By Dave Barnett
In a world where our children are inundated with vitriolic, often factually inaccurate discourse, one can easily become disheartened and feel as though we, as a society, are spiraling out of control and no longer able to steer ourselves toward a positive future. But rather than be disheartened I feel strongly that public education, particularly in Vermont, is poised to play a vital role in leading us toward a future that is forward focused, opportunity-rich and founded in respectful and thoughtful dialogue that interweaves factual analysis of our past and present with an empathetic understanding of the human experience.
The complexities of today’s world necessitate thoughtful decision-making and should drive us to be cognizant of how we shape the experiences we give our children, particularly in K-12 education. The tools we give our students today determine whether, or not, we create citizens who nurture and celebrate aspects of society that support the common good.
Rather than merely assuming that our education system might address complex, controversial social and political issues (or in some instances hoping that it won’t) we should compel it to do so, encourage our educators to take on these topics and arm them with the professional development and resources to do the job well. The issues I’m referring to include topics like race, immigration, the environment, the opiate crisis, voting rights, poverty and income inequality, the school-to-prison pipeline, gender equity and LGBTQ rights.
Current political, social, economic and environmental unrest certainly compels all of us to contemplate short-term actions (helping our economically vulnerable neighbors, protesting, volunteering, etc.) that we can, and should, take to better the world. It is essential though that we also play the long game when considering how to make decisions that make for a better world. Vermont public education can play a vital role in long-term improvements and Vermont schools are uniquely poised to, once again, be on the forefront of this effort. I believe there are very specific and immediate actions that Vermont schools can take in this effort.
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS
First, all Vermont schools are now moving toward proficiency-based graduation requirements (PBGRs) aligned to content area standards and transferrable skills standards. Let’s be sure that schools draft standards that compel community connections and promote social justice and personal accountability that supports the common good.
For example, a sample standard from the Vermont Agency of Education reads: “Present information, findings and supporting evidence conveying a clear and distinct perspective.” While a slight adaptation to that standard could read: “Present information, findings and supporting evidence conveying a clear and distinct perspective on topics of personal or social importance.” Suddenly, a generic standard related to speaking and listening become compelling, relevant and grounded in contemporary, real-world issues.
Second, use the Vermont Flexible Pathways Initiative to greatly increase community-based learning opportunities and independent learning opportunities to integrate students into the fabric of businesses, organizations and endeavors so that they are “value added” members of the community group or business, not just passive receptacles of education.
Third, utilize the power of the student personal learning plan (PLP) to require personal learning to have broader societal implications. I work in a Vermont public high school and we’re addressing this by adding a new section to our students personal learning portfolios that requires students to collect artifacts related to the challenges and strengths of the community (local/global) and artifacts that reveal “what you [the student] can do to make our world a better place.”
These are only a few ideas for how we can support and nurture student learning that maintains personal interest while supporting the common good. But this work is complex and to do it well teachers need access to sustained professional development and resources. Vermont can, and should, lead in this effort.
Barnett lives in Waitsfield.
