Every New Year, professionals from all fields make their predictions about how he or she sees the next year playing out. While the vast majority of them never come to fruition and stem from a jaded eye and a need to spread negativity and panic, there are some that come from a professional who really cares about the outcome. Recently, one teacher/author came out with a few predictions of his own regarding education in 2018.
One of his first predictions was that the schools in Flint, Michigan will not have potable water until 2020. This seems to be a valid opinion as the infrastructure in the city has been in a crisis for some time. The impact this has on kids, though, is concerning as leaded water causes brain damage. Along with that sad outlook, the teacher sees hate crimes in schools becoming a bigger issue in the coming year, especially toward those of a different faith and ethnic background.
One of the biggest changes that he foresees is the effort of schools to get behind the Every Child Succeeds Act. This new approach to education follows on the heels of the No Child Left Behind Act. That program had some success, but wound up having teachers focusing on the test material and abandoning the old approach of imparting a vast array of knowledge. It is uncertain how this new program will play out, and whether it will have the desired outlook remains to be seen.
Two other points that the predictions focused on was the impending ruling from the Supreme Court over the Janus Case which would eliminate the requirement for teachers and other public school employees to pay union dues. This is seen as a potential disaster for all parties involved, especially students. Historically, teachers have benefitted from the support of their unions and as a trickle down, families ultimately benefit from improved working conditions for these important educators. Along with this case is the push from the Gates and Zuckerberg foundations to start to take a ground-up view of working with teachers in an effort to support their goals of educating the leaders of tomorrow. These foundations stated a goal of working with communities to make improvements in the lives of citizens. It is uncertain how this initiative will pan out.
One other prediction regards how the present administration will handle the Dreamer kids. This educator sees the administration trying to deport the kids who are here based on their parents’ actions, but ultimately, it will be a failure. The courts will rule that it is unconstitutional to take such steps. Unfortunately, in the meantime, countless children and their families will live in a state of uncertainty and fear, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The teacher made a few other statements concerning how he sees the next year playing out, but for the most part, he has focused on the core elements that may have the most direct impact on how children will be affected. Hopefully, the good outweighs the bad and in the end, the children will benefit.
Writer Bio: Angela Mose
I am a mom of 7 who has successfully homeschooled for 20 years. I was married for more than 25 years and have recently started my life over. I have a passion for writing and music and when the two can be combined, it is utopia. A Maryland native, I am planning to relocate north in the near future and will continue to strive to learn and experience new things on a regular basis. I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home while exploring new ways to increase my knowledge and skills and help improve the lives of those around me.
