The first half of the 2021–2022 school year has been about playing catch up. Two years ago, the school year was cut short in March. Last year, many schools were dealing with the back and forth of virtual learning and in-person learning. In the wake of severe learning loss for many students, the first half was about getting our feet back underneath us. This school year, we are still dealing with the impact of COVID-19, but other challenges have come up as well. There are teacher shortages as many are leaving the profession. Some cities are experiencing bus drivers strike, so schools have to move virtual because students do not have transportation. When the clock struck midnight to close out 2021 and welcome us into 2022, I took some time to think about my hopes for 2022.
- Less teachers bashing the profession on Twitter
- No more edu-celebrities
- No more teachers resigning from the position on social media before informing their job
- All schools in the country with enough PPE to open school safely
- Adequate pay for highly effective teachers
- Teacher preparation programs better preparing teachers to teach Day 1 in all schools (in particular schools with high number of students of color and lower socioeconomic status)
- Teachers being able to pay for therapy and mental health support through their insurance
- More Black teachers in content positions
- More Black male teachers in lower elementary
- Equitable funding for all schools
- No public-school vs charter school debate; charter schools are public schools
- No more teacher strikes
- No more bus driver strikes
- Better trained principals and assistant principals
- No more police officers in schools
- Curriculum in school reflecting the WHOLE truth of America
- ALL schools doing a better job of supporting parents
- A more diverse state school board in the state of Indiana
- Fire bad teachers
- Fire bad administrators
- More open source for best curricula and programs
- RESPECT FOR THE PROFESSION