Author Archives: Tom White

Teaching Writing on a Budget

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By Tom

I took my third graders on a field trip the other day. We went to all the important buildings in our community; the fire station, recreation center, city hall, public library and police station. It was fun, especially when everyone got to go into the holding cell at the police station. And when we got back everyone chose their favorite place and wrote a paragraph about it. The paragraphs were fine. Each one of them had an adequate topic sentence with three to five detail sentences. Exactly what I asked for.

Then we went on another field trip. This time we went to the local sewer treatment plant. When we got back to school we did some more writing. But this time the writing was incredible. There was far more elaboration and an incredible amount of authors' voice in their writing.

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Randy Dorn, Seal Keeper?

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Education Policy

 By Tom

It was pretty obvious to most of us that the relationship between Randy Dorn, Washington's new Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the state legislature didn’t get off to a perfect start. Shortly after taking office, he announced sweeping changes to the state assessment system; changes made without much input from the legislature.

 

They weren’t happy. But we didn’t know the extent of their unhappiness until just last week, when the House and the Senate each passed massive education bills. Which, according to verse three of Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill,” meant that the two houses then got to switch papers so that they could scrutinize and criticize each other’s work.

 

I looked at these bills and quickly became overwhelmed. They’re really long. Remember, I teach third grade all day. Anything longer than a paragraph freaks me out. So I decided to focus on the section about accountability: how the state is going to make sure our students learn. And for the most part, I like what I see.

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Inside an NCATE Visit

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Education

See full size imageBy Tom

Regular readers to our blog may have noticed that I frequently mention NCATE. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education is responsible for holding colleges of education to high standards. And that’s important. No one wants their child spending six hours a day with someone who didn’t go through a decent teacher education program.

 

So how does it work? How does NCATE go about checking out teacher schools to see if they’re any good?

 

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This Dog Won’t Hunt

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Education Policy

By Tom

Images[8] I know a guy who hunts. I have never hunted, but I have a basic understanding of how it works: you shoot an animal, you take it home and you eat it. This guy wanted to use dogs to hunt. Apparently, they bring the dead animals to you, making the task of hunting even easier. My friend got two dogs and tried to train them to help him hunt. He couldn't. So he brought them to a dog trainer and offered a lot of money to have his dogs trained. After a few days, the trainer called my friend and told him to come and get one of the dogs. "I can't teach it," he said, "it's not smart enough."


Every pay-for-performance scheme I've ever explored (including the corpse of HB 1410) relies to some degree on student performance as an indication of teacher performance. That's why I will always oppose these schemes. Teaching is more than increasing test scores. Way, way more. Test scores are a great tool, when used correctly, but they are not the point.

 

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What I Don’t Like About You

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Education Policy

By Tom

We need to talk, Mr. HB 1440/SB 5444. That's right, you; the bill that's poised to completely reshape education in Washington State. I've got several problems to discuss.

First of all, I don't like your compensation system. Mostly because you decided to stop encouraging teachers to pursue advanced degrees. Teachers value education. That's why they're teachers, for crying out loud. And to have you tell them that just because there's no data proving that a teacher with a master's degree performs better in the classroom is an ironic slap in the face. Because they all know that there's a million things that good teachers do everyday for which there will never be any data. Things that you learn about in graduate school.

Put simply, people want smart teachers; and you get smart by going to school. That's the very premise of an education system. Did you forget that?

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In Defense of the Master’s Degree

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Education Policy

Faber

By Tom

My colleague Kelly posted a wonderful review of HB 1410/SB 5444, which, as she pointed out, is causing quite a stir among teachers, especially within the WEA. Kelly challenged us to "Pick a passion and carve out a piece of the negotiation." So that's what I'll do.

There's a lot to like and a lot to dislike about these bills. (Frankly, there's a lot to read, which is why it's taken us so long to respond to them.) What I like most is the focus on early education. What I dislike most is the timing. Our state is looking at an $8 billion budget hole. Therefore, everything in these bills (and every other bill brought up during this session) will be evaluated in that context. That said, let's assume that parts of these bills will actually be judged solely on their merit, regardless of cost. (Author's note: I've since learned that there isn't any money at all in this bill.)

Given that premise, I'll focus on something that disappoints me more than I thought it would. If passed, Washington State will phase out the practice of compensating teachers for getting a master's degree. Instead, there'll be a new salary scale, which will reward teachers based almost entirely on their demonstration of effective teaching skills. Now, I certainly don't have a problem with paying for those skills that will lead to increased student learning. I've already put up several posts to that effect. But I like things in balance. Specifically, these things: knowledge, skills and dispositions.

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Where does Science Fit In?

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By Tom

A new report, commissioned by CSTP, was just released on science education in Washington State's elementary classrooms. It was conducted through interviews with 34 experienced teachers, many of whom are NBCTs.

The title speaks volumes: Science Education in Washington's elementary Schools: A System at Risk. Among the findings:

  • It takes time and money for school districts to build a strong science program in the early grades.
  • Most districts are investing in kit-based curriculum and providing appropriate professional development.
  • Literacy and math instruction trump science education, in terms of both district and teacher priority. Teachers spend as little as 45 minutes per week teaching science.

I wasn't personally involved with this survey, but I see evidence of the findings all around me. After a huge literacy renaissance two years ago, my district adopted a new math curriculum this year, and the two subjects seem to be consuming everyone's attention. In many classrooms, science is the first "horse thrown off the ship."

So what?

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Thanks, Terry

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Assessment

by Tom

Five years ago, Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson was running for re-election in what was to be her second-toughest campaign. She was challenged by Judith Billings, who had the job before Terry took over in 1996. My mom called to tell me that there was going to be a debate between the two candidates at our local community college and she wanted me to take her to watch it. So I did, and on the way over she asked which candidate I was supporting. "Billings," I told her, but mostly because she had the support of the WEA, and I've always been a union guy.

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A Fresh Approach?

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Education Policy

By Tom

The next time your car underperforms, try this: Gather your friends and neighbors and issue a statement criticizing your car. Spell out its shortcomings as well as your expectations concerning its performance. Patiently allow it twelve years to reach those expectations, but make it clear that you will be voicing your disappointment at every opportunity. If it complains, silence it. Tell it that it has only itself to blame for its condition. Point out other cars that are doing just fine. You could even get David Brooks to say something menacing, like "Getting rid of the worst 6% of our nation's cars is one of the best things we could do to improve our nation's transportation system." If your car has the gall to ask for some additional funding in order to make the needed repairs, you could snarl, "More money!? We've been trying that for years! And look what it's gotten us! A broken-down car!"

You could try that approach. Or…

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