I commented on a blog post! Felt like 2010 all over again.
Scott McLeod’s recent post, Why most schools won’t reinvent themselves after a pandemic, garnered some quality chatter in the comments thread. Be sure to check it out.
Here’s my response:
“I’m not asking you to change, I’m asking you to learn.” -Missy Emler
What school leaders could do, practically, and in a non-threatening manner, is answer a bunch of these questions with their constituents:
1. What did the pandemic force us to change?
2. Was it an effective change and why?
3. How will this change influence our thinking moving forward?
4. What did we learn that we can apply to our systems in post-pandemic times? And why should we bother?
5. Did the shifts made during the pandemic create more meaningful learning experiences for any groups of our students? If so, how do we continue?
6. Did the shifts made during the pandemic harm any groups of our students? If so, how do we undo this harm and proceed differently?
7. What levels of support are necessary to help invested teachers continue to lead forward?
8. What levels of support are needed for constituent groups to thrive in the spaces our community has designed for learning?
9. Did our pandemic shifts bring about a certain level of clarity about learning that we didn’t before understand? And can we now articulate our beliefs about powerful learning in a way that can guide our decisions moving forward?10. PS. I miss blog post comments threads! Maybe I should blog more 😉
We’re in an interesting space, yes? Nearly a full year into school shutdowns, what have we learned? What will we take with us moving forward? What, if anything, will we do differently?
How has your teaching and learning changed over the last year? What have you seen in your classrooms, schools, and families that has made an impact on how you will teach or lead in the months and years ahead?
So many questions right now, and no single right answers. I think the important thing is that we keep reflecting, keep questioning, and keep attempting to create environments where all learners can flourish.