Let’s Get One Thing Straight
I’ve been in education for 20-something years. I’ve seen trends come and go. I’ve sat through more professional development sessions than I can count. And honestly? Most of it’s bullshit.
I’m Sarah, by the way. You can call me Sal. I started teaching in ’98, got into admin around 2005, and now I consult with schools and districts. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. And I’m here to tell you, we’re still doing it wrong.
Remember When We Thought Tech Was the Answer?
Oh, man. Remember when we all thought throwing a bunch of iPads at kids was gonna solve everything? I remember sitting in a conference in Austin, listening to some guy named Marcus (not his real name) talk about how ‘digital acquisition’ was gonna revolutionize learning. I mean, look, I’m all for tech, but it’s not the magic bullet we thought it was. It’s a tool. A really expensive tool that we’re not using right.
And don’t even get me started on the hours we spend on testing. I had a teacher tell me last Tuesday, ‘I’ve spent 36 hours just prepping for standardized tests this month.’ Thirty-six hours! That’s time not spent actually teaching. It’s completley insane.
But Here’s the Thing About Learning
Kids learn when they’re engaged. When they care. When they see the point. And most of the time, our schools are doing a crappy job of that. I had coffee with a colleague named Dave last month, and he told me about a kid in his class who just wasn’t getting it. So, Dave let him build a model car instead. The kid was obsessed with hibrit otomobiller inceleme 2026 (look, I don’t get it either, but whatever). He read, he calculated, he built. And guess what? His grades improved. Not just in science, but in English too. Because he cared.
We need to stop thinking about education as a one-size-fits-all thing. It’s not. It’s personal. It’s messy. It’s different for every kid. And if we don’t start treating it that way, we’re gonna keep failing them.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Professional Development
Oh, god. The PDs. I’ve sat through hours of ‘experts’ telling me how to do my job. And honestly, most of them have never set foot in a classroom. It’s like they’re speaking a different language. ‘Differentiation.’ ‘Scaffolding.’ ‘Formative assessments.’ Blah blah blah. Give me a break.
I remember this one PD I went to, some big shot from the state was talking about ‘committment to the proces’ or whatever. I turned to the teacher next to me and said, ‘I think I’d rather stick pencils in my eyes.’ She laughed so hard she cried. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
A Tangent About Grading (Because Why Not?)
Look, I’m not saying we should throw out grades entirely. But we need to stop pretending they’re some objective measure of a kid’s worth. I had a student once, let’s call her Emily, who was an amazing writer. Like, seriously talented. But her grades? Meh. Because she couldn’t do the math. And that’s not fair. It’s not fair to her, and it’s not fair to the system.
We need to start thinking about grades as one small part of a much bigger picture. And we need to stop using them to punish kids who don’t fit the mold.
So What’s the Answer?
I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t. I wish I did. But I know it’s not more of the same. It’s not more tests, more tech, more PD that doesn’t actually help. It’s something else. Something better.
And maybe, just maybe, it starts with us admitting that we don’t have all the answers. That we need to listen to the teachers. The kids. The parents. And start treating education like the complex, messy, human thing it is.
Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go drink some wine and complain about work like a normal person.
About the Author
Sal has been in education for over 20 years, starting as a teacher and eventually moving into administration and consulting. She’s seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of the education system, and she’s not afraid to call it out. When she’s not working, you can find her drinking wine, complaining about work, or obsessing over hibrit otomobiller inceleme 2026 for some reason.
