Commentary: On Being Flexible and Returning to the Regular Format
I am excited to announce that we will be returning to our interview discussion format next week!
For the last commentary of the summer season, I want to share just a couple of things to think about with the daily uncertainty around teaching this school year. Since every teacher is doing a lot of the things that we used to do in alternative schools, I am sharing a couple of ideas that might help. Thanks for listening and check out next week’s podcast with guest James Dittes discussing global education.
Transcript
Greetings friends and colleagues, this is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast: I am Scott Lee. I hope you are safe and well. Most educators are now back in school in one way or another, but still with angst and uncertainty. I used to be teacher and administrator in alternative schools. Currently, many teachers have been dropped into work situations like we used to have in the alternative school world. We had to make use of a lot of online or computer-based learning resources. We had often times had smaller classes, but we also had to focus more on individual student needs: both academic and social emotional. We worked with students who had histories of trauma or had other serious issues that could interfere with learning. Our work situation almost always felt disjointed, confusing and unmoored. As we considered what to do, particularly with difficult students, we often distilled our decision making down to answering a couple questions.
One, “what does this student need?” Sometimes the answer involved an academic outcome, but at other times there was a non-academic need that needed attention first. But whatever the need was, we had to deal with it.
When we got past question one, we then had to think about the academic outcome. Question two was, “how can this student demonstrate learning”. Many times, there is more than one way for a student to demonstrate achievement and we learned to be creative while maintaining rigor.
We also had to understand that the work was almost always unpredictable. Just like it is now, but if we can keep the focus on doing what is best for all students, we will get through the current crisis. Crises can also bring about change, and maybe we will see positive changes that need to happen for schools and schooling. Time will tell, but let’s not forget to advocate, advocate and advocate.
I want to thank you all for listening over the last few months as we temporarily changed the format for the podcast from an interview format to a commentary format. I am excited to let you know that this fall we will return to our interview/discussion format; letting you meet interesting and innovative people that will offer useful, thoughtful ideas. We will continue to discuss social justice, but we will also share ideas from a diversity of people to empower your teaching practice.
We will hear about the value of a global education perspective from a teacher who has created an annual exchange program for students in his German classes. We will hear from teachers who have developed their own literacy programs. We will meet two of the co-founders of the All Y’all Social Justice Collective and find out why they are completely re-imagining what professional development looks like. We will meet teachers who have instituted effective restorative practices withing their school. It is going to be a busy fall for everyone, but here at the Thoughful Teacher Podcast, we will continue to bring you the people and the ideas that are making a difference in schools today. So please join us for future episodes.
This is the Thoughtful Teacher Podcast, I am Scott Lee. Once again friends and colleagues stay safe and stay well.
This has been episode number 16. The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast is hosted and produced by R. Scott Lee who retains copyright and is responsible for content. Transcript and notes are available at our website thoughtfulteacherpodcast dot com. Underwriting and sponsorship opportunities or other inquiries may also be made on our website thoughtfulteacherpodcast dot com. Please follow The Thoughtful Teacher Podcast on Twitter @drrscottlee
