Access to free public education is the cornerstone of a shared belief that every child can learn and succeed, a shared belief that our situation at birth doesn’t determine our future. This is why I teach, and why most teachers choose to come to the classroom day after day. We provide quality education no matter the school, community, or population. The concept of equal access to education begs questions around curricular materials, teacher quality, allocation of funds, salaries, contracted class size, and more.
Now our schools are closed, probably through the end of the academic year. Access to technology has become synonymous with access to education overnight, and teachers are facing a brand new, computer-based teaching environment. What about the kids who can’t access a tablet or laptop? Many students are accessing pieces of their education by downloading apps on their phones. Others are still picking up paper packets from school. Plenty of districts have handed out their school-based technology, signing laptops out from tables setup in the lobby of their buildings.
All this to say, there are pockets of children all over the country who will slip through the cracks in this distance learning effort if teachers and administrators don’t make it their mission to engage 100% of students. I had a Donors Choose project funded in just three days to provide laptops to five of my students who otherwise couldn’t access our platform. People who have the means are stepping up, so this is a thank you and a call to action for anyone who needs to hear it: Register at Donors Choose here!
Find other technology resources on my Distance Learning Resources page.
Teaching, Leading & Learning 