SPS Librarians also Speak Out on MAP
From our friends at the Stranger Slog, what librarians are saying:
Laurie Amster-Burton, who spoke on behalf of librarians, says she actually switched schools in part because of how invasive MAP testing had become in regard to library time and space. The district has told educators that it thanks them for their concern but it needs time to work out a solution, but Amster-Burton says that these problems have existed for years, and educators have been bringing them up with the district the whole time. She brought with her a letter to Superintendent Banda, signed by 35 Seattle school librarians, in support of the Garfield teachers and in opposition to the MAP test.
Excerpt from letter:
Librarians, whose role is to teach information skills and support reading instruction, have been required in many schools to spend weeks and weeks as testing clerks. In many schools the first time a student visits the library is not to check out a book or research a topic, but to take a test—a test that is not aligned to curriculum and
Laurie Amster-Burton, who spoke on behalf of librarians, says she actually switched schools in part because of how invasive MAP testing had become in regard to library time and space. The district has told educators that it thanks them for their concern but it needs time to work out a solution, but Amster-Burton says that these problems have existed for years, and educators have been bringing them up with the district the whole time. She brought with her a letter to Superintendent Banda, signed by 35 Seattle school librarians, in support of the Garfield teachers and in opposition to the MAP test.
Excerpt from letter:
Librarians, whose role is to teach information skills and support reading instruction, have been required in many schools to spend weeks and weeks as testing clerks. In many schools the first time a student visits the library is not to check out a book or research a topic, but to take a test—a test that is not aligned to curriculum and
How to Make a Point in a Discussion?
From recent elections, there are those who confuse arguing with attacking in order to get what they want or to marginalize others.
I saw this during the charter school election when I got personally attacked by both Lisa Macfarlane and Shannon Campion at several debates. (What is interesting is that Tim Ceis, the former city official who was known as a pitbull, could not have been nicer at the debates.) I had thought, in the moment to respond back, but my reward was watching the faces of the audience and clearly, people think little of personal attacks.
Now from Ms. Campion, I expected that. She's a shill for Stand for Children. But Lisa and I have known each other professionally for years. We have stood together on issues around the World School. I expected better
I saw this during the charter school election when I got personally attacked by both Lisa Macfarlane and Shannon Campion at several debates. (What is interesting is that Tim Ceis, the former city official who was known as a pitbull, could not have been nicer at the debates.) I had thought, in the moment to respond back, but my reward was watching the faces of the audience and clearly, people think little of personal attacks.
Now from Ms. Campion, I expected that. She's a shill for Stand for Children. But Lisa and I have known each other professionally for years. We have stood together on issues around the World School. I expected better
Publicola and The Stranger say YES to Levies
From Publicola:
Cynical voters may see that as an opportunity to vote the local money down as a way to put the state on notice. Astute voters understand that the McCLeary decision highlighted a crisis that demands collective action. Putting the state on notice that Seattle's all in is the smart thing to do.
PubliCola picks "Yes" On Seattle Propositions 1 and 2.
From The Stranger (keeping in mind, this is The Stranger talking):
But really... vote yes on both of them.
Slashing a quarter of our schools' funding would be absolutely unthinkable. So don't even think it.
Can you believe it's 2013 and our schools don't have Wi-Fi?
Remember: The children are
District Continues to Overbuild?
I'm not an architect so someone who know building design or construction, help me out.
The West Seattle Blog has a report about the "preferred schematic" for the future Genesee Hill school where Schmitz Park will be moving. The good:
The design principles were described as including “really fit(ting) into the challenging site” where Genesee Hill Elementary now sits, and being “timeless” as well as serving as a “community resource … not just a place of learning … to be a community center, to allow for community access onto the site, to use as a park, if you will,” plus “to be sustainable … good steward of taxpayer dollars and good steward of our environment.”
On the second floor, the library would be located in a way that would take advantage of the Mount Rainier and
The West Seattle Blog has a report about the "preferred schematic" for the future Genesee Hill school where Schmitz Park will be moving. The good:
The design principles were described as including “really fit(ting) into the challenging site” where Genesee Hill Elementary now sits, and being “timeless” as well as serving as a “community resource … not just a place of learning … to be a community center, to allow for community access onto the site, to use as a park, if you will,” plus “to be sustainable … good steward of taxpayer dollars and good steward of our environment.”
On the second floor, the library would be located in a way that would take advantage of the Mount Rainier and