JENNIFER WARREN
WITH the New Mexico legislative session in full swing, there is a lot of talk going around regarding how to improve our educational outcomes. There are a variety of bills – House Bills 130 and 194 to name two – seeking to address this, but for the most part, they are assuming that simply adding more time – minutes, hours or days – to the school year will lead to the hoped-for results.
Instead, why not implement what teachers know will improve student learning and put money into these areas that will have a direct, measurable and positive effect on the students and families of New Mexico? Last month, I was at the Roundhouse twice and could see there is much effort going into the writing of these bills. In conversations with my fellow teachers, though, we quickly came up with many alternative solutions. If even just a few of them are undertaken, we will see results. I am asking for money to be put into these areas, rather than simply adding time:
• Reduce classroom sizes. Small class size has been proven to be the most successful way to address learning challenges and for overall student success.
• Bring back K-5 Plus that is voluntary so that teachers who want to teach during the summer can, and those who prefer not to aren’t forced to. Many parents have mentioned they will simply not bring their students those last two weeks if we just add more days to the school year.
• Allow for individual districts to continue to offer enticing summer month-long camps in a variety of subject/interest areas such as STEAM. Also continue the Newcomers Program as an enriching opportunity.
• Create a “Parent Academy” at some/all schools to help parents better support their students.
• Create community partnerships with existing kids’ camps to offer opportunities to those receiving special education services. This would allow them to access experiences they would not otherwise be able to offer and challenge the community to find creative ways for kids of a variety of abilities to participate.
• Provide more educational assistants in classrooms to allow teachers to provide more individualized support during regular class times, assist in classroom management, and be able to act as substitutes when teachers need to be absent so other teachers and administrators can do their own jobs instead of getting pulled into classes to sub, and pay these EAs a livable wage for their important work.
• Have in-service days built into the schedule where teachers can attend relevant professional development, have opportunities to visit other schools and talk with colleagues from around the district.
• Provide teachers with subs so they can observe in other schools/classrooms, thus gaining valuable insights and ideas to apply in their classrooms.
• Continue to offer affordable, quality child care to families throughout New Mexico.
• Address the need for legislation on excessive absences; currently students are promoted no matter how many absences they have.
Teachers have rarely had a voice in addressing educational issues. This needs to change.
Jennifer Warren teaches first grade at Nina Otero Community School in Santa Fe.
