Idaho Falls

54 IDAHO FALLS MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021 LET ME START with a bit of a disclaimer. Nearly all of my professional career has been spent operating in the outer orbits of the educational solar system. As a non-traditional educator, I have had the opportunity to observe and be part of the educational process from pre-kindergarten through graduate set- tings, both locally and abroad. The one commonality I have observed is that most humans love to learn, but each in their own unique way. The challenge is being able to have the time, energy and resources to reach everyone. The teachers we have here in the Idaho Falls area are as good as anywhere else I have been. What they seem to lack at times is financial and community support along with recognition for advancing their skills. Not that successful teaching is tied into pumping lots of cash into the equation, but being at the bottom of the per-capita-amount-per-student cannot be a good indicator. If Guam and Puerto Rico were not on the list, Idaho would be on the very bottom! When you look at how Idaho districts are funded it becomes even easier to compare how they stack up when it comes to standardized test results and ACT scores. It is clear to see that what you invest does yield results even at the bottom of the list But lest I be accused of overemphasizing the impor- tance of money, let me make a statement based on classroom observations from three other continents. I have taught in schools where the classrooms were unheated and there was not a single computer in the entire building, yet the students were sponges for learning. They understood the value of learning and, in one case, the students not only gave up their spring holiday to attend classes but even paid out of their pockets to be there! They knew a single week polish- ing their English skills could make a huge difference in whether they would be able to get jobs working at the Olympics being held in Beijing. In my opinion, the most important factor was the pri- ority the local culture places on education. The other difficult but important difference was the acceptance that not all students were bound for the Ivy League. Students' progress was closely monitored and those with the proper aptitudes or willingness to work extra hard continued upward. Those who have talents tending toward the vocational arts receive special- ized training to help them make a good living in the trades. Those lacking the aptitude or drive to learn, understood that their options in life would be limited. It may sound cruel, but just wanting to go to college to make a lot of money is not enough of a reason to advance a student and throw buckets of student-loan money at them. In the end, they may not only fail but end up without the skills or resources needed to pay off the debt they have incurred. Being a good teacher means being able to reach students where they are at and giving them the tools they need to be successful on their own. This task has become increasingly difficult with grow- ing class sizes and decreased support for those with special needs. Adding the whole specter of trying to during a pandemic has only complicated matters even more. Sporadic attendance and social distancing make creating an environment conducive to learn- ing even more difficult. Online learning en masse is something hardly anyone teaching in the schools today was trained to do and the students have never experienced. We all have heard stories about our grandparents having to walk uphill in a snowstorm to attend school. Wait until the grandkids of today's students have to listen to stories about trying to attend classes at dialup internet speeds with their younger siblings screaming in the background. IF Learning Among the Chaos BY GREGG LOSINSKI OUT THERE

• Cover