That Sinking Feeling: The Way We Are Thinking About Teachers Is All Wrong | janresseger

That Sinking Feeling: The Way We Are Thinking About Teachers Is All Wrong | janresseger:

That Sinking Feeling: The Way We Are Thinking About Teachers Is All Wrong

Posted on April 23, 2014 by janresseger

Occasionally I wake in the night with the sinking feeling that maybe I’ve been living my life by all the wrong rules and making bad choices that hurt those I love.  It’s a terrible feeling that makes it hard to go back to sleep, but usually in the morning with some light and reason I can calm down, readjust a bit and move on.  With public policy, the sinking feeling usually comes with the news, as it gets clearer that we are moving in the wrong direction. Then the challenge is to get more information and figure out how to help change the public will.  It isn’t always so easy.

This month important information has been published about the punitive policies our federal government and states are using to evaluate public school teachers and to determine whether they are qualified.  Have we been operating by the wrong rules and making bad choices that hurt those we depend on?  But first a little history…

The public education policies of President Barack Obama’s administration have featured “holding teachers accountable” for their students’ accomplishments at school.  The policies of Race to the Top and School Improvement Grants have required that states impose prescribed turnaround plans for schools with low test scores, including one called “reconstitution” that fires the principal and at least half the staff.

Then in 2012, when it became clear that Congress was unlikely to agree on any kind of reauthorization of  No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the omnibus (and very punitive) 2002 federal law on public education, Obama’s Department of Education began offering states waiversfrom some of NCLB’s deeply flawed and  onerous consequences.  The law had set utopian and unrealistic benchmarks by which all schools would bring their students to tested proficiency That Sinking Feeling: The Way We Are Thinking About Teachers Is All Wrong | janresseger:

NYC Educator: The Gates/ Walton/ Broad Fix for That Nagging Teacher Problem

NYC Educator: The Gates/ Walton/ Broad Fix for That Nagging Teacher Problem:

The Gates/ Walton/ Broad Fix for That Nagging Teacher Problem

-->

A cheery little reverie by special guest blogger Michael Fiorillo

- Proclaim austerity for the public schools, while continuing to expand charters.

- Put non-educators in positions of power, from Assistant Principal on up.

- Maintain a climate of scapegoating and witch hunting for “bad teachers,” who are posited as the cause of poverty and student failure, doing everything possible to keep debate from addressing systemic inequities.

- Neutralize and eventually eliminate teacher unions (the former largely accomplished in the case of the AFT). As part of that process, eliminate tenure, seniority and defined benefit pensions.

- Create and maintain a climate of constant disruption and destabilization, with cascading mandates that are impossible to keep up or comply with.

- Create teacher evaluations based on Common Core-related high stakes tests for which no curriculum has been developed. Arbitrarily impose cut scores on those exams that cast students, teachers and schools as failing, as was done by NYS Education Commissioner John King and Regent Meryl Tisch.

- Get teachers and administrators, whether through extortion (see RttT funding) threats or non-stop propaganda, to accept the premises of “data-driven” everything, NYC Educator: The Gates/ Walton/ Broad Fix for That Nagging Teacher Problem:

The Shriver Report – Is it Time for Schools to Adapt to the Modern Family and Kill the Half-Day?

The Shriver Report – Is it Time for Schools to Adapt to the Modern Family and Kill the Half-Day?:

Is it Time for Schools to Adapt to the Modern Family and Kill the Half-Day?

CAREY GOLDBERG | 04.23.2014

Photo Credit: © pyzata – Fotolia.com

May I share with you the delights of my children’s April school schedule?

They get out at 12:40 p.m. because of parent-teacher conferences on these days sprinkled through the month: Tues., April 1; Weds., April 9; Tues., April 29. Oh, yes, and just when you thought it was safe, one more on May 7. (Plus they’re off April 18 through 25 for spring vacation.)

That’s in addition to our new regular Friday early dismissals at 1:40 p.m. When we got word of that, one mother I know said to the superintendent, “You must really hate parents.”

I don’t think the administration hates us, but I do think that perhaps we haven’t spoken up loudly enough about the logistical stress these half-days create. And they’re common around the state, from year-round half-Tuesdays in Newton to April half-Wednesdays in Westwood.

They’re an old tradition. Many of us remember the joys of occasional half days from our own school years. You know, back when our mothers were mostly housewives. Now, many mothers work, and I venture to say that virtually all working parents wish that all our public schools provided universal, affordable after-school care.

Or at the very least, reliable after-school care on random half-days. At our school, a team of mothers has created a “half-day matinee,” gathering all the children who need looking after for a movie that runs until the normal 2:30 p.m. dismissal time. But their altruistic efforts are in danger of being overwhelmed by demand: More than 200 children have been coming to the movies this month, straining even their heroic volunteer powers.

Our schools face so many huge and complex issues. A few half-days may seem trivial. On the other hand, a small problem should be a more tractable one.
“First-world problems,” you may say, and I’d agree but go a step further: This is specifically a first-world middle-class problem. If The Shriver Report – Is it Time for Schools to Adapt to the Modern Family and Kill the Half-Day?:

‘Just Learning'? In most juvenile prisons, students languish | Education Lab Blog | Seattle Times

‘Just Learning'? In most juvenile prisons, students languish | Education Lab Blog | Seattle Times:

‘Just Learning’? In most juvenile prisons, students languish

Posted by Claudia Rowe

Screen shot from “Just Learning.” Data source: Consolidated State Performance Report, US Department of Education.

In every arena of education, Americans have become relentless in their search for evidence of results. That goes for preschools, colleges, anti-dropout programs — you name it. Except for one long-lingering category: juvenile detention.

The purpose of locking kids up has always been rehabilitation over punishment. Yet no central office in Washington — or nationally — tracks educational outcomes for this group of students, which needs help perhaps more than that any other to get on track. (Only 37 percent of youth in juvenile prisons are there for violent crimes; the rest have drug, property or public-order offenses.)

Last week, the Southern Education Foundation, a nonprofit based in Georgia, released findings from “Just Learning,” its national look at academic outcomes for the 70,000 young peopleincarcerated on any given day in the United States. The results were damning.

Fewer than half of youths earned a single course credit while locked up. Only 9 percent got a GED certificate or high school diploma. As a group, western states showed slightly better results — with 53 percent of incarcerated kids earning a course credit, though only 7 percent completed school.

“By every indicator that we can find — data from federal and state governments, results of scholarly research – these children are being given an education that is far below what is provided to other students who have less needs,” said Steve Suitts, vice-president of the foundation and author of ‘Just Learning'? In most juvenile prisons, students languish | Education Lab Blog | Seattle Times:

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-22-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

CORPORATE ED REFORM

LAUSD board approves multi-year contracts for senior staffers

In another sign of improving financial fortunes for LA Unified, the school board today approved multi-year contracts for many of the district’s most senior staff. In a break from previous years, when high level administration staffers worked on one-year contracts, several of Superintendent John Deasy’s most senior aides were given contracts of two and, in some cases, three years. Deasy declined to

2 by Vanessa Romo / 4h 

 

Paul Takes His School-Choice Message to Chicago

Senator Rand Paul spoke of the importance of giving parents more flexibility to decide where their tax dollars go, and labeled those who stand in the way of greater choice “dead-enders.”

23 by By JEREMY W. PETE... / 1h 

 

Portland Public Schools foundations raised record-breaking $4.1 million last year

The record number in foundations will help distribute $1.25 million in grants to 47 schools across the district.

6 by Nicole Dungca | n... / 4h 

David Brooks, Common Core Circus Performer

Ken Previti:David Brooks is paid to preach the neo-con, neo-liberal gospel of the venerable corporate giants who own the NYT and hundreds of other media outlets that used to have greater autonomy. Those antonymous days are over. The Brooks parroting of a CCSS press release is strong evidence that aside from a few crumbs thrown our way to demonstrate the “fair and balanced” view of the NYT, their h

by Ken Previti / 2h 

Book Review of Laurel M. Sturt’s memoir, Davonte’s Inferno

In comparison to Davonte’s Inferno by Laurel M. Sturt… Well, there is no comparison to this brilliantly descriptive memoir of the reality of public schools in New York. It stands by itself, and therefore needs to be read widely by teachers, parents and those who are interested and involved in public education today. The subtitle, Ten Years in the New York Public School Gulag, tells in advance that

46 by Ken Previti / 5h 

Epic Pearson Failure in Florida During State-Wide Testing, Blames Someone Else

From the Associated Press: TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Testing was suspended Tuesday in several districts across Florida after students were unable to take the state’s standardized assessment because of a computer glitch. In a letter to the testing contractor, Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said the glitch had created “significant problems” for students taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment T

by Bob Sikes / 4h 

The brave new technology

Sent to the Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2014I do not share the enthusiasm about new digital technology in education ("Founding principles in the digital age," April 22). There is no evidence that the brave new online tests that promise "real time testing" will be any better than those we have now. In fact, we have not even seen them in action: According to Fair Test (fairtes

by skrashen / 19min 

Get Schooled: NCAA rejects courses from nation's largest online education company, including here in Georgia

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has announced that it will no longer accept coursework by student athletes attending 24 online schools run by K12 Inc., a Virginia-based for-profit company. One of those schools is the Georgia Cyber Academy. I asked the director of Georgia Cyber for a comment and will ...

2h 

FairTest: Computer Test Failures Are Common

Florida had widespread problems with its FCAT, delivered–or not–by Pearson. Pam Stewart promised to seek damages from Pearson. Remember the bad old days when teachers tested students, graded the tests, and students got immediate feedback. Now state officials trust Pearson more than teachers. Who peddled the idea that all testing should be done online? Here is a report from FairTest: FairTest Nat

46 by dianeravitch / 5h 

The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation | Seattle Education

The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation | Seattle Education: The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not InnovationThe NAACP resolution on charter schools:In a process established by the NAACP Constitution, this resolution was adopted by the delegates to the 101st Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, during the legislative session in July, 2010

by mike simpson / 5h hide  //  save

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!: From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!The other day I witnessed an interaction in my classroom that made me realize that my students were where I wanted them to be, independent of me.:)My students were writing blog posts about our trip to Frawley Stadium. They were inserting pic

by mike simpson / 6h 

Nite Cap 4-22-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPCalifornia's National Green Ribbon Schools - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)California's National Green Ribbon Schools - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Congratulates California's National Green Ribbon Schools

by mike simpson / 6h 

The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation | Seattle Education

The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation | Seattle Education:

The NAACP Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation

The NAACP resolution on charter schools:

In a process established by the NAACP Constitution, this resolution was adopted by the delegates to the 101st Annual Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, during the legislative session in July, 2010. It was subsequently ratified by the NAACP National Board of Directors at its meeting on October 15, 2010. This resolution is now the policy of the Association, and is “binding on the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Officers, and all units.”

WHEREAS, charter schools are public schools which were originally designed to explore new approaches to educate students; and

WHEREAS, in some cases, charter schools have become a school model that is used to segregate students; and

WHEREAS, charter schools have too seldom informed the education community regarding innovative instructional strategies that accelerate academic achievement in the general population of students; and

WHEREAS, the Center for Research in Educational Outcomes (CREDO) which examined charter school data in fifteen (15) states and the District of Columbia confirmed that only 17% of the charter school students in the study outperformed their peers, while 46% performed no better and 37% performed worse; and

WHEREAS, charter schools operate more autonomously than traditional public schools in the use of funds, adherence to state laws and school policies, selection and removal of students, and the selection and removal of staff, thus creating separate and unequal conditions for success; and

WHEREAS, charter schools draw funding away from already underfunded traditional public schools; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes that at best, quality charter schools serve only a small percentage of children of color and disadvantaged students for whom the NAACP advocates relative to said population left behind in failing schools; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes the urgent need to provide quality education for all children, not only those fortunate enough to win lotteries to attend existing quality charter schools; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP is committed to finding broad based, effective solutions for immediate implementation to improve the quality of public education for all children.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP will strongly advocate for immediate, overarching improvements to the existing public education system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP rejects the emphasis on charter schools as the vanguard approach for the education of children, instead of focusing attention, funding, and policy advocacy on improving existing, low performing public schools and will work through local, state and federal legislative processes to ensure that all public schools are provided the necessary funding, support and autonomy necessary to educate all students; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will urge all of its Units to work to support public schools throughout the nation to educate all children to their highest potential.

Roslyn M. Brock Leon Russell Benjamin Todd Jealous
Chairman Chairman President & CEO
National Board of Directors Committee on Resolutions

Please pass this on.

Dora

Post Script:

Please e-mail  the Washington State Senate Committee on Early Learning and K-12 Education and let them know that you do not support charter schools.

They do want to hear from you.

Chair

Rosemary.McAuliffe@leg.wa.gov

Vice Chair

Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov

Committee Members

Steve.Litzow@leg.wa.gov

Tracey.Eide@leg.wa.gov

joe.fain@leg.wa.gov

Nick.Harper@leg.wa.gov

andy.hill@leg.wa.gov

Steve.Hobbs@leg.wa.gov

king.curtis@leg.wa.gov

sharon.nelson@leg.wa.gov

Rodney.Tom@leg.wa.gov

On the house side, the committee on education contact information is:

santos.sharontomiko@leg.wa.gov

kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov

fred.finn@leg.wa.gov

andy.billig@leg.wa.gov

sam.hunt@leg.wa.gov

connie.ladenburg@leg.wa.gov

maxwell.marcie@leg.wa.gov

john.mccoy@leg.wa.gov

probst.tim@leg.wa.gov

And for the Republicans, who do not publish their e-mail addresses, you can call Julia Kwon and leave a message, 360.786.7292.Resolution on Charter Schools: Segregation is Not Innovation | Seattle Education:

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!:

From Director to Facilitator:Losing Control of the Classroom!

The other day I witnessed an interaction in my classroom that made me realize that my students were where I wanted them to be, independent of me.:)

My students were writing blog posts about our trip to Frawley Stadium. They were inserting pics from a Google Folder. This was a new concept, so I taught one or two of them. Teach two, they teach the rest.

I could see one of my students struggling at the back table. Although I was standing right beside her, she didn't say a word to me, did not bother to ask for help. She stood up, walked over to the desktop computers, and asked a student I had previously taught for help. That student walked over, and proceeded to guide her through the process. Listening to the way this student patiently explained it to the struggling student made me proud.:) Why? I was not part of the equation. They did not need me.

How many of us can let go of control in our classrooms?

How many of us can allow students to ignore us, and turn to their classmates?

How many of us can do this? Especially those of us who have believed that discipline and classroom management comes from rows in single file, and no talking?

That's the tradition I come from, but I relinquished that power a while ago.

Is my room a perfect slice of heaven? By no means! I have the same issues other classrooms may have. Disrespectful students, bickering, tattling, bullying, and/or students who don't want to work, but it doesn't happen often. I have 20 students this year, but it has worked with 27. I have students of all races, and they are not all "gifted." So, there's no, "Oh now I see how you do it!" here.

Here's how I managed:

• strong, classr