Impactfully No. 9: Every child left behind
Public schools and the teachers who enable their success have often been the target of politicians and parents, but it seems more toxic of late. That toxicity is just one of the many reasons teachers are leaving the workforce.
Public schools and the teachers who enable their success have often been the target of politicians and parents, but it seems more toxic of late.
That toxicity is just one of the many reasons teachers are leaving the workforce. Bloomberg's series on our education system this week highlights more reasons: some note the low pay, others a lack of respect, and many a lack of control to make things better.
Education is a flywheel that has powerful impacts when we create momentum in the right direction. It is the most essential investment in our collective future, a passing of knowledge from one generation to the next that we might form a stronger society.
If that cycle is broken – if we can't create an environment that attracts the best of us to invest in our children – we have failed.
There's one constant that I think all of us agree on: we want what's best for our children. Unfortunately, we can't agree on what 'best' looks like. The vitriol seems to stem from my 'best' looking like your 'worst' and vice versa.
If there's one thing that concerns me the most, it's that having those disagreements and interrogating them in a classroom is rapidly becoming off-limits. Your side sets the facts and the interpretation of them – or perhaps their side does. All the shades of gray in between are lost.
But shades of gray are essential to solving the world's most pressing challenges: they're the bridge between ideals that unites us in a common purpose. Perhaps your purpose can be found in building a better education system?
Education careers abound, not just in teaching, but in technology, testing, and support. We've curated opportunities from just a small handful of companies, and there are myriad others waiting for you across the country. Take a look if you want to change someone's life for the better!
- Greg (@gregrancourt)
This week's reads
America's Broken Education System, Part 1: Why Teachers Are Quitting
The past two years have thrust teachers and public schools to the center of pandemic debates and culture battles. What happens when educators decide it just isn’t worth it?
Crises converge on American education
From teacher strikes and a teacher shortage to politics in the classroom and skyrocketing student loan debt, there are many education crises converging.
Student test scores plunged during the pandemic
Test scores in elementary school math and reading plummeted to levels unseen for decades, according to the first nationally representative report comparing student achievement from just before the pandemic to performance two years later.
America's Broken Education System, Part 2: How We're Failing Schools
Public education has become the latest American institution to face an erosion of support. Why Are American Schools Failing? These Charts Explain.
Mark your calendar
World Teacher's Day is next month on October 5th! What's something special you could do for a teacher who made a difference in your life?
Find a meaningful career
EdOps
EdOps specializes in the finance, student data and operations work of schools.
School Data Specialist - Remote
School Finance Manager - Remote
School Finance Specialist - Remote
Wikimedia Foundation
The nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation provides the essential infrastructure for free knowledge.
Integrated Marketing Specialist - Remote
Senior Product Manager, Fundraising Technology - Remote
Senior Software Engineer - Structured Data - Remote
Principal UX Designer - Remote
Mursion
Mursion provides immersive simulated practice for essential skills in the workplace powered by humans and assisted by AI.
Director of Marketing - Remote
Director of Workforce Planning & Talent Operations - Remote
Senior Client Success Manager - Remote
Enterprise Sales Development Representative (SDR) - Remote
Director of Operations - Client Success & Learning Solutions - Remote
Teachstone
Teachstone helps schools unlock the potential of great teachers, support children’s’ social, emotional, developmental success, and create a culture of continuous quality improvement.
Director of Continuous Quality Improvement - Remote
Research and Evaluation Specialist - Remote
Head Of Human Resources/Sr. Director - Remote
Product Manager: Platform - Remote
Platform Support Coordinator - Remote
Thanks for reading!
Join us on Twitter to continue the conversation: if you could change one thing about the education system, what would it be?