Read This and Share My Nausea
In an article in USA Today, a bevy of commentators explain why it may be a good thing that the teaching profession is now getting younger and less experienced.
The article reports:
Recent findings by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania show that as teacher attrition rates have risen, from about 10% to 13% for first-year teachers, schools are having to hire large numbers of new teachers. Between 40% to 50% of those entering the profession now leave within five years in what Ingersoll calls a “constant replenishment of beginners.”
The end result: a more than threefold increase in the sheer number of inexperienced teachers in U.S. schools.
Deborah Meier on Reform Strategies and Democracy
The article reports:
Recent findings by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania show that as teacher attrition rates have risen, from about 10% to 13% for first-year teachers, schools are having to hire large numbers of new teachers. Between 40% to 50% of those entering the profession now leave within five years in what Ingersoll calls a “constant replenishment of beginners.”
The end result: a more than threefold increase in the sheer number of inexperienced teachers in U.S. schools.
Deborah Meier on Reform Strategies and Democracy
Deborah Meier comments on a post about efforts in Philadelphia to weaken or eliminate collective bargaining:
INTERESTINGLY, ALMOST NO ONE FEELS OBLIGED to defend their strategies, etc in terms of its impact on a democratic society! IF, just suppose, it raised test scores we seem prepared to dump democratic norms on the behalf of test scores. The grand old USA is–might we mention–an experiment in democracy! (It was not primarily founded on the principles of the market place–that was true, after all, of the decadent European nations we were breaking away from as well.)
INTERESTINGLY, ALMOST NO ONE FEELS OBLIGED to defend their strategies, etc in terms of its impact on a democratic society! IF, just suppose, it raised test scores we seem prepared to dump democratic norms on the behalf of test scores. The grand old USA is–might we mention–an experiment in democracy! (It was not primarily founded on the principles of the market place–that was true, after all, of the decadent European nations we were breaking away from as well.)
Is Chicago a National Model for School Reform?
Thanks to loyal reader Prof. W. for forwarding this story.
Chicago public schools have been under mayoral control since 1995.
Mayor Daley hired Paul Vallas to reform the schools. He went on to reform the schools in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Haiti, and now he is reforming schools in Bridgeport while running a national consulting business on reforming schools.
Then Mayor Daley promoted Arne Duncan to reform the schools. Duncan called his reforms “Renaissance 2010.” Before he left for DC in 2009 Duncan opened 100 new schools and closed many neighborhood schools.
Then came Ron Huberman to continue the Daley reforms.
And now Mayor Emanuel carries on in the Daley tradition, having recently instructed his hand-picked school
Chicago public schools have been under mayoral control since 1995.
Mayor Daley hired Paul Vallas to reform the schools. He went on to reform the schools in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Haiti, and now he is reforming schools in Bridgeport while running a national consulting business on reforming schools.
Then Mayor Daley promoted Arne Duncan to reform the schools. Duncan called his reforms “Renaissance 2010.” Before he left for DC in 2009 Duncan opened 100 new schools and closed many neighborhood schools.
Then came Ron Huberman to continue the Daley reforms.
And now Mayor Emanuel carries on in the Daley tradition, having recently instructed his hand-picked school
“Sign Me Up!”
This teacher read about the push in Philadelphia to weaken, perhaps eliminate collective bargaining. The School Reform Commission with the guidance of its advisor the Boston Consulting Group (big proponent of privatization without unions and parent to Bain) thinks that if it can create a flexible workforce with performance pay and no job protections, this will attract better teachers. This reader responds:
Oh boy, low pay and no protection of any kind, whatsoever. Sign me up. What is the thought process behind “better teachers without a union”? Do they truly believe those Gates funded teacher groups that claim they don’t need a union or a contract?
Oh boy, low pay and no protection of any kind, whatsoever. Sign me up. What is the thought process behind “better teachers without a union”? Do they truly believe those Gates funded teacher groups that claim they don’t need a union or a contract?
Gary Rubinstein Fact-Checks Mass. School
We all would like to believe in miracles.
There aren’t many, especially with reference to schools that miraculously “turn around” in one year.
It is comforting to believe that a school can change from the worst to the best almost overnight. It is a made-for-Hollywood scenario.
Last night at the Democratic convention, Governor Deval Patrick talked about the one-year turnaround of a
There aren’t many, especially with reference to schools that miraculously “turn around” in one year.
It is comforting to believe that a school can change from the worst to the best almost overnight. It is a made-for-Hollywood scenario.
Last night at the Democratic convention, Governor Deval Patrick talked about the one-year turnaround of a
After-School Programs Work Best If They Promote Interest
Carla Sanger runs an outstanding after-school program called LA’s Best. It serves nearly 30,000 students after school in Los Angeles. I invited her to explain why she has dedicated 25 years to this program and why she believes in it. Here is her response:
My biggest legacy from my father as principal of the largest elementary school in Baltimore in the 50’s (over 2,000 students) was this—How we learn, especially as children, matters. I have been directing after school enrichment programs since 1973 when, as a supervisor of day care services for the State of New Jersey, I opened Mi Hogar, a nationally recognized after school program for kids 5-14. It is wonderful to see how after
My biggest legacy from my father as principal of the largest elementary school in Baltimore in the 50’s (over 2,000 students) was this—How we learn, especially as children, matters. I have been directing after school enrichment programs since 1973 when, as a supervisor of day care services for the State of New Jersey, I opened Mi Hogar, a nationally recognized after school program for kids 5-14. It is wonderful to see how after
School of One Dropped by 2 of 3 Pilot Schools
A bombshell report about the highly touted “School of One” revealed that students in the program did no better on state tests than those in traditional math programs.
School of One is an online program that was piloted in 3 schools.
Two of the three schools have dropped it, but the Bloomberg administration plans to expand it to more schools.
School of One was developed by Joel Rose, who was TFA, Broad Academy, Edison, then worked for Chis Cerf
School of One is an online program that was piloted in 3 schools.
Two of the three schools have dropped it, but the Bloomberg administration plans to expand it to more schools.
School of One was developed by Joel Rose, who was TFA, Broad Academy, Edison, then worked for Chis Cerf
How New York City Stiffs the Neediest Students
A reader in New York City who studies data carefully has analyzed the latest reports from the state accountability system, which identifies the “best” and the “worst” schools. He finds that the most affluent schools will win “rewards,” and the schools that enroll the neediest students are marked for punishment, not for support.
The coming days will see much more detailed analysis of the new New York State accountability system for public schools. Yes, there is yet another system now in place. Gone are the days of “In Need of Improvement”
The coming days will see much more detailed analysis of the new New York State accountability system for public schools. Yes, there is yet another system now in place. Gone are the days of “In Need of Improvement”
Puzzle in St. Louis
Why is St. Louis Mayor Frances Slay a cheerleader for charter schools? Why is he determined to open charters–whose record in St. Louis is worse than the local public schools–instead of rebuilding his city’s public schools? Didn’t the state of Missouri recently close six Imagine charter schools in St. Louis for poor performance?
The article linked here says:
The mayor’s increasingly active engagement in attracting strong charter schools to St. Louis has put him at odds at times with school district officials who are working to revive their struggling school system. As
The article linked here says:
The mayor’s increasingly active engagement in attracting strong charter schools to St. Louis has put him at odds at times with school district officials who are working to revive their struggling school system. As
Who Elected Eli Broad?
Eli Broad made billions in the home mortgage businesto and the insurance business (AIG).
He runs a foundation that specializes in education reform, medical research, and art.
One assumes he does not tell the medical researchers what to do or the artists what to create.
If only he had the same modesty about
The Super-Rich Are Different from Us
He runs a foundation that specializes in education reform, medical research, and art.
One assumes he does not tell the medical researchers what to do or the artists what to create.
If only he had the same modesty about
The Super-Rich Are Different from Us
This is an important article about our society today. It is titled “The Revolt of the Rich.” It is especially interesting that it appears in a conservative magazine. The author, Michael Lofgren, was a long-time Republican (now independent); his new book is called The Party Is Over: How Republicans Went Crazy, Democrats Became Useless, and the Middle Class Got Shafted. Read Bill Moyers’ interview with him here.
There is an apocryphal exchange between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in which Fitzgerald
There is an apocryphal exchange between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in which Fitzgerald
Debbie Speaks
I have been exchanging weekly letters with Deborah Meier for five years at Education Week on a blog called Bridging Differences.
I see that Deb, like me, can’t stop thinking out loud.
Now she has expanded her own blog, providing more for her admirers to read and think about.
Go pay a visit.
Deb always has something to make you think.
End Collective Bargaining in Philadelphia?
The School Reform Commission in Philadelphia got some recommendations from the Boston Consulting Group that would essentially wipe out collective bargaining. BCG wants principals to be able to hire and fire at will; they want teachers to have no job security. Given its druthers, according to this account in The Notebook, the business-dominated School Reform Commission would like to get rid of all job protections and simply impose a contract. The SRC and BCG think that they can attract better teachers to Philadelphia if they break the union.
Two Moms Terrify DFER and StudentsFirst
What are DFER and Students First afraid of?
Activist moms denied admission to events at the Democratic National Convention
Contacts: Pam Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net
Carol Sawyer, 704-641-2009, carolsawyer1@gmail.com
For the second day in a row, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., a handful of moms
Activist moms denied admission to events at the Democratic National Convention
Contacts: Pam Grundy, 704-806-0410, shamrockparent@earthlink.net
Carol Sawyer, 704-641-2009, carolsawyer1@gmail.com
For the second day in a row, at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., a handful of moms