Why Do Only The Bad Stories In Education Go Viral?

Why do only the bad stories in education go viral? Reflections on being back in the classroom…

That’s what I was left thinking after my first week back in the classroom, teaching.

The last few weeks social media had a flood of “these kids can’t write a sentence” or “they don’t listen” or “they don’t read books” or “they can’t do simple math” stories.

Each one perpetuating the idea that students just aren’t the same, and it’s really bad out there in schools.

Guess what? 20 years ago teaching middle school and high school English I had kids that struggled to write, or read a book, and you know what we DID NOT DO…post social media videos about it.

My son has his own struggles with math, and I would be so upset if someone was posting about it at his school.

But I digress…

Seeing all of this had me a bit worried about what the classroom would be like in 2026.

Here are a few honest reflections I had on my first week back:

1. Colleagues want the best for each other and the kids. This one was so great to see. I’ve been working with so many schools around the country the last decade. This week I worked with the school where I student-taught (full circle moment) and spent time in Maine with two different school districts.
   
   But, being back in the faculty room, strategic planning sessions with colleagues, and walking the hallways talking with folks, one thing was clear: we want the best for kids. I also had a ton of support from colleagues with the simple stuff like adding printers, connecting to the screens in my class, where/how to print, and procedures for all those little things you forget about.

2. The students want to learn (for the most part). This isn’t to say that everything went smoothly in my classes. Far from it. But, when we got past the procedural “start of the school year” stuff and into the actual teaching/learning…that’s when the attention kicked in.
   
   It got me thinking about how much of school for students can be a mundane, compliance-driven experience where they spend more time jumping through hoops then actually learning. This is something I’m really interested in being back in the classroom part-time, and I want to see what it looks like 3 months or 6 months into the school year.

3. I did too much talking, or maybe not enough teaching. Got to admit. I’ve been spending the majority of my time working with adults, leadership teams, and large groups. In an effort to make some connections, I think I spent way too much time talking (especially about me). I know that at the beginning of the year you have to do this, but I need to focus more on teaching, listening, and learning.

4. There is so much on teachers’ and administrators’ plates. The amount of things I had to do in order to get ready to teach a class was insane. If folks think you just get a key to your classroom, a textbook, a curriculum, and then start teaching…wow you are out of touch. Teaching has never been more complicated, and administrators have never been more pulled from all directions. It’s exhausting, even if it is worth it.

5. Let’s not forget the students’ plates. They are full! Rotating schedules, different teachers, rigorous classes, homework piling up, after school activities, social life and all of this with a 24/7 technology in their pockets connected to all the people they know, all the information in the world, and all the distractions that come along with it. Overwhelming to be a student these days to say the least.

6. Lucky. I feel lucky to get to teach students and work with colleagues at a school that has the right priorities, and really wants what is best for each and every kid that walks through the doors every day. As much as I’m excited to do some coaching with our staff, I’m just as pumped to learn from them, see what is working right now, and build on such a strong foundation.

I promised myself I would spend more time documenting being back in the classroom, and I’m planning on doing some videos, sharing articles and reflections like this, and highlighting so much of the good I see in our school and the schools I get to work with around the country (and world).

This week I’ll be back in the classroom on Monday, then working with teachers in New York, and speaking in Barcelona.

There is so much good happening in education, let’s make sure we share it out as loud and as far as possible so more of those stories can go viral and make some headlines!