Here are a number of ideas that matter.
- Make sure that basic needs are met. Basic needs: adequate nutrition, shelter, health care, education, safe communities, and loving care.
- Develop nurturing, safe communities that are environmentally, physically, and emotionally safe and nurturing, naturally and architecturally beautiful and inspiring, cooperative, and life enriching.
- Create learning communities that develop and exhibit collaborative commitment and action amongst families, students, educators, leaders, and citizens towards an optimal education for every child, and continuing education for others who need and or desire it.
- Rethink and organize financial supports and resources so that money is well oriented to the collective needs of the community.
In terms of our role as educators, pay specific attention to the details of the job that matter. I do believe that Massachusetts has done a good job listing the essential elements of a job well done for educators with their new Massachusetts' Education Evaluation Elements. If you're interested in learning more about these elements, join me on a series of summer reflections. At present I've reflected upon 16 of the 33 elements. I'll continue the daily process in the days to come, and I welcome your input, thoughts, and ideas in this regard. The more educators band together to support each other, the better job we'll do.
