Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Beware of too many consultants, coaches, and guides from the side?

I worry about systems hiring too many consultants, coaches, and guides from the side when, in fact, what we really need in school is more hands-on help--people who can sit next to a child and help that child learn.

Yes, a little coaching, consulting, and guidance can help, but in general, when a group of teachers work together with time, ample support, and some professional learning opportunities now and then, we can do very good work by students.

However, when we're navigating countless coaches, consultants, and guides from the side, our time with and for students is often impeded by the time it takes to navigate all these helpers.

Money is well spent when it is spent on supporting educators, teaching assistants, reasonable class sizes, and time for prep, planning, and learning too.