Hey teachers — we see you.
Imagine a day when our top university students choose to become K-12 teachers. Not just because it’s a calling, but because teachers are viewed — and paid — as important professionals, entrusted with mission-critical work. They’re given deep, ongoing support by their administrators, federal, state, and local governments, and the communities they serve.This doesn’t have to be a dream, provided we all have the will to make it a reality.
This might sound like a strange thing coming from someone at a company like Carnegie Learning. After all, Carnegie Learning was founded on the backs of cognitive science and research that first brought AI-based education technology to classrooms 20+ years ago. But here’s the thing about all technology, including ours — without empowered teachers who understand how to leverage that technology for independent learning, while also delivering powerful group learning, software is just another tool.
A recent article on EdSurge said it clearly: “The truth is that technology will never replace good teachers, who can create relationships with students and learn students’ strengths and challenges.”
So what’s the problem? So often we hear from teachers that they don’t have enough — enough time, resources, or support to focus on anything beyond end-of-course assessments. They aren’t paid well, smart investments aren’t made in their professional development to help them grow their craft, and perhaps worst of all — they don’t feel respected as professionals responsible for the very future of our communities.
A recent commentary in EdWeek summed it up like this: “In many ways, the impending teacher strike in Oklahoma is a crucible of the future of public schools in America. More than a movement to raise salaries, the teacher strike is a referendum on respect for a beleaguered profession.”
Carnegie Learning is tackling this challenge head-on because we know how invaluable professional teachers are. Through our LONG + LIVE + MATH Movement, we want to help teachers raise their hands, be seen and see each other, and connect. It’s a single step, but an important one. Teachers often feel isolated, unsure if others feel as they do. That’s why connection is so important. From there, as part of the Movement, teachers can ask for help, attend meetups, tap into content to up their game, and wear their passion for math and teaching on their sleeves.
As was evidenced recently in West Virginia and now Oklahoma, the road is sure to be long and difficult. For teachers to be seen, respected, and paid for the difficult work they do each day, it will take more hands to be raised, more connections to happen, and the volume of teachers’ collective voices to get louder.
I’d love to hear your ideas for how we can continue to escalate this conversation. After all, I, too, am a parent and part of a community I love. And I’m only where I am because of amazing teachers who helped and encouraged me every step of the way.
Click here to read Part 2 of the LONG + LIVE + TEACHING series.
John serves as Carnegie Learning’s Chief Marketing Officer, which means he’s focused on sharing the Carnegie Learning Way with the world and challenging the status quo in K-12 education. As a leader at Carnegie Learning, John is passionate about building a collaborative, team-based culture, with the goal of making it the kind of company we’ve all always wanted to work for.
Explore more related to this authorWe want to help teachers raise their hands, be seen and see each other, and connect. For teachers to be seen, respected, and paid for the difficult work they do each day, it will take more hands to be raised, more connections to happen, and the volume of teachers’ collective voices to get louder.
John Jorgenson, CMO, Carnegie Learning
