tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80098965762360419132024-03-08T08:36:09.494-08:00Building Successful Parent-Teacher PartnershipsNatalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-16440905709624684552013-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:002013-02-27T09:23:27.047-08:00Unfunded and Unfair<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The nation’s lingering economic malaise has led to
reductions in property tax revenues, cuts in state education funding, and
increases in tax certiorari claims. School districts are struggling to maintain
the quality of their academic programs in the face of dwindling resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>State governments have exacerbated this
challenging situation by imposing numerous mandates on school districts without
providing the funding necessary to implement these mandates. Schools have been
forced to cut valuable academic programs to fund mandates that are unnecessary,
inefficient and outdated.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">To alleviate the financial burden on our schools and protect
our educational programs, state education departments should<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Refrain
from imposing new mandates</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> on school districts;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Revisit
current mandates</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> – with input from local
superintendents – to determine which ones can be eliminated;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">Provide
funding</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"> for mandates that the state deems essential. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;">To compete in the increasingly complex global economy, our
children require a superior education. At a time when technological innovation
and higher academic standards require increased investment in instructional
materials, we cannot afford to divert funds to outdated, superfluous and
inefficient mandates. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-75676594432866366692012-10-12T08:21:00.000-07:002013-02-27T09:18:03.314-08:00New Year, New Tests <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">At the end of the 2011-12 school year, I expressed my
displeasure with the three-week test-taking marathon students endured in my
school district. Now I’m going to kick off the 2012-13 school year by griping
about a fresh crop of tests that reach a new level of ridiculous:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pre-tests</b> – These
tests are administered at the beginning of the school year to assess a
student’s knowledge about a subject <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i>
the student takes the course in the subject. Apparently, the scores on these
tests compared with the scores on the year-end tests are supposed to gauge <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the teacher’s</i> success. I’m astonished
that this seriously flawed plan was implemented because it offers nothing but
disruption and frustration at a critical juncture in the school year. Testing a
student on a subject before the student learns the material is pointless. In addition, standardized tests are not a valid measure of a student’s skills
or knowledge, so they are certainly not a valid indicator of a teacher’s
performance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Field Tests</b> –
These are pilot tests that student guinea pigs are forced to take to help
education officials and testing companies determine which questions are
appropriate for the actual test. These tests are an egregious waste of the
student’s valuable time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Art Tests</b> - A
standardized, multiple-choice test in art is counterintuitive. Art is about
creativity and self-expression, not conformity. An artist’s skills cannot be evaluated
by a written test. It’s debatable whether an artist’s skills can be evaluated
at all, since art is highly subjective. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Physical Education Tests</b> – A
written test in physical education is also counterintuitive. Physical education
is by definition <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">physical</i>. Students
should be engaging in physical activity and benefiting from exercise in this
class, not sitting and taking a test. To determine whether a student has
learned the skills involved in a game or sport, or understands the rules, ask
them to participate in the activity, not take a test about it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Standardized tests divert time and money from meaningful
educational activities, and they are not a valid measure of a student’s
knowledge or skills. Yet education officials continue to think up new ways to
impose them on our teachers, students and schools. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What’s next – a test about lunch?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-52219060725809666432012-05-03T14:10:00.002-07:002012-05-03T14:10:57.728-07:00Test Obsessed<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My kids have spent the last three weeks trapped in a
stifling cage lined with bubble sheets and number two pencils.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Week one, they had three days of state English/language arts
assessment tests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Week two, they had three days of state math assessment tests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Week three, they had two days of another standardized test
that is similar to the state assessments.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The worst part is, they’re not complaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ve just accepted insipid,
monotonous test taking as a necessary part of life, like death and taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they stoically and obediently head
off to school for another joyless day of boring and useless tests because the
bureaucrats in Washington think this is a grand idea.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But I’m not taking it as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to vent my frustration, I’ve compiled a list of reasons
why I oppose the recent test-taking marathon:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Standardized tests
waste time.</b> Education experts agree that standardized multiple-choice tests
are not a valid measure of a student’s knowledge or skills. They are certainly
not indicative of a teacher’s abilities or a school’s success. Even if
standardized tests accurately reflected a student’s competency, they are still
not a valid measure of teacher quality because many other factors affect
student performance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Standardized tests
divert time from meaningful and enriching educational activities.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, middle school students in
my school district missed out on a dynamic program that teaches American
history through experiential learning methods because testing dominated the
spring calendar. The spring book fair was also cancelled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Standardized tests
are administered inefficiently.</b> Why are students forced to take two tests
covering the same subject? Why do they have to endure three days of tests on
the same subject? If we have to give students standardized tests, can’t we
eliminate the redundancies and limit the time involved?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Standardized tests
are used improperly.</b> Standardized tests should not be used in student
placement decisions since they are not an accurate reflection of a student’s
abilities or aptitude. They should not be used to evaluate teachers and schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will concede that standardized tests
could potentially provide value if they were used to identify possible gaps in
student learning. But to accomplish this goal, three things would have to happen:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">a. Tests for each grade level must
be developed with input from teachers to ensure they cover concepts taught at
that grade level.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">b. Test developers must ask clear,
straightforward questions instead of attempting to confuse and trick test-takers.
Anyone who experienced “Pineapple-gate” in New York knows what I’m talking
about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">c. Most importantly, teachers should
be allowed to give students their tests back after they are graded so the
students can learn from their mistakes. This is the most egregious error in the
government’s approach to testing. Students never see their tests after they are
graded and, therefore, miss out on an opportunity to learn.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5. Standardized tests
divert funding from educational programs.</b> The only beneficiaries of the
focus on testing are the companies that develop and sell standardized tests.
Shamefully, funds that are sorely needed for educational programs and instructional
materials are being spent on testing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If you are also frustrated by the federal and state
governments’ unjustified obsession with standardized tests, consider supporting
educators, parents and concerned citizens in New York State and nationwide who
are voicing their opposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
more information on this initiative, visit the following website <a href="http://www.newyorkprincipals.org/">http://www.newyorkprincipals.org</a>/.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-71041552238018865112012-02-19T15:03:00.000-08:002012-02-19T15:18:15.965-08:00The How Not-To Guide To Parent-Teacher Partnerships<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>716</o:Words> <o:characters>4082</o:Characters> <o:company>Laurelton Media</o:Company> <o:lines>34</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>5012</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">When Richard Gray was elected president of the Malliford Elementary PTO, he aspired to forge a constructive relationship with the school’s principal, Ms. Rutherford, although he disliked her approach and policies. But during his stint as PTO president, his chilly relationship with Ms. Rutherford rapidly deteriorated into intense hostility, with bitter consequences for the school community, as well as his marriage, his son, his reputation and his life.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Although Richard Gray and the other inhabitants of Malliford Elementary are fictional characters in the novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Chain Gang Elementary</i> (Thornbriar Press), by Jonathan Grant, many of the characters’ missteps are all too real. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">While the book is not autobiographical, Grant is a former PTA co-president. He initially intended to write a non-fiction guide for parent leaders. But he ultimately decided he could make a bigger impact on readers with a cautionary tale. He considers the book a “how not-to guide” for parents and administrators.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">I recently had the opportunity to speak with Grant and asked what advice he would give to parents who want to avoid Richard's fate.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Play Nice<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The advice that you received on the playground still applies today. The dominant message in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Chain Gang Elementary</i> is that parents (particularly parent leaders) and administrators have to get along. Parents should check their animosity at the door and keep their conversations with administrators and teachers positive and productive. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">For example, if your child is upset about an incident that occurred at school, ask the teacher about the situation rather than accusing them of wrong-doing. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“Parents need to stow their anger and remember their child may be part of the problem,” Grant says. “Don’t assume that your six-year-old child, who has their emotions and fears at stake, is going to tell you objectively what happened.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Similarly, administrators should take a step back and listen to parents instead of constantly pushing their own agendas. Parents often bring valuable insight to the table. For example, when a parent expresses a concern, the administrator should address the cause of the issue instead of appeasing the individual parent.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“School systems I’ve seen are more interested in fixing 100 squeaky wheels than in going back to the assembly line and making adjustments on the assembly line that prevent the squeaky wheels from being produced,” Grant says.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">He speaks from experience. When Grant had an issue with a school policy, the school responded by making his child exempt from the policy, rather than re-evaluating its merit.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">PTOs and PTAs should advocate for parents to ensure administrators take their concerns seriously. “Schools really marginalize any complaint if an individual parent brings it in,” Grant says. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Meanwhile, principals should publish their policies to ensure fairness to all students and parents. And when rules and policies are established, principals should adhere to them. “Nothing makes parents crazier than loopholes,” Grant says.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">A PTO/PTA president who has tried to communicate with the school principal but faces an impasse should invite a third party in to facilitate the discussion, such as a district administrator, Grant suggests.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Shun Teacher Shopping<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The practice of teacher shopping – when a parent demands a specific teacher for their child – is rampant at Malliford and has serious consequences. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Grant has witnessed the negative effects of teacher shopping and says it’s “damaging to the whole system.” He advises parents to avoid teacher shopping and suggests principals disallow it. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Sometimes teachers will receive a reputation that’s undeserved, so parents need to keep an open mind, Grant adds.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Volunteer for the Right Reasons<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Volunteer to lead the PTA because you want to help and support the school community, not because you want special treatment for your child.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“If you approach being PTA president as a humbling experience, that’s a good thing,” Grant says. “Try very hard to put yourself in other people’s shoes.” </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">As a former PTA co-president, Grant offered up three ways PTAs can improve their schools:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>1.) Facilitate Volunteerism: </b>Organize work days on weekends to give parents who don’t normally volunteer a chance to be involved.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">2.) Encourage Reading: </b>Grant’s PTA invited a local librarian to an “open house” to accept library card applications from parents. “Children emulate their parents. They need to see parents reading,” Grant says.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">3.) Discourage Electronics:</b> Organize a “No Electronics Week,” during which students must pledge to avoid TV, videogames, iPods and other electronic devices. The goal is to promote an appreciation for reading and other activities that foster a child’s growth and development.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">For more information on <i>Chain Gang Elementary</i>, visit <a href="http://www.chaingangelementary.com/">www.chaingangelementary.com</a>.</span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-65480084709930979452011-11-14T07:54:00.000-08:002012-02-19T15:13:48.453-08:00Fostering Your Child's Writing Skills<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>468</o:Words> <o:characters>2670</o:Characters> <o:company>Laurelton Media</o:Company> <o:lines>22</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>5</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3278</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">by Dan Gilbert</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Children are curious creatures and they want to understand everything -- from why clouds appear in the sky to how the television works. They are also intrigued by what grown-ups are doing when they have a pen or pencil in their hand. When a child first gets hold of a crayon or marker and starts scribbling in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">zigs</span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">zags</span></span> or loops, they are making an effort to emulate you when you're writing.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">“Children watch adults as they write notes, checks, and stories, and they are eager to begin writing themselves. Early writing is oftentimes labeled ‘scribble writing’ and is considered a legitimate form of emergent writing,” says Dr. Mary <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Zurn</span></span>, vice president of education, Primrose Schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> C</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hildren</span></span> are going to attempt to write long before embarking on their preschool education. These first attempts are going to look nothing like real words or pictures, but should be celebrated nonetheless. Your child is trying to learn how to write, and that is something very special.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Observe your child, and see what exactly they are trying to do with that crayon. “The first conscious attempts a child makes to write a letter are usually the first letter of his or her name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To an adult, the attempts may only vaguely resemble the letter, but these are moments to cherish and celebrate,” says Dr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Zurn</span></span>. The important part is that they are writing, and not their penmanship or personal style.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">The key to helping your child develop their writing abilities is teaching them that writing is a method of conveying language, so they don't worry if their letters are malformed. The more you focus on precision, the less they are going to enjoy writing. Writing is different from penmanship. As your child develops a love of writing, you can slowly fix how their letters look and teach them the proper way to hold their writing implement.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Make sure to keep everything they need to enjoy writing nearby. Keep a cool head as they begin. Soon you are going to have a child who is ready to face school and beyond because you have fostered in them good writing habits.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">• Have them explain to you what they are writing. Make suggestions about how to make their work better, but never chastise them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">• The more you read with your child, the more they are going to understand that the words you are saying are the words on the page.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">• Never turn them away when they are asking about writing-related tasks. If you are making a grocery list, let them see the list, and perhaps even ask them to help by adding something to the list. Always praise them for having done the job, and you will see them do it even better next time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">• Writing on the computer is still writing. Don't be surprised if your child figures out aspects of writing with a computer before they do with paper. The ease of seeing the letters on the keyboard move to the screen might help them more than trying to form the letters on paper and being frustrated that they aren't precisely the same.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Dan Gilbert is Marketing Support Coordinator at <a href="http://primroseschools.com/">Primrose Schools</a>, which operates early childhood education centers nationwide.</span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;"> </span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-21027401022628000302011-10-01T16:21:00.000-07:002011-10-01T16:22:44.987-07:00184 Tips for Teachers<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">On Shellee Hendricks’ first day of tenth grade, her teacher shook each student’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“It’s customary to shake hands when starting work with someone,” says Hendricks in her new book, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Notes on Teaching: A Short Guide to an Essential Skill</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">. “I realized that I was being invited into a partnership; I quickly understood that my teacher respected me, held me responsible, and wanted to work with me toward a shared goal.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Shake hands” is note number 20. Hendricks and co-author Russell Reich offer 183 other insightful and inspiring recommendations in </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://notesonteaching.com/">Notes on Teaching</a> </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">(RCR Creative Press, 2011), a comprehensive yet concise guide to perfecting the craft of teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">In an elegant and user-friendly format, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Notes on Teaching</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> covers all bases in sixteen sections, including Planning and Preparation, First Class Meeting, Setting Expectations, Classroom Staging, Leading a Class, Talking to Students, and Talking to Parents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Below are ten of my favorite insights from </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Notes on Teaching</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">25. Say why </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">(First Class Meeting)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Students face many compulsory subjects and deserve to know why they must study algebra if they have no interest in becoming financiers, physicists, or engineers.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">26. Dive into the subject </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">(First Class Meeting)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Start with housekeeping only if you want to signal pending tedium and forfeit the opportunity to, well, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">teach</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> something. Reviewing your lateness policy line by line will demoralize everyone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">31. Involve them in setting goals</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Setting Expectations)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Ask: ‘What do you want out of this class?’ Have students write down their answers. If you set all goals, they won’t be invested.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">33. Don’t tell them they’ve achieved what they haven’t</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Setting Expectations)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Don’t deny students a good education in the name of self-esteem. Deceive people about their own progress to make them feel good, or lead them to believe they’ve mastered something they have not, and you will quickly and rightly lose their trust.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">35. Champion failure</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Setting Expectations)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Foster a sea change in education by explicitly introducing ‘failure’ as a worthy goal, not a taboo. Failure is not a signal to give up or a cause for dejection or humiliation. It’s a healthy sign of working at the frontier of one’s ability or understanding.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">71. Be an emotional leader as well as an intellectual one</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Leading a Class)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Enthusiasm </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">is</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> contagious. So is its lack.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">114. Notice what they want you to notice</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Talking to Students)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Students drop hints: repeated references to basketball in their writing, or a tendency to break into song upon leaving class. Comment on their point of pride. Let them know you’re paying attention.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">130. Know the student, and show you know</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Talking to Parents)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Be specific. Your familiarity with each student gives your observations, suggestions, and warnings credibility.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">131. Deliver good news first and last</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> (Talking to Parents)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“When parents see your interest in discovering the positive in their child, they absorb subsequent criticisms and warnings more willingly.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">140. Do not grade everything </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">(Giving Feedback)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“Offering feedback without a grade sends a message to your students: Their practice and improvement are more important than where their work falls on some supposedly objective scale.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For more information, visit <a href="http://notesonteaching.com/">notesonteaching.com</a>.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-16167267134187483292011-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:002011-08-17T13:30:26.252-07:00Let’s Invest In Learning, Not Testing<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When I read the news last week that the New York State Education Department recently signed a $32 million contract with a new test developer, I started thinking about how $32 million could be used to foster learning, particularly in low-income school districts. Let’s forget for a minute that these tests may be useless—many education experts say standardized tests are not a valid measure of a student’s knowledge or skills. Let’s say standardized tests actually provided valuable information about student learning. It seems wasteful and illogical to spend money on assessing student learning without first investing in the resources students need to learn, like the following:</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Instructional Materials<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Schools in low-income districts often don’t have enough books, desks and other resources students and teachers need. Students often lack basic school supplies, such as notebooks and pencils. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Healthy Food<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Even if students have the appropriate school supplies, they will not be ready to learn if they don’t eat properly. Many students rely on the meals they receive at school. We should be offering fresh, nutritious menu options, not processed foods that are high in salt, fat and chemical preservatives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Professional Development<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">About half of new teachers leave the professional after five years. Many new teachers feel overwhelmed and underprepared. Perhaps innovative, valuable professional development workshops would embolden new teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Parent Involvement<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s clear that parent involvement has a positive impact on student achievement. We need to make it easier for parents to be involved, despite language barriers, time constraints and transportation issues. I recently met a teacher whose school organizes home visits for parent-teacher conferences. Some schools and community organizations are making an effort to provide translators so teachers can communicate with parents who don’t speak English. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 12pt; line-height: 19pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Sadly, all of these overlooked areas will continue to languish until policymakers acknowledge the real weaknesses in our education system. I don’t think the solution is better tests. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-18826344088312680062011-05-04T08:09:00.000-07:002011-05-04T08:16:12.620-07:00Indiana’s Destructive Education Reform Plan<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Indiana touts its “Putting Students First” education agenda, but the state’s detrimental education reform package puts politics first and students last. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Indiana legislators have succeeded in passing the most comprehensive education reform package in the nation,” the Indiana Department of Education announced in a press release on Friday. “Today marked the end of the 2011 legislative session, and every component of the state’s ‘Putting Students First’ education agenda has either been signed or awaits the governor’s pen.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Indiana’s education reform plan demonstrates that the people making decisions about our children’s education don’t understand the needs of students, the teaching profession, or the keys to successful learning. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I find it equally disturbing that Indiana has transformed the misguided movement toward scapegoating teachers into law. Plagued by a lingering economic malaise, politicians have inexplicably targeted teachers, claiming they should be forced to relinquish their “generous” compensation packages. The media has latched onto this ridiculous notion and perpetuated it. Sadly, it’s not difficult to convince people that teachers have it easy when many Americans are frustrated by fruitless job searches, the threat of foreclosure, and mounting debt. They forget that teachers are underpaid and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">underappreciated</span></span> in this country, despite the vital service they provide. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So, the politicians in Indiana look like heroes for passing an education reform plan that they claim will improve education by dealing more effectively with teachers. But due to their lack of insight into the school environment, the law is doomed to fail. Here’s why:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Pressure to contain costs will lead school administrators to replace effective veteran teachers with inexperienced new teachers. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Indiana’s education reform plan will eliminate the provisions in teacher contracts that require school leaders to lay off teachers with the least seniority first. Politicians like to say that this policy is unfair because it penalizes young teachers who bring enthusiasm and energy to the classroom. The reality is that most new teachers bring to the classroom anxiety, bewilderment, and a lack of confidence. They are unprepared to deal with the diverse academic and emotional needs of their students, behavior problems in the classroom, demanding parents, the lack of downtime in the fast-paced school day (even to use the bathroom), and a mountain of administrative tasks. It takes years for teachers to learn how to overcome these challenges and successfully master their craft. This is why the best and most effective teachers are typically those with experience. When faced with pressure to control costs and contain school taxes, a school administrator in Indiana may now opt to lay off the experienced teacher instead of the new teacher because senior teachers are paid more. Teacher effectiveness is a luxury when you’re facing a budget crisis and irate taxpayers. What happens when all of the experienced, effective teachers are replaced with novices who find themselves without any mentors to support and guide them. School districts will enjoy cost savings, residents will appreciate lower tax hikes, and government officials will pat themselves on the back. Who are the losers in this scenario? Students, teachers and parents.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Merit pay is based on the faulty premise that teachers are solely responsible for student performance. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Under Indiana’s education reform plan, teachers will receive pay increases based on their effectiveness. But a student’s academic success is based on so many factors that even the most dedicated and talented teachers can face failure. Unmotivated students, uncooperative parents and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unsupportive</span></span> administrators all create obstacles to success. In addition, a student’s home life plays a vital role in their academic success or failure. Standardized test scores will likely factor into the evaluation process, even though many educators contend that standardized tests are not a valid measure of a student’s knowledge or skills. But because their students’ performance on standardized tests will determine their compensation, teachers will be forced to spend more time on dull, insipid test-taking strategies and less time on creative and intellectual activities that spark excitement about learning. The focus on testing will widen the achievement gap. High-achievers will spend time on enriching activities, such as music and art, while at-risk students focus on test-taking skills. A student who is not a skilled test-taker may be a gifted writer, artist or musician, but their abilities will be devalued. Once again, merit pay is just another opportunity to pay teachers less than they deserve, and students, teachers and parents are on the losing end of the deal.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Support for charter schools diverts funding and attention from public schools. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Indiana’s education reform package allows for more entities to sponsor charter schools and provides vouchers for qualifying families who want to send their children to non-public schools. My main question concerning charter schools is this: why are we investing time, effort, personnel and money in charter schools instead of leveraging those resources to bolster public schools.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If “Putting Students First” means filling classrooms with inexperienced, underpaid novice teachers; forcing students to focus on useless test-taking strategies; and diverting much-needed public school resources to charter schools, then I suppose Indiana got it right. </span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-85631714128985337392011-03-30T07:33:00.000-07:002011-04-03T19:26:08.469-07:00Join the "Save Our Schools" March on Washington<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Teachers and parents may have their differences from time to time, but they all agree that providing our nation’s children with the best possible education is a top priority. That’s why parents and teachers are joining forces to make our voices heard in Washington, D.C. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I hope you’ll join me, other concerned parents, and teachers at the “Save Our Schools March & National Call to Action” in Washington, D.C. on July 30. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The main goal of the event is to advocate for education policy reform that will enhance educational opportunities for all children. Objectives include:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">·</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Equitable funding for all public school communities</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">·</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Full public funding of family and community support services</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">·</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Teacher, family and community leadership in forming education policies</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">·</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The use of multiple and varied assessments to evaluate students, teachers and schools</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">·</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Educational opportunities that develop every student’s intellectual, creative and physical potential</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The march toward the Department of Education will begin at 2:00 p.m. on July 30. A rally preceding the march will take place at Ellipse Park at noon, featuring speakers, music and other activities. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">If you can stay longer, workshops, seminars and a film festival will be held at American University on July 28, July 29 and July 31. Inspirational speakers and informative workshops will offer attendees strategies for taking action in their communities and school districts.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">To attend the “Save Our Schools March” or to obtain more information, please visit </span></span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><a href="http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">saveourschoolsmarch</span></span></a></span><a href="http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">.org</span></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I hope to see you there.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Natalie Schwartz</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Chair - Parent, Family and Community Outreach Committee</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;text-align:justify"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Save Our Schools March</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-8583805864216401782011-02-23T14:26:00.000-08:002011-02-23T14:38:32.777-08:00Maybe College Isn’t for Everyone<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We keep hearing about how our education system is failing many of our kids. Maybe that’s because our education system is too narrowly focused. We’re not taking into account the skills, interests and needs of all of our students.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A veteran teacher I interviewed for </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The Teacher Chronicles</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> believes in a dual-track education system that provides for vocational training as well as academic instruction. The national education system is currently geared toward preparing students for college. But not all students are interested in pursuing a career that requires a college degree. Some of them have skills and interests that will take them in a different direction. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">By insisting that every student aspire to go to college, aren’t we devaluing the occupations that don’t require a college degree. Don’t these occupations make a valuable contribution to our society? </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">With the right amount of motivation and dedication, every student may be capable of academic success and college admission. But that's not the issue. The question is, are we encouraging every student to become a productive member of society.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The teacher I mentioned believes that offering vocational training will allow schools to maintain the interest of students who are not necessarily college-bound. If these students are offered course options that appeal to their interests, tap into their skills, and prepare them to enter the work force after high school, they may be more committed to school and their academic subjects. After all, academic subjects are important—we all need reading and math skills, an understanding of history and current events, knowledge of life sciences—but for some students, this is not enough to maintain their interest in school. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Until we stop viewing college as the ultimate goal, and start recognizing that other options have merit, schools will continue to alienate a percentage of students and a successful national education system will continue to elude us. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-67183560535143339282011-01-26T15:55:00.000-08:002011-01-26T16:03:34.311-08:00Uninformed Reformers, Part II<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In his second <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/us/politics/26obama-text.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2">State of the Union</a> address, President Obama conveyed the following assertions:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. “Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. “…reform isn’t just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals, school boards and communities.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. “Here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect.” (In reference to how teachers are treated in South Korea.)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In January 2010, I posted an entry about President Obama’s first State of the Union address. I titled it “Uninformed Reformers” and lamented that the President was not paying enough attention to the thoughtful and insightful letters that the members of “Teachers’ Letters to Obama” sent him.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A year later, education reform continues to progress in the wrong direction, as President Obama’s address last night indicates.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The President and the Department of Education continue to tout the Race to the Top program. Race to the Top turns the distribution of education funding into a contest with winners and losers, instead of providing all schools with access to adequate resources, ensuring all children receive a quality education. Race to the Top also places too much weight on standardized tests, which do not adequately measure a child’s knowledge, skills or understanding.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">President Obama contends that education reform is not a top-down mandate, and input from local educators and communities is important. But to receive Race to the Top funds, states must implement reform plans that meet the federal government’s criteria. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If the Obama administration really respected teachers and valued their input, efforts to thwart the administration's misguided reform policies would not have gained so much momentum over the past year. The “Teachers’ Letters to Obama” Facebook group has amassed 3,195 members, up from 760 a year ago. And a new grassroots movement is gathering steam: the<a href="http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/"> “Save Our Schools March & National Call to Action”</a> is headed to Washington, D.C. this summer to advocate for equitable funding for all public schools, an end to high-stakes testing, and teacher and community leadership in education policy reform (see my December blog post).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I wholeheartedly agree with President Obama on one point, though: “It’s family that first instills the love of learning in a child.” If our children are to love learning, we must embrace innovative lessons that spark their intellectual curiosity and shun dull, uninspired and scripted test preparation. We must ensure that all children have access to the resources, staff and materials they need to succeed, regardless of where they live. And parents and teachers must join together to promote thoughtful and appropriate reforms that truly benefit our children and secure our country’s future. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-89319794553646023702010-12-22T06:49:00.000-08:002010-12-22T06:56:49.414-08:00SOS<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Politicians and journalists have been dumping the blame for our education system’s failings on teachers. Now it’s time, apparently, to hurl accusations at parents. The news media reported last week that an Associated Press-Stanford University poll found that 68 percent of adults believe that parents are responsible for our struggling schools. I’m sure students will be the next target.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It’s easy to blame teachers, parents and students for disappointing achievement levels. But the truth is, there’s very little teachers, parent and students can do when the federal and state governments are slashing education funding, focusing on useless standardized tests, hammering out misdirected reform plans, ignoring and disrespecting teachers, and overlooking disturbing inequities. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It’s time for teachers, parents and students to join forces to Save Our Schools.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A group of concerned citizens is organizing the Save Our Schools Million Teacher March on Washington, DC, from July 28 to 30. The mission of the SOS Million Teacher March is as follows: </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“To unite teachers, students and concerned citizens across the nation to create respect and support for teachers in order to do what is best for students. We would like to speak up for all of America to say that our education system is heading in the wrong direction and needs to be fixed immediately before it creates an even larger national crisis.”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">SOS Million Teacher March is rapidly gathering support from teachers, parents, students, and concerned citizens nationwide. The goal of the march is as follows:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Respectful reform that makes sense. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The founders of SOS Million Teacher March agree that our nation’s schools need to be reformed, but they disagree with the current methods. They advocate reform that respects the people who are most involved in the public school system: teachers, parents and students.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span">* </span>Fair funding for all schools.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Schools are currently set up for success or failure depending on their location. The Race to the Top program awards grant money only to states that demonstrate a commitment to “reform” based on the federal government’s criteria. SOS Million Teacher March calls for equitable funding for all schools, regardless of their locations.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span">* </span>Quality classrooms with safe environments.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Some schools have abundant resources while others lack the bare essentials. Curricula are designed to address the requirements of standardized tests, rather than to ensure students are learning information, acquiring knowledge, and adopting skills. In addition, some students are afraid to walk to school, to walk home from school, and to be inside their school buildings. SOS Million Teacher March advocates supplying the resources, curricula and staff necessary to provide all students with the education they deserve and a safe environment that’s conducive to learning.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Thank you to the organizers of SOS Million Teach Million Teacher March for giving teachers, parents and students a voice in Washington. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For more information, visit </span></span><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/sosmtm/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">SOS Million Teacher March</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-7455155094914279072010-11-29T13:16:00.000-08:002010-12-10T09:20:09.886-08:00Tackling Student Transitions<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When your toddler smoothly transitioned from playtime to mealtime without too much fuss, you delighted in his developmental progress. Of course, the transitions your child faces will become progressively more challenging. Among the most daunting will be the ones that emerge during the school years.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">According to Carol Carter, renowned expert on student success, you can play an important role as your child navigates the most difficult school transitions: elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high school to college. Carter, founder and president of LifeBound, has written ten books for students in grades five to twelve, including </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.lifebound.com/sampleChapters/Success_in_Middle_SchoolCh01.pdf">Success in Middle School</a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.lifebound.com/sampleChapters/giftsandtalents.pdf">Gifts and Talents for Teenagers</a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">, and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.lifebound.com/sampleChapters/People_SmartsCh01.pdf">People Smarts for Teenagers</a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">. She has also written a book for parents titled </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.lifebound.com/coachingBooks.htm">Stop Parenting, Start Coaching</a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Transitioning to Middle School</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Students entering middle school often “lack the personal skills to negotiate a more complex environment,” Carter told me in a recent interview. Students are leaving the comforts of their single classroom setting and facing new academic expectations and social pressures. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">You can help your child meet new challenges by skipping the lectures and encouraging thoughtful decision-making.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“When kids are eleven or twelve, it doesn’t work to give directives,” Carter says. “It works to ask them questions.” For example, if your child is associating with a peer whose behavior concerns you, ask your child, "What are the pros and cons of hanging out with someone who has those kinds of qualities; what do you think the cost might be?" This approach is more effective than prohibiting the relationship, Carter says. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“When parents use questions and become more of a coach, the student not only learns choices, options, and all of the different things that are possible, but they also learn great critical thinking skills,” Carter says. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Transitioning to High School</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">During the high school years, students should identify and develop their interests. “Parents can coach kids around getting experiences that are meaningful,” Carter says.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">To guide your child toward her interests and goals, ask questions about what she likes to do, Carter says. “If they love computer games, instead of fighting that, ask, ‘What would you do if you could work in the area of computer games? Would you be the creative person developing ideas? What kind of summer job could you get?’”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Guiding your child toward school clubs and activities related to his interests will foster his connection to his high school and allow him to thrive, Carter says. In addition, encourage your child to pursue valuable experiences outside of school, such as internships.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Another important piece of advice: avoid protecting your child from the consequences of her actions. “Don’t rescue your child from the learning that needs to take place for your child to become an adult,” Carter says. “People who have not failed at anything are going to have a hard time in college”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Transitioning to College</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">To prepare for the college transition, parents “need to learn to develop a long leash when their child is in high school,” Carter says. “Otherwise they are lost when they get to college.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">While relinquishing some control, encourage your child to “take risks, make their own decisions, experiment,” Carter says. “Be comfortable with your child going down blind alleys. Do it while they’re in high school, so when they get to college they’ll be self-sufficient.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s a good idea to ask your child to pay for a portion of her college education, Carter says. “They have to have a stake,” she says. Even if you can afford to cover the entire cost of your child’s college education, “it’s not a good message to send. It creates dependency.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">While in college, students should pursue experiences that prospective employers will value, such as study abroad or career-related internships, Carter says. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“A lot of people approach college the way they approached high school,” Carter says. "They get caught up in the social scene because they think that’s what you’re supposed to do, and then they don’t have options when they graduate.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">To prepare for a successful job search after graduation, college students should “do an internship to gain experience, join an organization, run for office, make something specific happen. Employers can ask you about that,” Carter advises.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“American schools are very lax compared with the rest of the world. If students want to be competitive, they need to learn a different language, get out of their neighborhoods, be diverse and interesting people,” Carter says. “College is a place to pursue these things.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For more information, visit <a href="http://lifebound.com/">lifebound.com.</a></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-50488569737557977642010-10-28T05:16:00.000-07:002010-10-28T05:21:46.349-07:00Navigating the College Admissions Labyrinth<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">By Karen Marks</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The college admissions process can be daunting for everyone involved, including teachers and parents. It is easy to feel overwhelmed—the stakes are high, so much feels unclear and it is a big responsibility to advise students about their applications.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As Associate Director of Admissions for the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, and as a former member of the admissions committee in the undergraduate admissions office at Dartmouth, I read thousands of applications per year. I have also been an alumni ambassador for Cornell University, meeting with prospective students. I have seen how the process works from the inside, and I would like to share with you a few tips that will boost your confidence and your ability to offer excellent advice. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Start Early</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">First of all, it is really helpful to start early. How early, exactly? Freshman year in high school. I say this not to exacerbate stress or to create an unhealthy dynamic that creates programmed, artificial kids. In my experience, it is just the opposite—having a basic understanding of how the admissions process works allows you to craft a sane extracurricular and academic strategy and actually alleviates some of the anxiety that you might feel when a student looks to you, wondering if they should drop football so that they can take six AP courses and study Mandarin, even though they really love the clarinet and would rather focus on that. Freshman year is too early, in my opinion, to worry about which schools are a fit or to start taking practice tests. Instead, at this point you should encourage the student to get involved in their community, to assume leadership roles, to develop skills in a few areas and to challenge themselves, both personally and academically. It is also a great time for parents to educate themselves about the financial aid process.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Encourage Self-Assessment</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Let’s say, on the other hand, that you are reading this blog with a high school junior or senior in mind, and you are just now starting to focus on college. The first thing that I would advise you to do is to help the student undertake an honest self- assessment. Specifically, reflect upon areas where the student has excelled, as well as any components that might raise flags for an admissions committee. For example, a student who had a rough academic term at some point might need to discuss this in the application, or to really focus on getting excellent grades. A student without extracurricular involvement might need to find an area of interest and start participating. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Identify Unique Attributes</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's important to determine what the student is really good at and/or really passionate about. Understanding what makes the student unique in the marketplace</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">is tremendously helpful – crucial, really. Helping the student to spotlight their particular talents is one of the most tangible ways that you can help. Admissions officers read so many applications, and candidates stand out when they have a good understanding of their own strengths, which they can clearly convey. It can be advantageous to highlight something special and unusual that the student brings, like extensive international volunteer work, being a woman who excels in science or math, excellence in sports, music or art, or having overcome a challenging personal history. However, being well rounded and goal oriented is also a plus—the key is to understand what we are looking for and what will stand out to the committee, both good and bad.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Keep Tests in Perspective</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Finally, please help the student keep tests in perspective. Yes, some people do better on standardized tests than others, and there is undeniably a quantitative component to our evaluation. However, there is always room for students whose numeric profile does not reflect their potential. In fact, many colleges and universities can fill their classes several times over with students who have perfect records, but we choose not to – because we are looking for interesting individuals who are going to contribute to the community. Your goal should be to help the student convey who they are, what they will bring and why they will excel, even if their test scores (or grades) aren’t quite as high as they would like them to be.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Although the process can be stressful, admissions consultants can work with you, providing thoughtful, informed advice that can help your student shine. As a college admissions consultant, my goal is to be as empowering and reassuring as possible, for the entire family. Conferring with an admissions consultant can be beneficial, as we can offer an objective perspective on your student’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as helping you to strategize about what to share, where to apply and how to tell your story. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Karen Marks is the Associate Director of Admissions for the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She leads diversity recruiting for the school. Karen holds a BA from Cornell University and a JD from George Washington University. She offers college consulting services to a limited number of clients and can be reached at </span></span></span><a href="mailto:Karen@goldenticketconsulting.com"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Karen@goldenticketconsulting.com</span></span></span></a><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-27327683210485590082010-09-24T07:51:00.000-07:002010-09-24T08:08:03.718-07:00Top 10 Secrets of Successful Classroom Management<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When Richard Eyster encountered Jennifer Longley at an education conference, he was delighted to learn she had entered the teaching profession. He remembered Jennifer as a bright and good-natured student in his third grade class twelve years earlier. But when they met for lunch, she opened up to him about her frustrating struggle to maintain control of her high school English class. He later found out that she left teaching to pursue a career in marketing—after only one year in the classroom. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dismayed that generations of students would miss out on Jennifer’s ability to engender creative expression and enthusiasm for literature, Eyster set out to offer teachers practical techniques for addressing challenges, engaging students, and fostering a productive and fulfilling school year. He teamed up with fellow education expert Christine Martin to write </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Successful Classroom Management</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> (Sourcebooks), a comprehensive, insightful and inspirational survival guide for teachers. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Successful Classroom Management</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> covers everything from preparing for the school year to dealing with bullying to forging relationships with administrators. Below is a list of my ten favorite insights from the book. I had the opportunity to speak with Richard Eyster this week and gain a deeper understanding of his perceptions and strategies. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1.) Effective classroom management is based on a learnable set of skills. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">New teachers, like Jennifer Longley,</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">often buy into the myth that the ability to manage a classroom is an inherent trait. Eyster maintains that teachers can acquire the skills necessary to successfully manage a classroom. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Students are hardwired to test their teacher, but they want the teacher to pass the test, according Eyster. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Successful Classroom Management</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> offers methods for preemptively establishing order and expectations, addressing transgressions, enlisting parental support, and using the disciplinary hierarchy. Eyster’s focus on creating a positive tone and his multi-step approach to discipline are designed to avoid or resolve issues before a punishment—such as detention or suspension—is warranted. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“If the teacher has built a positive reputation for the child, and if the child senses the teacher believes in them, and then the teacher is disappointed in them, that can be jarring,” Eyster says.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2.) Establish a positive relationship</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">with the class.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Expect that some students will test you by misbehaving. When they do, Eyster recommends isolating the tester, not yourself. It’s important to stay united with the rest of the class. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Often unconsciously teachers will say, ‘You kids are out of control today,’ when it may be a very small number of them are actually out of control, and a significant number of them want to get work done,” Eyster says. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“It’s so easy for beginning teachers to feel it’s us against them,” he says, noting that this attitude is the leading cause of dissatisfaction among new teachers.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3.) Praise is a powerful tool.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Praise can be used to transform a student’s image, uplift the entire class, and reinforce the values you seek to promote in your classroom or school community. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When praising students, it’s important to be specific, Eyster says, and encourage behavior that’s repeatable. “If you praise a child for coming up with a great quote in an English paper, and you do it personally to them in writing at the bottom of the paper, or personally privately, or publicly in front of the class, that child is never going to turn in a paper again without being conscious of choosing a good quote,” Eyster says. “It creates a template for their own behavior moving forward.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4.) Welcome feedback from your students.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eliciting feedback can entail asking a simple question such as, “So how was the homework last night?” Or it can involve handing out a survey posing questions such as, “What do I do well that works for you?” and “What do I need to know about your learning style to teach you more effectively?”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Requesting feedback from students can be “invaluable for professional development,” Eyster says. He suggests distributing individual, written surveys once or twice a year, and asking verbal questions about homework and tests to the entire class on a regular basis. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5.) Create a safe learning environment</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Establish a classroom culture in which students are required to respect one another. In </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Successful Classroom Management</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, Eyster and Martin point out that a classroom is a tiny universe, adding, “Show what kind of universe you would run, given the chance. Because you </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">have</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> been given the chance.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eyster says, “A respectful, safe environment is one in which kids are listening to each other and responding to each other.” He suggests posing open-ended questions that encourage a dialog among the students.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Most important, teachers should never tolerate mocking, cruelty, impatience or disrespect directed at a classmate.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6.) Variety is the key to engaging students.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In <i>Successful</i></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Classroom Management</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, Eyster and Martin offer a comprehensive list of options teachers can incorporate into their lesson plans. Examples include lectures, small group projects, role-playing, journaling, fishbowl discussions, skits, partner discussions and debates. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Variety adds pep and energy to a class. Beyond that, it also allows different children to shine,” Eyster says. Another plus: teachers who have been teaching the same subject or grade level for years can maintain their interest by varying their lesson plans and teaching tactics.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7.) Establish the expectation that everyone must participate in class every day. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eyster and Martin point out that speaking is a critical life skill, and it only improves with practice.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Eyster recommends informing students early on that they will be expected to participate every day. Offering positive feedback about a student’s comment can encourage future participation, particularly among shy students. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Praise that’s given to them when they do come forward with a thought can really make a transformative difference,” he says.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8.) Assessments should look forward, not back.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The purpose of assessments should be to redirect a teacher’s energy toward the gaps in student learning that are revealed. But often teachers record a student’s grade and move on.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Teachers have the possibility to change the way they record information in the grade book,” Eyster says. Grade book software is available that allows teachers to note specific observations about a student’s trouble spots, allowing them to address such issues going forward.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“The simplest thing to do is to require every kid on every test to correct every problem,” Eyster notes. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9.) Parents have two main expectations of teachers: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Are you a professional?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Do you care about my child?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To convey professionalism, stay organized. “The disorganized teacher will say they’re going to send something home Thursday and forget, or they’ll leave off a page on the homework.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Before interacting with parents, “Make sure you do your homework and know the child,” Eyster says. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In addition, calling or writing a parent to give them positive feedback about their child demonstrates you care about their child and you’re a professional. “One of the most powerful things you can do is recognize the power of praise,” Eyster says. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10.) Indicate to parents the potential for growth in their child.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When parents defend and excuse their child’s unacceptable behavior, express a positive view of the child. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“You can change the tenor of the conversation with the parent,” Eyster says, offering the following example: “When I think of your son or daughter, I don’t think of a mean-spirited kid. I think of somebody who’s able to make people feel good about themselves.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Indeed, teachers have the ability to positively influence a child’s personal growth. According to Eyster, “One of the most important things we can do as teachers it do develop, communicate and preserve positive reputations for our students.”</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-37841740615153187672010-08-29T09:48:00.000-07:002010-08-29T09:52:50.456-07:005 Ways to Launch a New Parent-Teacher Partnership<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Teachers</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1.) Send home a detailed welcome letter</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> containing information about yourself, your policies, your expectations, and your curriculum. Most importantly, include your contact information.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2.) Deliver a thorough presentation at parent orientation.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> In addition to discussing your curriculum, tell parents about yourself, including your background, your teaching style, and your philosophy on homework and tests. Be receptive to questions and come across as approachable.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3.) Welcome parents to get in touch with you</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> if they have any questions or concerns throughout the year.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4.) Gather valuable information through written surveys.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Ask parents about their child’s strengths and weaknesses, their interests outside of school, their attitude toward school, and their study habits. Parents will appreciate the opportunity to share information about their children that will help you get to know them.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5.) Contact parents to report good news.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Call each of the parents in your class to offer some positive feedback about their child. This exercise ensures your first personal connection with each parent takes place under positive circumstances.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parents</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1.) Introduce yourself </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">at parent orientation and let the teacher know you’re looking forward to a successful school year. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2.) Give the teacher your contact information</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and welcome the teacher to contact you for any reason. If you don’t have a chance to meet the teacher at parent orientation, send a brief note or e-mail.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3.) Find out how the teacher prefers to communicate</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, whether by written note, e-mail or phone, so you can ensure a quick response to your future questions and concerns.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4.) Volunteer your time.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Offer to come into the class to share information about your culture, career or interests if they are relevant to the curriculum. Offer to assist the teacher with administrative duties, project preparation or other useful tasks.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5.) Support your child.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Ask your child if they studied for their test, completed their homework, or handed in their assignments. Make sure they're on track to complete long-term projects.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-74488100329530785732010-07-30T06:29:00.000-07:002010-07-30T06:32:01.846-07:00Tenure In Trouble<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">In their misguided efforts to enact school reform over the past year, government officials have routinely targeted teachers. First came the calls for merit pay, then a wave of mass teacher firings. Now tenure is under attack. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The state of Colorado is leading a national movement to tie teacher tenure to student performance. Under a new Colorado law, student performance will count for half of a teacher’s annual evaluation. Teachers need three consecutive years of positive evaluations to earn tenure. Tenured teachers who receive two poor evaluations will lose it.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Proponents of the law fail to realize that a student’s academic success depends on a variety of factors. Even the most dedicated and talented teachers will face difficulty when dealing with such obstacles as unmotivated students, uncooperative parents or unsupportive administrators.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I support tenure because it protects teachers from the many people who have the power to jeopardize a teacher’s job. Teachers are observed and evaluated regularly by students, parents, administrators and school board members. If a teacher disappoints, fails to impress, or antagonizes just one of these interested parties, his or her job could be at risk. And tenure does not guarantee job security. Although it is more difficult to discharge teachers with tenure, they can be dismissed for legitimate reasons, typically related to serious misconduct or job performance. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The recent developments in Colorado reflect the Obama administration’s push toward evaluating teachers based on student test scores. Further movement in this direction will be detrimental to students. The pressure on teachers to produce acceptable standardized test scores is forcing them to spend more time on test preparation strategies and less time on creative and intellectual activities that motivate and excite students. In addition, the focus on testing will widen the achievement gap. High-achievers will spend time on enriching activities, such as music and art, while at-risk students focus on test-taking skills. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-58411849279810033352010-06-30T18:14:00.000-07:002010-06-30T18:18:53.229-07:00The Summer of Teacher Discontent<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We’re embroiled in the summer of teacher discontent. Anthony Cody, creator of the thriving Facebook group Teachers’ Letters to Obama, made the announcement in a May 28 e-mail to group members. Cody’s e-mail followed a disappointing conference call that group representatives had with Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education. The group’s goal was to convey their profound concerns about the education system’s direction, but their efforts were thwarted by a lack of time and attention to their input. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Teachers are not the only ones who should feel discontented. Parents, taxpayers and society in general—we should all be discontented. Our education system is the foundation of our society; it produces the future leaders of our country. Teachers are the pillars of this system. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I’ve been an advocate for the public school community—which includes parents, teachers, staff and students—since my oldest child entered kindergarten seven years ago. I’ve served as PTA president, council delegate, committee chairperson, class parent and event volunteer. I’ve collaborated with teachers, encouraged parental involvement, and conducted workshops to foster parent-teacher partnerships. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">By immersing myself in the public school community, I became keenly aware of the many challenges teachers face. In 2007, I decided to write a book on the topic to garner support for teachers among parents, political leaders and society. Over the next year and a half, I interviewed more than 50 teachers around the country. My book, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Teacher Chronicles: Confronting the Demands of Students, Parents, Administrators and Society</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> contains their disconcerting stories—stories about disruptive and disrespectful students, uncooperative parents, unsupportive administrators, demanding workloads, and the politically charged public school environment.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sadly, the situation has deteriorated in the two years since the book was released. In July 2009, the Obama Administration unveiled “Race to the Top,” a competitive grant program that requires states to repeal laws that prevent schools from evaluating teachers based on standardized test scores. A few months later, President Obama presented his education reform plan, which mirrors the NCLB’s focus on testing and encourages states to transform low-performing schools by replacing the school’s leadership and at least half of its staff. Amid an unfavorable political climate, teachers are also grappling with a tough economic environment. The economic recession constricted tax revenue, causing state education funding to evaporate, school budgets to shrink, and teachers to lose their jobs. Teachers who retained their jobs nervously await the next round of budget cuts.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Obama administration’s misguided policies are detrimental not only to teachers, but also to students and the vitality of the public school system. Here’s why:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Standardized tests do not adequately measure a student’s knowledge, skills or understanding.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* The pressure on teachers to produce acceptable standardized test scores is forcing them to spend more time on test preparation strategies and less time on creative and intellectual activities.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Innovative lessons motivate students and spark excitement about learning. Dull, uninspired, scripted lessons, and repetitive test preparation, turn students off of school.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* A variety of factors influence student performance; teachers cannot be held solely accountable.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Replacing teachers will not solve a struggling school’s underlying problems.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* The focus on testing will widen the achievement gap. High-achievers will spend time on enriching activities, such as music and art, while at-risk students focus on test-taking skills. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* A student who is not a skilled test-taker may be a gifted writer, a talented artist, or a budding musician. Due to the focus on standardized tests, their abilities may be overlooked and their self-esteem damaged. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Education grants should not be based on a political contest like “Race to the Top.” All schools should have access to adequate resources so all children receive a high-quality education. Students shouldn’t be penalized because their state governments drafted proposals that the federal Dept. of Education deemed unworthy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* The “Race to the Top” program attempts to force business practices on schools. Children are not products; they’re people.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">* Although teachers have the greatest insight into the classroom environment and the learning process, they’re being excluded from the discussion on education reform.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Whether you’re a parent, a teacher or a concerned citizen, I urge you to show your support for our public education system and our nation’s children by joining <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166176941518&ref=ts">Teachers’ Letters to Obama</a> on Facebook and expressing your discontent.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-53801238979521450942010-05-31T18:02:00.000-07:002010-05-31T18:04:42.055-07:005 Tips for Working With Parents of Children With Special Needs<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. Meet with parents at the beginning of the school year.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parents are a valuable resource. They can let you know what issues may come up and how you can handle them.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. Make parents feel part of the team. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parents know their child best. Convey to them at the beginning of the year that you value their input and you want them to be involved.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. Maintain open communication (both ways).</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If an issue arises, let the parents know as soon as possible so they can help you address it. Be receptive to communication from parents. For example, welcome parents to let you know if a situation at home may affect the child’s behavior or performance in school.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. Be understanding</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parents don’t intend to be difficult. They may just be anxious. Approach them with sensitivity and understanding.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. Get to know their child</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When a child exhibits certain behaviors, he’s trying to tell you something. Try to learn what his behavior means so you can help him deal with the issue.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-14719962692906011782010-04-29T09:07:00.000-07:002010-04-29T09:08:19.062-07:00Parents Are Frustrated Too<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I’ve spent a lot of time talking to teachers about the difficulties they face working with parents. I devoted a chapter in my book to the topic. But as a parent, I also interact with a lot of other parents. And I know they’re frustrated by teachers sometimes too. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I wrote an article for TheApple.com this month about the parent’s perspective. I asked parents about the challenges they’ve faced working with teachers, and what teachers can do to improve the parent-teacher relationship.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What are the challenges parents face?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* A mom in California said her daughter’s pre-k teachers’ rigid reading techniques were hampering her daughter’s progress rather than facilitating it. But the teachers insisted that her daughter adhere to their formulas, even though they were counterproductive. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* A dad in Baltimore said his seventh grade son was struggling in math because he was overwhelmed by the workload. When he first approached the teacher about the issue, the teacher was resistant and asserted the student was not paying attention. (After several conversations, the teacher adjusted his expectations and the student began to thrive.)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* A mom in Los Angeles said her son’s first grade teacher told him (in front of her) “Math just isn’t your thing.” He was apathetic toward math for the rest of the year, saying, “Math just isn’t my thing.” </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* A dad in Virginia said shortly after his son entered middle school a teacher called to set up a meeting about the boy’s schedule. But when his wife arrived at the school, she soon realized the purpose of the meeting was to alter their son’s individual education plan. The teacher lectured her about her son’s poor behavior and academic performance. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">What do parents wish teachers would do?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Consider the Parent’s Input.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Teachers are experts in the field of education, but parents often have inside information about their child’s learning style, study habits and attitude that could be valuable to the teacher.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Be Flexible</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">While a teacher may have honed an effective learning strategy that clicks with most students, it may not work for everybody. If a student in not responding successfully to a particular teaching method, it may be time to try an alternate approach. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Choose Your Words Carefully When Communicating With Students</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Children are impressionable. Even an offhanded comment can have a major impact on a child.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Choose Your Words Carefully When Communicating With Parents</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When it comes to their children, parents are emotional. Approaching parents with sensitivity and understanding will allow the teacher to avoid a defensive reaction. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">* Show Parents You’re On Their Side.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Teachers can prevent confrontations by proactively communicating with parents and demonstrating their concern for their students, says Dr. Jim Taylor, P.h.D., a parenting expert and author. “Show parents you’re both on the same team,” Taylor says.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Teachers can accomplish this goal by keeping parents informed about their child’s progress through brief monthly or biweekly reports, which can be e-mailed, Taylor says. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">“This shows that the teacher knows and cares about the child,” he says. “It makes parents feel more in control, more in the loop, and they will have less anxiety, less fear,” Taylor says. “Fewer emotions means fewer problems.”</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-63171717295246440662010-03-24T09:06:00.000-07:002010-03-24T09:18:23.092-07:00I’m Confused<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Here are the teacher-related news stories from around our great nation that the diligent folks at Google e-mailed me today:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Rockford School District to Lay Off All Nontenured Teachers” (Rockford Register Star)</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Senate Bill 6: Unfair to Teachers” (The Ledger)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Teacher Tells Students to Punch Classmate in Face” (NDTV.com)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “California’s Quality Blind Layoffs Law Harms Teachers and Students” (Los Angeles Times)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Teachers Ask About Their Job Futures” (Tulsa World)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Indian Prairie School Board Eliminates 145 Teacher Jobs” (Chicago Tribune)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “NJ Gov. Chris Christie Calls for Teachers, School Workers to Accept Wage Freeze to Prevent Layoffs” (The Star-Ledger)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Daley Spars With Teachers Union” (MyFox Chicago)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “Edwardsville School District Lays Off 60, Including 25 Teachers” (Belleville News Democrat)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">*</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> “School Reform Has U.S. Grant High School Teachers On Edge” (NewsOK.com)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What do all of these stories tell us? With words like “layoffs,” “harms,” “on edge,” and “punch,” it’s pretty clear that for teachers, the news is bad.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So why am I confused?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. Why is all the news bad? </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Surely there is some good news about some teacher somewhere. I’ve met and spoken with many teachers and parents, so I’m certain of this fact. But the media seems to focus on stories about teachers behaving badly or getting the boot. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. Why doesn’t our society respect teachers anymore?</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> When I was in school, parents and students respected teachers for the contribution they make to society and the impact they have on our lives. Now, they’re publicly disparaged, not only by the media, but also by the federal government. Chastising teachers is now public policy. To receive federal “turnaround grants,” school districts must fire at least half the staff at low-performing schools or close them. President Obama came out in support of the very public firing of the entire faculty at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you want to know the general attitude toward teachers, ask finance expert Suze Orman. In my blog entry on May 28, 2009, I expressed my discontent that Ms. Orman told The New York Times Magazine she feels teachers are not empowered and have no self-worth. She couldn’t be more wrong. Teachers have a profound impact on the lives and futures of children across America—a powerful position and a fulfilling experience. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The groups that protect and support teachers from all of this backlash—teachers unions—are vilified by the media, school districts and the government.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. Why can’t parents and teachers get along?</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> When their child is performing poorly or behaving badly, who do parents usually blame? The teacher. A few of them may have good reasons. But in many cases, if the parent would make an effort to express their concerns to the teacher in a constructive way, listen to the teacher’s point of view, and work together with the teacher to address the issue, they would be making a big contribution to their child’s academic progress and personal growth (see my August 12, 2009 blog post, “Building a Successful Partnership With Your Child’s Teacher”).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As with most relationships, the disconnect between parent and teacher is often the fault of both parties. Teachers are frustrated by some parents. But if they would reach out to the parent in a positive way, they could accomplish a lot together (see my August 19, 2009 blog post, “Building Successful Partnerships With Parents”).</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Many parents and teachers have cooperative, successful relationships that greatly benefit the student. But many don’t. Parents and teachers share the same goal: the academic success of the child. They would have a greater chance of realizing this goal if they worked together as partners.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Despite all of this bad news, dedicated, talented teachers across the country are inspiring, supporting, guiding and mentoring children in their classrooms. They’re pushing aside all of the negativity that’s swirling around them and doing their jobs. It’s not because they make a lot of money—they don’t. It’s certainly not for the praise and gratitude. And if you think it’s because they get summers off and work until 3 o’clock, you’re buying into some big misconceptions about the teaching profession. Most of them do it because they want to make a difference. And for that, I admire them, and I’m grateful to them.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">But if the attitude toward teachers continues to deteriorate, how many gifted, motivated, altruistic college students are going to pursue a teaching career? Our education system is the foundation of our society. I don’t think it’ll function too well without any teachers.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-40637332911106613052010-02-25T10:06:00.000-08:002010-02-25T10:14:14.956-08:00The Blame Game<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Since when do we target a group of people and hold them solely accountable for society’s problems?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">In an effort to improve the performance of Central Falls High School in Rhode Island, the school board on Tuesday approved a plan to fire the entire faculty and staff. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Other school districts around the country have also attempted to fix failing schools by cleaning house. The Chicago Board of Education voted Wednesday to close or turn around eight schools, which means about 300 teachers will lose their jobs, according to <a href="http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=40273">Chicago Public Radio</a>. School board members in Houston voted a couple of weeks ago to fire teachers whose students consistently fail to improve on standardized tests, according to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/WN/houston-teachers-fired-students-failing-grades/story?id=9834924">ABC News</a>. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Standardized test scores are often used to gauge a teacher’s efficacy. But standardized tests do not adequately measure a student’s knowledge, skills or understanding. And the pressure on teachers to produce acceptable standardized test scores is forcing them to spend more time on test preparation strategies and less time on creative and intellectual activities.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I interviewed more than fifty teachers for my book, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The Teacher Chronicles: Confronting the Demands of Students, Parents, Administrators and Society</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">. I was alarmed by the many obstacles society hurls at teachers. And then we blame them when things go wrong.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">But there’s plenty of blame to go around. Parents need to be involved partners, rather than adversaries, if they want their children to succeed. Administrators and school boards need to give teachers more support and freedom, rather than issuing paralyzing threats. Taxpayers need to be willing to compensate teachers for the vital service they provide. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Above all, the federal government must ensure that all schools have adequate funding so teachers can do their jobs effectively. It’s unacceptable that students in low-income areas are deprived of the resources, supplies and experiences that students in affluent areas enjoy.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The real losers in the blame game are not the teachers; it’s the students. The teachers at Central Falls High School provided more than an education—they offered stability and support to children in a community rife with poverty and unemployment. “My teachers, they’re there for me. They push me forward,” a 17-year-old senior told </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/education/25central.html?partner=rss&emc=rss">The New York Times</a></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> yesterday. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Yes, some teachers are incompetent. Every profession has its share of incompetence. If a teacher is not capable of fulfilling the job’s requirements, he or she should be replaced. Teachers want ineffective colleagues to be dismissed. But blaming all teachers—as a group—is wrong. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Are Chicago, Houston and Central Falls harbingers of what’s to come? President Obama said in a speech in November that states have to be willing to turn low-performing schools around by replacing a school’s leadership and at least half its staff.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And how far will society’s campaign against teachers go? Parents in Detroit recently demanded teachers serve jail time because students received poor scores on a standardized math test. I hope parents, administrators, school boards, government officials and taxpayers stand up and assume their share of the responsibility for our education system’s failings before things get worse.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-56817462609986356322010-01-28T11:17:00.000-08:002010-01-28T12:16:00.920-08:00Uninformed Reformers<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama said he reads letters from citizens every night. He quoted letters from a determined small business owner, a patriotic woman, and a generous eight-year-old boy. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I wonder if he’s read the ninety-six letters Anthony Cody, a teacher coach, collected from teachers and mailed to the President in November. Or the additional letters, comments and discussions posted by the 760+ members of Cody’s “Teachers’ Letters to Obama” Facebook group. Or the letters Cody published in his </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Education Week</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> commentary and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Teacher Magazine</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> blog.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I’ve read some of the letters that have been posted online, and I think they offer valuable insight into the learning process and reveal the shortcomings of the President’s education reform plan and “Race to the Top” program. Here are some of the highlights:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* Standardized tests, and multiple choice tests in particular, do not adequately measure a student’s knowledge, skills or understanding. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* The pressure on teachers to produce acceptable standardized test scores is forcing them to spend more time on test preparation strategies and less time on creative and intellectual activities.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* Innovative lessons motivate students and spark excitement about learning. Dull, uninspired, scripted lessons, and repetitive test preparation, turn students off of school.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* The focus on testing will widen the achievement gap. High-achievers will spend time on enriching activities, such as music and art, while at-risk students focus on test-taking skills. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* A student who is not a skilled test-taker may be a gifted writer, a talented artist, or a budding musician. Due to the focus on standardized tests, their abilities may be overlooked and their self-esteem damaged. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* Education grants should not be based on a political contest like “Race to the Top.” All schools should have access to adequate resources so all children receive a high-quality education. Students shouldn’t be penalized because their state governments drafted proposals that the federal Dept. of Education deemed unworthy.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* The “Race to the Top” program attempts to force business practices on schools. Children are not products; they’re people.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">* Although teachers have the greatest insight into the classroom environment and the learning process, they’re being excluded from the discussion on education reform.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When addressing education reform last night, President Obama said, “In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education. And in this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Unless President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan consider the input of teachers, their education reform plan will not accomplish the intended results.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Please visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166176941518&ref=ts">“Teachers’ Letters to Obama”</a> on Facebook for more information.</span></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-37056870676012343272009-12-23T10:02:00.000-08:002009-12-23T10:10:11.771-08:0010 Ways to Promote Your Child’s Academic Success<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1. Convey the value of education. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Instilling the value of education in your child, starting at a young age, is the most important thing you can do to put him on the path toward academic success. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2. Get involved.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Join the PTA, help out in the classroom, volunteer at a school event. When you set aside time in your busy schedule to get involved in your child’s education, she gets the message that school is important. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3. Make school a priority.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Extracurricular activities are valuable and fun, but homework and studying should take precedence. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4. Promote school.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Ask your child about his class work and homework, and respond with positive comments. “Talk school up. They (children) need to think this is the coolest thing on earth,” says one first grade teacher. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5. Watch what you say.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Negative comments about your child’s teacher or about school influence your child’s perception and attitude. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6. Support school-related activities.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Set aside a quiet place and time for your child to do her homework. Encourage activities that foster thinking and learning, such as reading, journal writing and practicing math skills.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7. Communicate.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Ask your child if he studied for his test, completed his homework, or handed in his assignments. While most teachers will let you know if your child is falling behind, don’t wait for that phone call before you get involved. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8. Encourage personal responsibility.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> As your child gets older, allow her to assume more responsibility for resolving problems. Instead of contacting the teacher yourself if a problem arises, encourage your child to talk to the teacher. For example, if your child receives a poor grade on an assignment or test, suggest that she ask the teacher if she can do extra credit work to boost her grade.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9. Avoid pressure.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Setting high expectations for your child is important. You want to encourage him to reach his potential. But avoid putting too much pressure on him, which can lead to anxiety.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10. Partner with the teacher.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Develop a cooperative, positive relationship with your child’s teacher. Remember, your child’s teacher shares your goal—the academic success of your child. Children benefit the most when parents and teachers work together as partners.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8009896576236041913.post-54219306579330000532009-12-09T06:04:00.000-08:002009-12-09T06:13:16.023-08:00Talk To The Student First<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When a student is struggling with an academic, behavioral or social issue, it is important for the teacher to enlist the parent’s help in resolving the problem. But in the following guest blog entry, a middle school teacher explains why she approaches the student before making that phone call home.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Teachers and parents agree that communication between school and home is a key component to a successful academic year for the student. As a middle school teacher, I find that communicating with the student before making the phone call home leads to a more productive outcome for all parties. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In moments of frustration, whether it be an academic or discipline issue, a teacher may look for a quick fix by calling the parent immediately. Excluding emergency situations, my experience tells me to remove myself from the situation for a short period of time (a couple of hours or overnight) so I am calm and objective. After this time, discuss the situation with the student </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">first</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. This arms you with valuable information (i.e. specifics and quotes!) to share with the parent during the phone call. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Having all pertinent information and details will eliminate back and forth communication and can clear up any incorrect information or confusion. Having all the facts and specifics prior to making the phone call arms the teacher with the confidence and ability to suggest a plan of action, thus moving in a positive direction to ensure success for the student—the common goal of all parties involved.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ann Marie Torre</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Ann Marie Torre is an English teacher and professional organizer in the New York tri-state area. She is a member of NAPO, the National Organization of Professional Organizers, and helps teens and adults set up organizational systems that last. Her company, The Organized Life, has been featured in </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The New York Times</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and the Spring 2009 edition of </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What To Do: Armonk, Bedford & Chappaqua</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. For more information: </span></span><a href="mailto:atorre@theorganizedlifenow.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">atorre@theorganizedlifenow.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">or (914) 242-1178</span></span><o:p></o:p></i></p> <!--EndFragment-->Natalie Schwartzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349336280811365190noreply@blogger.com0