The Department Of Education (DOE) and their media followers (Daily News, New York Post, & The Sun) love to blame the teachers when something goes wrong in the schools. The DOE's top-down management imposes a strict curriculum and micromanages the classroom. This stifles teacher innovation and doesn't allow teachers to enrich the subject. Without teacher innovation and enrichment the students become restless and bored. When the students perform poorly on the "dumbed down" state and city tests who gets blamed the TEACHER!
When the students come to school without parental support and discipline and act up in class it is always the TEACHERS FAULT! If the teacher dares to discipline the unruly student, the teacher is removed from the classroom and is subject to the corporal punishment regulations along with a 90 day unpaid suspension at a minimum.
When the DOE refuses to spend the money in the classroom and instead uses it for their favorite consultant or charter/small school, the result is oversized classes, poor materials, and overcrowding, it's the TEACHER'S FAULT that the students don't meet standards.
How dare teachers complain when DOE brings in the Leadership Academy principals (many without real classroom experience) and they use the business model and it doesn't work. Ignore the fact that children are incomplete personalities and unlike widgets, they are all different. It can't be the business model ? IT'S THE TEACHER"S FAULT!
The student who comes from a dysfunctional family and has poor work skills and when the student can't pass the state & city tests is it the parent's or student's fault? Of course not! It's the TEACHER'S FAULT! According to DOE a good teacher can get all the students to pass.
DOE has established a culture of disrespect for the teachers. Teachers are rarely consulted on decision affecting the classroom, they are removed from a classroom based upon a student's unfounded accusation, and no longer can grieve any administrator's observation. Why does the DOE disrespect the very teachers they need to improve their statistics? Why it's the TEACHERS FAULT that they don't buy into the failed DOE business model.
The DOE solution? Let's get Jack Welsh, Bill Gates, and other notable business leaders to tell them what needs to be done to improve our schools. You mean this has been done and so far there has been little or no improvement? Why it must be the TEACHERS FAULT!
In conclusion, whenever a school fails under NCLB, the state and city tests, it's not the students, it's not the parents, and it certainly not DOE. Therefore, it must be the TEACHERS FAULT!
Friday, February 24, 2006
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Culture of Disrespect in the Classroom
Well, the winter break is here and none to soon. Since the beginning of the semester I have two students curse at me and three who told me to "mind my own business" when I caught them in the halls talking on a cellphone. Except for one, the rest are not my students. However, even in my classroom I experience the culture of disrespect as the students try to test the limits of my tolerance. For example, I will check if the students did their "Do Now" and the usual suspects will have a variety of excuses why they didn't do it. They continue not to do it until I threaten to call a parent. Further, I always have a couple of students who will find any excuse to talk to each other, usually when my back is turned or if I'm working with another student. Even the best teachers are tested by these students.
Occassionaly a student is having a bad day and will act up or feel sickly and put his/her head down. Or the teacher is not in top form and some students get restless. However, when a student continues to violate classroom rules and only threats of suspension seem to work, this is usually due to the student's disrespect of the school rules. Many a time I hear the "N" word being tossed around in my class. Some of the males disrespect the females calling them sexual names or touching then inappropriately. Finally, quite a few females think it's cool to out curse the males and insult them when they see fit. Eventually, my students learn that I don't tolerate bad behavior, curse words, and disrespect in general. I simply tell my class that if you don't follow my rules you will be taking this course again during summer or night school. Consequences for their action.
While I can control the students in my classroom by clearly showing them the consequences of their disrespecting me (the student who cursed at me was suspended and was transferred to another class, this action sent a clear message to the students in my classes). These very same students revert back to the culture of disrespect in the hallways. Until the students learn to respect each other, its an uphill climb for the classroom teacher to combat the culture of disrespect. We can only try to be the role models that many parents won't or can't be and hope that we get through to some of them, one student at a time.
Occassionaly a student is having a bad day and will act up or feel sickly and put his/her head down. Or the teacher is not in top form and some students get restless. However, when a student continues to violate classroom rules and only threats of suspension seem to work, this is usually due to the student's disrespect of the school rules. Many a time I hear the "N" word being tossed around in my class. Some of the males disrespect the females calling them sexual names or touching then inappropriately. Finally, quite a few females think it's cool to out curse the males and insult them when they see fit. Eventually, my students learn that I don't tolerate bad behavior, curse words, and disrespect in general. I simply tell my class that if you don't follow my rules you will be taking this course again during summer or night school. Consequences for their action.
While I can control the students in my classroom by clearly showing them the consequences of their disrespecting me (the student who cursed at me was suspended and was transferred to another class, this action sent a clear message to the students in my classes). These very same students revert back to the culture of disrespect in the hallways. Until the students learn to respect each other, its an uphill climb for the classroom teacher to combat the culture of disrespect. We can only try to be the role models that many parents won't or can't be and hope that we get through to some of them, one student at a time.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
The Office Of Special Investigations Double Standard
The New York City Office Of Special Investigations (OSI) was created to investigate educator misconduct from the school chancellor to the school aide. However, based upon past performance, not all investigations are handled the same. It is common knowledge that DOE administrators are treated differently than teachers. An unproven student accusation against a teacher can get the teacher removed from the classroom and a 90 day unpaid suspension. However, accusations by a group of teachers that seems to have merit are reluctently handled by OSI and the administrator is free to continue their service in the school until OSI gets around to issuing a report. Below are two examples of OSI dragging it's feet in reviewing allegations against two principals.
Over the last week two New York City Principals have been investigated about alleged abuses of their authority. The first, Dr. Lee McCaskill of Brooklyn Tech high school has been accused of not living in the State and sending his daughter to a local elementary school without paying the tuition for out of state students. Further, Dr. MacCaskill has been accused of changing failing grades to passing grades without the teacher's knowledge or approval. Finally, Dr. McCaskill allowed an AP Tracy Atkins-Zoughlami to go unpunished for reading to her class the false and anti-semitic poem by Amiri Baraka that stated that 4,000 Jews were given advanced warning of the 9/11 event and didn't go to work at the World Trade Center. Dr. McCaskill finally retired this week after it was found that he lived in New Jersey and his daughter did not pay the out of state tuition. No disciplinary action was taken.
The other principal, Mr. Anthony Rotunno of John F. Kennedy High School, has been accused of changing English Regents grades months after the Regents was given, without the knowledge or approval of the teachers. In fact, the teachers only found out that the English grades were changed by the administration when the students informed the teachers of their passing grades. OSI stated that the principal had the right to change Regents grades and cleared Mr. Rotunno of changing the grades without finding out why the grades were changed. Only after complaints were aired in the newspapers did OSI start a second investigation on why the grades were changed. This investigation is ongoing and Mr. Rotunno sits in his principals office in the meantime.
Both principals have been accused of changing grades without the knowledge and approval of the teachers. This is in apparent violation of New York State law that gives the teacher the final decision on a grade. Yes, Principals can change grades or Regents but only after the teacher(s) are informed and given input to the changing of grades. Nowhere in the New York State education law does an administrator have the right to change a student grade without teacher input. Yet both principals saw fit to ignore the teacher input and had them changed without informing the teachers. Why is OSI dragging its feet when the evidence is very easy to obtain? You can only guess why? However, OSI wasted no time in removing the Chapter Leader of JFK high school for using the school fax to send the information to a New York City newspaper. Against teachers the OSI works fast!
Is there an OSI double standard on how they investigate teachers and administrators? You better believe it!
Over the last week two New York City Principals have been investigated about alleged abuses of their authority. The first, Dr. Lee McCaskill of Brooklyn Tech high school has been accused of not living in the State and sending his daughter to a local elementary school without paying the tuition for out of state students. Further, Dr. MacCaskill has been accused of changing failing grades to passing grades without the teacher's knowledge or approval. Finally, Dr. McCaskill allowed an AP Tracy Atkins-Zoughlami to go unpunished for reading to her class the false and anti-semitic poem by Amiri Baraka that stated that 4,000 Jews were given advanced warning of the 9/11 event and didn't go to work at the World Trade Center. Dr. McCaskill finally retired this week after it was found that he lived in New Jersey and his daughter did not pay the out of state tuition. No disciplinary action was taken.
The other principal, Mr. Anthony Rotunno of John F. Kennedy High School, has been accused of changing English Regents grades months after the Regents was given, without the knowledge or approval of the teachers. In fact, the teachers only found out that the English grades were changed by the administration when the students informed the teachers of their passing grades. OSI stated that the principal had the right to change Regents grades and cleared Mr. Rotunno of changing the grades without finding out why the grades were changed. Only after complaints were aired in the newspapers did OSI start a second investigation on why the grades were changed. This investigation is ongoing and Mr. Rotunno sits in his principals office in the meantime.
Both principals have been accused of changing grades without the knowledge and approval of the teachers. This is in apparent violation of New York State law that gives the teacher the final decision on a grade. Yes, Principals can change grades or Regents but only after the teacher(s) are informed and given input to the changing of grades. Nowhere in the New York State education law does an administrator have the right to change a student grade without teacher input. Yet both principals saw fit to ignore the teacher input and had them changed without informing the teachers. Why is OSI dragging its feet when the evidence is very easy to obtain? You can only guess why? However, OSI wasted no time in removing the Chapter Leader of JFK high school for using the school fax to send the information to a New York City newspaper. Against teachers the OSI works fast!
Is there an OSI double standard on how they investigate teachers and administrators? You better believe it!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Undefendable
Yesterday Epiphanny Prince scored 113 points in a 137 - 32 win over Brandeis High School in a Public School Athletic League (PSAL) basketball game. The local newscasts played up the issue as a wonderful event and the newspapers did the same. However, buried on page 60 of the New York Post was the real story of the game by reporter Dan Martin. The reporter interviewed the Brandeis coach, Vera Springer who put it in the proper perspective. She stated that "it stinks"! She further stated that the Murry Bergtraum coach Ed Grezinsky wanted to prove that Epiphanny was better than the Christ the King player, Tina Charles. What Ed Grezinsky did is undefendable and while he didn't break any technical rules under the PSAL, he certainly broke some moral rules:
* Don't run up the score on an inferior opponent.
* Keep your best players out once it is a blowout.
* Never embarres another team.
* Show class and be a role model for your players.
In my opinion, on all counts the Murry Bergtraum coach, Ed Grezinsky failed to meet these moral rules. Worse is the lack of criticism from the media. In fact, the Rugters women coach C. Vivian Stringer gave her a hug and congradulated Epiphanny on scoring 113 points. Real good role models that Epiphanny has in school basketball. Yes, Epiphanny is going to Rugters next year.
I have coached high school sports for the PSAL for the last eight years and travel teams for the ten years before that, when I am playing an inferior opponent, I never let my best players run up the score or embarres the other team. We are supposed to be role models to our players, a proud representative of our school, and a respected teacher who cares about their students well-being. Yes, there are coaches like Ed Grezinsky, who are poor role models, classless, and only care about winning. Thankfully, these coaches are a minority in high school sports and athletic directors and/or principals should be doing the right thing and dump these coaches. For every Epiphanny Prince there are thousands of players who never see significant playing time or are cut from the team because they will not add to the winning record. While all coaches want to win, the best coaches can balance winning with respect and make all players feel worthwhile. However, a minority of coaches lose sight of this goal in the zeal for winning and in the proccess destroy the self worth of the weaker athletes and opponents.
There is winning and there is winning. The way Ed Grezinsky won is undefendable!
* Don't run up the score on an inferior opponent.
* Keep your best players out once it is a blowout.
* Never embarres another team.
* Show class and be a role model for your players.
In my opinion, on all counts the Murry Bergtraum coach, Ed Grezinsky failed to meet these moral rules. Worse is the lack of criticism from the media. In fact, the Rugters women coach C. Vivian Stringer gave her a hug and congradulated Epiphanny on scoring 113 points. Real good role models that Epiphanny has in school basketball. Yes, Epiphanny is going to Rugters next year.
I have coached high school sports for the PSAL for the last eight years and travel teams for the ten years before that, when I am playing an inferior opponent, I never let my best players run up the score or embarres the other team. We are supposed to be role models to our players, a proud representative of our school, and a respected teacher who cares about their students well-being. Yes, there are coaches like Ed Grezinsky, who are poor role models, classless, and only care about winning. Thankfully, these coaches are a minority in high school sports and athletic directors and/or principals should be doing the right thing and dump these coaches. For every Epiphanny Prince there are thousands of players who never see significant playing time or are cut from the team because they will not add to the winning record. While all coaches want to win, the best coaches can balance winning with respect and make all players feel worthwhile. However, a minority of coaches lose sight of this goal in the zeal for winning and in the proccess destroy the self worth of the weaker athletes and opponents.
There is winning and there is winning. The way Ed Grezinsky won is undefendable!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
My School , NCLB, & The NYC Department Of Education
Let me state this first. I believe in high-stakes testing and I have no problem using these tests for promotion or identifying student weaknesses. However, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is nothing but a farce because of policies employed by the New York City Department of Education that adversely affects my school. Let me explain.
My school is a large, overcrowded high school with the average class size of 32 students per classroom (The union contract allows for 34 students per classroom). Over the last five years my school both academically and safety-wise had improved, thanks to a zero-tolerance discipline program that suspends students rather than allow them to walk the halls, disrupt the classroom. or bully other students. Then NLCB came along and we had to improve on our baseline standards. No problem, our school was improving academically, safety was not an issue, and gangs in the school were deep underground, so what was the problem? The New York City Department of Education's flawed policy of closing poor performing large schools and make small schools out of them, that's the problem.
In the last three years three large high schools have been converted to small schools with the approximately three thousand excessed students sent to other schools in the borough of Queens. One of the recipients of these students was my school. The students came from underperforming middle schools and were not selected to go to the newly created small schools. Many of these students came with poor work habits, disrespected their teachers and peers, and were at the bottom of the heap in their middle school mandated tests. With the influx of the students overcrowding became worse, fights are on the rise, and academically, the school is floundering.
Why would NYC Department of Education want to push a large, respected high school into the dangerous waters of the NCLB penalties? I can only guess that it is a combination of incompetence, political policy, and apathy.
Incompetence - Many of the the middle-level administrators at the NYC Department of Education have little understanding of how a school operates. They think of the students as cogs in an assembly line. To them, all the cogs are the same aren't they? The teachers are widgets and the principal as the operator. Their only concern is that the school run smoothly. Incompetence is based upon their lack of understanding of what it takes to run a successful school. That is why they cannot understand that students need to be screened to ensure they are ready for high school and that illiterate students entering high school will not graduate, no matter how much they try without intensive one-to-one tutoring in an alternative setting.
Political Policy - Much of the top management at the NYC Department of Education (Tweed)
aren't educators and the few that are have been away from the classroom for decades. Their priorities are small schools and charter schools, where work rules can be relaxed (abused) by the administrators. Further, micromanagement is all the rage at Tweed. Tweed's policy is that the "one-size-fits-all" approach should be imposed on all classes. These non-educators believe that the more innovative a classroom teacher is, the more dangerous that teacher becomes. We all know that teachers are the best evaulators of their students. However, according to Tweed, all students learn the same using the same curriculum and a teacher might find him/her in the "rubber room" if they stray from Tweed's directives.
Apathy - The Tweed policy is that "you can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time" and by the time the general population realizes they have been fooled, it's usually too late to do anything about it. Many parents are fooled by the statistics showing that their children are passing increasingly dumbed down state & city tests. Even some of the city politicians believe that Tweed is succeeding in improving the education of the city students.
Further, Tweed's disrespect for teachers and school administrators is obvious for all to see. Just ask any teacher what they think is wrong with the New York City schools and they will all say Tweed. Finally, our union (UFT) rather then push their "Let Teachers Teach Program" and fight the push to small schools, have remained silent about how to combat Tweed. Apathy breeds disrespect and with apathetic parents, politicians, and the UFT, Tweeds rides roughshot over the system.
It is time that educators stand up and fight for the system and in my case I will start at my school. Fight for what's right.
My school is a large, overcrowded high school with the average class size of 32 students per classroom (The union contract allows for 34 students per classroom). Over the last five years my school both academically and safety-wise had improved, thanks to a zero-tolerance discipline program that suspends students rather than allow them to walk the halls, disrupt the classroom. or bully other students. Then NLCB came along and we had to improve on our baseline standards. No problem, our school was improving academically, safety was not an issue, and gangs in the school were deep underground, so what was the problem? The New York City Department of Education's flawed policy of closing poor performing large schools and make small schools out of them, that's the problem.
In the last three years three large high schools have been converted to small schools with the approximately three thousand excessed students sent to other schools in the borough of Queens. One of the recipients of these students was my school. The students came from underperforming middle schools and were not selected to go to the newly created small schools. Many of these students came with poor work habits, disrespected their teachers and peers, and were at the bottom of the heap in their middle school mandated tests. With the influx of the students overcrowding became worse, fights are on the rise, and academically, the school is floundering.
Why would NYC Department of Education want to push a large, respected high school into the dangerous waters of the NCLB penalties? I can only guess that it is a combination of incompetence, political policy, and apathy.
Incompetence - Many of the the middle-level administrators at the NYC Department of Education have little understanding of how a school operates. They think of the students as cogs in an assembly line. To them, all the cogs are the same aren't they? The teachers are widgets and the principal as the operator. Their only concern is that the school run smoothly. Incompetence is based upon their lack of understanding of what it takes to run a successful school. That is why they cannot understand that students need to be screened to ensure they are ready for high school and that illiterate students entering high school will not graduate, no matter how much they try without intensive one-to-one tutoring in an alternative setting.
Political Policy - Much of the top management at the NYC Department of Education (Tweed)
aren't educators and the few that are have been away from the classroom for decades. Their priorities are small schools and charter schools, where work rules can be relaxed (abused) by the administrators. Further, micromanagement is all the rage at Tweed. Tweed's policy is that the "one-size-fits-all" approach should be imposed on all classes. These non-educators believe that the more innovative a classroom teacher is, the more dangerous that teacher becomes. We all know that teachers are the best evaulators of their students. However, according to Tweed, all students learn the same using the same curriculum and a teacher might find him/her in the "rubber room" if they stray from Tweed's directives.
Apathy - The Tweed policy is that "you can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time" and by the time the general population realizes they have been fooled, it's usually too late to do anything about it. Many parents are fooled by the statistics showing that their children are passing increasingly dumbed down state & city tests. Even some of the city politicians believe that Tweed is succeeding in improving the education of the city students.
Further, Tweed's disrespect for teachers and school administrators is obvious for all to see. Just ask any teacher what they think is wrong with the New York City schools and they will all say Tweed. Finally, our union (UFT) rather then push their "Let Teachers Teach Program" and fight the push to small schools, have remained silent about how to combat Tweed. Apathy breeds disrespect and with apathetic parents, politicians, and the UFT, Tweeds rides roughshot over the system.
It is time that educators stand up and fight for the system and in my case I will start at my school. Fight for what's right.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Why Can"t The Students Learn?
My Assistant Principal came to me and asked me how can we improve test scores in the science department. My simple answer; Get me better students and I will give you better test scores. We both laughed because the answer, while simple, cannot be implemented.
My school is an overcrowded large high school, with large class sizes, many recent immigrants with varying levels of education, and a Regional Office that has no problem dumping excess students from other large schools who became small schools into my school. Further, it seems the Principal refuses to defend the school by allowing the Regional Office to do as they please, even allowing students who were jailed for violent crimes to return to the very school they terrorized in the first place!
In some cases the student enters our school in their freshmen year as functional illiterates. How any school system allows this is beyond belief. These children should be flagged well before they enter high school and they should be put into an alternate setting with intensive reading and writing programs in a small class environment until they are certified as ready for high school. Recent immigrants with high school age children present a special problem, especially, if their native language is not english. Too many of these children find their way into my science class with no skills and are very frustrated at their inability to move ahead.
Many teens who are not academically prepared for high school may take out their frustrations by bullying other student, join gangs, and find themselves dropping out of school and/or going to jail. The result is an unsafe school that starts to spiral downward and will not stop until, under NCLB the good students will leave the school. Finally, the school closes down, or is broken into smaller schools and what was once a good school is no more.
It is easy for me to blame the parent, the middle school, the Department of Education, or the child advocates who protect the rights of the child at the expense of the student body. However, the real blame lies with the politicans who approve rules that makes it next to impossible for schools to throw out discipline problems, turn a blind eye to social promotion, and restricts teachers in how they handle their classroom (micromanagment).
How do we ensure the student has a chance to graduate? By intervening at the first indication that the child is falling behind. First, small classes so all the children have a maximum opportunity to learn the basics. Second, one-to-one tutoring with teachers specially trained to work with these children. Third, zero tolerance of destructive behavior, suspending and removing the child to an alternative setting. This lets the other students know that the school is a building of learning. Finally, letting teachers teach in a way that works for both the teacher and the student. The "one-size-fits-all" top-down approach does not and will never work when a teacher cannot teach what's best for the class.
Why can't students learn? Because the teacher does not have or is allowed to use the tools that are needed for the child to graduate and be a productive member of society.
My school is an overcrowded large high school, with large class sizes, many recent immigrants with varying levels of education, and a Regional Office that has no problem dumping excess students from other large schools who became small schools into my school. Further, it seems the Principal refuses to defend the school by allowing the Regional Office to do as they please, even allowing students who were jailed for violent crimes to return to the very school they terrorized in the first place!
In some cases the student enters our school in their freshmen year as functional illiterates. How any school system allows this is beyond belief. These children should be flagged well before they enter high school and they should be put into an alternate setting with intensive reading and writing programs in a small class environment until they are certified as ready for high school. Recent immigrants with high school age children present a special problem, especially, if their native language is not english. Too many of these children find their way into my science class with no skills and are very frustrated at their inability to move ahead.
Many teens who are not academically prepared for high school may take out their frustrations by bullying other student, join gangs, and find themselves dropping out of school and/or going to jail. The result is an unsafe school that starts to spiral downward and will not stop until, under NCLB the good students will leave the school. Finally, the school closes down, or is broken into smaller schools and what was once a good school is no more.
It is easy for me to blame the parent, the middle school, the Department of Education, or the child advocates who protect the rights of the child at the expense of the student body. However, the real blame lies with the politicans who approve rules that makes it next to impossible for schools to throw out discipline problems, turn a blind eye to social promotion, and restricts teachers in how they handle their classroom (micromanagment).
How do we ensure the student has a chance to graduate? By intervening at the first indication that the child is falling behind. First, small classes so all the children have a maximum opportunity to learn the basics. Second, one-to-one tutoring with teachers specially trained to work with these children. Third, zero tolerance of destructive behavior, suspending and removing the child to an alternative setting. This lets the other students know that the school is a building of learning. Finally, letting teachers teach in a way that works for both the teacher and the student. The "one-size-fits-all" top-down approach does not and will never work when a teacher cannot teach what's best for the class.
Why can't students learn? Because the teacher does not have or is allowed to use the tools that are needed for the child to graduate and be a productive member of society.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Public vs. Charter Schools, is 20-20 Right? Wrong!
I watched Friday's 20/20 propoganda program how the public schools cheat our children and can only laugh how one-sided John Stossel's piece was. If you didn't know better, you would believe that our public schools are not educating our children and why would anybody want to go to a public school? However, there are some facts that were omitted by Stossel.
First, charter schools have not demostrated that they improve student achievement over the neighbourhood public school in the long term.
Second, charter schools usually emphizise academics at the expense of a well-rounded education such as physical education, arts, and music. Many charter schools have no gyms and studies have found that physical education is important for a child's development.
Third, charter schools have a longer day, and even saturday school. Teacher burnout is the dirty little secret in charter schools as the charter schools use young, enthusiastic, and usually uncertified teachers for a couple of years until they either leave the profession or go to the public school once they become certified.
Fourth, charter schools will throw out students who violate their discipline code. These students are usually associated with low test scores and failing grades.
Finally, many charter schools limit the size of their classes. One charter middle school looked like they had 12 students to a class in the 20/20 program.
I also found it interesting that many charter schools, to cut costs, have their students picking up garbage, serving meals, and during other clerical/janitorial jobs.
I do agree that the Kipps charter schools appear to have made significant gains over the public school. However, that is primarily due to their acceptance program that ensures that the parent contribute to their child's education by fundraising and volunteering their time at the school. Parent involvement is the key to a child's academic success.
If public schools can kick out discipline problems, have smaller class sizes, and select students, based upon parent involvement, the charter school has would disappear since they could not compete on a level playing field.
First, charter schools have not demostrated that they improve student achievement over the neighbourhood public school in the long term.
Second, charter schools usually emphizise academics at the expense of a well-rounded education such as physical education, arts, and music. Many charter schools have no gyms and studies have found that physical education is important for a child's development.
Third, charter schools have a longer day, and even saturday school. Teacher burnout is the dirty little secret in charter schools as the charter schools use young, enthusiastic, and usually uncertified teachers for a couple of years until they either leave the profession or go to the public school once they become certified.
Fourth, charter schools will throw out students who violate their discipline code. These students are usually associated with low test scores and failing grades.
Finally, many charter schools limit the size of their classes. One charter middle school looked like they had 12 students to a class in the 20/20 program.
I also found it interesting that many charter schools, to cut costs, have their students picking up garbage, serving meals, and during other clerical/janitorial jobs.
I do agree that the Kipps charter schools appear to have made significant gains over the public school. However, that is primarily due to their acceptance program that ensures that the parent contribute to their child's education by fundraising and volunteering their time at the school. Parent involvement is the key to a child's academic success.
If public schools can kick out discipline problems, have smaller class sizes, and select students, based upon parent involvement, the charter school has would disappear since they could not compete on a level playing field.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Where's Our Dues Going To?
As teachers we pay quite hefty dues to our teaching organizations with the expectation that the money will go to education related causes. However, Fox News (Fair & Balanced?) stated that the NEA gave 65 million dollars to non-educational organizations. While I don't always believe the media, the NEA admitted that they did donate the money. Who are some of these worthy organizations?
* PUSH
* Gun Control Lobby
* Gay & Lesbian Organizations
* National Women's Law Center
Regardless of how you feel about these and other organizations, teacher money should only be given to organizations that are educationally related and help support teacher working conditions. I personally resent that my dues go to any organization that does not advance an education agenda.
* PUSH
* Gun Control Lobby
* Gay & Lesbian Organizations
* National Women's Law Center
Regardless of how you feel about these and other organizations, teacher money should only be given to organizations that are educationally related and help support teacher working conditions. I personally resent that my dues go to any organization that does not advance an education agenda.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
