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Wednesday, May 6, 2020

NANCY BAILEY: “Reimagining” Teacher Appreciation in 2020: Pushback on the Takeover of America’s Schools

“Reimagining” Teacher Appreciation in 2020: Pushback on the Takeover of America’s Schools

“Reimagining” Teacher Appreciation in 2020: Pushback on the Takeover of America’s Schools


Teacher Appreciation has taken on new meaning in 2020. This week is supposed to be a time to celebrate teachers with 20% off coupons, candy bars, notes, and thank you trinkets. A scrawled homemade card, laboriously designed by a student with learning difficulties, these are the keepers that bring teachers joy.
There’s more gratitude for teachers than ever this 2020 Springtime. The relationship between student, parent, and teacher has strengthened. Most parents will never look at teachers the same way again.
“Rethinking, reimagining, or revolution,” some of us have played with these words, thinking of what could be changed to make schools better when they reopen.
For school reformers these words are code for replacement of brick-and-mortar schools with online learning. They’re not looking at technology as a temporary fix during this crisis. They see this time as the way to push forward the all-tech agenda they’ve always promoted.
There’s nothing personalized about this, no research to show children learn best this way. There’s no discussion with the public. It’s a dangerous experiment. Dangerous to CONTINUE READING: “Reimagining” Teacher Appreciation in 2020: Pushback on the Takeover of America’s Schools