Let’s Fix Education
The last couple of years have been challenging for the world of education. Could they also be instructive?
Education is due a moment of soul searching. Students, teachers, administrators, school boards, parents, and the public are having extended conversations (and arguments) about how to keep children and adults safe, remote learning vs in-person learning, how to avoid learning loss, and what social needs schools should serve.
The pandemic brought into full relief the fact that our economic systems depend heavily on schools, not only as the breeding ground for future leaders and workers, but as the place for kids to go while their parents are at work. Now that we can’t ignore that fact, how do we want schools to change to better serve society’s needs, while also—and foremost—serving the needs of children?
These are important questions, and the time is right to ask them. Even as the world faces other looming issues such as the pandemic, political division, climate change, and economic uncertainty, the discussion about what we want schools to be needs to be prioritized. We face major challenges, and those challenges are going to be at least partially solved by the future leaders and thinkers who are right now sitting in school (or sitting at home on Zoom school).
What do teachers need to best reach all students? What does an ideal version of education look like? How can social needs be met alongside academic needs? How do we keep the field of education attractive as a profession? How do we ensure equity and access for all students?
It can feel overwhelming, but conversations about how to improve the education system are crucial to the well-being of kids, families, and the country. By investing time and money into students, we better position society to thrive in the unknown future.