Let's Plan!

I'm not even going to pretend to understand the tedious and I'm sure, stressful process it takes to make short term and long term plans for an entire school district. I'm envisioning hours upon hours and lots of discussion to ensure that school districts make decisions that will positively effect all those involved for years to come.

As I watched the TED Talk, 3 ways to plan for the (very) long term, I thought about how school districts could possibly plan for the future 10-15 years out. Education is constantly changing. Nothing is usually the exact same year after year so to plan for that far in advance would be tricky territory to cross, in my opinion of course. As an educator, seeing goals for 10 years + out would give a glimpse of where the district would like to be, however, after 12 years of teaching, the processes are very different than when I first started. I'm sure that administration is always looking far into the future and have reasonable goals for the time, but time changes and educators know to expect surprises year after year despite the goals.

Short term goals, on the other hand, are much better suited for the educators who are meant to carry out these expectations that may change each year. By using a short planning cycle and revising the plan every 3-6 months to a year and meeting regularly, districts could better understand the day to day successes and challenges that face educators that may change the goals created.

One last note...I think it is important for administrators to keep staff up to date on district goals and when they change, if applicable. It's difficult for teachers to keep on top of everything in a comprehensive plan all while conducting the day to day operations a teacher is required to do. Let's all work together to keep one another informed of long and short term goals to do what's best for the district.