Thread by @JoeMcFarland

It's been a while since I've gone on a lengthy Twitter 🧵 about #ABleg & #education, but I've been thinking a lot about the debate about the new curriculum & certain pundits who believe our kids' grades in English language arts are cratering. Before I begin, lemme preface...

...that yes, my wife is a teacher. But that doesn't preclude me from being able to articulate my opinion, which is based off my own life experiences + what I hear from her + what I've witnessed in her classroom as a volunteer in the pre-COVID days. Okay...here we go. #ABleg

Something that has bothered me about the select few who are trying to treat our illiteracy issues as a "curriculum" issue are either being wilfully ignorant or are being misleading. Does that mean the curriculum shouldn't change? Of course not. But it's not the silver bullet.

There are so many other factors weighing on kids today that have become more commonplace than some people might understand. All you need to do is step inside a classroom and talk to these young kids about their reading & writing journeys to find out. #ABleg

For example: how many kids struggling with literacy come from a home where their parents, for whatever reason, have never read to them? I believe it would break a lot of hearts knowing how often this occurs. And again, this could be for any number of reasons. #ABleg

The parents could be working three jobs just to keep a roof over their heads. The parents could be divorced & going through a bitter custody battle. I've seen situations where parents simply think it's up to the school to teach & they get to do the fun stuff like hockey.

As the kids enter the school system, how many of these kids in the early years are able to access the supports they actually need? Maybe they qualify for an aide but there isn't enough funding for the school to get them that aide. Maybe their teachers weren't equipped to help.

Maybe they have an underlying condition, like dyslexia, that has gone undiagnosed? Even that can have some issues. Teachers might know something is wrong, but the parents won't consent to having a dyslexia test being done. How do you help that child succeed? #ABleg #education

I'm not a doctor. I'm not an educator. As a reporter, I classified myself as an observationalist. I called them like I saw them. Within 10 minutes of sitting down with kids to do reading tests, I could tell what was up with some of the kids. My wife would almost always confirm.

It's not rocket science. It really isn't. We have to stop pretending that the curriculum will solve all of the ills in our #education system when it comes to literacy. There is no silver bullet that will really make it better, because it's a societal issue. #ABleg

By that, I mean we're overlooking the challenges brought forward by poverty, family dynamics, underlying health issues, societal norms & values, etc. This isn't about casting blame, it's about understanding what we are up against in educating our kids.

Just like anything, we're all in the same storm, but not everyone has the same boat. Fixing the yachts does nothing for those who are in the sailboats, rubber dinghies, or those who don't even have an inflatable swim jackets. #ABleg #education

We also need to understand that the pandemic has actually widened the gulf. We've always had a difference in learning abilities. But the last 2 years have only made it worse, especially for the kids whose families couldn't help them keep up. That needs to be recognized. #ABleg

Not only that, it needs to be dealt with in a thoughtful way. Schools need to double-down on using their subject experts to get those who have fallen behind back on track. Kids in grade 3 shouldn't have pre-kindergarten reading & writing skills. But that's a reality for some.

If there's ever been a time for us to focus more on individual learning & less on systemic change, now is probably that time. Otherwise, more kids will fall through the cracks. We need to be thoughtful & non-partisan about this. Hopefully this thread helps start that convo.

If you've made it this far into what's turned into a novel, thanks so much for reading it. I really appreciate you for following me, as I'm all over the map on interests & passions. I just want the best for the kids (mine included) & 🧵 like this help me articulate. Much love! ❤