Join the "Save Our Schools" March on Washington

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.

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.

The main goal of the event is to advocate for education policy reform that will enhance educational opportunities for all children. Objectives include:

· Equitable funding for all public school communities

· Full public funding of family and community support services

· Teacher, family and community leadership in forming education policies

· The use of multiple and varied assessments to evaluate students, teachers and schools

· Educational opportunities that develop every student’s intellectual, creative and physical potential

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.

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.

To attend the “Save Our Schools March” or to obtain more information, please visit saveourschoolsmarch.org

I hope to see you there.

Natalie Schwartz

Chair - Parent, Family and Community Outreach Committee

Save Our Schools March

SOS

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.

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.

It’s time for teachers, parents and students to join forces to Save Our Schools.

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:

“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.”

SOS Million Teacher March is rapidly gathering support from teachers, parents, students, and concerned citizens nationwide. The goal of the march is as follows:

* Respectful reform that makes sense. 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.

* Fair funding for all schools. 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.

* Quality classrooms with safe environments. 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.

Thank you to the organizers of SOS Million Teach Million Teacher March for giving teachers, parents and students a voice in Washington.

For more information, visit SOS Million Teacher March.

A Distress Call in June, A New Outlook for September

A phone conversation with a concerned parent on the last day of school prompted this New York middle school teacher to reflect on the importance of parent-teacher communication.  Her guest blog post below illustrates how parents and teachers can work together to bolster student achievement.

It’s June 25^th.  The students are on summer vacation, and the teachers are packing up their classrooms.  I receive an e-mail from my principal asking me to contact a parent who called her to ask what I teach in math strategies, an extra help math class that complements the regular math course.  I call the father back.  He expresses his dissatisfaction with his daughter’s performance on the math final, and has a lot of questions about my teaching procedures in the regular math class and in math strategies.  I’m happy to answer his questions, but keep thinking, “Isn’t it a little late to be having this conversation?”  If he had contacted me earlier in the year, I could have addressed his concerns and enlisted his support in helping his daughter succeed in my class.  Math is not her strongest subject.  She had struggled in math in elementary school and continued to struggle this year in 6^th grade.

As the conversation continues, I discover the numerous missed opportunities for us to work together to benefit this student throughout the year.  The father tells me he hired a math tutor to help prepare his daughter for the final exam.  If he had informed me, I could have communicated with the tutor to help the tutor better support the student.  The father tells me the tutor complained that my study guide for the final was not specific enough, didn’t offer any examples of problems, and contained only a list of concepts to study with the number of questions per skill.  But the study guide came with four packets that included the specifics and sample problems the tutor was looking for.  I ask the father whether his daughter showed him or the tutor the packets.  She didn’t.  I ask if he or the tutor visited my website, which contains additional study materials.  He replies, “How do you get to your website?”  I scan and upload to my website class assignments, worksheets and study guides throughout the year and refer my students to my website often.  If the father or tutor had e-mailed or called me to express their concerns, I could have referred them to the study packets and additional materials.

The father asks me about my homework grading policy.  I remind him that I discussed the policy at Back to School Night.  He explains that it was a long night, and he doesn’t remember what was discussed.  If a parent sees a grade on the parent portal that he or she does not understand at any point during the year, the parent is welcome to e-mail me and I’ll explain it.  The students are also aware of the grading policy.

After the conversation, I think about what I could have done to prevent it. I realize that I shouldn’t assume my students will relate information to their parents, that all parents are familiar with school websites, and that parents understand the importance of contacting the teacher as soon as a question or concern comes up.  I also acknowledge that parents are overwhelmed with the information they receive at the beginning of the year, and they may not remember everything they hear at Back to School Night.  Thanks to this concerned father, I revamp my initial letter that goes home to parents the first day of school to encourage their involvement throughout the year.  It now contains more detailed information about the 6^th grade math syllabus, my website, my grading policy, and other important topics.  It prominently displays my contact information and urges parents to contact me with any questions or concerns that come up during the year.  It requests that they sign and return the bottom portion of the letter so I can be sure they have read it.  The letter is ready to go out to my new class in September.

Amanda Schwartz

Middle School Teacher

New York

Partners In Education

It was the day before the December break, and Maureen Richards (not her real name), a fourth grade teacher in New York, was eagerly anticipating her upcoming trip to the Bahamas with her husband.  It was her first year teaching fourth grade, and the pressure to adequately prepare her students for the state’s standardized tests was intense and stressful.  She was walking down the hall on her way to make copies when the mother of one of her student’s approached her and said, “I wanted to tell you that my daughter doesn’t like you, and she says none of the other kids like you either.” 

The brief conversation that followed was less than productive.

While this example represents an extreme case, it illustrates a big problem in our school system:  The lack of effective communication and cooperation between parent and teacher can inhibit a child’s academic progress.

Sometimes parents don’t know how to approach their child’s teacher if a problem arises.  The parent may feel intimidated by the teacher, or have concerns about negative repercussions on the child.  So they do nothing, and the problem continues or becomes worse. On the other end of the spectrum are the parents who contact the teacher constantly with concerns, or accuse the teacher in a hostile or condescending tone.

Studies show that parental involvement in a child’s education has a major impact on the child’s academic success.  Parents have a right and responsibility to advocate for their children.  But children benefit most when parents and teachers communicate effectively, develop constructive relationships, and work together as partners. 

The most important thing you can do as a parent is to keep in mind that your child’s teacher shares your goal—the academic success of your child.  The teacher wants your child to succeed.  If you have a concern, contact the teacher as soon as possible.  Teachers want to know if there’s a problem so they can address it.  Go directly to the teacher, not to the principal or another administrator.  This is a common mistake.  When you go to the principal, it makes the teacher feel you don’t respect him or her as a professional, which can damage your relationship. 

Your approach is important.  Explain your point of view and ask the teacher for his or her perspective on the situation. Ask the teacher how you can resolve the issue together.  Find out what you can do at home to support what the teacher is doing in the classroom.

The parent-teacher partnership works both ways.  If you’re a teacher and one of your students is struggling with an issue—whether academic, social or behavioral—contact the child’s parents as soon as you detect the problem.  Keep in mind that parents are sensitive to negative comments about their children.  They will be much more receptive to your comments—and less defensive—if you put the problem in a broader context.  Acknowledge the child’s positive attributes first, and then let the parent know you have concerns about one area.  Reassure the parent that you’re confident the child can succeed if you work together.

Ask the parent for input.  Parents have information about their children—including past behavior and academic issues—that can help you arrive at a solution. Let the parents know how they can be part of the solution you recommend.