When I was a local school board member, parents frequently asked for my advice on how to ensure their child got a particular teacher in a school. I knew how the game would be played after I reminded them this wasn’t the role of the school board: They would write the principal with their requests for the next year. The principal would respond to assure the parents that no matter which classroom their child was assigned, he or she would have a great year.
After 30 years in education, I have never felt more dedicated to student success and the adults that support that success. The education world talks a lot about how students learn. Is it just as important to consider how educators learn? I think so.