The Educator's Blog

Roadblocks to Student Success

2011-12-27T02:32:00.002-06:00

Ever since the release ofA Nation At Risk, education reformers have been crying doom and gloom. The report outlined issues like the following(The National Commission on Excellencein Education):

Student grades have increased despite a reduction ofhomework and student performance
A high number of low rigor electives courses can beused for credit toward graduation
Many students are able to "master" coursecontent without ever using the textbook, which hints at lowered levels ofexpectations for students
Teachers have to supplement their incomes by gainingother modes of employment
Many teachers are technically unqualified to teachcourses like mathematics and the sciences

The intent of the report hasbeen to help those who could not seem to help themselves, like minorities andthe impoverished who are underrepresented in politics, by shedding light onthese problem areas, so it is thought. Theripples of the report have led to several recent federal directives, like NoChild Left Behind (DOE, 2001) and Race to the Top (DOE, 2009).

Yet, as most things inlife, there was something deeper happening in the world of policy-making and education. The information in the Nation At Risk Reportmay have been guilty on technical grounds. The Sandia Report exposed a statistical issue, defined as Simpson'sParadox (Ansary).

Simpson's Paradox is a phenomenon best described by the change in statisticaldirection that can occur when looking at data from disaggregate sets and itsaggregate set. Ender (1998) uses anexample to illicit the paradox by showing how several minority groups can havean increase in test scores, but when the aggregate data (total information) isformed, it shows a different -- overall declining -- result. It ultimately stems from disproportionatesubpopulation numbers that can be misleading when grouped as a whole.

A skeptical person couldinterpret the error as purposeful. Or,it may be ignorance of statistics on a grander scale, which has permeated theupper echelon of education researchers. Ineither case, it is imperative that data in education be used very carefully,especially when evaluating teachers (Karadimos), entire school districts, or anational education system.

The focus on minorities ineducation have encouraged some educators to cite a 'sphere of control' defensiveargument. They point to the detrimentsof low socio-economics, like language skill deficits, high drop-out rates, andreduced learning speeds (APA). A newstudy connects absenteeism in schools to mental illness and depression(Wood).

Focusing on negatives,although necessary to understand the limitations of a learning community, is aless than effective way to approach school improvement. Doing so would be called 'deficitthinking,' where educators view students living in poverty as lacking andconsequently blame students and their parents for barriers in the classroom (Jeffords).

Instead, institutions havebeen leaning toward the implementation of Danielson's Framework and focusing onimproving teacher performance (University of Chicago). Student performance indicators, like testscores, has been finding its way within teacher evaluations (Hunsberger). If it is to be done properly, to help teachers and schools reach their true potential, this data mustbe used with more care than has been used in the past.

The track record ofschools has indicated they use data improperly. For instance, there is a school district (purposefullyunnamed) that noticed high test scores of students who take college preparatorycourses, like four years of mathematics and the trifecta of sciences: biology,chemistry, and physics. Consequently,this district mandated students to take these courses, thinking it would raisetest scores.

However, it was a spuriouscorrelation to assume the courses alone was the key to raising studentperformance on test scores. Hiddenconnections were overlooked. Forinstance, it is possible that the students who would normally take such courseloads would have had sufficient background skills, the necessary support structureat home, and the intrinsic motivation to help them be successful in those courses.

What is not in debate is thatstudent data should be harvested and used for school improvement purposes andfor teacher evaluation. How it is gained,which data to analyze, and to what proportion the data is used within anevaluation is in question. The goal isto make teachers a quintessential part of the improvement process, not alienatedor somehow separate from it.

According to School-BasedManagement, called SBM (Wohlstetter and Mohrman):

"The role of teachersalso changes in a fundamental way. Althoughthey have always managed their own classrooms, SBM implies an extension oftheir focus to include participating in shaping the school environment,creating the school vision, working with other stakeholders to determine goalsand objectives, and taking responsibility for resource allocation and use. Their influence shifts from individual controlover their classroom domain to influence exercised in a variety of collectiveforums, including councils, problem-solving groups, and various kinds of workteams."

Within this School-BasedManagement strategy, teachers are inherently necessary in gaining success in alearning community. This requires mutualrespect and autonomy among teachers, administrators, and community members.

When Michelle Rhee ran Washington schools, she expected principals to maintainorderly hallways and classrooms (Whitmire). This certainly can only be accomplished by empowering teachers andmaking them mutual partners in the education process.

Despite the necessarypartnership that must exist to gain an effective school, part of the problem isthe lack of teacher respect. Making teachersserve breakfast to students (Libman) and endure students who taunt and thenvideo tape teachers (Downey) speak volumes of the impact politics has had onthe role of being an effective teacher these past few years.

When we acknowledge theseroadblocks and create mutually inclusive decision-making practices, schoolswill be able to overcome them. Untilthen, schools will continue to dodge stones cast by outsiders who see fracturedsystems and less than optimum learning taking place.

Resources

Ansary (2007) Education at Risk:Fallout from a Flawed Report. Accessedon December 26th, 2011 at: http://www.edutopia.org/landmark-education-report-nation-risk

American PsychologicalAssociation (2011) Education and Socioeconomics. Accessedon December 26th, 2011 at: http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/factsheet-education.aspx

Downey (2011) Cyberbaitingteachers: In the media, but is it in the schools? Atlanta Journal-Constitution Blog. Accessed on December 27th, 2011 at: http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/12/22/cyberbaiting-teachers-in-the-media-but-is-it-in-the-schools/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog

Ender (1998) Education Introductionto Research Design and Statistics: Simpson's Paradox. Accessed on December 26th, 2001 at: http://www.philender.com/courses/intro/simpson.html

Jeffords (2011) Helpingpoor students 'comes with a cost.' NiagaraFalls Review. Accessed on December 26th,2011 at: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/peac/pdf/nat_implications_uoc.pdf

Hunsberger (2011)The War Over Teacher EvaluationsMisses the Point. Huffington Post'sTeach Plus. Accessed on December 27th, 2011 at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/teach-plus/the-war-over-teacher-eval_b_1162891.html

Karadimos (2011) EducationThe Politics of Data in Education. Accessed on December 26th, 2011 at: http://gigagod.blogspot.com/2011/01/politics-of-data-in-education.html

Libman (2011) Why so muchdisrespect toward teachers? ChicagoTribune Opinion. Accessed on December 27th, 2011 at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-perspec-1127-school-20111127,0,6535204.story

The NationalCommission on Excellence in Education (1983) A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Accessed on December 26th, 2011 at: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/findings.html

U.S. Department ofEducation (2001) No Child Left Behind. Accessed on December 26th, 2011 at: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html

U.S. Department ofEducation (2009) Race to the Top. Accessed on December 26th, 2011 at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/legislation.html

University of Chicago (n.d.) National Implications of “Rethinking Teacher Evaluation” Accessed on December 26th, 2011 at: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/peac/pdf/nat_implications_uoc.pdf

Whitmire (2011)What's Working in Urban Schools. Huffington Post. Accessedon December 27th, 2011 at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-whitmire/whats-working-in-urban-sc_b_1153297.html

Wohlstetter and Mohrman (1993)School-Based Management: Strategies for Success. Accessedon December 27th, 2011 at: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/CPRE/fb2sbm.html

Wood (2011) SchoolAbsenteeism, Mental Health Problems Linked. Accessed on December 27th, 2011 at: http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/12/25/school-absenteeism-mental-health-problems-linked/32937.html

The Politics of Data in Education

2011-01-15T14:25:00.003-06:00

Educators attend teacher in-services, where they learn of changes in law, best practices, and current research. Teachers benefit from the experience by blossoming into higher performing educators.

But, what does it mean to be higher performing?

One such in-service addressed that issue – indirectly. An analogy was drawn to the healthcare industry, where doctors use research via innovative and ethical new practices to help patients. Data gathered as a result of new procedures and comparatives made between doctors' patients help determine what is best in the medical kingdom.

Likewise, it has been argued, teachers should open their classrooms to equal scrutiny and data collection. Allowing data to drive the education realm would help educators to determine how students best learn, who is adopting best practice strategies, which students need special interventions (Hechinger, 2009), and ultimately who could be harming student progress, which would be akin to medical malpractice.

Data like this would be invaluable to educators. Teachers would allow the data to naturally stream and guide them toward innovation, student success, and perfection. Administrators who monitor teacher progress would love it because they would be able to utilize the data to evaluate teachers, rank them by performance, and then fire teachers who were outright harmful to students.

It sounds like a panacea, right?

Used correctly, meaning judiciously and with the needs of students in mind, it may be a panacea. However, all men and women are not created equal, nor do they always have students’ interests in mind. Also, not everyone knows how to utilize data in a way that will bring helpful knowledge to the education design table. [Evaluators would need to be trained in order to be effective in its use and they too should have a proven track record of success (Bell, 2011).]

In medicine, there is a science that is unmistakable. Consider the assignment of dosage in medication, double blind studies with placebos to determine their benefits, and statistical techniques when analyzing patient sets.

In education, data is perceived abhorrently simply misused, or underused, despite what the reader may think he knows about education. Allow me to explain.

Teacher evaluations are being scrutinized in Illinois (Banchero, 2011). Due to funding issues and federal stimulus monies, Illinois is considering many changes in the way it evaluates teachers. Without considering the radical ideas that have been proposed, consider simply the inclusion of student grades within a teacher’s evaluation.

If a teacher being evaluated were to have students’ grades included, it may help to provide a good snapshot of a teacher’s success as an educator. The data could be a distribution of grades the teacher has assigned for a semester delineated by grade, as in the number of As, Bs, and so on al the way to the number of Es. Or, the data could simply be a lump sum of the number of Es a teacher has assigned or a lump sum of the number of combined As, Bs, and Cs as a total.

It sounds great, right?

Yet, such data in isolation can and would be skewed for a teacher who dealt with students who were chronically absent. What about teachers of low ability students who had huge language deficits? Teachers who helped low-income students, as the research does indicate, would be at a great disadvantage, too (Rose, 2008). Teachers who have to deal with all of these factors would have a compounded problem.

Let it be understood that the inclusion of data within teachers’ evaluation plan is certainly a good idea. It is a step toward objectivity. It should force the evaluator to take steps to isolate areas of concern, develop strategies to overcome them with teacher input, and then monitor performance based on those key indicators. Personally, I am all for it as are many teachers as reported by one Chicago mayor candidate (Paulson, 2011).

If the reader is familiar with politics in Illinois, however, he or she will know this phrase applies: “Statistics do no not lie, but liars do use statistics.” This is not to say the numbers will be bogus, but how the numbers will be used and the choice of which numbers will get used is up for grabs and will certainly skew a teacher’s evaluation.

Within a nationally contentious political climate for teachers, and quite pronounced in Illinois (Finke, 2010), skewed data will be a problem. If there was a school administrator who wanted to reduce his budget, he could do it quite easily. Here is how he could do it.

He would load his School Improvement Planning (SIP) panel with teachers who teach top end students, like teachers of honors and advanced placement classes. These teachers deal with highly motivated students, or at least students who put up less of a struggle with the day-to-day operations within a class.

He would inform this SIP panel that he would be instituting an evaluation system that will place meaningful data, like students’ grades, within the evaluation. These teachers will naturally agree, because they deal with students who are exceptional performers who also gain higher grades.

He would then target veteran teachers who were not on this SIP panel. These teachers would either not have grade patterns that would match the general population of teachers or the grades may be similar, which could suggest the grades were potentially inflated. Despite these teachers being assigned students with hardships, grade distribution data could be used to find unjust reason for dismissal.

Albeit the above circumstances outline a cynical view of how data collection could be used within a school, it also demonstrates the need for safeguards within the teacher evaluation process. Whether a school utilizes a widely respected panel or group of teachers within a school, it also provides insight to the role of teacher unions and how they communicate with administrators to promote systemic learning and growth.

If the data door is to be opened within the realm of teacher evaluations, then there is a way to make it meaningful. The factors that should be included are: student attendance, teacher attendance, student grades, and the number of behavior problems within a semester. Including other data like the number of behavior strategies implemented by the teacher, alignment of teaching to the curriculum, a percentage of students completing assignments, and student test performance would also be helpful.

In order to develop a clear picture of what a teacher has done during any length of time, it is clear more data as opposed to less data is necessary. The inclusion of data within a such a holistic framework would best be a means for measuring teacher success and helping them grow. Teachers who had to deal with myopic evaluators should make a larger pool of data readily available and also include it within evaluations, if necessary.

To understand the inclusion of more data as opposed to less data, return back to the analogy between teaching and medicine. If a doctor was to prescribe medication to a patient, it is assumed the patient will take it so as to ward off the ailment and get healthier. It is understood not following the doctor's prescription may very well be detrimental to one's health.

However, such negative cycles are exactly what happens to teachers. When students do poorly, it is usually due to simple issues like not doing the following: attending class, doing assignments, and choosing to engage oneself in class activities. Despite efforts to meet students at their ability levels and make activities meaningful to them, some students (more students within certain populations of students) choose not to do what is expected of them. This is akin to not taking one's medication and not following doctor's orders.

This may provide insight to the challenges teachers face and the inherent weakness of comparing teaching to medicine. Most patients want to get healthier and therefore follow doctors' orders. Not all students follow teachers' orders and therefore restrict themselves from the opportunities of their peers who do what is asked of them.

The use of data has to be used carefully when comparing one teacher to the next. An evaluator must not confuse a lack of teacher performance with a lack of student willingness to learn. An evaluator can still find meaning by making comparables between teachers, but the evaluator who does so should also factor in the types of students being taught, levels of courses being taught, years of experience between educators, and more. A judicious use of data is welcomed, but how it is used and to what end is the issue when politics enter the arena.

As reported by 60 Minutes (Kroft, 2010), state governments have a looming crisis of high debt and shrunken income to handle. Under such circumstances it may also be less than a stretch to see how the mismanagement of public funds could lead to the mismanagement of education data. Since labor is the biggest piece of the pie when reflecting on school budgets, it is certainly not a leap in logic to suggest how data could be manipulated to force veteran teachers, those at the upper end of the pay schedule, out of teaching.

Simply cherry picking veteran teachers out of education would be disastrous. Veteran teachers mentor new teachers by providing them with coping skills, like classroom management strategies and instructional techniques, which are two areas new teachers desperately require assistance. Besides, whether dealing with student who take their medicine or not, all of them should have the right to be taught by these master educators.

Let us not allow present day politics and the mismanagement of monies and policies that led us here (Zorn, 2011) to interfere with the growth of students. Data should be used as a tool to help educators improve instruction (Chute, 2006), moving education forward, not backward.

There is a trail of money that suggests Illinois education reformers may be letting outside agencies not influence the debate but actually control it (Bell, 2010). This sentiment trickles down to the local level by administrators who misuse data to attack teachers (Michie, 2011). One has to ask, "If one swings data like a mallet, does it really help kids learn?" Only through the objective use of fields of data may the experience help educators reach more students, which is closer to the way data is used for health care.

Resources

Banchero (2011) "Illinois Attempts to Link Teacher Tenure to Results." The Wall Street Journal. Accessed on January 13^th, 2011 at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576060122295287678.html

Bell (2010) "Imperative to Keep an Eye on School ‘Reform’." The State Journal-Register. A letter to the editor. Accessed on January 13^th, 2011 at: http://www.sj-r.com/letters/x1808785140/Letter-Imperative-to-keep-an-eye-on-school-reform

Bell (2011) "Punishing Teachers Won’t Spur Success." The State Journal-Register. A letter to the editor. Accessed on January 13^th, 2011 at: http://www.sj-r.com/letters/x493326056/Letter-Punishing-teachers-won-t-spur-success

Chute (2006) "Back to School: Performance Data Driving Education Now." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Accessed on January 14th, 2010 at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06241/717104-298.stm

Fenke (2010) "Illinois House Committee to Take on Education Reform Proposals." The State Journal-Register. Accessed on January 14th, 2010 at: http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x1757257545/Illinois-House-committee-to-take-on-education-reform-proposals

Hechinger (2009) "Data-Driven Schools See Rising Scores." The Wall Street Journal. Accessed on January 14th, 2011 at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124475338699707579.html

Kroft (2010) "State Budgets: The Day of Reckoning." 60 Minutes. Accessed December 10th, 2010 at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/19/60minutes/main7166220.shtml

Michie (2011) "How to Be Taken Seriously as a Reformer (Don't Be an Educator)." The Huffington Post. Accessed on January 14th, 2011 at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-michie/how-to-be-taken-seriously_b_808889.html

Paulson (2011) "Chicago Mayoral Candidate Miguel Del Valle in the Teachers' Corner." Accessed on January 13^th, 2011 at: http://www.examiner.com/dupage-county-conservative-in-chicago/chicago-mayoral-candidate-miguel-del-valle-the-teachers-corner

Rose, Jazmen (2008) "What Affects Graduation Rates of Illinois Public High Schools?" Undergraduate Economic Review: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 9.
Accessed on January 14th, 2011 at: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/uer/vol4/iss1/9

Zorn (2011) "The Can Stops Here -- Democrats' Tax Hike Aims at Ending Years of Game-Playing in Springfield." This is a blog item on The Chicago Tribune. Accessed on January 14th, 2011 at: http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2011/01/taxes.html

One Teacher's Plea to Gain Meaningful Education Reform

2010-12-14T20:36:00.007-06:00

Today, I learned of a Special House Committee on Education meeting that will occur at the Math and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois on December 16th and 17th. Panel discussions will include: "Streamlining Teacher Dismissal," "Reforming Teacher Tenure," "Linking Layoffs to Performance," "Mutual Consent in Teacher Placement," and "Strike Reform."

In response to this obvious affront to the entire teaching profession, I decided to contact my state representatives. I prepared the letter that follows:

Representative [name deleted], I happen to know that you are an active member of the LaGrange/Brookfield area and have attended a benefit with you at the Brookfield Library last year. Knowing you are interested in the growth of our community brings me great satisfaction.

I also know you are extremely concerned with the lives of children and the schools that prepare them for the future. Consequently, you work diligently as my representative to ensure proper legislation is passed and enforced. This means you are probably aware of an effort that appears to be on a fast track to cruise through our government, which defiles what we currently view as our sacred teaching profession.

This effort -- a Special House Committee on Education Reform -- is bent on attacking teachers. On December 16th and 17th, the committee will be meeting in Aurora at the Math and Science Academy. Panel discussions include: "Streamlining Teacher Dismissal," "Reforming Teacher Tenure," "Linking Layoffs to Performance," "Mutual Consent in Teacher Placement," and "Strike Reform."

I teach high school and have taught for over 18 years. My journey through education has included teaching mathematics, being a dean of students, and serving as an assistant principal for lower socio-economic students. My experience tells me that attacking teachers is not the way to go to reform education. It will not enhance student performance.

I already work with fellow educators who are hard at work developing fresh, new curricula that meets the individual needs of the community we serve. We continually incorporate methodologies that approach Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. We include modern technologies, such as graphing calculators and hand held computers (TI Inspire), we utilize various developing Internet technologies, and we prepare students for state standardized examinations.

However, when student attendance rates are abysmally low and teachers are unable to control the classes they teach, nor the brand of students whom they serve, how is it fair to rate teacher performance based on student achievement?

I am not one to make excuses, but there are a great number of variables we teachers must face on a daily basis. Having student achievement as a factor to determine my performance, even though the population of students I serve do not do homework nor attend classes regularly, seems to be unjust. Doing so would only sully the efforts my colleagues and I undergo to prepare these students.

In fact, merely entertaining the notion of connecting teacher evaluations with student performance would place in jeopardy the education these low socio-economic students deserve to receive.

If I was a newly trained educator who was looking to be employed, why would I ever seek as my number one option to serve underprivileged students? If my evaluations were going to be based upon the performances of my students, I would rather teach students who were not disadvantaged. Serving students who have English language deficits, have gaps in their knowledge due to attendance issues, and have parents who do not yet view the need for a rigorous education to be vital for future success place teachers like myself at a great disadvantage.

I have yet to see any serious dialogue concerning how a formula could be determined when reflecting on this student performance and teacher evaluation connection. It is nebulous and brings only uncertainty to the lives of hard working educators who have the utmost respect for our profession and the lives of the students we tirelessly serve.

The political climate right now is not favorable for teachers. Teachers continually receive the lash when politicians and reporters reflect on education. However, it is unwarranted save for isolated instances, which are quite easily managed.

I am requesting for you to represent the supermajority of teachers who look to change the lives of the students they face. Please consider steering this committee in a direction that is tempered with calm reflection. If the political winds that be would like to develop a new teacher evaluation plan based upon student performance, help it determine how such a formula would not prevent disadvantaged children from gaining and maintaining the aid of talented, caring educators.

We teachers are desperately searching for a champion to help us as we battle those who would like to reform education via scorched earth tactics. Those unbridled tactics place students at great risk by moving teachers to develop cookie-cutter, one size-fits-all curricula that will truly serve nothing but to justify why they should retain their teaching credentials.

Instead, politicians should be working to protect the ability of teachers to work passionately, yet skillfully, on behalf of the students they serve. Teach-to-the-test methodologies, while slightly helping only a small portion of what schools must do, should not be the determining factor of how teachers should be rated.

If I was a betting man, I might be left thinking these discussions are driving at finding creative ways to lower budgets by hatcheting that which costs the most, namely labor. Yet, if politicians balance budgets by allowing seasoned -- expensive -- teachers to be released, are we really serving our communities?

Thank you for listening to my concerns. Thank you for caring about children and the educators who help them fulfill their destinies.

I implore the reader to do an Internet search concerning news articles pertaining to the teaching profession. Hatcheteers, like Michelle Rhee, are all too common today. Their scorched earth tactics are alarming to the trained ear, despite the simplistic fervor it may raise.

If the reader is an educator, one must act now to combat these hatcheteers. If the reader is at all concerned with helping the state of public education, one must also be moved to contact one's representatives to demand more than the mass, unfounded attacks teachers are now enduring.

The Teaching Profession Under Siege

2010-04-20T22:21:00.004-05:00

The world of politics is not shy when it deals with blame, nor who to blame, when society is out of balance or student performance in schools is questionable. Recently, the blame stick has been poking teachers straight in the eye.

Look at Florida. Florida representatives churned up a bill that would have tied a large chunk of teacher salaries and their performances to student achievement on its state standardized test. Had it passed, it would have effectively ended tenure in Florida.

Look at Obama’s national plan. He wants to award schools that tie teacher performance to student achievement with money. It appears to be a common theme.

Look at New York. According to Mayor Bloomberg, he wants to put an end to seniority. Bloomberg wants the ability to close schools and then open other schools without having to be concerned with seniority. Having this would allow him to fill positions as he pleased, which would also ultimately end tenure.

These strategies appear to solve a problem. The solution is to provide administrators with tools to make improvements in education, namely to manage districts and deal with ineffective teachers. An examination of current events indicates there are groups of people who believe teachers are the source of the problem. Therefore, legislators attack the teaching profession.

What legislators and news agencies fail to acknowledge is that teachers have an extremely difficult job. Anyone who has spent time planning lessons, working with challenging students, and covering state standards knows this to be true.

In addition, teachers routinely take the burden of responsibility when dealing with large social issues. Think of racial tolerance, sexual tolerance, sex education, and health education. Consumer education used to be a pretty simple course, or at least a topic within a business course. However, with home loan and finance scandals contributing to a stock market concussion, consumer education may soon become a new area of concern.

Lump on top of this the need to do what teachers have been doing for centuries, which is to teach students how to read, write, calculate, understand the scientific world around them, and – most importantly – how to think. There is also a mandate to follow individualized lesson plans for special education students, a need to know students’ medical concerns, and develop challenging, yet engaging, daily curricula for students.

Despite these demands, legislators want to inhibit the profession by removing stability. They want to pass legislation that attacks tenure, dismisses seniority, and make teacher contracts meaningless. It is needed to rid the profession of those who cannot do their jobs, some progressives may argue.

Yet, administrators already have the capability to deal with ineffective teachers and manage schools. There are systems in place to deal with low performing teachers. Teacher contracts do not help bad teachers keep their jobs. Contracts ensure a mutually agreed upon process (between administrators, teachers, and the school board) is followed. This is a fact.

Administrators who know their contracts have the ability to deal with poor teachers. They can do this via observed and evaluations. Administrators have provisions for dealing with teachers who are negligent, or worse. So, why attack teachers when systems are in place to deal with under-performing teachers?

There is plenty of blame to go around. One could blame administrators who do not fulfill their responsibilities when they hire poor teachers, accept low quality performance from teachers, and do not provide teachers with professional development. One could blame parents who lose a connection with their children, do not re-enforce the need to learn, and provide a proper home environment for learning. One could blame society for its declining culture, which does not emphasize a need for education.

One could hold children accountable, too. They certainly do not deserve the whole burden, as no one group deserves such a burden, but they are the forgotten participants within education.

If legislators and newscasters enter into a “blame game,” the collective potential will be lost and energy will be wasted. Instead, smart people form partnerships, build communities, and brainstorm solutions together. True growth happens as a collective will. It means showing others why it is America has always been known for its rugged pioneers, entrepreneurs, outside-of-the-box thinkers, and hard workers.

Team-building is the solution.

The current practice of blaming teachers will only alienate the super-majority of teachers who are hard workers and further drive education into a cultural abyss. The hard fix takes patience, time, and the will of the collective.

References

Teacher Pay Veto Overshadows Other Florida Education Bills
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/18/1586106/veto-overshadowed-other-education.html?asset_id=1583174&asset_type=gallery

Does Obama's Education Plan Make the Grade?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1973364,00.html

Obama: Attacking the Teaching Profession to Transform Education?

2010-03-23T19:19:00.002-05:00

President Obama has an innate ability to bring attention to facets of our American world. He has been able to draw a considerable amount of attention on heath care. Yet, this blog and this article is not about medicine, health, or health insurance. It is about education.

As it stands, President Obama holds controversial beliefs within education, too. According to New York City Mayor Bloomberg and his chancellor Klein, they made a number of interesting points in the March issue of Time. Here they are:

1) Obama wants to give bonuses to teachers for raising grades. They will be based on a number of expectations that can lead to "performance bonuses."

2) Obama wants to evaluate teachers based in part on student performance. He says this will improve teacher quality.

3) Obama wants to go after seniority. Seniority is a tenant of unions, which reflect the respect given to those who have proven themselves over time and are extended non-monetary perks as a result.

To the outsider, Bloomberg's argument is one that appears to be sound. He defends Obama's desire to literally transform American education. However, there are huge downsides to instituting Obama's proposals.

The idea of merit pay has been tossed around in political realms in the past. The biggest concern is equity. How does one compare one teacher's load to another teacher's load? Can you really stack a teacher of advance placement (AP) students against a teacher of lower level students? AP students routinely spend 2-3 hours a night doing assignments and research, while students at the other end of the spectrum possess severe learning gaps, poor attitudes, lack parental support, and do not do assignments.

Likewise, the same issue applies to student performance. Student achievement can certainly be made at all levels for all students. However, when a student takes steps to thwart their own education by not attending classes and deliberately contradicting codes of behavior, learning becomes an extreme challenge.

When Bloomberg suggests seniority is the real inhibitor toward making gains, he really means he wants to attack tenure. Teacher tenure certainly makes it harder to discipline teachers because it forces management to take certain steps when dealing with teachers. It requires management to adhere to a set of mutually agreed upon rules .

Yet, these rules protect education. How? It makes it difficult for politicians and administrators to turn teaching positions into patronage positions. We have seen politicians give jobs to people and in turn, those people owe the politicians for their jobs.

If you think these patronage jobs cannot exist, the reader need only examine Chicago, where Obama did his community organizing and politicking. Chicago is home to Mayor Daley. Journalists routinely refer to "The Daily Machine" which makes it nearly impossible for the incumbent to lose a race for his office. We need teachers who are focused on kids, not politicians.

The realm of education is far from perfect. It does need to revolutionize to reach the next tier in its development. However, attacking teachers and disregarding the struggles they have endured to reach the modest bit of respect they now possess is without a doubt not a means to magically transform the profession.

What is most shocking is that teachers voted for Obama. The same hard-working, caring teachers who voted for him now stand a chance to find their profession irrevocably destroyed by him. Yes, the word "destroyed" was chosen carefully.

When veteran teachers who earn a sizable salary can get squeezed out by new teachers in order to cut a budget, who wins? Some of the best teachers one can remember are those teachers who have matured and developed rich curricula. New teachers are valuable assets to schools, as they will one day possess the skills necessary to combat the many challenges a school must face.

While Bloomberg gushes over the prospect of gutting schools caused by Obama's upcoming green light to do so, one has to ask, what is the best course of action? With a large percentage of veteran teachers now retired, politicians are looking to shave their budgets on the backs of teachers. They are attacking teacher retirement funding. They are also looking to make the teaching profession a temporary job, where tenure is either never achieved or its outright meaningless.

Hold whatever views one would like about Obama on health care, but his ideas concerning education are, plainly, sick. The best course of action is not the status quo, but it involves rallying parents, teachers, and students to become a healthy community of learners.

Pat Quinn Proposes False Dichotomy: It's Game Time

2010-03-11T18:18:00.001-06:00

Pat Quinn has proposed the need for a tax increase in Illinois. He wants to raise it from 3% to 4%, which appears to be a small increase. However, it is a 33% tax increase.

Due to Illinois' horrible history of overspending, mismanagement of pensions, and its long list of political scandals, trust in government is extremely low. Despite this fact, Quinn's public relations plan to handle this budget crisis is as equally tarnished as Illinois' history of politics. Let me explain.

His method for solving this issue is to inform tax-payers they have a choice. They either raise taxes or they will face deep cuts in education. Is this reasonable?

No.

Quinn needs to rise to the challenge by acting like a leader. He and his administration needs to convince the public he has exhausted all avenues to streamline the budget. For instance, he can allocate government agencies in such a way to reduce redundancy. He can reduce the number of administrators. He can eliminate government patronage positions.

Instead, Quinn sets a false dichotomy. It's either raise taxes or deal with disintegrating schools. Quinn must think Illinoisans are fools if he thinks we will believe those are the only choices that are available. He needs to rise to the challenge, put on his big-boy pants, and demonstrate he knows how to govern like a seasoned statesman.

If he does not first exhaust all alternative options, then he runs a great risk of fulfilling Harold Washington's reflections. During the last election, Dan Hynes' political advertisement included a video of Washington saying: "I wouldn't appoint him to do anything. Pat Quinn is a totally and completely undisciplined individual."

Quinn must resist the urge to run politics in Illinois as it has been done in the past. He needs to communicate to taxpayers how he has exhausted all avenues, is working to solve our long term woes, and then come to us with a better solution. Anything else is politics as usual.

References
Long, Garcia, and Secter's Chicago Tribune article "Raise taxes or cut education, Quinn says: Governor calls for ‘some difficult, painful choices’" at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/elections/ct-met-quinn-budget-speech-0311-20100310,0,4512692.story

YouTube video of Harold Washington admonishing Pat Quinn at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zns-K8XrOAk

McKinney and Conterino's Chicago Sun-Times article "
Gov seeks 33% tax hike for education, billions in spending cuts: Quinn's Budget - 'Some difficult, painful choices' " at http://www.suntimes.com/news/maxedout/2096771,CST-NWS-QUINN11.article

Is Modern Public Education Truly Progressive?

2009-12-22T21:26:00.005-06:00

Educators are privy to a great deal of written material. We pass along articles, review research, and view magazines. Very rarely, we see our colleagues' written works.

My colleagues' works aside, its mostly biased drivel to be quite honest. This is why most of us have mastered the art of skimming. However, when something good comes along, we take special care to share it. This is probably the case because it resonates with an undeniable truth -- clear as a bell amidst an ocean of noise.

I found something worth noting. It appears within the AFT's American Educator (2009). The author addresses a few interesting issues that I would like to summarize.

Core Academics
Hirsch believes mainstream, modern, public education rests on a faulty political movement, which he attributes to the "progressive movement." This movement, in his opinion, has educators sacrificing a once rigorous curriculum with one so student-centered that students are taught in ways in which they think are fun. Entertainment is the thrust as opposed to the information that is critical for student success in life.

Racial Divide
The author, Hirsch, challenges the temptation to attribute a decline in learning to changes in demographics, namely a rise in minority populations. He believes a growing number of minorities (Hispanics and blacks) is not the cause for the decline. Instead, the decline can be attributed to the "progressive movement" that coincides with the change in demographics.

Debate Challenged
When Hirsch created a course at The University of Virginia some years ago, he wanted students to grapple with the issue of the achievement gap. He specifically wanted students to compare blacks versus Hispanics and also whites versus Asians. Obviously, this course pointed at controversial subject matter. However, Hirsch was given evidence that his classes never quite filled, despite his popularity with students, because other faculty members warned students not to take his course.

Engaging and Challenging
Like all curriculum, it must be engaging. This fact is not challenged by Hirsch. In fact, his editorial demonstrates it. By bringing into the classroom what can be considered controversial, student interest is piqued. Another fact is that it is relevant to students' lives. Heck, they want to know what we grown ups fuss about, including Hirsch's article (see Jacobs, Darren, and Pontiscio on this topic). Why squash it?

By presenting information in an unbiased format and letting students draw up their own conclusions, students will consequently gain more meaning to the subject matter. One would think that progressives would embrace Hirsch's use of controversy as a springboard to the material.

Unfortunately, there appears to be a double-standard to progressive thought. It may be okay to draw interest to the material, but -- oddly -- there is an unwritten exception if it implies to challenges to progressivism.

I am sure a clear thinking teacher will admit our democracy demands an informed electorate. Public schools exist to shape students to adults who can coexist, participate in the political process, be tolerant of divergent views, and possess skills necessary to fulfill a career's obligations. How does stifling debate reach any of those goals?

One could assume Hirsch is dead wrong. This would mean students do not want to take his course because they have quite possibly become listless, as if years of public education have driven out a desire to know. Might it be caused from students who have been trained to jump through meaningless hoops, which they have moved teachers to create as a means for entertainment rather than learning?

Racism
If an educator moves to make a classroom less challenging by lowering standards, it assumes those students cannot be held to the standards. If this sort of activity is practiced within schools dominated by blacks and Hispanics, it is to assume blacks and Hispanics cannot be held to the same standards held for their whites and Asian peers in other schools within other communities.

By getting students to address the controversy surrounding this delicate, yet vital issue of the achievement gap, it drives educators to address the issue. Not addressing the issue does nothing to assist blacks and Hispanics who quite possibly require more education as opposed to less.

Squelching dialogue in this direction may be symptomatic of a larger issue, I am afraid. When smoke rises and no one looks for a fire, we cannot look dumbfounded when a forest fire engulfs us. It may be time we address the achievement gap, how students learn, and how to motivate students while keeping standards high.

Special Mention
I applaud the AFT's publication, American Educator, for not falling into the trap of silencing a view that is possibly a minority view on university campuses. Get those kids reflecting on real, timely data within an interesting context and have them draw their own conclusions. Doing so will help build a stronger, more healthier America and American school system.

Resources
American Educator (2009) The Anti-Curriculum Movement. Written by Eric Hirsch, Jr., it appears in The American Educator's volume 33, number 4 issue.

Darren. (2009) Ed Schools. Written within a blog called, Right on the Left Coast: Views from a Conservative Teacher at: http://rightontheleftcoast.blogspot.com/2009/11/ed-schools.html Accessed December 22nd, 2009.

Jacobs, J. (2009) Common Knowledge. Written within a blog called, Joanne Jacobs: Free Linking and Thinking on Education at: http://www.joannejacobs.com/tag/curriculum/ Accessed December 22nd, 2009.

Pondiscio, R. (2009) Creating a Curriculum for the American People. Written within The Core Knowledge Blog at: http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/12/18/creating-a-curriculum-for-the-american-people/ Accessed on December 22nd, 2009.

Good Teaching = Good Relationships

2009-11-07T08:46:00.004-06:00

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a conference in Florida. It was a conference meant to assist educators with a rigor, relevance, and relationships framework. The crux of the conference was centered around good teaching, which embeds learning within exercises that are relevant to students. While building positive relationships with students, the relevant lessons used by teachers can also incorporate higher order thinking and complex processes that students can accomplish.

It was mentioned that the rigor, relevance, and relationships framework -- RRR for short -- (International Center for Leadership, n.a.) existed as a model for educators to follow to ensure student success. Numerous districts were present to detail the success they were having as a result of instituting RRR. It was nice to hear of these stories.

It takes a considerable amount of effort to build a healthy school climate. Unfortunately, many schools do not get it right.

Among teachers who transferred schools, lack of planning time (65 percent), too heavy a workload (60 percent), problematic student behavior (53 percent), and a lack of influence over school policy (52 percent) were cited as common sources of dissatisfaction (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005).

Regardless of teachers who transfer schools or leave the profession entirely, there are teachers who retire every year. This loss of experienced staff being replaced by less experienced or non-experienced staff is an issue for school and for education in general.

While considering what teachers have to do to be successful, it is no surprise teachers want to feel they are appreciated and are compensated accordingly. Here is a long, partial list of duties that good teachers do on a minute-by-minute basis. It is a long list, so feel free to liberally browse through it.

Instruction

Use Differentiated Instruction, which is instruction to meet the needs of numerous ability groups that exist within a class.

Accommodate Language Deficit Students When Assessing, Instructing, And Developing Activities

Get Students Engaged Within Group Activities, called Cooperative Learning

Have Students Utilize Appropriate Technology, But Expect To Encounter Numerous Issues as a Result of Old Computers in Schools

Promote Reading

Teach Reading Strategies

Do Mini-Lessons That Address Local Issues (Respect, Tolerance, …)

Decorate Your Classroom And Make It Educationally Stimulating

Use Classroom Openers

Post Essential Questions, Write New Ones When Necessary

Use Graphic Organizers

Use Power Point Presentations

Curriculum And Planning

Keep State Standards In Mind When Developing Lessons

Don't "Teach-To-The-Test"

Prepare Students For Standardized Tests

Scaffold Material To Provide Necessary Supports For All Students

Utilize Standards Suggested by Professional Organizations

Employ Strategies That Lead to Student Engagement and Educational Ownership

Develop Interdisciplinary Webquests

Cooperate With Other Teachers' Interdisciplinary Webquests

Use Van Hiele Levels For Spatial Learning, Like Geometry

Design Timely Worksheets That Meet Students Unique Needs

Prepare Students for Unit Tests

Design/Print Semester Review Materials

Assessment

Continually Assess Student Performance

Practice RTI – Response To Interventions

Observe Other Classrooms To Determine Levels Of Bloom's Taxonomy

Grade Papers

Continuously Determine Students’ Readiness to Move to New Lessons

Give Students Continuous Feedback Regarding Their Abilities, Comprehension, And General Progression Through a Course

Perform Item Analyses On Common Assessments

Assess Teaching Based Upon the Analyses of Common Assessments

Safety

Follow an Administration Handbook – A 173 Page PDF File – That Outlines Teachers’ Duties

Be Knowledgeable Of All Crisis Procedures

Keep Students In Classroom

Allow Students To Go To Locker Or Washroom Using Written Hall Passes

Keep Track Of Green & Red Room Number Signs

Check Deans' Lists for Students Who Have Discipline Issues

Verify Authenticity Of Hall Passes Allegedly Signed By Other Adults In Building

Check Temp IDs For Correct Name And Date

Execute School wide Fire, Tornado, and Intruder Drills

Motivation

Be Positive

Encourage Independence

Motivate Students to Work in Groups

Embrace Multiculturalism

Use Positive Reward Slips – Enforce Good Behavior

Accept Late Homework

Keep High Expectations

Do Not Fail Students

Expect That All Students Will Stay In Your Class Until The End Of The Year Despite Frequent Or Extreme Negative Behavior Exhibited or Lack Of Attendance

Celebrate Women’s' History, Black History, ...

Leadership And Management

Find Time To Use The Facilities

Be The Educational Leader For All of Your Classes

Accurately Record Attendance and Tardies

Check For IDs

Check For Uniform Compliance: Shoes, Shoe Laces, Socks, Ear-Rings, Pants, Shirts, Haircuts, Eye-Brows, Belts, Undershirts, Shirts Over Shoulders, Use Of Jackets/Hoodies, ...

Clean Desks And Continuously Monitor Them For Graffiti

Enforce All Rules Outlined In Student Handbook, To Include Extreme And Non-Extreme Behavior, Cheating, Gang Activity, Students' Use Of Language, Electronics, …

Do Not Abuse E-Mail By Sending Mass E-Mails, Especially When Including Administrators

Monitor The Hallway Outside Your Room

Don't Leave Students Alone In Your Room

Follow The Contract: Dress Accordingly (No Shorts, Flip-Flops, Beachwear, Faded Jeans), Be On Time, Be Respectful of Others, …

Maintain Positive Rapport With Fellow District Employees

Monitor Students To Determine Inappropriate Use Of Technology: Cell Phones, Ipods, Mp3 Players, ...

Close Door For Tardy Sweeps

Attend All Meetings, Institutes, And Workshops

Have Students Do The Pledge Of Allegiance

Sign Field Trip Forms

Send Assignments To Students Serving In-School Suspensions (or Learning Adjustment Centers)

Administer Tests – Such Regional Standardized Tests, Common Assessments, and The Tests Teachers Generate

Score Final Exams and Curve Them Accordingly

Communication

Contact Parents

Coordinate With Special Education Staff Concerning Your Special Education Students

Conference With Students' Counselors

Contact Your Representatives Regarding Educational Concerns

Contact Your Administrators Regarding Educational Issues

Follow Up On Referrals Sent To Office

Check Email For Important And Timely Messages

Involve Oneself with Special Committees to Handle Certain Issues (Discipline, School Improvement, …)

Professional Growth

Read Professional Journals

Belong To Professional Organizations

Maintain Teaching Certificate – Earn CPDUs

Present Ideology or Changes in Pedagogy at Conferences and Workshops

General Duties

Stand In Line To Use Copy Machine

Un-Jam Copy Machine

Help Students Before School

Help Students After School, Except When Meetings Are Scheduled

Administer Make Up Tests

Run Off Copies

Peruse Final Exams for Answer Key Errors

Monitor Students While they Test

Make Learning Fun Even Though High Stakes Tests Make Administrators Who Evaluate Teachers Very Critical

With such a long list of hourly duties to accomplish, it is no reason why teachers feel stressed or leave certain schools to be compensated with higher salaries, greater autonomy, and generally more positive working conditions.

However, that RRR conference was enlightening in that it is not merely a model for teachers to use while creating lessons. It is not a framework for administrators to use to simply inform teachers. It can be used as a day-to-day guide when working with educators and students alike.

Even though teachers do get evaluated numerous times across their careers, the evaluations are too few and too nonconstructive to make them valuable. Administrators usually use them to determine which teachers will not receive tenure. Many teachers look at them as a chore and create dog and pony shows to wow administrators using the latest teaching craze.

Like teachers who use can use RRR well and have students teaching other students with the knowledge and skills they have found, administrators need to incorporate moments when teachers teach other teachers. It helps create a substantial foundation of trust and praise, while also demonstrating good teaching practice.

It is all too common to sit through teacher in-services and be barraged by buzz words and disconnected jargon. But when those moments do arise, like they did for my entire high school district, when teachers provide insight as to how they muster up student motivation and reach higher order thinking within them, teachers must take advantage of those opportunities.

The rigor, relevance and relationships should be able to be demonstrated at all levels within a school, as this framework is demonstrated within any other successful institution, organization, or enterprise. There is no reason schools should be any different. It is often the last "R" in the rigor, relevance, and relationships that is neglected that causes so much trouble for everyone within education.

Only by tackling relationships can educational systems also successfully negotiate the numerous duties mentioned above.

Alliance for Excellent Education (2005) Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States. Accessed on November 7th, 2009 at: http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/TeacherAttrition.pdf

International Center for Leadership (n.d.) Rigor/Relevance Framework. Accessed on November 7th, 2009 at: http://www.leadered.com/rrr.html

Science and the State of Education in the U.S.

2008-11-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

The entries posted within this blog are typically research-based. However, this entry will be on a personal level. Consider it an editorial.

I frequently get into debates with my friends. Whether it is politics, current events, or religion, it quickly becomes heated. Yet, we all consider this normal and get over our differences afterward.

Our last debate rested squarely on Intelligent Design (ID). I defended it, even though I have a strong background in mathematics and science. No, I am not a fundamentalist who wishes to live in Kansas and revolutionize science by re-tooling science classes by injecting Christianity via Intelligent Design. Not even IntelligentDesign.org advocates its teaching in public schools. Instead, I believe ID is a useful tool.

Let me drive this thought using two thrusts. First, ID is useful in that it brings us to the boundaries of science, involves many members of society to reflect on public education, and invites us all to become involved in a process of making reformations in education. Second, it dovetails nicely into the energies spent by our presidential candidates, who advocate for many changes within education.

A friend of mine who teaches science, wrote, "The philosophy that says that science has the final say over all knowledge – which sounds fairly fundamentalist to me – is known as scientism, for which there is no scientific evidence." He was trying to make a distinction regarding a certain philosophy of science extremism versus the application of pure science.

The conversation hit on infinities, the fact that ID rests beyond scientific principles, and another fact that science is a philosophy. The e-mail communications did a great job unveiling science for what it is: a philosophy of empiricism and/or an ability to observe, measure, and interact with one’s environment. As a result of this philosophy and carrying out the process, certain properties of the universe can be discovered.

However, science carries out a number of theories that are not directly visible. Tools are used, particles are measured through the interaction of other particles, and mathematical systems are constructed and then consequently solved to predict phenomena. Direct observability is not always done, making such acts targets for debate from within and without of the science community.

Couple this with public misconceptions, complete ignorance, and the duty of science of refute counterclaims. The result is science education needs to devote itself to shoring up these problem areas that exist in societies, especially in communities that believe heavily in non-scientific explanations of our universe.

Science education needs to address this and can do so by changing the way it teaches science or at least incorporating crucial lessons that could address the differences between non-science and science.

What, you don’t trust the opinions of this educator?

Look at what Professor Michael Reiss has to say. He writes, “If questions or issues about creationism and intelligent design arise during science lessons they can be used to illustrate a number of aspects of how science works.”

Look at Miriam-Webster’s first definition of science, the first definition states, “the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding.”

If we compare this great country to other countries in the world, it certainly is not number one. According to the 1999 Third International Math and Science Study (TIMMS), the U.S. was significantly beaten by 14 countries in science (3 countries non-significantly) and 14 countries in mathematics (4 countries non-significantly). It is clear there is certainly a lot of misconception for us to deal with and maybe we should look at science education.

When I first studied science, I thought I was learning something very fundamental to that which informed human beings must know. It was a mighty subject with infinite potential. I still think it to be so.

Science has its place and sure does come with striking potential for the good it does for solving our problems. Nevertheless, it does not come without drawbacks. It too must be kept in check by the other disciplines that exist. Having science exist as an isolated study on its own brings limits to it, and consequent perils.

It is not to say we shouldn't teach it. It isn't to say kids shouldn't learn it. It is to say that we need to teach its limits and the balance of knowledge within the framework of all bodies of knowledge. Doing this brings wondrous possibilities to learning/teaching and the disciplines themselves.

If we do not glimpse beyond our barriers and show the limits of our disciplines, do we really do them justice? Also, how do we get kids to think outside the box if all we do is present boxes of information to them?

My science teacher friend also wrote:

"[U]s educators know full well the push in education science is for interdisciplinary discovery in order to more closely represent real life. So mark's heart is in the right place and there are legit arguments about where the boundaries of science are, but in our utilitarian education system which is raising servants for the man, we have no room for philosophy and barely room for arts, etc."

This is unfortunate, but true. Science curricula are not free to be easily manipulated by adding units that could address this science vs. non-discussion. Curricula exist under a great number of forces that seek to change it, such as the preparation for state-mandated testing, bridging students from one area of science to the next level or area, and making sure students possess basic skills for movement into the workforce. Since the units cannot easily be changed, how teachers introduce their lessons must be addressed, which requires a great deal of finesse.

Yet, we make a great argument for breaking thresholds for learning and teaching, but how far do we go in reality? Aren't we all very traditional teachers? Despite my chagrin over this topic and desire to be unique and innovative, I'm quite traditional. I want to break outside the box, but doing so makes me feel like I'm punching pillows. How do we push past our boundaries and create lessons that are truly awe-inspiring and motivators for life-long learning?

Is what we are doing practical, meaning applicable to living in the modern world with its fast-paced changes? It is questionable. I think we all impart tidbits of knowledge, maintain order in the classroom, and hope for the best. Is there a concerted movement to change? Despite NCLB and our best intentions, we have yet to change. Part of it is getting over our inertia to make change, which may stem from a lack of desire to change or a lack of knowledge of how to change.

ID, despite the thoughts one may have on the subject, certain does stir up the hornet's nest, which initiates change. It may be the energy needed to get us past this educational inertia

A comment was made during the debates by a moderator: the U.S. spends more money per capita than any other country in the world. Yet, our output – in light of numerous studies from independent organizations – state that other countries do better than us.

Instead of citing false arguments about racial differences, economic disparities, tax laws, and other pointless lines of defense to maintain the status quo, we need to look at things differently. We are failing students if we continue to be out produced by students in other countries.

If teachers including myself were to be graded based on the money we spend and the output we produce in education, we certainly would not be walking away with "A"s. Would we be able to defend our benefits and our salaries?

I guess I should shut up. I guess teachers, administrator, and state legislators should simply collect our paychecks and keep doing the same old thing. I guess parents should continue to create babies but be unwilling to take a stake in their development in reaching adulthood. Why rock the boat when it is so profitable and it works so well?

Our candidates do not agree with such complacency. Obama is for merit pay and Charter Schools. McCain goes further and wants to include vouchers as an option. I cannot argue against any of these as they initiate change and provide a vehicle for ongoing dialogue between all members of society.

Intelligent Design may be a lightening rod for debate, but the state of education in the United States could certainly benefit from the jolts.

Resources
Intelligent Design Website on Education: http://www.intelligentdesign.org/education.php.
Professor Michael Reiss: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2008/sep/11/michael.reiss.creationism.
TIMMS Report: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001027.pdf.

Guns, The Supreme Court, and Calm Reflection

2008-08-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

The American Association of School Administrators published my Letter to the Editor in its August issue (AASA, 2008). The issue is related to guns. Considering the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, which supports the 2nd Amendment as an individual right, the letter carries extra value. The unedited version of my letter can be read immediately below.

I read an article, titled Guns and Butter: Stepping Up to the Plate, written by Sarah Jerome from the December 2007 issue of The School Administrator. Sarah’s views rest on personal beliefs and not on facts.

She wrote, “Perhaps the presence of 223 million firearms in the United States or the fact that one in four households has a handgun elevates this issue to the status of a public health crisis.” It is not a public crisis of any kind. In fact, there is a body of research that suggests more guns equates to less crime.

In education, we must adhere to facts and legitimate research. We cannot make jumps in reasoning from a set of facts to a conclusion when no correlation has been proven. If Sarah wasn’t the AASA president, I would assume she was guilty of faulty reasoning. However, her achievement as president makes me consider that her intent is deceptive.

She wrote, “Our apparent paralysis to end gun violence continues.” What Sarah needs to do is this. She needs to read Kate Stetzner’s June 1999 article titled, How Safe Are Your Schools? Doing so will help her realize how solving the problem can be done. It does not involve ignoring the 2nd Amendment, like she proposes. It does involve a concerted effort between many organizations, agencies, and institutions.

When we deal with truancy, create positive learning environments, support anti-gang initiatives, and maintain curfew laws, we will make strides with safety in schools and communities. I fully support all of Kate’s proposed initiatives, not Sarah’s simple but erred proposal to strip us of our constitutional rights.

Resource
AASA (2008) The School Administrator. Number 7, Volume 65: The Ingredients for Leadership.

Education and the Election

2008-03-08T16:40:00.001-06:00

This presidential election cycle is extremely chaotic. McCain started out slowly, but then overwhelmed his competitors and obtained control of the Republican delegates. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is struggling between Clinton and Obama. Obama has a slight advantage with democratic delegates, but each requires “superdelegates” to clinch the party.

There are many issues that can help a voter decide who to support in this race, but I will bring a few points to light. Some of these points may help a voter to decide who to support. Whether this information may help primary voters within the Democratic Party or the full out presidential election in November, the candidates’ views on education may be surprising.

Regardless if one is a supporter of conservatives or liberals, the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, candidates across these spectra have something in common. This commonality should be of great interest to parents, teachers, and taxpayers. What is it? They all believe there is a need to bring change within education.

This change is not subtle, even if certain candidates do not boldly mention their intentions. Here are some of their views on education, in alpha order by candidate.

Hilary Clinton
She supports school choice, charter schools, and alternative routes to teacher certification (Clinton, 2008)

John McCain
He believes in vouchers, which would allow parents the ability to send schools to a variety of performing schools. He supports merit pay. This means he wants to reward teachers for extra effort. He also believes in homeschooling (The Des Moines Register, n.d.). He wants to assist math, science, and engineering education (The Des Moines Register, n.d.)

Barack Obama
He supports merit pay (Fitzgerald, 2007 & Davis and Miller, 2007 & Marcus, 2007).

All the candidates agree on one thing: No Child Left Behind needs to be changed. Some candidates feel more strongly about this than others. Some candidates want to alter or adjust it; other candidates want to throw it out and start fresh (Light, 2008).

Regardless of one’s choice for a candidate, business as usual is not on any of the candidates’ agendas. As an administrator, I find this to be refreshing. It is my personal hope that teachers who are directly in the trenches will acknowledge these sentiments for change. Consequently, there needs to be pedagogical shifts to propel education toward modernization.

When all of these candidates resonate on the need for change within schools, it is a clear indication of the electorate’s dissatisfaction. It must also follow that schools should unite in this purpose so as not to entirely forfeit what we know as public education. It is time for educators to stop thinking public education – at least the way it is currently constructed – will be immune to outside forces that are demanding reconstruction.

Be an informed voter. Study the issues and choose accordingly.

Resources
Clinton, H. (2008) Official Senate Website. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://clinton.senate.gov/issues/education/index.cfm?topic=elementary

Davis, T. and Miller, S. (2007) Obama Bucks Party Line on Education: '08 Democrat Pushes Performance-Based Pay. ABC News. Accessed on March 8th, 2008 at: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3894699&page=1

The Des Moines Register (n.d.) John McCain: Education. YouTube. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8DUM4CwkiE

The Des Moines Register (n.d.) McCain on Education. YouTube. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXUar_RQ0JU&feature=related

Fitzgerald, T. (2007) Obama Tells Teachers He Supports Merit Pay. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/8335627.html

Light, N (2008) Education Experts Critique Candidates' Policies. Kansas City InfoZine. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/27328/

Marcus, R. (2007) From Barack Obama, Two Dangerous Words. Washington Post. Accessed on March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071001304.html

Ramping Up Rigor

2007-12-25T14:51:00.000-06:00

There has been a considerable amount of fervor concerning rigor within educational communities.

Educators have responded to the low ability and achievement of students in schools, ever since A Nation At Risk was released (NCEE, 1983). The report exposed problems such as dwindling career prep and vocational education programs, a low number of required hours of students in school, and textbooks used lack effective content.

Clearly, the report addressed a lack of rigor. Consequently, standards were adopted, benchmarks were set, and state boards of education implemented high-stakes tests.

A recent ACT’s report, called Rigor At Risk (2007), provided shocking information. Of the grade 11 students who took core courses and were tested in 2006, only 26% of those students met all four benchmarks: English, mathematics, social science, and natural science. 19% of these same students did not meet the benchmarks in any of these areas.

Research indicates educators must be careful how they respond to the reports gained from high-stakes tests.

“When high schools attempt to raise pass rates with skill-and-drill remedial routines geared narrowly to the test, conditions that nurture high levels of motivation and engagement are eliminated” (Grubb & Oakes, 2007).

Research by Brewster & Fager (2000) can be used to address motivation and engagement. They provided information on what needs to be done in classrooms and school districts. Their work includes allowing teachers to create student-centered learning opportunities, making students feel welcomed and supported, and developing a school climate that encourages creativity.

Grubb and Oakes’ (2007) work further invite educators to reinvent schools so that they no longer reflect the 19th Century model that exists all too commonly today. They suggest pathways for students to follow. Whether occupationally or non-occupationally theme-based, student interest can be bolstered as instruction becomes geared toward real-life problems and situations.

To enter into a mindset supportive of the research, one should reflect on Daggett’s Rigor and Relevance Framework (2006). This structure indicates learning should be geared toward students creating work that reflects real-world situations and open-ended problems. As explained by Armstrong (2007), this matches advances in cognitive psychology. Learning involving the creation of products is a great motivator and it addresses higher order thinking.

According to Muller and Chait (2006), rigor is, “…an educational experience that leads to a common outcome – that all students are well prepared for post-secondary education, career and civic life.” Muller and Chait also add that rigor is to include a high level content and instruction and an alignment of requirements with post-secondary education and work.

It appears to be apparent how rigor is to be increased. When approached within the context of real-world problems imbedded within school structures that support themes, rigor can be sustained and grown. Rigor is not an isolated variable that can be improved upon without also creating a sustaining habitat for it.

Resources
ACT (2007) Rigor At Risk: Reaffirming Quality in the High School Core Curriculum. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/rigor_report.pdf.

Armstrong, P. (2007) Bloom’s Taxonomy. Accessed online on December 25th, 2007 at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/theory/blooms.htm.

Brewster, C. & Fager, J. (2000) Increasing Student Engagement and Motivation: From Time-on-Task to Homework. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.nwrel.org/request/oct00/textonly.html.

Daggett, W. (2006) Rigor/Relevance Framework. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.daggett.com/rigor.shtml.

Grubb, W. & Oakes, J. (2007) ‘Restoring Value’ To The High School Diploma: The Rhetoric And Practice Of Higher Standards. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://epsl.asu.edu/epru/documents/EPSL-0710-242-EPRU.pdf.

Muller, R. & Chait, R. (2006) Defining Rigor in High School. Prepared for the National High School Alliance. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.hsalliance.org/_downloads/NNCO/RigorFrameworkTool.pdf.

National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) A Nation At Risk. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html.

Protesters or Hostage Takers?

2007-11-12T20:42:00.000-06:00

Recent events at Morton West High School in Berwyn, Illinois have many people concerned. Some students are facing lengthy suspensions and the possibility of being expelled due to their participation in a protest. The protest occurred within the school and during school hours on November 1st.

Are students receiving proper consequences? Have students been properly educated on how to voice their views? Do students have productive outlets for their views? What should the roles of parents be concerning how they need to support their children?

Let it be known, this blog does not entitle me the ability to exercise my right to freedom of speech so that I can voice my personal views on this topic. In fact, no one within the field of education has the right to use their position to inform others on what to think. Parents may be obligated to instill values within their children, but educators must tread carefully here. Parents who want to impose their personal beliefs upon schools would be equally operating without caution.

When teachers discuss history, conflict, critical thinking, and acts of civil disobedience, teachers must present balanced views. They must indicate how laws work, share the rights we have as citizens, and impart a vision of the potential consequences student actions can produce. When teachers address these issues in such a manner, they provide students with opportunities to lead successful, independent lives.

This doesn’t mean educators can't address values. Teachers can draw from current events, literature, texts, experiences, and fiction to help students understand the world around them. Character traits which can assist students to operate in the 21st Century and also change it are within their charge. However, doing so is less of a prescription but more like helping someone undergo a personal journey.

On issues of controversy, teachers must present balanced lessons. Imagine not. Imagine an educational system that does otherwise. We could allow schools to tell children what to think as opposed to how to think. We could tell student which jobs to pursue and train them accordingly. We can narrow their choices and views by our own standards, but at what cost to our schools and our democracy?

On another front, some people charge school authorities of delivering punishments that are too severe. If that is the case, appeals and hearings will draw out those issues. Authorities such as me do not make decisions in a vacuum. We reflect upon time honored rules and protocols, drafted from thoughtful councils, when determining consequences.

Our democracy is not absent of such an adherence to guidelines. There are laws, ordinances, and amendments. The First Amendment may entitle all of us to freedom of speech, but not at the expense of the Fourteenth Amendment, which entitles children and adolescents an education as a property right.

Consequently, school authorities must balance these rights. A responsibility to provide an educational environment that suits the needs of all students, not merely the First Amendment rights of a few students, is the intended goal.

Of the approximate 3,400 students who attend Morton West High School on a daily basis, we must ensure there are procedures in place to help all of them. These procedures include rules for students to follow so that order and safety can be secured.

Therefore, if students are to be educated, parents and teachers must inform them in such a way so as students will understand what consequences are at stake when they protest. I cannot imagine a school that would encourage and allow students to disrupt the educational rights of other students via loud protest. Fortunately, it appears many parents are in agreement with this requirement. Some parents may be disputing the severity of certain charges, but this is not uncommon within the realm of administering discipline.

As Morton West High School progresses through appeals and hearings, dialogue must be ongoing and process must be followed. Teachers must use their creativity to provide students positive outlets of expression. Parents must teach their children of the responsibilities of adulthood. Students must carefully choose which activities they engage themselves.

School leaders will continue to provide crucial programs to guide student engagement. Those programs will include classes and experiences enabling students to pursue a future in the trades, attend college, and enlist in the military. We will continue to provide these opportunities and allow students the ability to make these choices for themselves, not matter how disconcerting this freedom of choice may sit with a few.

Students, parents, teachers, and administrators have a right to personal beliefs but they do not have a right to use their classrooms as indoctrination zones. Personal beliefs must not override a true educator's judgment and cause a lapse in discipline. We could easily allow discipline to be waived under the pretense of good intentions, but what good would come from it? We might be tempted to allow pro-life demonstrating students a pass when they protest. We may allow anti-nuclear protesters a pass. What about students who want to protest less serious matters, like students who want to amass crowds over cold mashed potatoes?

We cannot afford to release our schools to students and parents of students who hold strong political views, one way or the other. We respect the rights and thoughts of students who are pro-war, those who are anti-war, and those who have yet to come to their own conclusions.

Let it not be lost on all of us to respect the educational rights of the majority of students who demand their daily dose of mathematics, science, English, and physical education. We must not allow protesters to take schools hostage, for whatever purpose, no matter how we may personally feel about the issue.

IMSA -- Great Minds Program

2007-11-02T05:44:00.000-05:00

The Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois held its Great Minds Program on October 20th, 2007. This specific program was centered on "Learning and the Brain: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Be?”

There were distinguished presenters who provided information on cognitive brain research. Find details about their work by following the link below.

MATHguide: News for October 28th, 2007

PSAE -- Prairie State Achievement Test

2007-10-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

The PSAE is a test that Illinois high schools give to all of its juniors in April. It is a big deal. The scores of these tests are used to compare one school against the other and schools against state standards.

The PSAE is a two-day event. On day one, students take the ACT, which is a a college aptitude test. On day two, students take the WorkKeys test, which is a readiness to work test. The combination of the two -- college and work preparedness -- gives educators, parents, and students a strong idea of how systems and students are performing and are preparing students for the world they will face after high school.

Despite criticisms of standardized tests within teaching communities, the PSAE is a tool for measuring student success. The curriculum throughout all high schools have been aligned around a set of benchmarks. To measure whether or not schools are meeting the benchmarks, PSAE questions are aligned to the same benchmarks.

Consequently, PSAE reports are very valuable. They can be used to assess individual, school and state progress toward the standards. It can help schools modify curriculum and adjust programs. The test lends itself as a litmus test to student learning.

Since the PSAE shows no signs of going away, schools need to prepare students for it. Educators need to build programs and learning activities to meet the challenges of the PSAE. The below strategies can be used to address the PSAE within every school.

Teachers can start every class with a PSAE-like question.
Classroom tests can be made to have PSAE questions embedded within them.
Teachers can explain test-taking strategies to students.
Since one of the tests within the PSAE is timed as 60 minutes per 60 problems, math teachers can create quizzes with the same ratio: 10 problems/10 min, 15 problems/15 min, ...
Teachers can start with a WorkKeys type of problem and then use it to approach an ACT type of problem. Moving from concrete problems to abstract problems by changing problem parameters or modifying the original problem can invite students to participate in higher order thinking. This helps students with the overall PSAE.

Another way to prepare for the PSAE is to have teachers and students visit web sites that offer sample PSAE questions. To find those sites, visit http://www.mathguide.com/services/MathAssess.html#PSAE.

Evaluating Teachers

2007-08-19T13:08:00.000-05:00

I have a number of tutorials to help educators become more skilled and informed. They are offered free to the Internet community in order to help push educators to be better at what they do and help students receive quality instruction.

My latest tutorial is called, Evaluating Teachers. This tutorial is designed to help teachers understand the need to undergo continuous reflection for the purpose of enhancing instruction. Danielson's framework of teaching is discussed. The roles of evaluator and evaluator are also addressed in order to create a process for sustained growth that leads to better learning.

This tutorial can be viewed at...

http://www.mathguide.com/services/Evaluation/

However, to gain a synopsis of all tutorials, view the following webpage...

http://www.mathguide.com/services/Tutorials.html

The Educational Technology Continuum

2007-08-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Math education is an important part of a child's growth. It helps a child perform critical thinking, decision-making, and problem solving, which are part of every imaginable job and daily activity. An informed and educated populace also can positively affect our economy.

The reader should investigate the following four sites in addition to http://www.mathguide.com/:

Teachers and Administrators
http://free.ed.gov/
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx

Students
http://www.cut-the-knot.org/Curriculum/index.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/hotscience/

I could have easily pulled up more sites using Google and strategic keywords, like “interactive, math, science, demonstration, explanation, tutorial, …” This is sufficient evidence that there is instructional media available to help math and science education. I encourage more educators, parents and students to investigate along these lines to find sites of their own.

It is clear that the pursuit of math education is no longer like it was. Comparing math education to what it was 15 years ago is an eye-opener to where we have come. Not taking advantage of all the dynamic interfaces that are available online and with modern calculators would be a sure fire way of not operating and one’s true potential.

I’ll leave the reader to entertain these questions to determine where their school is on the educational technology continuum.

Teachers should ask themselves:
Do I have a blog?
Do I encourage my students to have their own blogs?
How can I use modern technology to stimulate my students?
Is there a better way of teaching my curriculum than how I taught it in previous years?

Students should ask themselves:
How much time do I spend outside of the classroom actively furthering my own education?
How can I use the Internet in addition to other avenues to help myself be a better student?
When I plan entertainment with friends, are games involved?
Are there books I would like to read?

Administrators should ask themselves:
Is there a way I can encourage teachers to use technology to enhance their lessons?
Do my teachers utilize lessons that are both engaging and relevant to students?
Are the activities and learning experiences my teachers are using going to prepare students for our technological world and life after high school?How can I help teachers become metacognitive facilitators?

Computer for Every Child

2007-05-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Nicholas Negroponte has a dream. He would like to provide every child with a computer. He is working to do that via his company, OLPC (2007).

Negroponte is courting various governments with his latest computer. The computer is physically durable and can resist shock, dirt, sand, and water. It has wireless Internet capability. It can be charged with a crank device. There are music programs and more.

His critics claim it will be impossible to get every child a laptop. His critics may be correct. However, if a large portion of children are exposed to laptops and many of them on an intimate basis, the gains within education are sure to be felt.

Considering all of the many benefits of technology within education, Negroponte's goal is a valuable one. It's also not going unnoticed as reported by 60 Minutes (CBS News, 2007). Intel is in competition with Negroponte's computer. In fact, Negroponte is claiming that Intel is purposely undercutting their price for their device merely to wedge his computer from the market.

One thing is sure, when companies battle/compete in the marketplace for a product, there must be big potential for followup gains. This should tell us that the idea is a good one, for both business investors and communities.

Resources
OLPC (2007) One Laptop Per Child. Official Website. Accessed online at: http://laptop.org/.
CBS News (2007) What If Every Child Had a Laptop? Accessed online at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/20/60minutes/main2830058.shtml.

Dress Code Policy and Freedom of Speech

2007-04-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

When districts create policies addressing dress code policy, they must ensure the goal is to protect the learning environment while also imposing reasonable measures in doing so. When developing policy, administrators should know about the following court cases:

6th U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that a student's desire to wear clothes inconsistent with the school's dress code policy was not excessive conduct [Blau v. Fort Thomas Public School District (2005)].

8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a student's tattoo was not expressive conduct [Stephenson v. Davenport Community School District (1997)].

5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a student's desire to wear long hair was not expressive conduct [Karr v. Schmidt (1972)].

A federal court in Illinois ruled that a male student's desire to wear an earring was not expressive conduct [Olesen v. Board of Education of School District Number 228 (1987)].

A federal court in Florida ruled that a female student's desire to wear male clothing for her senior portrait was not expressive conduct [Youngblood v. School Board of Hillsborough County].

However in the last case, Youngblood filed an appeal and during the wait the School Board of Hillsborough County agreed to modify its dress code so that it did not force sex-differentiated wear. Whether the school wanted to reduce expenditures for legal proceeding or it believed it could lose to the appeal, school districts have to enforce dress code policies that are fair, even if it is not strictly a constitutional requirement.

In order to navigate the murky waters concerning student expression, First Amendment Schools provides a considerable amount of information on its website to assist school administrators, teachers, and board members.

Resources
First Amendment Schools (2007) Dress Code: Analysis and Commentary. Resource accessed online at: http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/resources/policy.aspx?item=dress_code

First Amendment Schools (2007) Key Court Cases. Resource accessed online at: http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/speechcases.aspx.

Madrid, M. (1999) Student Dress Codes: Constitutional Requirements and Policy Suggestions. Resource accessed online at: http://www.modrall.com/articles/article_13.html.

Religion in Public Schools

2007-03-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

Discussing religion has always been a hot topic in American schools. The most recent large scale issue arose from Intelligent Design arguments, which caused a stir that reached The Supreme Court. However, it should be known that there is a curriculum being taught at the high school level that informs students about The Bible.

The aforementioned course being taught is at New Braunfels High School in Texas. It is based on The Bible and Its Influence curriculum, which is also that name of Schippe and Stetson’s book (2006). It is also important enough for Time to devote its April cover to it.

In short, the course and the curriculum are aimed at teaching about The Bible – the number one best selling book. It’s not about using public schools as a conduit for manufacturing Christian-bots, as secularists who are rigid Church and State separatists may worry about.

The act of including reference to The Bible in any form may cause consternation with such separatists. The themes in tales like Old Man and the Sea, Superman, The Chronicles of Narnia, Shakespeare’s works, and others require knowing about The Bible to be imperative for deeply understanding them.

The fact is, Biblical beliefs are so rooted in American values that not teaching about them is certainly a greater injustice than impartially including them within courses at the high school level. The Bible and Its Influence curricula will certainly reignite a debate involving First Amendment rights, even though the act of teaching about religion is without question constitutional (see 1943’s McCollum v. Board of Education and 1963’s Abington Township School District v. Schempp).

Bible Literacy Project (2007) Official Site. Accessed online at: http://www.bibleliteracy.org/Site/index.htm.

Karadimos, M (2005) Intelligently Designed Schools: The Role of Intelligent Design in the Science Curricula. Accessed online at: http://www.mathguide.com/issues/IntelligentDesign.html.

OYEZ (1948) McCollum v. Board of Education. Available online at: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1949/1947/1947_90/.

OYEZ (1963) Abington Township School District v. Schempp. Available online at: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1962/1962_142/.

Schippe, C & Stetson, C (2006) The Bible and Its Influence. Published by BLP Publishing. ISBN 0977030202.

Van Biema, D (2007) The Case for Teaching the Bible. Accessed online at: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1601845,00.html.

Innovation in American Education

2007-03-04T15:45:00.000-06:00

“… a college education is becoming more and more essential to achieving the American Dream. Yet while two-thirds of high-growth, high-wage jobs require a college degree, only a third of Americans have one. We must create a nationwide appetite for math, science and rigorous graduation requirements, as well as need-based aid for college students.”
Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education

“A strong foundation in mathematics and science is vital for maintaining and enhancing the innovation and creativity on which our economy was built.”
Karen A. Holbrook, President of Ohio State University

“[W]e must improve the rigor and relevance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in grades K-12 to ensure all students graduate from high school with the skills needed for a 21st-century work force.”
National U.S. Governors Association, Innovation America

“Companies must advocate for strong education policies and work with schools to foster interest in science and mathematics and to provide an education that is relevant to the needs of business. Government must work with educators to reform schools and improve educational excellence.”
Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corp. and Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

It is becoming extremely evident that American leaders are concerned about us slipping and loosing our competitive edge. Some of these leaders already believe we have been slipping for some time and there will be dire consequences for not altering our course to correct for our weaknesses. One main focus of their concerns rests within mathematics and science education.

Educational leaders who are interested in initiating changes should look to schools that are already making a difference. High Tech High in California offers multiple schools that focus on math and science education and its students benefit from relevant, project-based curricula. Consequently, here are some HTH facts:

100% of HTH's graduates have been admitted to college.
Over half of HTH graduates are first-generation college students.
Academic Performance Index rankings (API) place HTH schools among the highest achieving in the state.
HTH’s African-American students outperform district and statewide peers by a wide margin.
In 2004/2005 HTH had more entries accepted into the Greater San Diego Science Fair than any other high school.
Through the MANPOWER Academic Internship Program, HTH students have completed more than 650 internships in over 200 community businesses and agencies.
HTH is the first California public school organization authorized to operate its own teacher-credentialing program.
HTH facilities have received numerous awards.
In 2004 Explorer Elementary was the only school in the San Diego Unified School District to receive a California Distinguished School Award.

The benefits experienced by HTH can be utilized by all schools. Daggett (2005) instructs educators how to incorporate relevant and rigorous lessons so students become engaged by learning. He describes the framework as one that drives educators to create lessons that facilitate real world situations where students both think and work.

As parents, teachers, administrators, business people, and community members reflect on education, they should realize the impact it will have on our youths’ futures and on the economy, as reported by those who have been quoted above. However, we can only strive to make change and benefit from positive results if all forces work together on these issues.

Resources
Curtis, D. (2001) Start with the Pyramid. Online Resource at: http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_884&key=037

Daggett, W. (2005) Achieving Academic Excellence through Rigor and Relevance. Online Resource at: http://www.leadered.com/pdf/Academic_Excellence.pdf

Edtopia (2001) The Big List on Project-Based Learning. Online Resource at: http://www.edutopia.org/php/biglist.php?id=037

Gates, B. (2007) U.S. needs talent to be competitive. Online Resource at: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070304/OPINION09/703040331

High Tech High (2007) Official Site. Online Resource at: http://www.hightechhigh.org/

Kraft, N. (2005) Criteria for Authentic Project-Based Learning. Online Resource at: http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/pbl.htm

Napolitano, J. (2007) 'Innovation America': Governors' Call to Action. Online Resource at: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/171735

U.S. Department of Ed. (2007) U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Engages Business and Higher Education Leaders, Visits 21st Century Academy in New York City. Online Resource at: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/02/02152007a.html

Vindy News (2007) More Math, Science = Better Jobs. Online Resource at: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/324865223129953.php

Brain-Based or Brain-Compatible Learning

2007-01-08T23:58:00.000-06:00

When educators manufacture lessons, there is certainly a need to have a knowledge-base to begin the process. However, too many times this knowledge-base rests solely in the fields to that which apply to the subject and not enough of the knowledge-base reflects science and research.

Since I taught math for numerous years, I can say I did a great job of explaining how to factor polynomial expressions, solve trigonometric equations, and calculate volumes of solids, such as cones and pyramids. But, did I teach students how to do these things? Reflecting on my early practices, I would have to say I did a mediocre job at best.

My inability to teach these things at an optimum level was due to my ignorance of brain-based or brain-compatible research. According to Patricia Wolfe (AASA, 2006), brain-compatible learning reflects the following five characteristics:

How we use our brains shapes the brains we have. This means that our brains change to respond to need. Certain abilities are enhanced the more they are used because the brain actually changes to respond to the heightened demands placed on those areas. Like a weight-lifter who works on biceps to make them grow, our brains will undergo specific physiological changes and be enhanced as a result of frequent activities that target a particular set of tasks. Wolfe says that concrete experience best shapes our brains.
Memory is stored in numerous places within our brains. When an event is experienced, it is decomposed into various categories, like sounds, visuals, and emotions. These traits are stored in specific areas in our brains. When we reflect on these experiences, our brains reassemble the pieces and place them together to recreate the experience. The more places the information is stored, the more connections are formed and the greater the memory becomes. This invites educators to use multimodal instruction.
Memory fades over time. As experiences flood our brains, old experiences become less pronounced. However, Wolfe invites educators to utilize what she calls 'rehearsal strategies' to enable memory recall. These strategies include "visualizing, writing, symbolizing, singing, semantic mapping, simulating and devising mnemonics."
There are different types of memories. There are declarative (what our favorite color is and the names of the planets) and procedural (how to operate a computer and play a musical instrument) memories. Repetition is useful for handling procedural information but elaborative rehearsal strategies are essential for handling declarative information.
Emotion is an essential tool for learning. Emotions help make events memorable. Some emotions are shocking, like the destruction of New York's towers and others are comfortably sublime, like eating our favorite ice cream. When considering emotion within an educational setting, learning best occurs when students perceive the environment to be non-threatening.

Wolfe also points out that there is a considerable amount of beliefs that are shared among educators that are not necessarily accurate. For instance, she sites old studies that point to left-brain and right-brain characteristics that have long been overshadowed by more recent research. We educators have to be careful what we disseminate as truth as it definitely impacts how we manufacture lessons and educate our populace.

Knowledge of current brain research makes it easier to create lessons that are brain-based and brain-compatible, in effect making it easier for kids to learn and easier for us to teach. As a result of following brain-compatible research, it can make the process of educating students more successful and more enjoyable for everyone.

Resource
Wolfe, P. (2006) Brain-Compatible Learning: Fad or Foundation? Accessed on January 8th, 2007 from The Administrator Magazine, which can be viewed online at: http://www.aasa.org/publications/saarticledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=7810.

Spellings Interview

2006-10-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

John McLaughlin, of his own PBS program called One on One, interviewed Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. The interview should have been of interest to educators, because it covered a number of topics dear to educators.

Here were those topics:

School Safety
Special fencing and single point entry of schools, as with the policing of schools is a local issue. Such decisions should be based upon the concerns in every individual learning community.

Statistics
She is in charge -- to some degree -- of $56 billion K-12 budget, 15,000 school districts, and 70 million students. Schools gain roughly 8% of their budget from federal funds, the rest being from state and local funds. 90% of jobs require post secondary education. 50% of minority students graduate on time.

Reasons for Student Drop Out
Lack of skill/reading ability. Boredom in school. Lack of desire/ambition. Value crisis?

Intelligent Design within Schools
The Intelligent Design issue may act as a catalyst for fueling debate, interest, motivation, and information with science education.

NCLB - No Child Left Behind
Progress within the past 5 years has exceeded the previous 28 years worth of progress. It is closing the achievement gap. An escalating problem with minority students must have us address that problem, which it does. Local control still exists. SpEd compliance has been adjusted to reflect reasonable demands on schools. A judge threw out a case that argued NCLB is a set of unfunded mandates. NCLB provides for testing.

Consider this a Cliff Notes of the interview. The program's transcripts have yet to be offered on the McLaughlin site.

Resources
The McLaughlin Group (2006) One on One. PBS Television Program aired on Sunday, October 15th.
The McLaughlin Group (2006) One on One. Online Resource Accessed on Monday, October 16th, 2006 at: http://www.mclaughlin.com/moo/.

The Chicago Virtual Charter School

2006-10-11T20:17:00.000-05:00

Chicago is experimenting with distance education at the grammar school level via a virtual charter school. This is not an experiment without a track record. In Illinois alone, there are nearly 400 high schools that are taking advantage of its virtual high school. Michigan has gone a step further and distance learning participation.

The Illinois State Board of Education approved the virtual school. Therefore, it is clear there are a multitude of educators at various levels that advocate this kind of learning for all levels of students.

The virtual program has been created to possess the following characteristics:

Provide an integrated approach, including mentoring, independent study, structured activities, and online learning.
Deliver consistent content, methodologies, and strategies from a single source from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Shape a well-rounded child through educational excellence, social interaction, creative pursuits, and physical activity.
Help strengthen relationships between parents, children, teachers, and community.
Meet or exceed Chicago and Illinois standards of education.

The fifth characteristic separates this virtual school from home-based study. It demands its students use the same measuring tools as those used by all other public schools. Students have to take the ISAT and therefore can be compared against other students in public schools.

As a fervent proponent for distance education, I welcome the opportunities offered to Chicago families.

Resources
Belleview News Democrat (2006) Chicago Teachers Union Sues to Stop Public Funding of Virtual School. Source: http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/state/15680605.htm.

The Chicago Virtual Charter School (2006) Our Curriculum. Source: http://www.chicagovcs.org/curriculum/index.html.

Teacher Appearance

2006-09-22T20:08:00.000-05:00

Children look to teachers for guidance, knowledge, life experiences, how they handle situations and a whole slew of other important points. They look to teachers because teachers are their role-models.

This point is an important one and it should not be dismissed because some kids are not interested in school or because teachers are seen as 'nerdy' or out-of-touch. Teens, no matter how they may seem to be disinterested, are learning from adults. This is either an active or inactive pursuit.

One of the many elements of a being an effective leader, and therefore an effective teacher, is to understand the influence of being a role-model. Dressing professionally sets a tone, which is one that is understood by interviewees and interviewers in every field. Whether one is sloppy or neat, unspoken information is clearly transmitted with potentially catastrophic results.

Once employed, especially for teachers, it is crucial teachers communicate that education is important and that the classroom is a special place. Doing so encourages students to perform. The alternative is to not communicate the importance of the classroom and its activities, which runs a risk of setting poor tone, dealing with behavior problems, and teens who may feel that low expectations are acceptable.

As a veteran teacher, I have seen teachers who dress for parent-teacher conferences. The attire for many teachers is often a quantum leap above the usual. Why? Are parents more important than students? If setting tone is important with parents, the same tone is important with students.

Speaking as a former classroom teacher, I know from personal experience there is a clear difference of wearing professional attire versus the alternative. Honestly, wearing professional attire makes setting tone easier, which positively affects all other aspects of learning. My experiences may be anecdotal, but I have yet to see any research that suggests wearing less professional attire contributes to better learning and ease of instruction.

Resources

AASA (n.d.) The Link Between Teacher Dress and Student Decorum. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.aasa.org/publications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1843.

CBSNews (2005) Teacher Attire A Touchy Subject. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/06/national/main706875.shtml.

Dallas Morning News (2006) Local Districts on Teacher Dress: Have Some Class. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-teacherdress_15met.ART.North.Edition1.3f47a46.html.

Education World (2005) How I Handled… Teachers Who Wear Inappropriate Clothing To School. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/how_i_handled/how_i_handled049.shtml.

KVUE News (2006) Districts on Teacher Dress: Have Some Class. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/0915kvueteacherdress-eh.1042e007.html.

Teachers New to Education

2006-08-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have addressed the issue of classroom management in a previous submission. Yet, it is worth revisiting to a degree because as schools open their doors in late August and early September, new teachers across the nation are starting their first year of teaching. Classroom management is important for them to understand if they plan on surviving the test of time. Here is some background information regarding new teachers.

Within five years of teaching, a teacher is 46% likely to entirely leave the field of education (Ingersoll, 2003). The reason for teachers leaving the field is because: 1) they feel overwhelmed by the expectations and scope of the job, 2) they feel isolated and unsupported in their classrooms, or 3) expectations are unclear (NEA, n.d.). What is clear is that there needs to be an emphasis placed on retaining new teachers to retain high quality schools.

Part of feeling overwhelmed comes from classroom management issues. This makes shoring up classroom management a number one priority for new teachers. This would suggest new teachers should examine the issue to a greater depth.

Classroom management is much more than discipline. It is a mistake made by new teachers to assume management equates discipline. Discipline is a facet of management (ASCD, 1998). It is certainly not to be ignored but discipline strategies need not always be instituted when the broader aspect of management is addressed.

For starters, here are some strategies for starting the year:

Clearly define classroom procedures, like how to take notes, study, do homework, …
Teach students classroom procedures and routines. Explain, rehearse, and reinforce all procedures.
Teachers should have a binder that outlines their activities, ranging from beginning to end of class.
Consider cooperative learning, which Wong calls support groups or the support community.
Break up the class into small groups, giving the group an experiential learning activity, i.e. high relevance, such that all team members have a duty.
Use positive expectations.

If difficulties arise, here are some time-tested strategies:

Do not engage in power struggles.
Make situations win-win.
Make situations teachable life-lessons.
Use simple rules.
Expect correct responses/actions.
Provide students with time to transition.
Provide students time to control their emotions.
Do what works. This demands knowledge of students, good relationships, and personal experimentation.

The most important technique for survival may not rest in knowing all the answers. New teachers should network with other teachers in their school and build a repertoire. Future years should get easier as teachers learn management skills and effective teaching strategies. Networking with other educators also helps lift a personal burden that comes from such an intimate career as teaching.

If you would like more information on classroom management, visit http://www.mathguide.com/services/Discipline/ for an online tutorial, called Guide to School Discipline. In mid September, I will make available another tutorial for new teachers, called Preparing New Teachers: A Survival Guide.

Have a rewarding year, new teachers and veteran teachers alike.

Resources
ASCD. (1998) Is There Really a Teacher Shortage?. Online Resource Accessed on August 26th, 2006 at: http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem....

Ingersoll, R. (2003) Is There Really a Teacher Shortage?. Online Resource Accessed on August 5th, 2006 at: http://depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/PDFs/Shortage-RI-09-2003.pdf [PDF]

NEA (n.d.) Attracting and Keeping Quality Teachers. Online Resource Accessed on August 5th, 2006 at: http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/index.html

Classroom Management Assistance

2006-07-22T13:38:00.000-05:00

I recently asked a number of veteran teachers the simple question, “What tips, suggestions, or strategies would you offer newer teachers to help them be successful?” Classroom management was a persistent theme among the replies.

Classroom management is an extremely important concern, especially for newer teachers in the field. Teachers who have poor classroom management skills may find themselves overburdened and consequently feel a desire to leave the teaching profession.

Let’s also consider the major focus within education: students. Students deserve to learn within controlled environments. Learning should be respected and students must become positively transformed as a result of taking their courses.

This is where we are at, helping teachers attain proper classroom management strategies in order to save teachers lots of headaches and consequently help students achieve the successes they deserve. The sooner effective strategies are adopted, the sooner teachers can focus on creative ways to address the curriculum, thereby making learning more enjoyable in the long haul for everyone.

Classroom management is something that comes naturally to veteran teachers. They have had years to streamline their classroom procedures and integrate discipline strategies and offer meaningful learning opportunities to their students. Their classrooms usually flow with uninterrupted learning.

We have all seen classrooms that were not as well constructed. A visual image is easily conceived without any prompting from me, as we have all experienced such a situation sometime in our lives. These situations are certainly no fun for the teachers whom fall victim to them.

Teachers fall victim to poor situations because of bad planning. This was Harry Wong’s message when I saw him at The Model Schools Conference in Orlando this year. It was quite a dynamic performance, which provided insight to his ability to motivate others and deliver a set of objectives to help teachers be successful educators.

His book, The First Days of School, explains in detail how to gain a set of procedures for achieving successful practices and good classroom management strategies. They are reasonable strategies that are able to be tailored to meet the style of any teacher. I recommend reading it or, better yet, getting a chance to see Harry Wong in action.

Fortunately, I have had the ability to monitor classroom discipline by working as a dean of students at the high school level. The frequency by which students were sent to my office by certain teachers was nearly always a strong indication of classroom management strategies that needed to be tweaked.

Of course, student behavior needed to be altered, too. Yet, had teachers been able to construct effective classroom procedures and build relationships – the latter part described by Crystal England within her blog – then student problems would have mostly disappeared.

There is a consequence to not having a sound classroom management strategy in place. Teachers deprive themselves of control by having someone else address specific issues. Students are very perceptive and realize who is in control. Sending students to others should be minimized to send the correct message to students: teachers are in control.

Most situations should be entirely handled by the teacher. Only extreme cases of violence, disrespect, or disturbance should be handled by anyone other than a teacher. Handling these situations is not as difficult as it may sound.

I have a number of materials that may help new teachers with classroom management. A free web tutorial can be found at http://www.mathguide.com/services/Discipline/. The section on Preventive Practices may be most helpful to newer teachers. Readers will find theory-based strategies and also helpful documents within the Advanced Strategy section.

The sooner newer teachers develop good classroom management, the sooner they can make leaps and bounds in student achievement by focusing on the curriculum. This step is one that cannot be missed on a teacher’s road to becoming an accomplished educator.

Resources

Harry Wong's Sites: http://teachers.net/wong/, http://www.harrywong.com/, http://www.classroommanagement.com/

Model Schools Site: http://www.modelschoolsconference.com/

Crystal England’s Blog on Classroom Management: http://www.crystalengland.com/blog/2006/03/classroom-management.html

Innovative Distance Education University

2006-06-21T18:36:00.000-05:00

Capella University won a top award for innovation in distance education. Read the full report below.

Capella University Wins Top Award

School Choice

2006-06-13T22:57:00.000-05:00

According to Bristol (2006):

Never has any political race in South Carolina been as pure a referendum on a controversial issue as the Supt. Of Education race is today. The two leading candidates, Karen Floyd and Bob Staton, represent polar opposite positions on the issue of school choice. Staton is opposed, and has been endorsed by the state branch of the National Education Association. Floyd “strongly supports” public and private school choice, and has been strongly supported by like-minded groups.

This race allows voters a chance to gain the type of educational system they desire. Races of this type:

promote public discourse
an analysis of possible school systems
voters to commit to a candidate and consequently a decision regarding the issue.

This is democracy in action.

Whether one is for school choice or against it is not the issue here, only the benefit. The greater good is the ongoing promotion of democratic principles through a voting cycle that hinges on a critical issue. All participants are winners regardless of the outcome.

If more races in other regions throughout the country were to address similar controversial issues, the entire process would benefit those regions. If the issues involved educational systems, schools would certainly improve.

Resource

Bristol (2006) Case Closed, as of 7 p.m. Tonight. SCHeadlines. Online Resource Accessed on June 13th, 2006 at: http://www.scheadlines.com/article.asp?colid=5128.

Technology in High Schools

2006-06-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

High schools have dramatically changed over the years. In the 80's, Apple IIe and Radioshack TRS-80 were very popular at the high school level. Basic programming was taught and logic was learned. Those simple days are long gone.

Now, technology has improved by leaps and bounds. Students in Michigan high schools are mandated to learn via distance education (MVU, 2006). High school students in Illinois have benefited from integrated courses that have integrated technology with the use of PDAs (Brown, 2001). It's a much different world for high school students.

Students are engaged and are trained to enter into a competitive, technological world. Students are no longer required to listen to boring lectures in effective schools. Students in these schools are trained how to use technology to think and solve real-world problems.

It is no wonder that online distance education programs are now available to high school students. Students who take online courses not only learn how to be independent learners, but their education is learner-centered and relevant.

To learn more about how high school students can pursue online distance education courses, see Littlefield (2006). She created a number of references for About.com, which can make the process of understanding and acting on high school online courses easy to do.

Resources

Brown (2001) Handhelds in the Classroom. Education World. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech083.shtml.

Littlefield (2006) Distance Learning. About.com. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://distancelearn.about.com/od/virtualhighschools/.

MVU (2006) Michigan First State to Require Online Learning. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://www.mivhs.org/upload_2/MIOnlineRequirment42106.pdf [PDF].

Traditional Versus Distance Education

2006-05-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Research shows that online learning is as good, if not better than, traditional education (Tucker, 2001).

However, there are certain people who may prosper with traditional education as opposed to distance learning.Those who prosper at distance learning are independent learners. They are able to adhere to objectives in a timely fashion. They are also usually older and hold careers.

Yet, this is not set in stone. Young people can be very successful at distance education, too. Michigan high schools require online learning (Yahoo, 2006).

Distance education is clearly the future for universities and high schools. Make room for professionals who offer online learning devices (such as MATHguide) to learners.

Honoring these free resources and making use of them may make publishers cringe, but I am not concerned about the chokehold they have on American schools. I am concerned with the usefulness of their products and the corresponding burden on already strapped districts.

Resources:
MATHguide (2006) Math Education Site

Tucker (2001) Distance Education: Better, Worse, Or As Good As Traditional Education?

University of Idaho (n.d.) Distance Education at a Glance

Yahoo (2006) Michigan First State to Require Online Learning

Distance Education

2006-05-20T18:04:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a considerable amount of interest in distance education. Specifically online distance education has become very popular. Never before has a learning environment been created that also takes in to account the learning needs of students. With learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner modes of instruction available to distance learners, it is no wonder why it has become popular.

The website below will provide insight to the educational benefits of online distance learning.

http://www.mathguide.com/research/Assessing.htm

Here is an outline of the instructional benefits offered by online distance learning:

Minimization of Fatigue
Integration of Visuals and Text
Advance Organizers
Introductory Problems
Memory Support
Worked Examples
Practice Exercises
Graphics
Evaluation Against Standards
Metacognition Within Instruction

It is clear that online distance learning is not a trend that will disappear. It will soon become an element in every typical school, especially at the high school and college levels.

The use of online distance education shockingly remains to be controversial in a few school districts. Yet, there are numerous participating schools. Here is a list of schools in Illinois that participate with the Illinois Virtual High School:

http://www.ivhs.org/index.learn?action=started&subaction=studentinfo

A district's desire to explore this option speaks to the district's willingness to embrace the benefits of online distance learning.

New Blog

2006-05-20T10:44:00.000-05:00

Greetings. Welcome to The Education Blog -- a forum dedicated to learning about education and education-related issues through dialogue.