As the world begins to emerge from the Covid19, more and more people are emerging from their seclusion to attend sporting events, go out to eat, and gather with family and friends. Life is beginning to return back to its pre pandemic routines, and it feels good. But as this happens, let's not forget some of the valuable lessons that were learned during the past two years.

Education leaders need to be watchful of what school looks like since we've returned from remote learning.  Are teachers returning to pre-pandemic practices, or are they integrating the tools and skills that they used during remote learning to create an opportunity for students now that is better than ever? It's a pivotal time that will have great influence on what school looks like going forward.

So what should we see? Let's look at a few ideas:

1. Less is more. Now is not the time to add new initiatives, platforms, or duties onto any school personnel. We'll never know (or understand) all of the stressors that people have endured over the past 2 years. In many cases, people are just doing what they can to survive or maintain sanity. Some of our students have endured a devastating circumstances due to family illness, parent loss of work, and isolation from other children. So let's keep the first thing first and take care of each other and not make things more complicated or overwhelming.
2. Focus on teaching and learning and not tools. This is always good advice, but never more needed than now. Talking tools without them having a purpose is often a very inefficient process, and for many teachers may seem like a waste of their time.
3. While we're on the subject, let's talk about time. How much time and your timing for training and PD are crucial. In my experience, large "sit-n-get" sessions are very ineffective. A coaching model that is embedded during the day can be much more beneficial. This model provides teachers with plenty of accessibility to a tech coach during their planning times, or during class time for non-evaluative support. Co-teaching can even happen within this model, which has been very helpful for our teachers and me.
4. Incorporate the tools that you learned during the pandemic to make in-person instruction better than ever before. Look to embrace a blended model whenever possible in order to maximize interaction during class time.
   
5. Eliminate long lectures from your repertoire!! FOREVER!!!

These are just a few ideas that may help keep things going in the right direction, and produce an even better experience for students as we emerge into a new and better normal. If you have ideas or feedback, email me at matt@soita.org

March 16, 2020

Over the past week our personal lives have changed drastically due to the COVID19 virus, however, our role as educators has been changed even more so.  The closure of schools for the foreseeable future has forced us to seek (or scramble) for ways to provide some level of education to our students. Depending on where you work and your previous mindset on the "big picture" of education, this shift has meant different things to different people. Some have seen this as an opportunity, others' anxiety levels are on an all time high.

This is a time for all educators to work together and discover ways to not only endure, but actually thrive in this new normal for schools.  It's a time to take a breath, regroup, and examine where we are and how we got here.  It is likely that we will reflect on our old practices and wonder how we ever did it that way for so long.  What has happened to us in the past week has turned innovation in schools from just an idea to a necessity.  It's no longer possible to stay grounded in the past. No one knows exactly what the future holds, but I believe that education will emerge from this better than ever.

So how will that happen?  First, parents, students, and the community's voice must be a large part of this transformation.  Everyone understanding and valuing each other will be vital to defining what an educated child looks like and how they can be productive citizens in our community and our world.

Secondly, all educators (superintendents to paraprofessionals) will discover the benefits of integrating digital tools with research-based best pedagogical practices. Schools that were forward thinking (Future Ready® comes to mind) will weather this storm with little interruption. Those who were unprepared will at first struggle.  It'll be vital that they work with already prepared schools to help develop a different approach.  Working together will result in better opportunities for all students, which is what we should all be rooting for. It'll take a growth-mindset from everyone.

Lastly, schools need to retool their people and their resources for not just now, but what is to come.  It's tough to predict what that may look like, but we cannot limit the possibilities.  Re-evaluating how we allocate our people, space, time and funding is crucial to becoming a more efficient, effective educational system.  Saying efficient is not meant to imply having less people (job loss), but rather, doing greater things with those that we have.  That will only come from vision, leadership, and collaboration by all, and not giving in to those who are resistant to change.

I am optimistic about our future despite what is happening on a day-to-day basis right now.  We will endure this and emerge better than ever.  Take this time to get to know each other again.  Have some real discussions about how we can all work together to make this time in history be an opportunity to create better schools and a brighter world for our children.

Respectfully,
Matt Gerberick
Husband, Father, Educator, Optimist