The readiness and sterility of infrastructure and availability of technological resources for educators and families weigh heavily in the seemingly never ending debate of reopening schools. But much like my walks of Wally, where the availability of poopie bags and the leash are certainly of paramount concern, I think we should also focus on what’s important. A good essentialist with an eye on the objective wants to be prepared, but also must keep an eye- or 2 if you have them- on the process. In other words, do I, as the one responsible for walking the dog to take care of his morning business, have the physical ability, route familiarity, free patch of grass, ability to see the poop, pick up the poop, and secure the poop in the bag without losing the dog or making a mess? I might have a great leash. I might have a basic idea of the task- walk the dog, let him do his thang, and pick up after him. But, what if I am not fully prepared for him to take me on a trail I have never seen before? Or if I am not prepared for him to drop his deuce on a patch of ground that I cannot see too well, or if I miss the signs of him circling the area to find his perfect place to poop, I may return with the pooch still burdened with his load. I may proudly tell my wife I walked the dog, but the mission was largely unsuccessful.
Do our teachers have the preparation and the know how to deliver instruction in whatever format we are asking them to? Is the focus of our conversation on the actual thing that matters- how teachers are teaching? Are we spending time, energy and resources on the actual point of education- how are the teachers teaching? Do they have strategies, and practices for remote learning as they would in a classroom? How are they going to deliver the instruction? How will they assess the learning? At first glance, remote learning looks fantastic if we say that everyone has a shiny new chrome book and updated bandwidth, but then what?
Look, everyone wants to be safe. Everyone should be comfortable teaching and learning in the environment that is most safe and conducive for their health and well-being. All I am asking is, are we giving our teachers the tools, know how, and professional development to go out in the virtual, hybrid, or whatever world, and deliver students the highest quality education possible? Are students receiving maximum benefits from digital platforms utilized by well-prepared professionals?
Are we sending Billy D out on a dog walk, fully prepared for any eventuality and fully prepared to come home with a lighter dog and a bag of doggy doo? Do we want to spend our time fighting over the leash and quality of poopy bag- or focus some attention to the actual task that lies ahead of us?
Just sayin’. Maybe the gift of perspective will allow communities to narrow the focus to ensuring teachers (wherever they are) and students (wherever they are) get what they need.
And maybe I can take the dog for a walk without worrying about whether or not he takes a poop. Who knows? Either way, I will be grateful for the opportunity to literally write about dog poop and call it an exercise of educational philosophical musings.
