School systems in Virginia featuring the highest levels of students opting for fulltime, remote instruction have performed the worst post-COVID. Did COVID panic drive this result?
Throw more money at the problem. A very common answer because they don't know the answer. A new issue has arrived where FL is allowing some ex-military to enter teaching because FL is not able to find enough teachers. It's gotten attention from our US Ministry of Ed who worries about certificates and reduction of teacher qualifications. Looking around I found https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED449149 "A Brief History of Teacher Certification" Angus+7. Today it seems we mandate near Master's in education for teachers which may be gross overkill.
In the primary grades, students benefit from adult guidance to teach them the process of learning and develop some socialization skills. One imagines any nominally kindly senior of good character could do that task. Students also learn from each other so classroom management Lord of the Flies removal might be adequate. None of that is really possible in a remote setting and many homes are quite inadequate themselves. If we are to develop a common socialization for our many tribes this work is essential. Children in the third grade MUST be capable of reading and MUST be helped if they struggle. The entire edifice depends on that foundation IMHO.
Middle schools need a greater degree of professional teachers. Students now are learning thinking skills and improving socialization while dealing with issues of puberty. Continued hand-holding and supervision is necessary and critical. Students begin preparation for future learning in gaining a vocabulary and an understanding of a larger world. Again remote learning is near impossible.
By high school if the preparation are sound students can remote in the various topics. Still they struggle over concepts and need interaction with peers and professionals to master materials. Teachers need a higher degree of subject matter knowledge that in our system of professional teachers may be quite poor.
But I'm stunned that HS seniors in some places can't read beyond a third grade level. One might think that rather than certifications would engage our educators and leaders. And that was before our erstwhile professionals forced remote learning on a population now seriously damaged by time. One might very well ask what the "profession" means.
It has been taking decades, but "school choice" initiatives seem to be gaining momentum. The lockdown experience may prove to have been pivotal. Let's hope so...
Throw more money at the problem. A very common answer because they don't know the answer. A new issue has arrived where FL is allowing some ex-military to enter teaching because FL is not able to find enough teachers. It's gotten attention from our US Ministry of Ed who worries about certificates and reduction of teacher qualifications. Looking around I found https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED449149 "A Brief History of Teacher Certification" Angus+7. Today it seems we mandate near Master's in education for teachers which may be gross overkill.
In the primary grades, students benefit from adult guidance to teach them the process of learning and develop some socialization skills. One imagines any nominally kindly senior of good character could do that task. Students also learn from each other so classroom management Lord of the Flies removal might be adequate. None of that is really possible in a remote setting and many homes are quite inadequate themselves. If we are to develop a common socialization for our many tribes this work is essential. Children in the third grade MUST be capable of reading and MUST be helped if they struggle. The entire edifice depends on that foundation IMHO.
Middle schools need a greater degree of professional teachers. Students now are learning thinking skills and improving socialization while dealing with issues of puberty. Continued hand-holding and supervision is necessary and critical. Students begin preparation for future learning in gaining a vocabulary and an understanding of a larger world. Again remote learning is near impossible.
By high school if the preparation are sound students can remote in the various topics. Still they struggle over concepts and need interaction with peers and professionals to master materials. Teachers need a higher degree of subject matter knowledge that in our system of professional teachers may be quite poor.
But I'm stunned that HS seniors in some places can't read beyond a third grade level. One might think that rather than certifications would engage our educators and leaders. And that was before our erstwhile professionals forced remote learning on a population now seriously damaged by time. One might very well ask what the "profession" means.
It has been taking decades, but "school choice" initiatives seem to be gaining momentum. The lockdown experience may prove to have been pivotal. Let's hope so...