now thereâs a greater understanding that academic learning cannot happen without it. SEL isnât an âadd-on.â And teachers are figuring out ways to teach those social-emotional skills, even at a distance. Iâll cheers to that.
2. Teachers saying no to homework
Now that Iâm a mom, I wish I could go back and unassign all the homework I gave. The movement to adopt no homework policies began a few years ago. Elementary teachers, in particular, started banning homework in favor of reading, playing outside, spending time with family, and getting a good nightâs sleep. Thereâs also a push to normalize not taking work home. In 2020, we recognize that everyone is stretched thin. We as teachers understand the need to be able to work a contracted day and be done, and weâre extending that grace to our students.Â
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3. Blended learning emerging as a solution
Blended learning is an approach that combines online with traditional face to face education. This is not to be confused with hybrid models that require teachers to teach virtually and in person at the same time, which is objectively terrible. Over the last several years, weâve seen more and more teachers âflippingâ their classrooms. Students get their direct instruction via videos and engage in independent work and collaborative learning back in the classroom where the teacher is available to guide them. This is a great way to personalize learning and seems like an ideal fit given our current need to balance synchronous and asynchronous learning.
And while we must address whatâs wrong with education, itâs also important to recognize the ways in which we are moving in the right direction.
4. More balanced approaches to instruction
Just when you thought weâd never escape the whole language vs. phonics debate, Lucy Calkins comes out and says she was wrong. The towering figure in the world of teaching children to read now admits that beginning readers should be taught to sound out words and not rely on cueing strategies. This is huge. Dare we hope for the same when it comes to traditional vs. ânewâ math? Every teacher knows that what works for one student doesnât work for another. Itâs nice to have the experts recognize the importance of finding a middle ground.Â
5. The evolving role of teachers
Even 20 years ago, in my teacher prep program, we were taught about being the âguide on the sideâ instead of the âsage on the stage.â But it hasnât really taken hold until recently. We are finally, and by necessity, moving away from a top-down approach to education. Maybe itâs because navigating new platforms made us acutely aware of what we didnât know. Perhaps itâs that the technology we now use has changed our responsibilities. Whatever it is, itâs a positive thing that weâre embracing our roles as facilitators instead of fountains of knowledge.
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Plus, Hopes for School in a Post-COVID World.
