We distributed postcards to Education Lab newsletter subscribers and asked them to write down an insight they'd like to remember, or action they'd like to take to improve schools. Here's what they wrote -- and we invite you to do the same.
If you’ve been “meaning” to attend a school board meeting or volunteer in a school, or write your legislator about an education issue, we have a fun way to keep yourself accountable.
Last week, we provided a venue (the top floor of Seattle’s Pyramid Alehouse) for Education Lab newsletter subscribers and others to ponder the topics in education that stump them. With Mr. Sketch markers in hand, they broke off into groups based on the questions they wanted to discuss, such as: “Where are the parents? Is PTSA dead?” and “Why do so many Seattle parents send their kids to private schools?” and “How do we decide if a school is failing?”
Afterward, we asked them to identify a thought or question or point they especially wanted to remember. Â And we gave them postcards to write them down. Â We collected them afterward, and in a couple of weeks, we’ll mail them back.
With their permission, we thought we’d share some of them with you.
“I would like to write an op-ed on the liberal guilt I have in having my daughter in a private co-op rather than a public school — especially when my wife is a public school teacher.”
– Kent Palosaari
“We have so many incredible people interested in improving the education system. This system, like most of the things worthwhile, is complex and nuanced. How we navigate bringing all our voices together is so critical, don’t focus on the one cause, on the one problem, or the one solution. The problems and solutions will be multi-faceted and we need to be supportive of one another. Trust one another. Give support to every good idea, not just the one you have to agree with.”
– Ashleigh Baumgardner Â
Feeling inspired to act or record an insight? If you’d like to write postcard a note to yourself (and share it with us), download and print this PDF on a double-sided and at 68 percent scale, fill the card out and send it to dbazzaz@seattletimes.com. You’re free to fill this out electronically, too, if you wish. We’ll mail (or email) it back to you within three weeks. And if you’re interesting joining us for similar events in the future, sign up for our weekly newsletter.Â