Forum Question

Based on your experience with BPS, and especially this past year, we are looking for your ideas for reimagining what school could be. If there were no bounds, what would the ideal learning experience be like for our students?

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Accountability

Schools could be places where students are actually held accountable for demonstrating mastery of content as opposed to being passed through the system with "deals" at the end of the year.

We harm our students by passing them when they are not ready. Repeating a course is not a punishment. It is a service. Too many of our students are going to find themselves in college, realize they are unprepared, and drop out with nothing to show for it other than massive debt.

Tags: Classroom

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Redefining attendance requirements

Since the pandemic started we have changed our definition of attendance many times. At various points in the last year, students have received credit for attending classes if they: did school work at any point during the 24 day, tried to log into class but had tech issues, joined class via zoom, joined class in person, joined class but then left and did work on their own, if their parent communicated that the student couldn't attend, etc. Not to mention that Wednesdays this year look very different with many schools not running the same schedule those days.

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Facilities

Repaired, renovated, and modernized facilities, with a long-term plan for regular maintenance and updates, would have the biggest impact on the learning conditions for students. Adequate heat, air-conditioning and ventilation including windows that open with shades that work. Equitable technology in every classroom, for example, Airtame screens mounted on the wall. Sinks in every classroom and well-maintained student bathrooms on every floor. Gymnasiums, libraries, art rooms, and science labs.
Some of these are more challenging and costly than others (I really don't understand why it is so hard to replace window shades, for example), but BPS and the…

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Truly embrace project-based learning

We know that truly engaging in PBL could push us to reimagine the siloing of content and the antiquated worksheet culture students too often encounter throughout the day. I would like to help launch a deeper transformative initiative, one that does more than provide lip service to the pedagogical ideals underlying PBL.

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Equity Roundtables

Equity Roundtables are truly a hidden gem and resource at the Joseph Tynan Elementary School. Initially, I was extremely frustrated with the ask of holding Equity Roundtables during the closure of BPS in March 2020. At the Tynan we were trying to adjust to our new normal of remote learning while balancing life in the pandemic. In many ways I felt the ask was too much. However, I was compliant and sent out a communication to the entire Tynan Community - families, partners, and staff, for our first Equity Roundtable meeting. The outcome was so much more than I had…

Tags: Community

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Welcome Message

Hello Team BPS,

Our recently released budget framework outlines our plan to Return, Recover, and Reimagine. The goal is to focus investments to return to our school buildings for learning and social emotional development, recover what we’ve lost since the start of the global pandemic, and reimagine what education should look like to ensure every single student accesses the instruction and support needed to graduate from Boston Public Schools ready for success.

While we continue to gather feedback on the budget via our public forums hosted by the School Committee, we are launching this WikiWisdom Forum in partnership with the Boston Teachers Union to elevate the voices of our teachers, educators, applied behavior specialists, paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, related service providers, nurses, secretaries, custodians, nutrition staff, central office staff and all BPS staff.

This format has been used successfully in other school districts and other sectors of public service. In California the platform was used to better define and ramp up supports for Social Emotional Learning. At the Library of Congress, they created a forum on disinformation, social media, and “alternative facts,” to learn best practices on how to help the public identify and vet credible information sources. In December the American Journal of Nursing published a WikiWisdom report titled “Wisdom from Nurses So We Never Again Mishandle a National Healthcare Crisis” with ideas on addressing the pandemic by nurses on the frontlines.

Our conversation will be live through March 21, 2021. After this extensive on-line discussion, a diverse group of contributors whose ideas generated engagement will be chosen and work with the external moderator to prepare a report of actionable ideas to BPS and BTU leadership.

We are so excited to learn from you and see what new wisdom we discover, together.

Thanks for your valued collaboration and for sharing your important ideas,

Brenda & Jessica

Moderator Message

Kelly Eisner Moderator

Welcome to this WikiWisdom Forum. I’m Kelly Eisner and I will be your moderator.
How the WikiWisdom Forum Works:

Step One:
BPS teachers, specialists, school leaders and administrators are invited to share their ideas in response to the questions posed on this platform.

Step Two:
At the end of this online conversation, a small group of thought leaders will be chosen to work with the moderator to create a report showcasing your experience.

Step Three:
Later in March the thought leaders will present their report, with your ideas, to Superintendent Brenda Cassellius in a virtual meeting. Your report will be used to “re-imagine” Boston’s schools before Fall 2021.

[Engaging in this on-line discussion does not constitute bargaining, does not result in a waiver by BTU of any of its collective bargaining rights, does not take the place of successor negotiations, and is not binding on the BTU nor its members nor on the Boston Public Schools.]