Overview:
This teacher questions traditional education structures and advocates for small, meaningful changes—like financial literacy, arts, and physical activity—that enhance learning without disrupting core curriculum
Education is one of the largest systems we interact with. Nearly all of us have a formal education background in some way. In other words, we all have experience going to school growing up. So let me pose a few questions, and specifically regarding K-12:
- How do you feel about the daily and weekly school schedule?
- How do you believe curriculum is selected?
- What changes would you propose to schools you attended?
I try to be mindful that schools vary. I am also aware that there are elements about education that we may not know about, which is why I choose words like “believe”. I’m willing to guess, however, that a group of 10 strangers could exchange K-12 stories and there would be a good number of similarities. Since we all go through it, how often do we question the academic system – similar the bulleted inquiries above – and ask “why” learning is the way it is or even “how” we should do school? How often do we not question it?
I am not neutral in this conversation, so this article will likely qualify as an editorial. I’m a champion of incorporating more financial literacy, art, music, workforce education, and physical activity into buildings and classrooms. State standards are one thing, and they need to be addressed. Does this mean we don’t have time in the day for these other types of learning, though? I’ll answer that: No! In fact, the State of Wisconsin has a personal finance standard that many local K-8 organizations do not follow to begin with. Art stimulates the mind, and music is math all day. Not to mention, a simple google search about the academic benefits of physical activity will yield many scholarly results.
As parents, when my wife and I started looking at schools for our oldest son, we weren’t thinking about the school schedule. It was inferred, based on our own schooling experience. We weren’t presented with too much information on curriculum beyond subjects being taught either. This piece was glossed over. The schools were instead “shiny”, putting their best foot forward. For me, it wasn’t until the evening homework help time – and truly once I started working in K-8 – when I started questioning the what’s, how’s, and why’s.
There are numerous ways to look at improving the state of education, as there are with other imperfect structures and processes. One such manner is solutions focused. Perhaps not altering the fundamental foundation but making subtle and (or) supplemental changes. I believe that small adjustments can add up to significant enhancements. I taught a 20-minute session of personal finance once per week to eight graders for two semesters last year. This equates to 11 hours annually. Students practically applied an immense amount of financial literacy skills, bought stocks in real time, and even earned gift card funds. All this. During school. Not interfering with anything else…
So where do we go with our thoughts, recommendations, and even grievances? How much of the academic delivery model is simply what it is? At times, it can feel like we are small in comparison to the larger educational institution. Alone, this may be true. Together, power can be developed. My wife recently started becoming more active as a parent volunteer in our children’s schools and she and I have talked about parent teacher organizations (PTOs). Volunteering in this way is not something I am good at doing and I have yet to act on my desire to join a PTO. In any event, though, one of the functions of PTOs is to bring ideas for improvement and implementation to the front of schools for consideration. I wonder, if PTO participation increased, what would that look like? Schools serve children and families. How could the student body’s collective voice be amplified?
It is important to note that learning communities are each unique, PTOs and other committees range in size and influence, and schools’ responsiveness to the student base can look differently. I’m writing from a place of my own experiences as an individual and as a father. I believe that this much is valid. Working and teaching in schools for 10 years helps too. As long as schools have room for improvement, I say we keep pushing. We keep challenging, including ourselves, as I mention with the volunteer example. We continue – or start to – ask questions. As philosophical as it may be, to start these conversations we can ask: What is school and how do we “do” school? Let me know how the discussion goes…
Brendan is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home of the 2021 NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. He and his wife, Catreese married in 2009 and have 5 children together.
