This week we focused on a couple chapters of William Ayers book "To Teach the journey of a teacher." In chapter seven Ayers states "The single most powerful predictor of how a child will do on any standardized tests is how he or she did on the first test ever taken, and the single most powerful predictor of how a child will do on that first test is the economic status and educational background of the parents."
Ayers opines that we could save a lot of time, energy, money and stress simply by asking a single question "How much money does your Mom make?" Based on the answer given that child would be placed on the totem pole of students in the classroom. So, so sad.
In Tested; the novel by Linda Perlstein, the K-5 elementary school is put through an enormous psychological burden of standardized testing in order to crawl back up from not making adequate yearly progress. From September through March of the year that Ms. Perlstein spent with Tyler Heights Elementary; for seven full months of a nine and a half month school year; they spent their full days readying for the standardized test that would tell them; as Ayers states, how well the rats have run in their maze, on that particular day.
At Tyler Heights there was never any direct mention of teacher retention statistics; but some pretty powerful verbiage. Their one teacher of color was leaving; she could not take the stress anymore and had begun interviewing in a school where parents participated; kids read well and passing state tests was a matter of course. One that didn't need to serve breakfast; and assumedly, a school that was not a Title I school. The school that she wanted only went through second grade; thus no standardized testing.
They were losing Mrs. Williams too; she decided at the end of the year that the plans for next year were again so rigid and militaristic that she could not be part of it. Telling the teachers what was to be planned during their planning periods was the proverbial straw. I can't imagine not being able to prioritize my planning time for the most important work first; it sounds degrading.
So one of the major issues at Tyler Heights; that of teacher turn-over; was arguably worsened by the stranglehold that the NCLB corrections placed upon the school. It seems that because of the testing; and the teaching to the test, these teachers could not continue at this school. Even with the scores that they posted, these kids would be faced with a near thirty percent new faces come fall; and teachers attempting to collaborate would need to start the process all over again, and for how many times in a row? It wears you down. It would wear me down.
Ayers was right in his statement that as hard as folks work to prepare the kids for these tests they simply cannot erase the heart-shattering differences in what they come to school already knowing; "exposure to real books, conversations about the content of stories, a word-rich and literate environment, and an understanding of the power of language." Substituting an ability to take multiple choice tests is not of equal value.
At the end of the book the Principal was replacing about the same number of teachers as at the beginning; roughly a third. The laser sharp focus on the MSA and how to get and keep their numbers up mowed through teachers as much as their intent to make a difference in the lives of children with few advantages had brought them to this school. They could not take the stress.
Even after the scores had been posted the teachers at this school knew what William Ayers had stated "standardized tests can't measure initiative, creativity, imagination, conceptual thinking, curiosity, effort, irony, judgment, valuable dispositions and attributes. What they can measure and count are isolated skills, specific facts and functions, the least interesting and least significant aspects of learning. It seemed a hollow victory for a number of teachers and more of a personal achievement for the Principal.
Ayers states elsewhere that there are some positive assesment tools; and that assessment is a necessary thing. Portfolio's, projects and performances make his list of possible evaluative tools that would give the teacher's a look into what is occurring inside their students minds. It would be outstanding if it were all schools that could "afford" these assessments; and not just choice schools, charter schools and more conventionally private schools.
At some point will Tyler heights be allowed to do science experiments before April? To write poems and visit places of interest, to connect MSA vocabulary words with real life rather than with flashcards? You can hope that eventually this will happen, but what happens when their Principal has a heart attach (again?) or must leave to care for her mother? What happens when the new Principal will not give 85 hours a week to this position? Do they slide right back down the statistical totem pole? How can it be acceptable to anyone; including Tina, that this is what it takes from the staff, the administration and most of all the students in order for them to be deemed worthy of adequate yearly progress and no longer a failing school.
I think the school is failing; they are failing the human beings that work there; on both sides of the teacher's desk. The teachers are burnt out and numb; the Principal is literally killing herself and the kids have learned in four years to answer multiple choice tests and write a BCR. No more, no less. If life includes those two skills these kids have it made; but as Ayers stated; I believe this standardized testing has narrowed the life chances of half of the kids taking it.
***Last week the question was posed: what would a classroom look like with less teacher talk and more interaction... I think it would look like kids taking turns writing tests and teaching sections to each other; it would look like gadgets and gizmo's and blogs and wiki's. It would be skyping to Zimbabwe to check in on friends and their school. It would be a caring community where kids have an opportunity to be active in their learning. Different color flags for different areas of education that the kids can wave when they percieve that this lesson in Social Studies is really about the science of volcanoes and how that moved people from one area to another. And then Julie would show up and demand they produce a volcano from the items in her basket... and they would. Athena would drop in and want to know from their vocabulary lists in Spanish what words would pertain to this lesson; and how they would say "the volcano is erupting, and i made it myself!" At that point someone would put on the Presidents of the United States of America and play the song Volcano. Incidentally, Gary Locke has a solo in that on our DVD. Meanwhile, Mrs. Becker-Brown would be in the mingling with the masses; duct tape over her mouth while the kids sang the song; learning all the vocabulary they need. And yes; I will post the song on our wiki.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Emotional Understanding... Nature vs Nurture
I chose a new quote of the week today, and found exactly what I was needing. “I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.”Dr. Haim Ginott
In the lengthy (yes, that was a shot) article by Andy Gargreaves written in 1998 he discusses the most important emotional relationships that teachers have, and that affect their teaching; the emotional relationship between the teacher and the students (Hargreaves p 838). He discusses the aspects of emotional expression in times of dramatic social change, although the time that he is discussing is ten years ago. We are in, I believe, another time of dramatic social change.. either that or for each decade there are those who believe that society is changing dramatically. That may be true, or if it is not perhaps it should be. If we are not changing dramatically than we must believe that we have achieved our best work as a society, and for me that means that we are feeding, inoculating, teaching and caring for our most fragile citizens.
Ahh, enough far-left socialist rhetoric. (that should add blog traffic) There is an old adage "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Many families experience this adage by tip-toeing around the most volatile person, but it also adds to the conversation the emotional state of the family leader, be that matriarch or patriarch. Does it necessarily follow that if the teacher ain't happy ain't nobody happy? I don't think that Hargreaves is saying that the teacher must be happy, per se, but that the teacher's emotions are of great importance in the classroom.
Hargreaves seems to be saying that as teaching is an emotional practice that involves emotional understanding; one that "helps us recognize that what we see is fear, pride, embarrassment or disgust, it helps us to understand that the emotions in question are either justified or misplaced in this context; and it helps us to respond accordingly, as we see fit" (Hargreaves 839). My take away from that portion of this article was the huge trust that we place in our teachers, as parents, to see past our children's actions and the teacher's past and to emotionally interpret each child in the room as their needs are known. A Herculean task, make no mistake.
Last night my fourth grader and his new-ish friend were sitting at the kitchen table doing homework before going downstairs to watch James Bond. And no, the guns, the babes, I'm not a fan... there is another parent in the house that is, and after re-watching a couple there is little blood, the sex scenes are fade to black and the boys love the gadgets and saving the world. One boy was much slower in his work; not struggling but definitely angling for someone to come do some of the work for him. The other shot through the math packet and was ready to put away. One was doing each problem twice; double checking as the teacher expected, although things were so messy good luck reading the long division answers. (Why aren't they given more space on these packets? Are some kids so well written that this is deemed an appropriate space for doing the problem AND double checking?) The other boy did not want help. He did not want anyone looking at his work and insisted no cursory glance by an adult was necessary. He said something interesting "Ms. Kelley talks so much in class that I just stop listening. I can get half of it done before she even stops. It's so annoying, I'm bored all the time." The other boy agreed, and added his examples of too much talking by the teacher.
Are they taken for the quiet studious type? A hard worker when really it is boredom that pushes them through the assignments... what will happen when their innate ability to do math peters out and they needs instruction? Hargreaves speaks of inaccuracies of emotional understanding and how "(t)eachers frequently misconstrue their students' exuberance for hostility, bored compliance for studious commitment, embarrassment for stubbornness and silent respect for sullen resistance. These misunderstandings seriously interfere with teachers' ability to help their students learn." (Hargreaves, 839)
These misunderstanding, or mis-readings of students' emotions can spell danger to the classroom, and to the student. The boys speaking in my home are seen as respectful, a good listener in the classroom, but out of class they do not seem terribly respectful of the process or the teacher (although she does tend to go on and on... as a Master teacher she had more than her share of kids that need instructions multiple times, and her expectations are VERY high for the whole class.) I felt honored to be able to hear the boys complaints, and grateful that they were not shots at her looks, personality, taste.... but real complaints about what they perceived as an inundation of speaking. Now these boys will be the first to start their tasks while instructions are being given, then come to a point where they can't go on until the instructions are repeated; from where they deigned to disregard the teacher.
Hargreaves is concerned that so little time, energy and though seem to go into replicating and building upon classrooms where emotional and cognitive understanding is successfully occurring. He seems to believe that teachers who may not innately hold these skills can learn from those who do; it is an age-old discussion about teachers. Great teachers are born teachers, it is not a process of collecting skills; society seems to say. Teaching is an emotional practice, as stated by Hargreaves, and we have much to learn from those who are not only emotional, but understand emotions as well. Perhaps it is a bit of both nature AND nurture that makes a teacher successful at emotional understanding.
In the lengthy (yes, that was a shot) article by Andy Gargreaves written in 1998 he discusses the most important emotional relationships that teachers have, and that affect their teaching; the emotional relationship between the teacher and the students (Hargreaves p 838). He discusses the aspects of emotional expression in times of dramatic social change, although the time that he is discussing is ten years ago. We are in, I believe, another time of dramatic social change.. either that or for each decade there are those who believe that society is changing dramatically. That may be true, or if it is not perhaps it should be. If we are not changing dramatically than we must believe that we have achieved our best work as a society, and for me that means that we are feeding, inoculating, teaching and caring for our most fragile citizens.
Ahh, enough far-left socialist rhetoric. (that should add blog traffic) There is an old adage "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Many families experience this adage by tip-toeing around the most volatile person, but it also adds to the conversation the emotional state of the family leader, be that matriarch or patriarch. Does it necessarily follow that if the teacher ain't happy ain't nobody happy? I don't think that Hargreaves is saying that the teacher must be happy, per se, but that the teacher's emotions are of great importance in the classroom.
Hargreaves seems to be saying that as teaching is an emotional practice that involves emotional understanding; one that "helps us recognize that what we see is fear, pride, embarrassment or disgust, it helps us to understand that the emotions in question are either justified or misplaced in this context; and it helps us to respond accordingly, as we see fit" (Hargreaves 839). My take away from that portion of this article was the huge trust that we place in our teachers, as parents, to see past our children's actions and the teacher's past and to emotionally interpret each child in the room as their needs are known. A Herculean task, make no mistake.
Last night my fourth grader and his new-ish friend were sitting at the kitchen table doing homework before going downstairs to watch James Bond. And no, the guns, the babes, I'm not a fan... there is another parent in the house that is, and after re-watching a couple there is little blood, the sex scenes are fade to black and the boys love the gadgets and saving the world. One boy was much slower in his work; not struggling but definitely angling for someone to come do some of the work for him. The other shot through the math packet and was ready to put away. One was doing each problem twice; double checking as the teacher expected, although things were so messy good luck reading the long division answers. (Why aren't they given more space on these packets? Are some kids so well written that this is deemed an appropriate space for doing the problem AND double checking?) The other boy did not want help. He did not want anyone looking at his work and insisted no cursory glance by an adult was necessary. He said something interesting "Ms. Kelley talks so much in class that I just stop listening. I can get half of it done before she even stops. It's so annoying, I'm bored all the time." The other boy agreed, and added his examples of too much talking by the teacher.
Are they taken for the quiet studious type? A hard worker when really it is boredom that pushes them through the assignments... what will happen when their innate ability to do math peters out and they needs instruction? Hargreaves speaks of inaccuracies of emotional understanding and how "(t)eachers frequently misconstrue their students' exuberance for hostility, bored compliance for studious commitment, embarrassment for stubbornness and silent respect for sullen resistance. These misunderstandings seriously interfere with teachers' ability to help their students learn." (Hargreaves, 839)
These misunderstanding, or mis-readings of students' emotions can spell danger to the classroom, and to the student. The boys speaking in my home are seen as respectful, a good listener in the classroom, but out of class they do not seem terribly respectful of the process or the teacher (although she does tend to go on and on... as a Master teacher she had more than her share of kids that need instructions multiple times, and her expectations are VERY high for the whole class.) I felt honored to be able to hear the boys complaints, and grateful that they were not shots at her looks, personality, taste.... but real complaints about what they perceived as an inundation of speaking. Now these boys will be the first to start their tasks while instructions are being given, then come to a point where they can't go on until the instructions are repeated; from where they deigned to disregard the teacher.
Hargreaves is concerned that so little time, energy and though seem to go into replicating and building upon classrooms where emotional and cognitive understanding is successfully occurring. He seems to believe that teachers who may not innately hold these skills can learn from those who do; it is an age-old discussion about teachers. Great teachers are born teachers, it is not a process of collecting skills; society seems to say. Teaching is an emotional practice, as stated by Hargreaves, and we have much to learn from those who are not only emotional, but understand emotions as well. Perhaps it is a bit of both nature AND nurture that makes a teacher successful at emotional understanding.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
You can’t say you can’t play. I picked up Ms. Paley at first because I wanted to feel that I was accomplishing something on our endless list of readings, then finished it in one night so that I would have the opportunity to read it again before we were done with it.
At first I thought it was a lightweight read, and the magpie fairy tale was annoying… yes, annoying. I needed to get something done and those italics were bothersome and the story didn’t seem to be going anywhere. As I read, I began to look forward to the pages that began again to spin the tale of friendship and trust, of taking chances and changing everything.
Magpie, Prince Kareem and Alexandra caught my fancy, but it was Beatrix that I rooted for. I wanted her to do the right thing, to save the world (and Raymond’s Father) but I didn’t want her to lose what made her different; she wasn’t a princess.
Not blond. Not petite. Not well-mannered. Not nice, sometimes. Not patient or thoughtful or particularly pretty. But she was smart, and she could think through strategy. She was brave, and loyal. Controlling, yes. Evil, no. Beatrix was her own person, not some milk-toast princess with a pointy hat and a penchant for rainbows and unicorns.
At first I was confused that she wanted to be invited to tea. She wanted into the inner circle, wanted to be with the princess’. I thought at first that she would then start attending school and doing good deeds, but she was not going to trade friendship for who she was inside. She didn’t like sharing and wasn’t willing to give up her evil ways just to drink tea with the popular crowd. Can you tell that I liked her immensely? She changed some small habits, added friendship to her definition of who she was and played by society’s rules when she was with society. Interesting though, that both princess’ thought that Beatrix’s skills would be useful when teamed up with Raymond in the quest to save his father. It was okay with them that she was a witch, that she continued to be a witch and although she mostly played nice with them she made no attempts to cut off her “naughty” or “bad” habits. She even says to Raymond “Now, listen to me. Always do your mischief on purpose because no one believes you if you say it’s an accident.” To me, she seemed to be saying that you should accept who you are and move forward, but if you want to shed lonliness and have real friends you need to follow those rules and boundaries too.
Much like Lisa in Ms. Paley’s classroom, Beatrix was willing to accept the rules and boundaries of play once they were indelible. Talking was talking; rules were rules.
Ms. Paley sought to make a difference in the 200 year old habit of play, acceptance and rejection within her classroom. She allowed the children to have a voice in the new order, but I noticed that she led the discussion with her questions and comments too, and this was not a democratic vote but a complete coup in the name of those that become strangers in their own school.
The have-nots, the lonely ones, the second rate. Sometimes it made me so uncomfortable to hear what the children had to say in each grade, right in front of the kids that they did not want to play with. And I remember our rule that you ran to the other side of the playground as soon as recess started if that was a playing house day; because Shelby would not run after us. Eventually Shelby did find a group of kids to call friends. Eventually means 5th or 6th grade… that is a lot of years of not remembering if she had anyone to play with.
I remember plenty of rejections too. That incredibly mean girl Julie that would convince the other kids to hide from me until I went home in defeat, or to play tag until I gave up because I just couldn’t tag anyone… I was the slowest runner. I don’t think she was any happier for keeping people out, and I look back at her childhood and see many red flags in her home that would give rise to a list of recommendations in any report I wrote now. I wonder how she turned out, and what she tells her kids now?
I know what I tell mine, and it is the same hypocritical stance that I intend to take with boys, alcohol etc… do as I say and not how I did. “It’s not kind to leave someone out. How does that make them feel? How would you feel if that was you? It won’t hurt you to include them.” But they know, just as kids have always known, that it is unsafe to champion the friendless one. Like a drowning swimmer they may cling to you until you both go down.
I want them to be brave. And thoughtful. I want them to care about kids that don’t have calls and texts for play-dates. It breaks my heart when they are hurt; when Nik was told by the kindergarten kingpin that if he wanted to play he had to be the bad guy… every time. He still loves that kid, and I still breathe deeply whenever his name comes up.
Inclusion is worthy of a novel. Worthy of a fairy tale and worthy of a rule.
Maybe the public schools can care that much, change that much and erase that much pain… maybe this isn’t just for the University of Chicago laboratory schools.
At first I thought it was a lightweight read, and the magpie fairy tale was annoying… yes, annoying. I needed to get something done and those italics were bothersome and the story didn’t seem to be going anywhere. As I read, I began to look forward to the pages that began again to spin the tale of friendship and trust, of taking chances and changing everything.
Magpie, Prince Kareem and Alexandra caught my fancy, but it was Beatrix that I rooted for. I wanted her to do the right thing, to save the world (and Raymond’s Father) but I didn’t want her to lose what made her different; she wasn’t a princess.
Not blond. Not petite. Not well-mannered. Not nice, sometimes. Not patient or thoughtful or particularly pretty. But she was smart, and she could think through strategy. She was brave, and loyal. Controlling, yes. Evil, no. Beatrix was her own person, not some milk-toast princess with a pointy hat and a penchant for rainbows and unicorns.
At first I was confused that she wanted to be invited to tea. She wanted into the inner circle, wanted to be with the princess’. I thought at first that she would then start attending school and doing good deeds, but she was not going to trade friendship for who she was inside. She didn’t like sharing and wasn’t willing to give up her evil ways just to drink tea with the popular crowd. Can you tell that I liked her immensely? She changed some small habits, added friendship to her definition of who she was and played by society’s rules when she was with society. Interesting though, that both princess’ thought that Beatrix’s skills would be useful when teamed up with Raymond in the quest to save his father. It was okay with them that she was a witch, that she continued to be a witch and although she mostly played nice with them she made no attempts to cut off her “naughty” or “bad” habits. She even says to Raymond “Now, listen to me. Always do your mischief on purpose because no one believes you if you say it’s an accident.” To me, she seemed to be saying that you should accept who you are and move forward, but if you want to shed lonliness and have real friends you need to follow those rules and boundaries too.
Much like Lisa in Ms. Paley’s classroom, Beatrix was willing to accept the rules and boundaries of play once they were indelible. Talking was talking; rules were rules.
Ms. Paley sought to make a difference in the 200 year old habit of play, acceptance and rejection within her classroom. She allowed the children to have a voice in the new order, but I noticed that she led the discussion with her questions and comments too, and this was not a democratic vote but a complete coup in the name of those that become strangers in their own school.
The have-nots, the lonely ones, the second rate. Sometimes it made me so uncomfortable to hear what the children had to say in each grade, right in front of the kids that they did not want to play with. And I remember our rule that you ran to the other side of the playground as soon as recess started if that was a playing house day; because Shelby would not run after us. Eventually Shelby did find a group of kids to call friends. Eventually means 5th or 6th grade… that is a lot of years of not remembering if she had anyone to play with.
I remember plenty of rejections too. That incredibly mean girl Julie that would convince the other kids to hide from me until I went home in defeat, or to play tag until I gave up because I just couldn’t tag anyone… I was the slowest runner. I don’t think she was any happier for keeping people out, and I look back at her childhood and see many red flags in her home that would give rise to a list of recommendations in any report I wrote now. I wonder how she turned out, and what she tells her kids now?
I know what I tell mine, and it is the same hypocritical stance that I intend to take with boys, alcohol etc… do as I say and not how I did. “It’s not kind to leave someone out. How does that make them feel? How would you feel if that was you? It won’t hurt you to include them.” But they know, just as kids have always known, that it is unsafe to champion the friendless one. Like a drowning swimmer they may cling to you until you both go down.
I want them to be brave. And thoughtful. I want them to care about kids that don’t have calls and texts for play-dates. It breaks my heart when they are hurt; when Nik was told by the kindergarten kingpin that if he wanted to play he had to be the bad guy… every time. He still loves that kid, and I still breathe deeply whenever his name comes up.
Inclusion is worthy of a novel. Worthy of a fairy tale and worthy of a rule.
Maybe the public schools can care that much, change that much and erase that much pain… maybe this isn’t just for the University of Chicago laboratory schools.
Monday, February 9, 2009
News and Goods
Well, the powers that be have announced that they will not be offering the 9th graders an opportunity to take the 10th grade WASL this year; if they pass any of the three they are not required to take them in high school. I assume that since our new Superintendent has proclaimed the WASL dead it makes sense not to prolong the issue. It has been said that the state will save $500,000.00 with this decision.
How much will changing the WASL cost? For I just don't believe that we are starting from scratch, nor do I believe that the new test will be that vastly different from the one our children are taking in April. Shorter, yes. On computers, for some. It will still test math, reading, writing and some science skills. It will still be multiple choice with short essay. It will still interrupt lives and displease some portion of educators, parents and administrators.
This week one of the readings was centered upon community building. Building a Safe Community for Learning written by Mara Sapon-Shevin. She begins by describing the feel of different classrooms; one full of tension and one with an easy joyfulness. I have seen this myself, and wondered about the ramifications for the students. Delivering stacks of PTSA phone books to all of the classrooms in succession I walked into every class in my children's elementary school within 45 minutes. Each classroom was brightly decorated, the kindergarten rooms so full of art that I took for granted just a couple months ago, and now think sadly of the schools that we read of in Chicago (granted, the article was over 10 years old) that had no art, no art supplies, no love.
But I digress. It was contrasting different classrooms that held my thoughts that day. One third grade classroom was taught by an educator that had been at this school for over 15 years. There were stacks of papers, books, notebooks, art projects, and really everything else a classroom could hold, and these stacks were literally everywhere. I could hardly find the teacher and when presented with the large tower of phone books her eyes scanned for somewhere that I could put them down and there was not an inch to spare.
This room seemed gloomy to me, and had the overall feel of being pressed down. Kids looked up when I walked in, but no one seemed particularly interested in either me or what they had in front of them; which was a worksheet. The educator sat at her desk behind a wall of their finished work, trying to find a place to use her mouse. I couldn't wait to get out of that room.
In another fourth grade room the desks were clean and completely clear. Not even nametags. The teacher's desk was clear and the area around her computer held not even a sheet of paper. It felt like that room had more oxygen. I told her that her room felt so easy to breathe in, and she replied that many people had commented on that and she thought maybe this room had more windows that others, other than that she could not find a difference.
Building a safer community for learning may begin with being approachable, and organized. My style at home is much closer to the piles of papers everywhere and that concerns me; if I can't keep my children's home approachable and organized what will I do with yet another place to be in charge of? Organization comes to the forefront of many if not most lists of attributes that I hear when describing a "good teacher."
I think there was more to that classroom than a mysterious extra window, or the frighteningly clean desks. The kids there knew the rules and were given time and opportunity to follow them. This wasn't the end of school but the middle of the day; things were on track and emotions in that room felt tranquil and calm.
The concept of a "check-in" was discussed in the article; whether that was during role or at another time of the day with News and Goods. In scouts we have been trained to use check-ins of every sort; from a favorite flavor of cool-aid or jell-o to what kind of weather is inside your head today. As my girls get older this can open discussions that are only covered by permission slip! We use this at leader meetings too; community building is a need at every level; we run meetings with women who have been in scouts for 10 days and have 15 kindergartners and are sitting next to a woman who has been in for 16 years and has 4 seniors in high school. These women need an opportunity to see what they have in common, they already know some of their major differences!
I like the news and goods idea; a chance to share without bragging what has gone right in your life. I see within me the very thing discussed in the conclusion "Such discussions may be hard and even painful, bu the willingness to open up issues of exclusion, fairness, difference, prejudice , and discrimination, as well as the challenges of learning to work together can enrich the community as a whole and deepen teacher and student understanding of the many forces that keep people separate and isolated." To me, it is scary to lead a discussion in exclusion, I don't trust that my skills will lead us to a positive outcome and am quite afraid that things could get worse. In the older elementary grades where I want to spend my days these are vital to the success of the community. Difficult conversations require more than respect and patience, trust in your classroom and most importantly in yourself as a community builder and educator play the most important roles in creating a safe classroom.
How much will changing the WASL cost? For I just don't believe that we are starting from scratch, nor do I believe that the new test will be that vastly different from the one our children are taking in April. Shorter, yes. On computers, for some. It will still test math, reading, writing and some science skills. It will still be multiple choice with short essay. It will still interrupt lives and displease some portion of educators, parents and administrators.
This week one of the readings was centered upon community building. Building a Safe Community for Learning written by Mara Sapon-Shevin. She begins by describing the feel of different classrooms; one full of tension and one with an easy joyfulness. I have seen this myself, and wondered about the ramifications for the students. Delivering stacks of PTSA phone books to all of the classrooms in succession I walked into every class in my children's elementary school within 45 minutes. Each classroom was brightly decorated, the kindergarten rooms so full of art that I took for granted just a couple months ago, and now think sadly of the schools that we read of in Chicago (granted, the article was over 10 years old) that had no art, no art supplies, no love.
But I digress. It was contrasting different classrooms that held my thoughts that day. One third grade classroom was taught by an educator that had been at this school for over 15 years. There were stacks of papers, books, notebooks, art projects, and really everything else a classroom could hold, and these stacks were literally everywhere. I could hardly find the teacher and when presented with the large tower of phone books her eyes scanned for somewhere that I could put them down and there was not an inch to spare.
This room seemed gloomy to me, and had the overall feel of being pressed down. Kids looked up when I walked in, but no one seemed particularly interested in either me or what they had in front of them; which was a worksheet. The educator sat at her desk behind a wall of their finished work, trying to find a place to use her mouse. I couldn't wait to get out of that room.
In another fourth grade room the desks were clean and completely clear. Not even nametags. The teacher's desk was clear and the area around her computer held not even a sheet of paper. It felt like that room had more oxygen. I told her that her room felt so easy to breathe in, and she replied that many people had commented on that and she thought maybe this room had more windows that others, other than that she could not find a difference.
Building a safer community for learning may begin with being approachable, and organized. My style at home is much closer to the piles of papers everywhere and that concerns me; if I can't keep my children's home approachable and organized what will I do with yet another place to be in charge of? Organization comes to the forefront of many if not most lists of attributes that I hear when describing a "good teacher."
I think there was more to that classroom than a mysterious extra window, or the frighteningly clean desks. The kids there knew the rules and were given time and opportunity to follow them. This wasn't the end of school but the middle of the day; things were on track and emotions in that room felt tranquil and calm.
The concept of a "check-in" was discussed in the article; whether that was during role or at another time of the day with News and Goods. In scouts we have been trained to use check-ins of every sort; from a favorite flavor of cool-aid or jell-o to what kind of weather is inside your head today. As my girls get older this can open discussions that are only covered by permission slip! We use this at leader meetings too; community building is a need at every level; we run meetings with women who have been in scouts for 10 days and have 15 kindergartners and are sitting next to a woman who has been in for 16 years and has 4 seniors in high school. These women need an opportunity to see what they have in common, they already know some of their major differences!
I like the news and goods idea; a chance to share without bragging what has gone right in your life. I see within me the very thing discussed in the conclusion "Such discussions may be hard and even painful, bu the willingness to open up issues of exclusion, fairness, difference, prejudice , and discrimination, as well as the challenges of learning to work together can enrich the community as a whole and deepen teacher and student understanding of the many forces that keep people separate and isolated." To me, it is scary to lead a discussion in exclusion, I don't trust that my skills will lead us to a positive outcome and am quite afraid that things could get worse. In the older elementary grades where I want to spend my days these are vital to the success of the community. Difficult conversations require more than respect and patience, trust in your classroom and most importantly in yourself as a community builder and educator play the most important roles in creating a safe classroom.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Education Reform School
From board (bored?) meetings to House bills… this blog gets drier and duller as the weeks go by. I’m inside looking up House bill 1410 and Senate Bill 5444 and the boys are outside playing catch… little league draft is only three weeks away. Yes, here in the Kirkland Little League we start the draft in third grade. Ostensibly it is to “even up” the teams; and everyone is placed, but the pressures for the parents who say things like “it’s just a chance to show the coaches that you want to be there” in their sleep and pop Prilosec by the dozen, well it’s just plain crazy.
I received the following e-mail from a respected friend and felt that I owed her the courtesy of seriously looking into these potential new laws. And I am in over my head. Here is the e-mail; straight from the League of Education Voters website, ready for you to send out to friends and family, with a topical rant from my MSW friend and Seattle mother of two:
Sorry for the following rant, but I'm horrified at what might happen to our public K-12 education if these education finance bills do not make it out of committee. Our state is ranked the 8th worst in providing education dollars per student - and to think of all the wealth (think Microsoft, Amazon etc.) in the Puget Sound area - it is shameful, really.
There is House Bill 1410 and Senate Bill 5444 - they adopt the recommendations made by the Basic Education Finance Task Force. It provides a comprehensive plan for building a K-12 system that prepares our kids for life well after high school, and it asks for some profound changes to our state's education system. Apparently, the word in Olympia is that they are not hearing much from south end parents (Seattle), and thus our reps are not assuming much responsibility for this legislation, and certainly are not taking any leadership role (except Senator Adam Kline - he decided to sponsor the bill after hearing from constituents).
It takes 2 minutes to call - that is what I did. However, I just received an email (excerpt below), that states legislators are counting the # of emails they receive, so that may be a better way for you to act. I think it is easy to feel like you have no influence, but let's face it, politicians are, well, politicians, and they want to get re-elected, so your tiny phone message or email to them is a real threat to their political career, and they just may listen to it. Please take a minute to email or write. If you want more info, a good website is www.educationvoters.org - they even have a "Talking Points" link, as well as the bills in their entirety. Oh, after you call/write , insist your partner do the same, then send this out to others you know who give a damn about a free and adequate public education system.
(Excerpt from League of Education Voters letter below):
The momentum is building to change the outcome of children's lives across our state—and it's all because of you. Your attendance at the hearings and your e-mails are making a difference. But I bet you're asking, what's next?A legislator told me this week that our House and Senate leaders are counting the number of e-mails in support of Senate Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410.Please take just a few minutes to send a message to our state lawmakers so our Governor, and Senate and House leaders can see just how much support is behind these bills.Here's how you can take action today:
· Send your state lawmakers an e-mail. Legislative e-mail addresses arelastname.firstname@leg.wa.gov. If you don't know your legislators' names, click here to find out.
· Or, call your state lawmakers via the legislative hotline at 1-(800) 562-6000.
· Send Gov. Chris Gregoire a message.
· Tell them you support Senate Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410 and include a personal reason why you support these bills.
For more information about SB 5444 and HB 1410, click here.
Peter Callaghan, a writer for the Tacoma News Tribune, had this to say about the bills and the hearings: “The report of the Basic Education Finance Task Force called for a new way of paying and promoting teachers, the first foray into performance pay and for limiting the money flowing from local levies to salaries – issues of concern to the teachers union.
But it also had lots the union should like, especially a proposed 54 percent increase in state support for schools with a good chunk going toward increased teacher pay.
It also would add all-day kindergarten for parents who want it, provide 10 professional training days, provide more-generous, more-certain and legally defensible funding to districts and make early learning part of the constitutionally protected definition of basic education. It likely would lead to higher pay for teachers in high-cost-of-living districts.
Did I mention a 54 percent – at least – increase in state funding? That’s $3.53 billion more each year for K-12 education. All that was enough for the League of Education Voters, Stand for Children, the American Association of University Women, the superintendents of the big Puget Sound-area school districts, the chairwoman of the state School Board, early learning advocates and many parents to give the proposal enthusiastic support.´´
Who doesn’t support these bills? The WEA. Washington Education Association. I barely even know who they are, but in their own words: “WEA is the state's largest public employee union, along with being the dominant professional union for Washington's public school employees. WEA leaders and staff work passionately to attract and retain great teachers and support employees, to strengthen the profession, to shape education policy and to provide a unified voice in support of stronger schools.
The mission of the Washington Education Association is to advance the professional interests of its members in order to make public education the best it can be for students, staff and communities. Our goal is to build confidence in public education and increase support for Washington's public school system. WEA works to increase WEA members' professional status and job satisfaction, improve the quality of and access to public education for all students, and to forge partnerships with parents, business, other unions and community groups.”
Why is the WEA against HB 1410 and SB 5444? Some bloggers, Callaghan included, believe that it is too much change, too fast and that the teacher’s union prefers to defend the status quo, with a sedate march towards full funding for programs ALREADY on the books. Okay, that is a salient point, you much admit. They also suspect that the fact that teachers have moved heaven and earth to get their masters, doctorates and professional certifications in order to comply with current salary standards and that they will not be grandfathered into the new salary standards (if they become law) is a sticking point.
Here is what the WEA says: “HB 1410/SB 5444 is a 111-page bill that dramatically alters all aspects of K-12 public education, including certification, compensation and collective bargaining and it ignores the funding crisis facing our public schools. HB 1410/SB 5444 is a divisive distraction at a time we should be coming together to protect the basics: good teachers, reasonable class sizes and well-rounded education.
HB 1410/SB 5444 replaces the current teacher certification system with a complicated, three-tier system and it dramatically changes teacher evaluation policies. HB 1410/SB 5444 eliminates the current salary allocation model. HB 1410/SB 5444 severely limits the ability of school boards and associations to negotiate local salaries (TRI) to meet the needs of their students.
Kinda makes you feel for the legislators, doesn’t it? Folks so passionately disagreeing on educational reform and these are the education specialists! Will these bills immediately take the funding away for smaller classroom size? Seems like that should be a simple yes or no question but in the blogs, and especially the comment sections there is a rapid fire debate on just that.
Representative Ross Hunters group put out a 17 page summary of the 111 page bill; it can be found at http://whatittakesforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hb-1410-section-by-section-opr.docx.
It should be noted that this bill; 1410, came about in a bi-partisan manner, and encases the recommendations of the task force that studied Washington education matters for two years. That task force was also bi-partisan.
I’ve written too much; and not thought nearly enough about what more there is to say regarding these bills. After a two year study and bi-partisan support, as well as the support of many education groups in Washington, I still pause when presented with the bill. Where will the money come from?
I received the following e-mail from a respected friend and felt that I owed her the courtesy of seriously looking into these potential new laws. And I am in over my head. Here is the e-mail; straight from the League of Education Voters website, ready for you to send out to friends and family, with a topical rant from my MSW friend and Seattle mother of two:
Sorry for the following rant, but I'm horrified at what might happen to our public K-12 education if these education finance bills do not make it out of committee. Our state is ranked the 8th worst in providing education dollars per student - and to think of all the wealth (think Microsoft, Amazon etc.) in the Puget Sound area - it is shameful, really.
There is House Bill 1410 and Senate Bill 5444 - they adopt the recommendations made by the Basic Education Finance Task Force. It provides a comprehensive plan for building a K-12 system that prepares our kids for life well after high school, and it asks for some profound changes to our state's education system. Apparently, the word in Olympia is that they are not hearing much from south end parents (Seattle), and thus our reps are not assuming much responsibility for this legislation, and certainly are not taking any leadership role (except Senator Adam Kline - he decided to sponsor the bill after hearing from constituents).
It takes 2 minutes to call - that is what I did. However, I just received an email (excerpt below), that states legislators are counting the # of emails they receive, so that may be a better way for you to act. I think it is easy to feel like you have no influence, but let's face it, politicians are, well, politicians, and they want to get re-elected, so your tiny phone message or email to them is a real threat to their political career, and they just may listen to it. Please take a minute to email or write. If you want more info, a good website is www.educationvoters.org - they even have a "Talking Points" link, as well as the bills in their entirety. Oh, after you call/write , insist your partner do the same, then send this out to others you know who give a damn about a free and adequate public education system.
(Excerpt from League of Education Voters letter below):
The momentum is building to change the outcome of children's lives across our state—and it's all because of you. Your attendance at the hearings and your e-mails are making a difference. But I bet you're asking, what's next?A legislator told me this week that our House and Senate leaders are counting the number of e-mails in support of Senate Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410.Please take just a few minutes to send a message to our state lawmakers so our Governor, and Senate and House leaders can see just how much support is behind these bills.Here's how you can take action today:
· Send your state lawmakers an e-mail. Legislative e-mail addresses arelastname.firstname@leg.wa.gov. If you don't know your legislators' names, click here to find out.
· Or, call your state lawmakers via the legislative hotline at 1-(800) 562-6000.
· Send Gov. Chris Gregoire a message.
· Tell them you support Senate Bill 5444 and House Bill 1410 and include a personal reason why you support these bills.
For more information about SB 5444 and HB 1410, click here.
Peter Callaghan, a writer for the Tacoma News Tribune, had this to say about the bills and the hearings: “The report of the Basic Education Finance Task Force called for a new way of paying and promoting teachers, the first foray into performance pay and for limiting the money flowing from local levies to salaries – issues of concern to the teachers union.
But it also had lots the union should like, especially a proposed 54 percent increase in state support for schools with a good chunk going toward increased teacher pay.
It also would add all-day kindergarten for parents who want it, provide 10 professional training days, provide more-generous, more-certain and legally defensible funding to districts and make early learning part of the constitutionally protected definition of basic education. It likely would lead to higher pay for teachers in high-cost-of-living districts.
Did I mention a 54 percent – at least – increase in state funding? That’s $3.53 billion more each year for K-12 education. All that was enough for the League of Education Voters, Stand for Children, the American Association of University Women, the superintendents of the big Puget Sound-area school districts, the chairwoman of the state School Board, early learning advocates and many parents to give the proposal enthusiastic support.´´
Who doesn’t support these bills? The WEA. Washington Education Association. I barely even know who they are, but in their own words: “WEA is the state's largest public employee union, along with being the dominant professional union for Washington's public school employees. WEA leaders and staff work passionately to attract and retain great teachers and support employees, to strengthen the profession, to shape education policy and to provide a unified voice in support of stronger schools.
The mission of the Washington Education Association is to advance the professional interests of its members in order to make public education the best it can be for students, staff and communities. Our goal is to build confidence in public education and increase support for Washington's public school system. WEA works to increase WEA members' professional status and job satisfaction, improve the quality of and access to public education for all students, and to forge partnerships with parents, business, other unions and community groups.”
Why is the WEA against HB 1410 and SB 5444? Some bloggers, Callaghan included, believe that it is too much change, too fast and that the teacher’s union prefers to defend the status quo, with a sedate march towards full funding for programs ALREADY on the books. Okay, that is a salient point, you much admit. They also suspect that the fact that teachers have moved heaven and earth to get their masters, doctorates and professional certifications in order to comply with current salary standards and that they will not be grandfathered into the new salary standards (if they become law) is a sticking point.
Here is what the WEA says: “HB 1410/SB 5444 is a 111-page bill that dramatically alters all aspects of K-12 public education, including certification, compensation and collective bargaining and it ignores the funding crisis facing our public schools. HB 1410/SB 5444 is a divisive distraction at a time we should be coming together to protect the basics: good teachers, reasonable class sizes and well-rounded education.
HB 1410/SB 5444 replaces the current teacher certification system with a complicated, three-tier system and it dramatically changes teacher evaluation policies. HB 1410/SB 5444 eliminates the current salary allocation model. HB 1410/SB 5444 severely limits the ability of school boards and associations to negotiate local salaries (TRI) to meet the needs of their students.
Kinda makes you feel for the legislators, doesn’t it? Folks so passionately disagreeing on educational reform and these are the education specialists! Will these bills immediately take the funding away for smaller classroom size? Seems like that should be a simple yes or no question but in the blogs, and especially the comment sections there is a rapid fire debate on just that.
Representative Ross Hunters group put out a 17 page summary of the 111 page bill; it can be found at http://whatittakesforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/hb-1410-section-by-section-opr.docx.
It should be noted that this bill; 1410, came about in a bi-partisan manner, and encases the recommendations of the task force that studied Washington education matters for two years. That task force was also bi-partisan.
I’ve written too much; and not thought nearly enough about what more there is to say regarding these bills. After a two year study and bi-partisan support, as well as the support of many education groups in Washington, I still pause when presented with the bill. Where will the money come from?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
School Board Meetings; Through the Looking Glass
Have you ever been on a business trip and thought you wandered into the wrong meeting room? You’re in the right hotel, reasonably sure that this is the right floor and yet you cannot understand a single thing that is happening since you have slipped unobtrusively into the back of the room. The language is jargon and acronym filled, the persons on the podium (yes, podium) are separated by a vast gulf of both space and architecture from the audience and you cannot find a spot in the agenda that would give you security in knowing that indeed this is the meeting that you are required to attend.
Try being ten minutes late for a LWSD Board Meeting. It was my first experience at a school board meeting and I pulled the agenda off their website prior to arriving. I entered the spacious and light filled Redmond Town Center building that houses the LWSD Resource Center. Immediately to my left was a sign that stated this room was indeed the board room and I entered with trepidation as I was, as stated, ten minutes late. I took an empty seat; there were plenty. Three professionally dressed folks with binders and folders, blackberry’s and laptops sat up front and although I was in jeans I did have my blackberry with me, so I sat with them. Craning my neck I could see the other four folks in the audience; late middle-age women sitting in back; one knitting (so tale of two cities) and three working studiously at, I kid you not, cutting out intricate paper dolls and snowflake-like tiaras. And yes, I did take the time to try to figure out what these products of much snipping and clipping were; the second was a mystery until I saw one woman fit it to another woman’s head. They had supplies spread out on the floor in front of each of them and were busy the entire two hours; I never saw them look up and I never heard them even whisper to each other.
It turns out the ones up front where there to give presentations of sort; it was the Chief Academic Officer for LWSD; Dan Phelan and the Chief Student Officer; Traci Pierce and someone from their office. After Dan’s presentation; Culture Ends, I asked for a copy of the presentation and was given the full meeting agenda, approximately 37 pages worth of material.
That left just five observers, with five board members, an executive assistant and the Superintendant of Lake Washington schools up front. It was fascinating how they managed to appear so accessible and yet unreachable at the same time. On the LWSD web page are e-mails, biographies and phone numbers for each board member. The agenda is out ahead of time on the web, and a full agenda available for anyone who wants/needs one as you enter the meeting room. Seemingly these members are transparent and accessible.
But it was the meeting room itself that shook me initially. Up on a large podium were the seven seats, the board members plus the superintendant and the executive assistant. Also on the podium was an expansive wooden structure designed to be their collective desk; with appropriate electronic avenues. Each had a large screen monitor, and the audience had an immense screen above their heads to see the pages highlighted by the speakers; one presentation was done by essentially reading the test data to the members while showing it upon the wall and on their monitors. Some members had their own laptops open as well, others had vast notes and the binder with today’s information and tabs. They were separated by about 5 feet from the first line of chairs for the audience, then another 3-4 feet of this desk-like structure, all the while being held up higher than the rest of the room. I had the sense that the idea was to hold them up on a pedestal, away from the madding crowd. Most impressive, Yoda would say. But I don’t think he would have been impressed, and neither was I. Why was the vast display necessary? I immediately wondered about other school districts and how it looked at their board meetings, whether they were getting the same “look but don’t touch, and if you have something to say make an appointment to testify (their word, was it meant to cause pause? Testify? Really?) AND be sure to keep it under three minutes, no questions were to be addressed to the board at that time and no answers would be given.
In addition to the regal atmosphere and the strict rules for interaction there was the disparity in language. It was very hard to understand what they were discussing; there was a high use of acronyms as well as simply a very high echelon of spoken word. Some members said things in such a way that it sounded as if professors with advanced degrees were pontificating to one another. Others spoke plainly but were like a dog with a bone, repeating themselves and re-stating their objections numerous times. Educational jargon, test jargon, acronyms for present testing and future testing… opinions and objections swirled around like volcanic residue.
After phoning the Public Information Office for the LWSD I was informed that although some school districts submit hours for per diem pay (allowed by law up to $3000 per year) this district did not submit that paperwork and in fact had nothing in their charter to allow for any payment. This was purely a volunteer position. I asked about the number of hours, approximately, and was told that generically it depended upon the member; some have greater time to devote to this position, becoming a liaison with schools and the communities, others who have to work full time have fewer hours to give. The office was loath to give an approximation of the number of hours spent on open meetings, working meetings, retreats, testifying in Olympia, speaking at PTSA functions, and on and on.
One thing I did notice was the level of alacrity that each member showed for the items on the agenda; they were prepared and ready to go. Not prepared in that they had read the briefings, but prepared with their questions and concerns, as well as possible solutions to the issues that they brought forward. They were there to accomplish the evening’s business, and did so with grace towards each other’s foibles.
There may be many points to make about the inhibiting rules and atmosphere, as well as the sophisticated level of discussion that felt exclusive and elitist, however I had not bothered to speculate about just who was able to take on this volunteer position with innumerable hours, and the load that they carry. Perhaps more on that later.
Try being ten minutes late for a LWSD Board Meeting. It was my first experience at a school board meeting and I pulled the agenda off their website prior to arriving. I entered the spacious and light filled Redmond Town Center building that houses the LWSD Resource Center. Immediately to my left was a sign that stated this room was indeed the board room and I entered with trepidation as I was, as stated, ten minutes late. I took an empty seat; there were plenty. Three professionally dressed folks with binders and folders, blackberry’s and laptops sat up front and although I was in jeans I did have my blackberry with me, so I sat with them. Craning my neck I could see the other four folks in the audience; late middle-age women sitting in back; one knitting (so tale of two cities) and three working studiously at, I kid you not, cutting out intricate paper dolls and snowflake-like tiaras. And yes, I did take the time to try to figure out what these products of much snipping and clipping were; the second was a mystery until I saw one woman fit it to another woman’s head. They had supplies spread out on the floor in front of each of them and were busy the entire two hours; I never saw them look up and I never heard them even whisper to each other.
It turns out the ones up front where there to give presentations of sort; it was the Chief Academic Officer for LWSD; Dan Phelan and the Chief Student Officer; Traci Pierce and someone from their office. After Dan’s presentation; Culture Ends, I asked for a copy of the presentation and was given the full meeting agenda, approximately 37 pages worth of material.
That left just five observers, with five board members, an executive assistant and the Superintendant of Lake Washington schools up front. It was fascinating how they managed to appear so accessible and yet unreachable at the same time. On the LWSD web page are e-mails, biographies and phone numbers for each board member. The agenda is out ahead of time on the web, and a full agenda available for anyone who wants/needs one as you enter the meeting room. Seemingly these members are transparent and accessible.
But it was the meeting room itself that shook me initially. Up on a large podium were the seven seats, the board members plus the superintendant and the executive assistant. Also on the podium was an expansive wooden structure designed to be their collective desk; with appropriate electronic avenues. Each had a large screen monitor, and the audience had an immense screen above their heads to see the pages highlighted by the speakers; one presentation was done by essentially reading the test data to the members while showing it upon the wall and on their monitors. Some members had their own laptops open as well, others had vast notes and the binder with today’s information and tabs. They were separated by about 5 feet from the first line of chairs for the audience, then another 3-4 feet of this desk-like structure, all the while being held up higher than the rest of the room. I had the sense that the idea was to hold them up on a pedestal, away from the madding crowd. Most impressive, Yoda would say. But I don’t think he would have been impressed, and neither was I. Why was the vast display necessary? I immediately wondered about other school districts and how it looked at their board meetings, whether they were getting the same “look but don’t touch, and if you have something to say make an appointment to testify (their word, was it meant to cause pause? Testify? Really?) AND be sure to keep it under three minutes, no questions were to be addressed to the board at that time and no answers would be given.
In addition to the regal atmosphere and the strict rules for interaction there was the disparity in language. It was very hard to understand what they were discussing; there was a high use of acronyms as well as simply a very high echelon of spoken word. Some members said things in such a way that it sounded as if professors with advanced degrees were pontificating to one another. Others spoke plainly but were like a dog with a bone, repeating themselves and re-stating their objections numerous times. Educational jargon, test jargon, acronyms for present testing and future testing… opinions and objections swirled around like volcanic residue.
After phoning the Public Information Office for the LWSD I was informed that although some school districts submit hours for per diem pay (allowed by law up to $3000 per year) this district did not submit that paperwork and in fact had nothing in their charter to allow for any payment. This was purely a volunteer position. I asked about the number of hours, approximately, and was told that generically it depended upon the member; some have greater time to devote to this position, becoming a liaison with schools and the communities, others who have to work full time have fewer hours to give. The office was loath to give an approximation of the number of hours spent on open meetings, working meetings, retreats, testifying in Olympia, speaking at PTSA functions, and on and on.
One thing I did notice was the level of alacrity that each member showed for the items on the agenda; they were prepared and ready to go. Not prepared in that they had read the briefings, but prepared with their questions and concerns, as well as possible solutions to the issues that they brought forward. They were there to accomplish the evening’s business, and did so with grace towards each other’s foibles.
There may be many points to make about the inhibiting rules and atmosphere, as well as the sophisticated level of discussion that felt exclusive and elitist, however I had not bothered to speculate about just who was able to take on this volunteer position with innumerable hours, and the load that they carry. Perhaps more on that later.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration, and change
Today marks history; regardless of whom you voted for, or if you bothered to vote at all; today will go down in history. My boys are at the kitchen table with oatmeal and the front page of the paper; the one with all 43 past presidents pictured as well as an above the fold full color picture of President-elect Obama. They are discussing how past presidents died, and how many of them wore false teeth. It is amazing to me that they consider this day exciting for the fact that they are staying home this morning to watch the inauguration, but really truly do not see that America will forever be changed after 9:00 this morning, pacific standard time.
I remember my dad making us watch the moon landing; it’s been described to me so many times I think that I actually have a memory, even though I was only three. We were gathered in the living room around a small black and white TV and I was so bored; this was not a Hannah-Barbera cartoon. Dad and Mom were so intense, so still and focused. It was important and even I understood. History was made that day and I was oblivious. We also gathered around the TV to watch President Nixon give his resignation speech in 1974; that memory is sharper. Again, we were together as a family of six, silently watching a small TV, and again my parents stuck me with their intensity. At age 11 I knew that they were sad, and worried. Our family did not discuss politics, ever; my Dad still believes that is private and personal, akin to your salary.
In some ways it is a blessing that my younger children don’t look at President Barack Obama and see him as the first black President of the United States, but simply as the next President; one whose poetic speech made Mommy cry when they watched his victory on TV. We were divided at the primaries in our house; Mommy wanted Clinton and Niklas passionately stumped for Obama. Niklas is 9. In some ways their lack of surprise shows progress that they would blithely go about their business of being boys and see nothing more fascinating in the crowds than Chicago Cubs baseball caps. What they don’t see is the amazement, the pride, the sacrifice and the pure hope. Hope that this man and his beliefs can inspire and lead us to change.
William Ayers speaks of change also, in his book To Teach the journey of a teacher, “Our commitments should include a faith in the ability of ordinary people to shape the solutions to their problems, the importance of rethinking each step as we go, and a willingness to embrace partial measures and small changes that point toward justice.” Again, the theme of change, but in a judicious manner, one that will keep the best of what is occurring and begin to fold in the lacking elements that will serve great portions of the student body.
In the Parade section of the Sunday Seattle Times paper was a letter written from President Obama to his daughters; one that spoke of the reasons he decided to take his family on this journey to be President. He stated “I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential- schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. …I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improves our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.”
William Ayers (dare I speak of Ayers and Obama in the same blog?) in his book, would concur that it is schools that must be worthy of their students, and that hands on learning, as opposed to a pre-packaged curriculum, will take a student farther and deeper, in the hands of a capable teacher. President Obama had previously chosen for his children the University of Chicago laboratory school; stating that he had taught there, and that it was five minutes from their home. “A good fit” he called it. On the University web site they state “Learning by doing has guided the efforts of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools since Professor Dewey opened its doors over a century ago… Our mission is focused on students. We are more than just test scores and college admissions statistics. We are about learning well and complementing the work of one of the world's premier institutions of higher learning, the University of Chicago. Our academic program is rigorous, but we are as interested in the development of character as we are in scholastic achievement.”
Joel Spring, in his book American Education also speaks of character development, stating that the No Child Left Behind legislation specifies that instructors must integrate character education into nearly all school subjects, and raises the concern that this is a point of conflict between personal and public goals for schools.
Can character development be taught? And if so are the teachers the right ones to do that? Many many points of view out there, some accepting of this additional challenge, some pointing to the number of hours that the child is in school versus the number of requirements on their time there. They saliently point out the difference in the number of waking hours that the parent has the child and that perhaps that is better left at home. Without character development I do not see the Nation welcoming their 44th president; nor do I see our schools edging towards a more Ayers-like nirvana… smaller schools, with teachers at the center of the classroom practice. Teachers, those who are passionate, invested, creative, courageous and willing to embrace change.
Towards the end of his open letter to his daughters President Obama states “I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give other the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much – although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.”
One of the indicators of crisis spoken of in President Obama’s inaugural address was that “our schools fail too many.” I can list the things that I believe are failing our students; classroom size, materials designed for hands-on learning, teachers who are given canned curriculum and required standardized tests, inequality in funding for technology, buildings, playgrounds and specialists, students who are not ready to learn in that they are hungry, abused, afraid or lacking the ability to sit still for long periods if time and find themselves at odds with their own body.
President Obama states that we have an obligation to give back, that our true potential can be realized when we join in with something bigger than ourselves; reciprocity joined with moral character.
Some have compared the ideas coming from this President to the ideas that spawned the Civilian Conservation Corps and other ideas from the New Deal. I believe that Ayers would agree that these were “partial measures and small changes that point toward justice.”
When will we see this change? When will it happen? When we are courageous enough to begin the first steps, the first measured response that will make some of the ideals of the University of Chicago laboratory school a possibility in Tacoma Wa, Yakima Wa, Watsonville Ca, Norris Tennessee, and on and on.
I remember my dad making us watch the moon landing; it’s been described to me so many times I think that I actually have a memory, even though I was only three. We were gathered in the living room around a small black and white TV and I was so bored; this was not a Hannah-Barbera cartoon. Dad and Mom were so intense, so still and focused. It was important and even I understood. History was made that day and I was oblivious. We also gathered around the TV to watch President Nixon give his resignation speech in 1974; that memory is sharper. Again, we were together as a family of six, silently watching a small TV, and again my parents stuck me with their intensity. At age 11 I knew that they were sad, and worried. Our family did not discuss politics, ever; my Dad still believes that is private and personal, akin to your salary.
In some ways it is a blessing that my younger children don’t look at President Barack Obama and see him as the first black President of the United States, but simply as the next President; one whose poetic speech made Mommy cry when they watched his victory on TV. We were divided at the primaries in our house; Mommy wanted Clinton and Niklas passionately stumped for Obama. Niklas is 9. In some ways their lack of surprise shows progress that they would blithely go about their business of being boys and see nothing more fascinating in the crowds than Chicago Cubs baseball caps. What they don’t see is the amazement, the pride, the sacrifice and the pure hope. Hope that this man and his beliefs can inspire and lead us to change.
William Ayers speaks of change also, in his book To Teach the journey of a teacher, “Our commitments should include a faith in the ability of ordinary people to shape the solutions to their problems, the importance of rethinking each step as we go, and a willingness to embrace partial measures and small changes that point toward justice.” Again, the theme of change, but in a judicious manner, one that will keep the best of what is occurring and begin to fold in the lacking elements that will serve great portions of the student body.
In the Parade section of the Sunday Seattle Times paper was a letter written from President Obama to his daughters; one that spoke of the reasons he decided to take his family on this journey to be President. He stated “I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential- schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. …I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improves our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.”
William Ayers (dare I speak of Ayers and Obama in the same blog?) in his book, would concur that it is schools that must be worthy of their students, and that hands on learning, as opposed to a pre-packaged curriculum, will take a student farther and deeper, in the hands of a capable teacher. President Obama had previously chosen for his children the University of Chicago laboratory school; stating that he had taught there, and that it was five minutes from their home. “A good fit” he called it. On the University web site they state “Learning by doing has guided the efforts of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools since Professor Dewey opened its doors over a century ago… Our mission is focused on students. We are more than just test scores and college admissions statistics. We are about learning well and complementing the work of one of the world's premier institutions of higher learning, the University of Chicago. Our academic program is rigorous, but we are as interested in the development of character as we are in scholastic achievement.”
Joel Spring, in his book American Education also speaks of character development, stating that the No Child Left Behind legislation specifies that instructors must integrate character education into nearly all school subjects, and raises the concern that this is a point of conflict between personal and public goals for schools.
Can character development be taught? And if so are the teachers the right ones to do that? Many many points of view out there, some accepting of this additional challenge, some pointing to the number of hours that the child is in school versus the number of requirements on their time there. They saliently point out the difference in the number of waking hours that the parent has the child and that perhaps that is better left at home. Without character development I do not see the Nation welcoming their 44th president; nor do I see our schools edging towards a more Ayers-like nirvana… smaller schools, with teachers at the center of the classroom practice. Teachers, those who are passionate, invested, creative, courageous and willing to embrace change.
Towards the end of his open letter to his daughters President Obama states “I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give other the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much – although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.”
One of the indicators of crisis spoken of in President Obama’s inaugural address was that “our schools fail too many.” I can list the things that I believe are failing our students; classroom size, materials designed for hands-on learning, teachers who are given canned curriculum and required standardized tests, inequality in funding for technology, buildings, playgrounds and specialists, students who are not ready to learn in that they are hungry, abused, afraid or lacking the ability to sit still for long periods if time and find themselves at odds with their own body.
President Obama states that we have an obligation to give back, that our true potential can be realized when we join in with something bigger than ourselves; reciprocity joined with moral character.
Some have compared the ideas coming from this President to the ideas that spawned the Civilian Conservation Corps and other ideas from the New Deal. I believe that Ayers would agree that these were “partial measures and small changes that point toward justice.”
When will we see this change? When will it happen? When we are courageous enough to begin the first steps, the first measured response that will make some of the ideals of the University of Chicago laboratory school a possibility in Tacoma Wa, Yakima Wa, Watsonville Ca, Norris Tennessee, and on and on.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
To Teach; Perhaps to Dream?
Thus far I have felt very off-center in class this quarter. To me, ready to begin a new chapter in my life, it seems as if the majority of the information has been negative, and overwhelmingly depressing. Thus far this quarter has been evocative of Eyore, from Winnie-the-pooh. "It will never work, no one cares, why even try?"
The schools are too big, too impersonal, to under-funded; they do not allow or support creativity or true higher level learning. Too many schools, and too many teachers practice "mob management (Ayers, p. xiv) and here is a positive little thought "Today, teaching may not seem so attractive, nor so compelling in quite the same way. Not only are schools in worse shape than before, and the problems seemingly more intractible, but there is a narrow, selfish spirit loose in the land. Idealists are "suckers" in the currency of the day, and the notion that schools should be decent, accesible, and responsive places for all children is just more Pie-in-the-sky. With a combative social Darwinism settingt the pace in our society, and a cynical sense that morality has no place in our public lives, teaching today can seem a fool's errand." (Ayers, p. 7)
Ayers concludes that it is not a fools errand; that is is a true calling, an opportunity for caring individuals to make a difference in the lives of children. After all the arguements and reasons NOT to go into this underpaid, underappreciated, laborious field, Ayers concludes that there is still hope.
Thus far, I can only hope, and believe, that the lectures and readings are meant to push us over the edge of being uncomfortable, and make us want to fight for newfound feelings of warmth towards social justice.
One thing said in class bothers me; clearly. To convince the parents of Eastside children that the money they have separated themselves from and given to the PTSA at their school should be spent instead for another school that is in dire need. Yes, I was listening, and yes, that hit the mark. Here is my two cents; if the parents raised the money for their school just who are we to TELL them that they have done wrong, or that they are selfish isolationists for not sharing. Do we tell McDonalds to share with Washington Mutual? McDonalds stock has actually gone up; whereas we all know that Washington Mutual is in the proverbial toilet. Post-flush. These companies do not compete with each other, there would be no loss in forcing one to support the other. We're all people, and those jobs are important.
Perhaps a specific school fundraiser; entirely brought about by the children with some help from the PTSA; in order to fulfill a need that they have researched in a town that they know of, not far from their own. A project that they own, and will remember. THAT is something that can be brought about without making judgements regarding what people do with their own money, in their own child's school.
I fail to see any reason that a school should not be allowed to raise funds for a greater good of their own students, be that for a reading coach, the school play or a chess teacher. I also think, that if we looked even one inch closer at that school you would see some things that were not mentioned in any of the "how can we stand for this" literature or soliloquies. This school may have raised funds for micro-loans. They may have filled jars and jars with coins of all sorts for "Penny's for Peace." They may have rounded up coats for the homeless, food for Hopelink, presents for another school in their district to be given in December. (generally schools have begun to swap their giving tree gifts with another school so that students are not likely to run into the giver while wearing their new sweater. It makes sense and is one of a number of deeper thoughts that have gone into who the students really are. Schools are trying.)
What happened to the preface, remember ... "Talk back, speak up, be heard." It is a good mantra, and one that can change the world.
The schools are too big, too impersonal, to under-funded; they do not allow or support creativity or true higher level learning. Too many schools, and too many teachers practice "mob management (Ayers, p. xiv) and here is a positive little thought "Today, teaching may not seem so attractive, nor so compelling in quite the same way. Not only are schools in worse shape than before, and the problems seemingly more intractible, but there is a narrow, selfish spirit loose in the land. Idealists are "suckers" in the currency of the day, and the notion that schools should be decent, accesible, and responsive places for all children is just more Pie-in-the-sky. With a combative social Darwinism settingt the pace in our society, and a cynical sense that morality has no place in our public lives, teaching today can seem a fool's errand." (Ayers, p. 7)
Ayers concludes that it is not a fools errand; that is is a true calling, an opportunity for caring individuals to make a difference in the lives of children. After all the arguements and reasons NOT to go into this underpaid, underappreciated, laborious field, Ayers concludes that there is still hope.
Thus far, I can only hope, and believe, that the lectures and readings are meant to push us over the edge of being uncomfortable, and make us want to fight for newfound feelings of warmth towards social justice.
One thing said in class bothers me; clearly. To convince the parents of Eastside children that the money they have separated themselves from and given to the PTSA at their school should be spent instead for another school that is in dire need. Yes, I was listening, and yes, that hit the mark. Here is my two cents; if the parents raised the money for their school just who are we to TELL them that they have done wrong, or that they are selfish isolationists for not sharing. Do we tell McDonalds to share with Washington Mutual? McDonalds stock has actually gone up; whereas we all know that Washington Mutual is in the proverbial toilet. Post-flush. These companies do not compete with each other, there would be no loss in forcing one to support the other. We're all people, and those jobs are important.
Perhaps a specific school fundraiser; entirely brought about by the children with some help from the PTSA; in order to fulfill a need that they have researched in a town that they know of, not far from their own. A project that they own, and will remember. THAT is something that can be brought about without making judgements regarding what people do with their own money, in their own child's school.
I fail to see any reason that a school should not be allowed to raise funds for a greater good of their own students, be that for a reading coach, the school play or a chess teacher. I also think, that if we looked even one inch closer at that school you would see some things that were not mentioned in any of the "how can we stand for this" literature or soliloquies. This school may have raised funds for micro-loans. They may have filled jars and jars with coins of all sorts for "Penny's for Peace." They may have rounded up coats for the homeless, food for Hopelink, presents for another school in their district to be given in December. (generally schools have begun to swap their giving tree gifts with another school so that students are not likely to run into the giver while wearing their new sweater. It makes sense and is one of a number of deeper thoughts that have gone into who the students really are. Schools are trying.)
What happened to the preface, remember ... "Talk back, speak up, be heard." It is a good mantra, and one that can change the world.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
First Blog
January 8th 2009 -
Having been dragged kicking and screaming into the (what century is this?) I have started a blog. No blood, and easier than creating an account on BlackBoard or subscribing to the x10 email list. Now I just wish that someone would teach us to use the smartboard.
Having been dragged kicking and screaming into the (what century is this?) I have started a blog. No blood, and easier than creating an account on BlackBoard or subscribing to the x10 email list. Now I just wish that someone would teach us to use the smartboard.
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