Improve Education through Collaboration
Educators, Parents, and Students Working Together
Hi there, I am Janelle Lawrence a middle school teacher in the South Bronx. I created this blog to help support educators, parents, and students. I believe that in order to fully achieve the goals of education all three groups must work together. Education cannot only be the job of teachers; it takes teachers, parents, and students working together for it to be effective. Without that collaboration, we create a less-than-desirable learning experience. Today, educators are struggling with the profession's demands, parents are often disillusioned with their children’s schools and or teachers, and students are unmotivated and uninspired. Leaving these issues to go unchecked and unrestrained will continue to lead to a degeneration of our educational system.
Educators
I do not want to lie to you and tell you that teaching is easy. It is a stressful profession because you must deal with sometimes 20 to 120 students, their parents, administration, etc. That could easily be 100 - 400 different individuals that you must keep happy, which is nearly impossible. Without eliminating the people themselves, there are ways that you can set yourself up for success and make your job a lot less stressful and a lot more rewarding.
Engage with your colleagues in more positive ways
I am not sure why some people believe that professionalism means curt, abrupt, and contemptible behavior. One can be professional while still creating a pleasant environment. Be professional with your colleagues, but create an environment where your colleagues want to speak to you. They should feel comfortable with reaching out to you for support or simply engaging in casual discussions during prep periods or lunch. If this is something that you struggle with, try simply stopping by all your colleagues’ classrooms or offices every morning just to greet them and check in on them. A simple, "Good morning, how was your evening" can go a long way. During your prep, stop by other educators’ classrooms to see if they need support with either prepping for a class or help with executing an activity.
Add joy to your curriculum
Research proves that even though all children want to learn, they struggle with maintaining interest in the learning experience at school. That is why it is necessary for educators to make their curriculum more engaging. I know that is easier said than done, but you can try by making some small changes. Try building on your students’ prior knowledge, create opportunities to solve real-world issues, include their interests, and include more movement in the classroom.
Get the support of your students and their parents
Sometimes you will need the support of the parents to ensure that students work diligently in your classroom. And sometimes you will need the support of your students to have them rally for you with their parents. Parents play an integral role in their children’s education; do not leave them out of the learning experience.
Parents
You have a role to play in your children’s education as well. Remember, education is a collaborative process. And like any collaborative project, you must also do your part for it to be successful.
Be engaged with the learning process
Be in continuous communication with your children’s teachers. You should know what content is being taught in the classroom and skills so that you can support with learning at home. It is impossible to expect your children’s learning to begin and end at school. You must do your part to reinforce what they are learning. Think of it this way, they learn it at school, but they practice at home.
Trust your children’s teachers
Most teachers have teaching degrees. Almost all public school teachers have advanced degrees and certificates in education. They know what they are doing. They know how to design curricula, teach a lesson, create a seat assignment, etc. You do not need to micromanage what is happening in the classroom. Again, your role is to reinforce not take over.
Advocate for your children
Speak up for your children when necessary. Teachers are doing their best, but sometimes the needs of all their students might not be met. Advocate for your children so that they receive the best education necessary. Approach your children’s teachers with concerns and solutions to issues that your children are having in the classroom. Trust me, no teacher will be mad at a concerned parent advocating for their child.
Students
I have heard from so many frustrated teachers that students do not want to learn, and that is simply not true. One of the conditions of being human is that we have the desire to learn, but how can you do so if you are not interested in the curriculum or you are frustrated with the learning experience?
Remember every moment at school is to prepare you for a bright future
Every course and curriculum has been curated with your needs in mind. Why must you learn history, math, science, etc? Well, because you might need it in the future. At six years old, 12, 16, etc. students might not know what they would like to do for a living, but still, your teachers must still prepare you for what is to come. That is why you must learn a variety of subjects so that when you are ready to specialize in a field you have the necessary base knowledge. Imagine wanting to become a business owner, but you never learned basic mathematics. How would you ensure that your business is profitable?
Approach the learning experience with respect
You might not find everything you are being taught in school interesting. You might not even like your teachers. However, you must remain respectful. Respect what is being taught because you may need it in the future. Respect your educators because the demands of the profession are stressful on their own without adding disrespectful students to the mix. Respect your classmates. Your classmates are here to learn, do not allow your behavior to take away from their learning experiences.
Do not struggle on your own
If you need support say something. Tell your teacher if you need assistance with the material, trust me they are more than happy to help. Seek out other students in the classroom that can help you. Inform your parents when you are falling behind because they can advocate for you when necessary or arrange additional support for you outside of the classroom. Just do not struggle on your own when help is always available.
Hopefully, this post was helpful in some way. Again, I am here to offer support to educators, parents, and students because education is a collaborative effort between the three groups. Please sign up for my email list for more useful information.