“What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must we want for all children in the community. Any other ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon, it destroys our democracy.”
To me, this John Dewey quote seems like the basis of human decency - The “Golden Rule” - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (or in this case, your children). In “the Flat World of Education,” Linda Darling-Hammond lays out these five policy prescriptions for the American education system…
While Darling-Hammond is considering the educational system as a whole and how we can improve it, I am only one little teacher… I will now try to narrow down these large-scale policies and see how they can be applied or modified to make sense within my practice. 1. Meaningful Learning Goals -- “Content and skills need to be considered together…” (294). When designing PE lessons, don’t put too much emphasis on students being able to quickly memorize new concepts or pick up a new skill. 21st-century “real-world” skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and appropriate use of technology should be considered in my lessons as well. However, a lesson which teaches 21st-century skills will only do so effectively if grounded in real, tangible content. 2. Intelligent, reciprocal accountability systems -- “If students are to be expected to achieve higher standard, it stands to reason that educators must….as well …. High and rigorous standards for teaching are a cornerstone of a professional accountability system focused on student learning” (302). This is a bit above my paygrade. To try to make this work on a personal scale, I interpret this to entail that educators should hold each other accountable to be as good as we can! Teacher-leaders need to be supportive, yet set high expectations for their teams! 3. Equitable and adequate resources -- “... a new federal policy must address the deep and tenacious educational debt that holds our nation’s future in hock” (309). Once again, while it is not my job to make federal policy (thank goodness), I must be considerate of the inherent inequities amongst my students and do everything I can to make the curriculum equitable for everyone. Just spitballing here… but in terms of equitable resources on a district level, PE teachers should be willing to reach out to other PE programs across their district when they are in need or equipment, information, or any other resources which might make their class more equitable for all of their students. Sharing is caring! 4. Strong professional standards and supports -- “... it is imperative that the United States develop policies for recruiting, preparing, and retaining strong teachers, especially in high-need schools” (313). Reinventing teacher training and professional development is a big task, but us teachers can help make this happen by sharing our experiences with our professional development opportunities. Be vocal! Provide support to effective ones with positive feedback, recommending colleagues or even pitching something for your school/department to your admin. Be honest about ineffective PD programs and use your voice by providing feedback to help eliminate. 5. Schools organized for student and teacher learning -- “Finally, to transform systems, incentives must be structured to promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing across organizations, rather than competition (326). Simply put -- help your colleagues get better! Just learned something new which might be helpful to other members of your staff? Create a screencast and send out a mass-email! See something that a colleague is doing which you don’t love? Time to collaborate and make each other better! No hard feelings if we all want to learn and be better!
1 Comment
Laurie J. Gaynor
10/12/2020 07:54:09 pm
I love the sharing is caring part. That is why I have really enjoyed the grade level Zoom meetings. It is a way to pick up great tips and connect with other teachers in the same grade. I was wondering, are there district wide Zoom meetings for PE teachers? Seems like a fun group to connect with and share the equipment.
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About Dustin Green:High School PE Teacher Archives
March 2021
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