We are living in uncertain times that will test our wills, our relationships, & our connections. What will be our response & our legacy? Together, we can overcome. Every day is a PD day.


Over the past few days, I’ve been intrigued to see how people have been reacting to the measures being instituted in reaction to the spread of CoVid19, especially when it comes to education. Many teachers I know are experiencing very mixed emotions as the schools are closing down indefinitely with the idea that the school year is probably over.

Today I read tweets and responses of teachers who are crying as they say goodbye to their students, of some who are angry at the way the announcement was made with little warning given to teachers so they could support students in this situation. Despite what many adults seem to be thinking, many students don’t want school to end. The stark reality of the situation was made plainly clear when it was announced schools would be closing. Students are now removed from one place where they have been able to find structure and some sense of security amid the changing world dynamics that have been happening almost hourly.
Occasionally I read someone make an unkind remark about how teachers are reacting or what they are saying. It’s at these times that I remind these people that what happens in schools and classrooms has a special place for many children and this is upending their world which has a huge emotional toll on teachers and people who work in schools. It’s not just that schools are closing but the relationships are ending without the opportunity for closure which is difficult especially in such a caring profession as teaching.
I also remind them that, like our great grandparents, grandparents and parents, we are facing a situation with global implications and how we act and treat others, the way we react to this situation and what we do as individuals, communities, and nations will be our legacy. How will those looking back see what we are doing and how we treated each other? Will we see nations and people rise to the occasion, coming together to support each other and sharing in the reshaping of society in the face of this challenge? What will history say about what happened at this point in time?
Bringing Change to Education
Like so many different parts of society, we are seeing how education isn’t really able to adjust given what has been happening. So much of what we describe as school is steeped in a tradition that reaches back almost 100 years or more. It is a moment when there is an opportunity to make a change. Unfortunately, too many are taking this opportunity to push their agendas, platforms, biases, and in some cases, their displeasure with the decisions that have been made. Yes, many of the situations will not be ideal for learning. Yes, there is going to be many obstacles as many teachers and schools aren’t prepared. Yes, there will be mistakes and a great deal of opportunity for "I told you so".
BUT
I hope that these people will see that such actions aren’t going to help. It’s not going to help students. It’s not going to help teachers or schools or school districts to make a change. Instead, I hope that these people will eventually stop their self-aggrandizing, put aside their agendas and use the talents and skills they have to help begin to support teachers and students in making changes. I fear, however, that there will be a sudden influx of Ed-Tech and ed-tech self-promoters (read gurus) who will gladly help schools for a huge cost, taking advantage of the situation. Already, I’m seeing on places on LinkedIn some of these people beginning to spin their story of how what teachers and schools will be doing in the face of the current situation isn’t really going to be good for students and, in one case, a complete waste of time.
I don’t agree with this because I tend to see this as an opportunity for learning for teachers, students, and schools. Yes, there will be failures but, if I’m not mistaken, that is what so many of these pendants push in their rhetoric, the necessities to make mistakes in order to grow and learn. Before us is a grand opportunity to live this, for teachers, students and society in general to embrace this learning. Not having some ‘expert’ coming in to save the day but, instead, having teachers work through the issues, daily striving to improve and grow. This is an opportunity for teachers to share their experiences, growing a strong and supportive Professional Learning Network consisting of people who are positively working to improve and not selling their latest "How to" book. It will require new ways of solving problems which will require people to put aside their assumptions and apprehensions as they search for ways to make changes. It may mean a totally new way to look at school and learning, but that is a great opportunity.
Yes, we will be frustrated with the moment and may disagree with the current decisions made but we don't have a past situation to draw upon. Yes, schools, and other public institutions, might not have been as ready as they could have been but an "I told you so" attitude doesn't really help solve the problems we are facing. Instead, let us see this as an opportunity for change, to truly embrace a growth mindset and ask hard questions about what is possible for schools going forward.
Together, we can overcome!