Transformers Top Ten List
This is a blog to tell SOS readers about IDEC 2012 Week. And–the IDEC 2012 Conference in Puerto Rico next March, a celebration of democratic education– education that is human, powerful, relevant and transformative. Right up Save Our Schools’ alley. … Continue reading
Account. Ability.
There’s nothing I hate more than a semantic argument between educators. I invested way too many excruciating hours in ed school in the 1970s listening to people argue about whether some bit of knowledge was a goal or an objective, only to go forth, fully trained, into a real school and discover that nobody there had either goals or objectives. Nor did they have standards, targets or grade level benchmarks. What they had were textbooks. Which were synonymous with “the curriculum,” pretty much. You taught the stuff in the books, and kids learned it (or not).
Things have changed since then–and language does matter. The whole “21st century learning” concept has been framed as a compelling set of messages, an exciting vision replete with exciting prose–but some people think it’s short on content-based specifics. Almost every educational policy idea or instructional practice, from “back to basics” to “sage on the stage” to “core knowledge” has been shaped by a slogan or catch phrase, pushing us toward a conviction or conclusion.
Take “accountability,” a word freighted with liability, in various definitions: obligation to bear consequences, being called to account, culpability. “Responsibility” is usually listed as a synonym of accountability, but it’s a word with a different flavor and different outcomes: reliability, dependability, being answerable. One takes responsibility–but one is held accountable. A commitment to respond–or the acceptance of blame? There are similarities, but the two concepts ultimately diverge, suggesting different human motivations and goals.
When it comes to our children’s schools and teachers, do we want them to acknowledge responsibility for meeting our children’s needs? Or do we want them to be held accountable for specific, measurable outcomes?
Well, both, of course. The question is whether we can have it both ways. Can we put first priority on producing gains in standardized indicators, while simultaneously demanding that teachers be responsive to individual children, their diverse needs, aspirations and goals? (Or objectives, as the case may be?)
Richard Rothstein says that accountability should be re-defined, toward measuring a set of “broad outcomes”–beyond stripped-down literacy and numeracy basics. We’re wasting our time on pointless arguments over statistical growth models, confidence intervals and standardizing everything in sight, he says–let’s get busy on what really matters.
Just when you expect him to hammer home the classic Rothstein argument that schools cannot be held accountable for things utterly out of their control, the book takes a fascinating historical detour, back to the 1960s, when the NAEP assessments were first developed. Early incarnations of the NAEP measured things like civic awareness, ability to consider and analyze alternative viewpoints, the skills needed for working productively in groups–and personal responsibility for making decisions. Amazing. Who knew?
Rothstein succinctly points out that policy incentives and teaching practice would certainly be different if we were carefully measuring those early NAEP goals today. He calls this “getting accountability right”–a willingness to take responsibility for a more comprehensive array of essential competencies, weaving in content knowledge. The NAEP assessment models still exist, and could be used to collect data.
There is often a difference between what we want and value for our own children, and our beliefs about what schools should be able to accomplish with all children. Speaking personally, I wanted my children’s teachers to be fully responsible for engaging them, challenging them, and teaching them persistently. But I put accountability for learning results on my children themselves, and on myself for monitoring their daily work.
Should teachers be held accountable for student achievement? Here’s what my friend Mary Tedrow, a HS English teacher in Virginia, and extraordinary writer and thinker recently said about teacher caring:
[Mary Tedrow] I see “not caring” among adult teachers as the same defensive mechanism as “not caring” among children. The shift in paradigm with both adults and children comes from changing the view from one of finding “what’s not there” (i.e. identifying mistakes or lapses) to finding and celebrating “what is there” (identifying successes). Both children and adults need to be taught this mind view. Currently the testing culture has us looking at the hole and not the donut.
Shifting the paradigm to responsibility for identifying strengths. An idea worth considering.
Diane Ravitch Reminisces about the Rally and March
Diane Ravitch reminisces about the Save Our Schools rally and march in DC. Check out the great links she includes. Diane and Deborah Meier kick off their new season today in “Bridging Differences,” the Education Week blog they share.
What a timely post as the new SOS Interim Steering Committee prepares to hold its third meeting this Sunday as its 40+ members lay the groundwork to take our grassroots movement to the next level. Stay tuned!
Thanks, Dusty & Gay Blech! An Epilogue
From Dusty & Gay, August 7, 2011: The Save Our Schools rally and march on Washington was an outstanding event and, as you no doubt could have guessed, filled with very clever, creative, and passionate teachers and people concerned … Continue reading
After Two Months of Riding–Gay & Dusty at the Save Our Schools Rally
Poster’s Note: Apologies to Dusty & Gay Blech who faithfully shared all aspects of their amazing journey with the Save Our Schools March, for the delayed posting of their last two posts. Things got a little crazy before and immediately … Continue reading
Live Audio Coverage of the March, 7/30
Follow along and listen to commentary during the SOS March events on Saturday!
Can’t make it to DC? No local events in your area? Have no fear! You can still follow along as Alice Mercer, teacher and Tech-Diva hosts a live Webcast show starting a little before 9 am PDT/10 MDT/11 CDT and noon on the east coast. We’ll start with the events at the Ellipse, and move west with the sun and activities, capping things off at 2 pm PDT/3 MDT/4 CDT/5 EDT.
Where can you find us? Go to http://edtechtalk.com/studio, click on the UStream player on the right, and type your name in on the left (no password is needed) if you’d like to join a text chat.We’ll be following the Twitter stream from events, and having folks on the ground call in and share.
NOTE: This will be an audio only show so we can include folks from the events.
Save Our Schools March Responds to the White House, DOE
From our e-mail exchange with a DOE staffer: “We sincerely appreciate the interest of the White House in the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action. We’d be pleased to host any White House or Department of Education … Continue reading
Dusty & Gay: From Sea to Shining Sea, to Save Public Education
July 24, 2011 Ashland – Williamsburg – Yorktown As we leave Ashland, Virginia this morning, we are riding north of Richmond to Mechanicsville and through countryside that is dotted with Civil War battle sites now preserved as part of the … Continue reading
Yesterday was a record-breaker- let’s keep pushing!
First, a huge show of gratitude is in order to everyone who helped make yesterday our largest Money Cascade yet! You blasted past our original goal of $5,000, contributing well over $8,000 in online donations, and there are still checks and pledges coming in by mail. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
There are still expenses that need to be met, though– a standby ambulance with EMTs, water stations to help marchers keep cool, hydrated, and healthy, stage setups, and so forth. So every little bit still helps, and we’d still like to meet yesterday’s lofty $10,000 goal by this Sunday. Please help us get Save Our Schools Week started on the right note!
To those who already gave, thank you, and please continue to spread the word. To those who haven’t yet, please consider it. We know times are tight, but if everyone gives just a little, it eases the burden on all of us.
In solidarity and gratitude,
The Organizing Committee
Record high temperatures + donations = broken thermometer!
Ol' Thermy here is having trouble keeping up.
There have been record high temperatures across the country today. And with your help, we’ve raised more in a single day than we ever have before!
So I guess we shouldn’t be too mad at our glitchy fundraising thermometer 
As of 7:38 10:32 EDT, we’ve collected $6,841 $7,791 in online donations! That doesn’t include the amounts on the checks people have written and mailed today– but we certainly appreciate those as well! If you haven’t already done so, click over to theSupport page to find out how to donate the old-fashioned way– or head up to the donate button if that’s more your style.
Don’t want to miss all the real-reform-supporting, thermometer-smashing fun, do you? 
Please help us get to our goal of $10,000!
–The Organizing Committee