Taking education forward, not backward
“What in the world are they teaching kids these days?” Perhaps you have heard this lament or raised the question yourself.
What is taught, how it is taught and who teaches is an ongoing and often contentious concern. Recent challenges to classroom content and resources have been made without full understanding of curriculum and lesson planning.
Misinformation on how and when topics such as race, sex and gender are addressed has resulted in unwarranted anxiety and fear. Parents and community members certainly should know the resources their school districts use. This, however, is a slippery slope: Who decides? What criteria is used? Is a book like “Two Dads” acceptable? Can a teacher answer questions about the family cat who had kittens? Who decides what is taught and what resources are used does not start at the classroom level. To understand what, how and why, you must start with the Michigan curriculum mandates.
The adoption of the Michigan Academic Standards in June 2010 changed the game for every district, school and teacher in the state. Using the national Common Core standards to ready students for career and college, expectations for each grade level and each subject area were developed. Each standard builds on previous learning, provides a means to assess skills and creates a bridge to the next level. Further, instructional resources, methods and additional knowledge valued by local communities are included.
This mammoth document has required countless hours in workshops, meetings and personal study. Staff at all levels use these guidelines to create lesson plans. There is nothing secretive about these learning mandates. Anyone can access the full curriculum, courses, descriptions, and guidelines online: www.michigan.gov/mde/services/academic-standards.
A further help to parents who are asking “what in the world is being taught” is the wealth of digital resources. Online tools like Remind, See-Saw and Google Classroom are used in most schools. Parents can see lessons, review their child’s progress and contact teachers.
Finally, in schools where my children attended and in those where I taught, parents were welcome and teachers open for conversation about class content and assignments; they still are.
There are, of course, still needs to better support our students. Under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, early childhood programs are expanding. Funds are being allocated to train and retain teachers. Having teachers who are not only qualified but committed to staying in the field is essential to student learning. School-based health centers have been added. Too many students have both physical and mental health concerns that interfere with learning. Further, the number of school literacy coaches has tripled. This has provided scaffolding for reading skills at all levels. Outside of K-12 programs, Whitmer advocates training and vocational programs that will keep our state competitive.
Education is fundamental to our democracy. Schools are tasked with teaching students to be prepared for the future while understanding all the facts of our past. I taught for 51 years elementary, high school, adult education and community college. During that time, teaching methods have incorporated digital resources. Curriculum goals have been updated to meet the needs of a changing world, and content has become more inclusive of race, gender and nationality.
Teachers remain the constant — they are trained professionals who value each child that they teach.
Mary Bullard is a retired educator and is a member of Stronger Together Huddle, a group engaged in supporting and promoting the common good of all. She can be reached at mcneil102@icloud.com
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Mary Bullard: Taking education forward, not backward
