MY PRIORITIES
engage every child
I will fight for less standardized, more individualized learning for every student. We have invested heavily in general education curricula but we still need to meet students where they are, regardless of “tier.”
We can do this by embracing more inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning. Project-based and community-engaged learning are the future in a world where rote learning is increasingly obsolete thanks to generative AI. And we can do this by building on the investments we’ve made in recent years in new general education (tier 1) curricula such as the CKLA ELA curriculum based on the science of reading. It’s time we embrace more of the science of learning and ditch the boring testing regime that is failing our kids.
partnership
I will work directly with our educators, CPS students and families, and administrators so that our district’s decisions reflect the full community.
Students need more voice, choice, and autonomy to see themselves in their own education. Families need meaningful two-way communication with teachers, staff, and administrators rooted in honesty and transparency. Educators also need more of a voice in the district and autonomy in the classroom. Principals and administrators need more adaptive forms of shared governance to reduce the ever-expanding demands on administrators’ time.
Rebuild trust
I will work hard to rebuild public trust in the district to provide equitable and academically rigorous opportunities for all students of all backgrounds. Years of unfulfilled promises to close the “achievement gap” have undermined public confidence in district “equity” efforts and created frustration with the poor returns on some very expensive initiatives (such as the Innovation Agenda). We need to learn from these past mistakes and rebuild trust in the district’s incredible potential and resources.
When students are engaged in work they care about, they learn and retain more! This is what the science of learning has taught us, and I believe this is key to addressing the challenge of working in classrooms with students from diverse linguistic backgrounds and varying levels of preparation, as is common across our urban district. Classroom diversity can be an incredible asset but we cannot stop at celebrating our diversity. It’s time we invest in what psychology and neurobiology research show: that allowing students to explore and have fun in their learning ensures best outcomes for all , no matter their level of preparation upon entering the classroom.
”We need to talk about school as a place where young people form connections beyond the family to adults who can guide and mentor them…we need to talk about school not only as a place where young people acquire knowledge, but where they learn how to use it, how to make an argument with historical events, how to think with numbers… We need to talk about self-reflection, becoming methodical, examining your own work. And we need to talk about reflecting on motive and on the consequences of choosing one path rather than another-whether in a science experiment or in the schoolyard…
-Mike Rose, Educator