It’s Friday! Time for the Roundup.
Carol Ann Tomlinson: My Dream for This Extraordinary School Year (EducationWeek)
Carol Ann Tomlinson has earned a reputation as a leading voice for differentiated instruction. In this article, Tomlinson shares some of her dreams for this school year:
“In my dream, a teacher waits at the classroom door with nervous anticipation and a surge of excitement as students arrive – an actual teacher, not a stand-in recruited wherever one is available.”
“In my dream, every learner feels safe in the classroom.”
“In my dream, no adult in the school ever sees a child as a test score or allows a child to see themselves as a failure – or even as a success – because of grades, standardized test scores, or any other trapping of school.”
“In my dream, every student experiences learning as joy, a grand adventure, a window into the world and the important roles they can play in that world.”
“In my dream, the classroom is where students do work that proves to them repeatedly how much they can do rather than what someone else thinks they cannot do, each student finds ample support as they challenge their own limits and discover the life-altering experience of achieving excellence.”
Here are some of my dreams for this school year:
“Every young learner improves their reading skills.”
“Every young learner gets to work on something they want to learn.”
“Every young learner builds a relationship with an adult learning leader who helps them find success with their individual learning plan.”
“Every young learner becomes better writers, problem-solvers, and improves their character as a scholar and citizen.”
Facing Pandemic Learning Crisis, Districts Spend Relief Funds at a Snail’s Pace (The 74)
According to Linda Jacobson, reporter for The 74,
“Schools that closed their doors the longest due to COVID have spent just a fraction of the billions in federal relief funds targeted to students who suffered the most academically, according to an analysis by The 74.”
“The delay is significant, experts say, because recent research points to a direct correlation between the closures and lost learning.”
“Of the nation’s 25 largest districts, those that were in remote learning for at least half of the 2020-21 school year have spent an average of roughly 15% of their relief funds from the American Rescue Plan.”
The next time a public school educator starts whining about lack of funding, send this article to them.
This happens all the time, and it needs to stop. Or not, and then America will just continue to lose faith in their public schools and their leadership’s ability to use money efficiently and effectively.
When Did Equity Become a ‘Trigger’ Word? (EducationWeek)
The Key to More Equitable Schools? Deep Commitment (EducationWeek)
The byline to the first EducationWeek article referenced here claims:
“Equity may be the law, but we don’t agree on what it means.”
The second article’s byline states:
“Nothing short of an education overhaul will achieve equity.”
Those two bylines sum up the reasons why I don’t think our public school system, the way it is currently constructed, can provide equity to our young learners – especially those who are black, brown, and poor.
Financial Innovations During COVID Show Schools Can Be Nimble When They Have To (The 74)
Dr. Marguerite Roza is the director of the Edunomics Lab and a research professor at Georgetown University. She is one of the leading authorities when it comes to public education finance. In this article, along with Katherine Silberstein, a strategic projects lead at the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University, point to four financial practices that emerged during the pandemic that they hope will last:
- Nimble midyear adjustments to spending in response to changing conditions
- Redesigned compensation
- Financial flexibility extended to schools
- Engagement with the public on spending choices
I don’t know if having the ability to do these four financial practices means schools can be financially “nimble” when they need to be. The bar seems quite low here, don’t you think?
Teachers Are Ready for Systemic Change. Are Schools? (EducationWeek)
You can read this article, written by Madeline Will, if you like, but this title really bugs me.
First, most teachers aren’t ready for systemic change.
Second, the simple answer to “Are Schools” is “no.”
Education media need to stop promoting that somehow, because of the pandemic, public education is going to change.
It isn’t. The opportunity, however big or small, is now lost.
That’s it for this week’s roundup. We will talk Monday. Have a great weekend. SVB
A Better Path to Learning 
Leave a comment