This, not That: Challenging the Status Quo of Education
This article is part one of a new series on student learning called “This, not That!”
I recently read an educational article that asked a pondering question: When it comes to being an educator, which option better describes you?
I like to maintain the status quo in my classroom.
I like to challenge the status quo in my classroom.
I know my tendency (and probably yours, too) is number 1. My first instinct is to rely on the content and methods from my own teacher training and the way I was educated as a student. In other words, “what I’ve always done.”
Last July, Harvard Magazine published an article connected to research on post-Covid learning loss. Researchers from Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, and Johns Hopkins examined both pre-Covid and post-Covid testing data from 21 different states and about 26 million elementary and middle school students.
The Good News: According to their findings, “students are not losing more ground…” (Doan-Nguyen, 2023).
The Bad News: “...but they’re also not catching up” (Doan-Nguyen, 2023). After nearly two years, the average student is still lagging by one-third of a year in reading and one-half a year in math.
Do you see similar results with your students?
The article closed with researchers realizing that many teachers were returning to the pre-Covid status quo for curriculum, instruction, and assessment, with an added focus on “hurrying up” to push students, in an attempt to close the learning gap. Simply put, this is not working.
The lead researcher in the study, Tom Kane, urges schools and teachers to “go far beyond what’s ‘normal’ to help students catch up” (Doan-Nguyen, 2023). In other words, all teachers need to challenge the status quo!
At this point, it’s important to clarify what it means to challenge the status quo. Sometimes teachers (myself included) are hesitant to make changes because they feel like changes are made for the purpose of simply doing something different. I like to think of challenging the status quo as examining credible educational research about what helps students grow and achieve high levels of learning.
Also, note that the word “challenge” does not automatically indicate that change is needed. There may be practices you already use that are effective for high levels of student learning. However, it is important that we, as professional educators, are continually evaluating and honing our craft.
If we expect students to be lifelong learners who are continually growing, we need to model that in our vocation!
Reflecting back to the opening question in the article, I don’t think the answer is as simple as A or B; instead I view it as a continuum. (I love using continuums with my students!)
This blog series will attempt to move the “X” on the continuum (for both you and me) farther to the right. We will examine topics connected to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and education, in general. The goal of each article topic will be threefold:
Outline the more traditional mindsets and practices in education…the status quo.
Share credible educational research connected to what produces high levels of student learning.
Brainstorm practical ways of what challenging the status quo could look like in your school and classroom.
I am excited for this series. Whenever I write an article connected to student learning, it always improves my teaching and helps solidify what I know is best for my students and their learning. I hope the same is true for you when it comes to reading them.
Let the challenging begin!
Activity and Discussion:
What does the pre and post-Covid testing data reveal about student learning loss at your school?
Make a list of the different practices in your classroom that you have consistently used throughout your teaching career. Think of everything you can connected to these topics:
Class management
Curriculum construction
Assessment instruments
Response to student assessment results
Go-to instructional methods
Put an asterisk next to the practices that you are willing to CHALLENGE.
Based on your listing, place your “X” on the status quo continuum from the article.
Share your results with colleagues.
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