Retaliation in Denver Public Schools, Pt. 1
I wrote this letter about Oakland (PDF) in January, when things really started to become out-of-control tense in my building last year. This is one of over a dozen letters that were written to the teacher’s union (and possibly shared with the DPS administration, though I’m not certain) in an effort to have something done about the negative climate in which we were working.
A fifth-grade reading buddy checks her first-grade friends' listening comprehension after her read aloud, using techniques she learned from her own teacher.
The school leader responsible for this situation has since stepped down, and the school has absolutely flourished in his absence. The already talented staff, working under a more collaborative leadership team, have worked exceedingly hard to improve their professional practice and create a more positive, inviting working environment. I visited today to gather video and photos to share with others, to offer some actual evidence of the kind of teaching and learning goes on this so-called “failing school.” While the rhetoric of uninformed outsiders would have you believe that