Below are a few things we could do to create well-funded, dynamic and engaging schools. What would you add, take away or modify?
- Create smaller class size; I don't care what the research says, I just know I can be more effective when I can know fewer students more deeply. Right now, I have 125-145 students, depending on the day. When I taught at an independent school, I had about 60-80 students/day.
- Build and maintain beautiful school facilities with a fully funded library, computer centers (or 1:1 laptops as needed), resplendent arts studios and athletic programs, well-funded class trips, and access to green space. These sorts of things already happens in some schools, but it sometimes means we create privilege rather than cultivate democracy.
- Have healthy, sustainable and tasty lunch programs - free to all, including faculty and staff.
- Foster flexible teacher leadership so that individuals can have one foot firmly in the classroom (with benefits) and another foot in research-world (for policy, curriculum studies, or professional development). Each school would formally have at least 1 such teacher leadership position for every 10 teachers, and the capacity for other positions to be created.
Go Gamal! These are simple, attainable steps. There is one problem - they require revenue. The word "tax" is a four letter word since Grover Norquist co-opted our government during the Reagan administration. Now even purported Democrats talk like Norquist. Drowning government in a bathtub....yuck.
ReplyDeleteSteve -- It's amazing how fearful of "taxes" people in power purport to be. Yet when we get increase tax revenue, we've also got to be vigilant about how that we spend money [well]. Thanks for your post.
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