Category Archives: Education Policy

The Obama Speech: How Should Schools Handle Hot Politics?

Campfire_j By Mark

Let me be clear from the outset: I'm not here to argue about whether Obama's speech is good, bad, ugly; propaganda, motivation, or mind control. There are too many unproductive shouting matches going on about that elsewhere on the web. Missing from those shouting matches is reasoned discussion of what I think is a more important question with a much larger impact on what I do as a teacher.

The controversy about the broadcast of Obama's "work hard" speech has precipitated some interesting responses from school districts across the country, ranging from the superintendent of schools in Tempe saying all teachers shall show the address and parents are "not allowed" to opt out, to districts like mine who instructed teachers to get parent permission before showing the speech. These policies have an impact on classroom instruction–much more of an impact than the speech itself–because it brings up the question about how schools should handle politically charged and divisive content, and what the school's role is in mediating that content for students.

Many an educator who attempts to make content relevant will want to connect to current events. Whether its genetic engineering, military endeavors, alternative energies or health care, it is easy for a curriculum to turn into a volatile tinderbox, because these topics and others have clear political implications.

How should schools handle hot political topics?

Compulsory Education: Do we need it?

Picture 4

By Travis

It is September and for most families, that means school. I can imagine the thousands of children who have their backpacks filled with pencils, paper, and folders. Going back to school was a high point of the year for me.

But this raises the question: Should we have compulsory education? Should a state force children who do not want to go to school, to go to school? In Massachusetts, it became law to do so in 1852.

Now, I understand that this topic may just be too crazy for polite conversation. However, I urge you to consider what compulsory education does to schools. In essence, it turns schools into jails. There are cells; a warden or two; guards; and a schedule. 

If only students who wanted to learn, who wanted to further their skills for those better paying jobs and greater appreciation of life, came to school, those would be classes. Take out the trouble makers. They don't want to be there anyway and by being there, ruin it for the rest. 

Eventually, the school would pull more students in as they realize how little their preparation for life is. Parents will now become more involved, encouraging their student to go to school, going to great lengths to get them there (whether it is for a better life, or a need to get them out of the house at least the parent is more involved).

But what if it doesn't? What if very few students showed up at school because they did not have to and their iPods and games and friends were more enticing? Would these students loose out on an education and we would have a several generations of ignorant, unproductive citizens? 

Then again, would that be so bad? I could hire low wage workers paint my fence or sweep my sidewalk. 

But what effect will this situation have on the children of the low wage workers?

In theory, I don't think that school should be compulsory, yet I do not have a better way to apply this in the real world. There is not a practical application.

5 Ways to Improve Our Education System….I only need 1

Picture 2 by Travis

Hmmm, five ways I would improve our education system if money were not an issue? I like that. It is a timely topic, often discussed. However, I only need one way. It's a big one. One with huge, sweeping results. But the good news–this one item will not require more money, per se. This one item is something we already have. This one item is nothing that we have not already known for decades. Bonus, improvements will be made quickly and with continued success regardless of levies or measures, politics or procedures. Is it too good to be true? No. It is a reality we already possess.

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Summer School, Anyone?

By Tom

Quick, what's eight-ninths of twenty-seven? If you solved it like my third graders, you divided the total by the denominator and then multiplied by the numerator. 27 divided by 9 is three; three times eight equals 24. It's pretty easy, right?

Actually, no it isn't. At least not for third graders. For my students, that problem was fairly difficult. Rigorous, if you will. It was a hard lesson to teach, but most of them finally got it.

Our district switched to a new math curriculum this year. It's more rigorous. Way more rigorous. And that's a good thing, according to all the school reform gurus, including Arne Duncan, our new Secretary of Education. He wants to implement high, nation-wide standards in lieu of the piecemeal, state-by-state approach that we're using now. He also thinks we should have a longer school year, which in an astounding display of poor timing, he announced just last week.

Meanwhile, back in my district, we had to cancel summer school this year. Guess why? That's right, as soon as we switch to a tougher math curriculum, we find out that we can't afford to offer summer school for the kids who need more time to learn it.

So here's an idea:

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Who Speaks?

By Guest Blogger Terese

I woke up today thinking, “How did I get here?”

Just a few short years ago I was teaching fourth graders, working hard to do the best job I could and otherwise minding my own business. On Tuesday I was at the state Capitol, talking with a legislator about an amendment to a bill that had just been proposed. 

What happened in between is a long story. But out of my experiences I have developed a belief that is now central to everything I do. I spend my days thinking about it, planning, trying to figure out what to do next. I toss and turn at night, problem solving. I am dedicated to promoting what I believe in every way that I can.

I believe in the power of teachers’ voices.

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Randy Dorn, Seal Keeper?

 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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This Dog Won’t Hunt

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

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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I, for one, will miss the WASL.

The other day I was interviewed for a profile in our school newspaper. I tried to answer most of the questions from a perspective more professional than personal, and the stumper was this: “If you could have one wish, what would it be?” After an evening of pondering, I realized my answer was so simple that I was surprised it didn’t jump to my mind immediately. I would wish that every student have a desire to learn that matches my desire to teach them.

As an English teacher at a low-income high school, I know that in some cases, I am the only provider of inspiration to achieve beyond the minimum requirements; many of my kids have grown up with little or no intrinsic motivation to be high achievers in school. How does this relate to WASL? When my tenth graders heard that the WASL was going to vanish, I heard questions that astounded, confounded, and frustrated me. One young man asked, “Does that mean we don’t have to write any more essays?” The question itself drew a cheer from his peers. The fact is, the WASL provides a measurable and achievable extrinsic motivation that many of my students need.

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