As I was reading this article (pictured right) on our local news site I couldn't help but think, "Should 'snow days' matter anymore?" Understandable is the 'bang for our buck' mentality of some taxpayers and legislators who believe 'money in' should be met with seat time expectations and days worked for teachers coming out of schools. In Michigan, we have to follow the 180 days in school and the 1098 hours of meeting time to get full funding from the state. There is also an issue closing schools in areas where homeless/poor students live in high numbers as often the only semblance of order and regular meals come from public schools. Keeping these in mind there is also a push for "Any Time, Any Place, Any Way, Any Pace" learning in Michigan this begs the questions "Should we be moving to... Mastery/Competency-based initiatives that would mean if students met expectations it should not matter how many days/hours they are sitting in schools? Learning would be a continuum of checkpoints regardless of age so who cares how many hours someone is in school as long as they are ready for a career/college? There is already a team of schools working on this in Michigan and maybe we just need to expand! Ubiquitous 1:1 devices including Wi-fi hot-spots (especially for our low-socioeconomic and rural districts) so student learning can be 'anytime, anyplace, any pace' and not affected by a few days away from direct instruction? Well-crafted instruction, checks for understanding and projects/portfolios can be created online in engaging ways that would not have to stop due to a few inches of ice or snow. Enhanced teacher professional development so more of our best educators get their tools, lectures, lesson plans, and audio/video online in Open Educational Resources (OERs) so students and teachers can benefit regardless of time in a physical school or at physical meetings with each other? The best stuff should be in the hands of as many students and educational peers as possible so all students can learn at the best, again regardless of face-to-face time. Michigan has an OER hub in development which could be our go-to learning resource! Please don't mistake these wonderings as easy and/or replacements for teachers guiding student learning in a face-to-face environment as frequently as possible. Research proves that learning is a social activity and best done in tribes of learners with teachers facilitating Also, do not think that gradeless bands of learning targets are easy to arrive at en masse or ready to go yet in Michigan (though they are being worked on). Instead, I hope these wonderings are being batted about both in the hallowed halls of our MI Legislature as well as the newly occupied Governor's Quarters. We will soon have a new State Superintendent of Education and I hope these topics will be broached with prospective candidates before our leader is hired. |
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Matt McCullough
Just a chance to reflect over educational articles and ideas that float through my head. Archives
February 2019
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