Administrators Told to "Play the Game"
Do What You’re Told!
To The Editor:
Play the game. This was the phrase I was told when I began to see that the education program being forced upon our schools was hurting our students. This was the phrase I was told when I told my principal that our students, through this program, were being taught little content if any. This was the phrase I was told when I expressed my concerns to my colleagues that our students would be seriously lacking in reading and writing skills that would impact them for years after they’d graduate our elementary school. This was the phrase I was told after it looked like I would be my assistant principal’s next target if I didn’t stop pointing out this new program’s deficiencies.
The program I am referring to is the Balanced Literacy program also known as Teachers College Reading and Writing Project program. The highly scripted, whole-language based program has absolutely no research backing its efficacy and yet former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein mandated its use in most of the schools citywide when
To The Editor:
Play the game. This was the phrase I was told when I began to see that the education program being forced upon our schools was hurting our students. This was the phrase I was told when I told my principal that our students, through this program, were being taught little content if any. This was the phrase I was told when I expressed my concerns to my colleagues that our students would be seriously lacking in reading and writing skills that would impact them for years after they’d graduate our elementary school. This was the phrase I was told after it looked like I would be my assistant principal’s next target if I didn’t stop pointing out this new program’s deficiencies.
The program I am referring to is the Balanced Literacy program also known as Teachers College Reading and Writing Project program. The highly scripted, whole-language based program has absolutely no research backing its efficacy and yet former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein mandated its use in most of the schools citywide when
