Young teachers offer their takes on what is needed to improve classroom learning

COVID-19 jumpstarted the current education crisis. What can we expect when everyone is pulled out of school for six months, and then brought back only halfway for the next year?

First, let’s talk about the hard facts of the damages. The test score gap has widened by a significant percentage, absences have skyrocketed, and the number of new teachers has decreased. Many states have actually lowered standards for what counts as passing or proficient.

Michael J. Petrilli, in a guest essay for The New York Times, diagnoses the problem as this:

“Virtually all schools and districts have enjoyed a vacation from accountability. … We need to rethink our lax grading policies, make clear to parents that their children need to be at school and bring back high school graduation exams and the like to ensure that students buckle down. They must gain skills — and sometimes that means strengthening their will to learn. Education matters. Achievement matters. We need leaders who are willing to say so and educators who are willing to act as if these simple propositions are true.”

So, what are the up-and-coming group of educators saying about this? How do they feel – and why are they still interested in entering a field Gallup describes as “underwater”?

Mia Gibson, a 2024 JMU graduate, entered the teaching workforce as a teacher’s assistant  She wanted to make sure she was properly equipped and prepared to have a classroom of her own, and lead so many students in their education.

After that experience, here’s her take on the problem.

“I think a crisis in education is the quality of instruction being taught. Not because of the teachers’ fault, but because of behaviors. One of the biggest problems at my school is behavior. Behaviors at this school range from the very minimal (disrespect, talking, etc.) to extreme violence (hitting, biting, throwing, eloping and destroying rooms). Once these behaviors start to escalate, it’s impossible to continue teaching as the teacher’s attention must go to the student who has now caused the room to be unsafe.

“Now that valuable teaching time has been spent on trying to calm the student while the rest of the class has to sit and wait. This is a regular occurrence and is unfair to all parties involved. Over the years, I think accountability for behaviors has decreased, and teachers have had to take on a more parental role (rather than an academic) and actual schooling is not viewed as the first priority. Until there is a shift in viewpoints and accountability, I think the quality of education will continue to decrease because teachers have to spend their time dealing with behaviors rather than academics in class.”

JMU senior elementary education student Macie Nester, who has a confirmed job teaching second grade in the Waynesboro school system starting in the 2025-2026 school year, offered her view on the problems and how to amend them.

When I asked her what the problems are, she responded, “so many things.” In elaboration, she gave a specified list of the bigger things that came to her mind.

1. “The high reliance teachers have on assessing their students’ learning through standardized tests.”
2. “Lack of dedicated time for social studies in education. Structured literacy gets around 2-3 hours a day and then history/social studies is crammed into 45 minutes at the end of the day.”
3. “Some teachers are unaware and uneducated in culturally responsive teaching. When teachers are unaware of their students’ needs individually and their culture, they will create assumptions about their behaviors. Hence, they will be punished unfairly, and their ability to learn is hindered.”

I asked Nester what she plans to do about this next year in her own classroom. While her commitment to better education will only make a difference to a minimal number of students, it will significantly impact that small number, and maybe even inspire the other educators in her school.

“As I enter the field of education, faced with challenges and barriers, I feel both frustrated and determined to make a meaningful change,” Nester said. “Teachers must set high expectations for themselves and their students, always seeking ways to improve and support student growth. Recognizing each student’s unique background, interests, and learning style, I will create a welcoming environment that fosters creativity and curiosity. In addition to academic growth, I will nurture emotional and social development by promoting a community of kindness, respect, and trust within the classroom.”