This time of the year is always busy. But in between shopping for other people, I managed to cobble together my own holiday wish list. I’m an adult with several decent paying job,s and I typically buy everything I want long before someone can surprise me with a box under the tree but still … there are lots of things I desire that I can’t just buy and many of them are related to education.
Here is my holiday wish list for 2022:
Wish #1 An end to partisan bickering over schools – I acknowledge that this is the least likely of all my wishes to come true. As long as there is political traction in the education lane, some politician is going to drive on it. Education platforms may not have led to decisive victories nationwide, but they worked enough that we will see similar tactics leading up to 2024. I am under no illusions … but it’s nice to dream.
Wish #2 Greater teacher compensation – This one I might actually get. There is a massive teacher shortage and economics 101 dictates that the easiest way to solve it is to raise the salary which is exactly what many districts have already done. There is even a bill going through Congress to create a federal minimum wage for teachers at $60,000. This is the first semester in my 12-year teaching career where that wouldn’t be a raise, but a high tide raises all boats.
Wish #3 Better school lunch – Everyone I talk to from the schools to the actual vendors acts like their hands are tied but someone must have some control. I want students to have healthy and desirable options, so they actually eat the lunch for their meal at school as opposed to Takis.
Wish #4 More extracurriculars – I have to climb real high to get on my high horse for this one because I know that one of the main obstacles to offering more activities is qualified adults to sponsor them, and I don’t have the time … HOWEVER, I need students in these schools to have more opportunities than Basketball. What’s wrong with a chess club? Or a gardening club? They love making TikToks – what about a video editing club?
Wish #5 Instructional coaches that can teach – I already waxed poetic about this in another piece and I don’t want to get started again. But it suffices to say that the person who coaches me needs to be an expert in practice not just theory. (She is by the way.)
Wish #6 Transparent standards and goals – Teachers often get accused of teaching to the test. The funniest part about that is the fact that we often have no clue what will be on there. Many standards are purposely written in such an ambiguous way to prevent you from being able to gleam potential test items. Why are we keeping learning goals a secret? And then why are we getting mad when teachers don’t hit them?
Wish #7 An end to pseudo history – The number of times parents have “challenged” me on my content based on a meme or a clip from YouTube video is staggering. I would really like that to stop this year.