Kids?

Every teacher has them—the students who just will not sit down or still, no matter how nicely or frequently you ask. They want to move around, they want to wiggle, they want to talk, they want to be loud. There’s also the group of students who just want to talk, and talk…and talk. About 60 minutes into the 80 minute period, they’re at their limit, and so is the teacher. It is about that time that I have to take deep breath and remind myself: THEY’RE KIDS!

They’re kids and, 9 out of 10 times, they’ve had no chance to move or talk all day. They come into school where they’re rushed into the cafeteria. Then, they sit through 3 back-to-back 90 minute classes, in which they are preparing for high-stakes exams, which they need to pass in order to graduate. In between those classes, they are rushed into the next room—no time to talk, no time for water, no time for locker chats. After they’ve sat through 4 ½ hours of learning, they are finally given a break. That break consists of 24 minutes, during which over 200 students are expected to get into the cafeteria, get their lunch, eat it, clean up, and get all of their socializing out of their system for the day. Once those 24 minutes are up, they’re rushed up for one more 90 minute class (again, preparing for a high-stakes test) and a 50 minute advisory period, for which they do not get a grade, and often, do not have a true objective. When during the day is it OK for them to just be kids? Yes, they need to learn. Yes, they need to be given structure and clear expectations for behavior. However, at 24 years old, I think even I would grow antsy by about 20 minutes into the third 90-minute class (hence why teachers with this schedule often dread the class before lunch).

Growing up in New Jersey, I had gym four days a week from 6^th grade through 12^th grade. I also had 2 electives and a 45-minute lunch built into my schedule. My high school students only take 1 semester of gym during their four years at the school. That’s it. Electives? Just like gym, they’re only built into the 9^th grade curriculum. Some students in the 10^th through 12^th grades still participate in these electives by getting a pass to be excused from their advisory class and go join the 9^th graders, but these slots are limited and these students are a minority.

It is with all of this knowledge that I plan my lessons each day. I try to break up the period into shorter segments, and make sure students have cooperative activities, station work, or a hands on project to be working on at least a few times a week, so they can talk and move around a bit (within reason, of course.) However, this type of instruction can only be so effective. Their brains need a break. 4 ½ hours of learning without any sort of break is too much. Yes, the 90 minute periods give teachers more time to present tested material to students. However, how effective are those 90 minute periods in reality, if many students zone out or lose interest halfway through the class?

High Stakes=High Stress

For 10^th grade teachers across Baltimore City, there is a little, black cloud hovering overhead. That cloud is better known as the Maryland High School Achievement tests. Throughout the year we are reminded of the importance of having our students pass these tests. Pressure from administration, state officials, and parents alike looms around every corner. While we are repeatedly reminded that, according to educational research, teaching “to the test” is ineffective, we are reminded even more so that our numbers of students that pass the test will be used to judge our teaching ability.

That lurking shadow of that little, black cloud grew a bit larger when it was announced that, beginning with the class of 2009, all students in Maryland MUST pass their H.S.A. tests in order to graduate. Now, not only are schools feeling pressure from the state to ensure that all students pass the HAS exams, but they are feeling the additional pressure of coming up with the time, materials, and teachers to help students who have not passed complete Bridge projects. These projects are tedious, time consuming, and make no allowances for students with special needs. Those involved with them, hate them. They are often used as ‘threats’ for students who seem disengaged from preparing for the HSAs: “You better focus so you can pass the HSA or you’re going to end up spending your afternoons and Saturdays doing Bridge projects for the rest of your high school career!” Wouldn’t all of the extra time, effort, and resources being spent on Bridge projects be better spent enriching curriculum and other programs in the school, and ensuring change so that we can provide our students with the best education possible and help them reach their full potential?

How is all this extra stress, brought on by the demands of HSA and Bridge requirements, helping our teacher, students, and schools?

The Real Financial Crisis

Economic dominance is intrisically linked with educational dominance. Hence, we could be looking at a real fall in the near future in the United States. This is the ultimate point of Thomas Friedman's April 22nd New York Times Op-ed entitled, "Swimming Without a Suit". The title comes from a quip by Warren Buffet, "only when the tide goes out do you find out who is not wearing a bathing suit." Oh how true, economic success like the rising tide can cover a multitude of sins, but all does seem to become rather clear in a recession and the naked state that our education is leaving many of our students' in and the effects on everyone at the beach are becoming all too clear.

Consider the numbers,as provided in the above stated article, if the US had closed the international achievement gap between 1983 and 1998, yes we were aware that we were behind even back then, we would have increased GDP by 1.3 trillion to 2.3 trillion. For all of you paying attention to current events, that amount would successfully pay off the deficit that many people think will be the end of us. Furthermore, for those who are more concerned with the domestic side of things, had we closed the racial achievement gap between blacks/latinos and white students in that same time period then GDP in 2008 would have been $325 billion-$500 billion higher. The same holds true for the gap between low-income students and their more affluent peers. Yes people, we could have avoided this whole recession, or made it far less painful, through education investment.

Interestingly though, there are still people out there who don't think education is part of economic stimulus. Well, follow this basic line of reasoning for a second: Knowledge is Power and Power is Money. Yes, it is seriously that simple. President Obama did commit funding to education as part of the stimulus and that is certainly a start. As well, applications for Teach For America and other alternative certification programs in the neediest districts are up. We have failed our education system into a recession, one hopes that it is the recession that also makes us aware that are economic system relies on education. Since we can't depend on high tide being present all the time, we better give every child in this country a bathing suit or they, and we, are going to drown trying to cover up the multitudes that our education system is leaving naked.

Fixing the Numbers

I recently read an article in the New York Times that discusses an incredibly dodgy practice that denies struggling students education while increasing the graduation rate and test score statistics for schools. The process of “discharge” as it is called is a practice whereby students leave the New York City public school system before graduating. The practice of discharge seems to be somewhat different from the process of dropping out because on record it is made to appear that students who are discharged have transferred from New York City public schools to another school system, rather than showing that in reality they have failed out or dropped out of school. Critics of the practice assert that low achieving students are being coerced to drop out of school and no such transfers are taking place. Moreover, critics have become more alarmed as of late because of a tremendous spike in the percentage of 9th grade students who are reportedly being discharged from New York City public schools. According to a spokesperson from the City Education Department of New York City, these findings are “of serious concern, as the goal of the public school system is to provide all students with the support needed to persist and successfully graduate from high school. Schools may be responding to accountability incentives to discharge students earlier in their high school careers.” Clearly, the practice of discharging students does not work to service the needs of those whom the system is designed to help.

This practice of discharge reminds me of some of the more insidious practices that occur in Baltimore City. All too often I have heard about certain students with behavior problems becoming the recipients of special “incentives” or cutbacks that are really designed to benefit a school’s record. For example, there are the myriad of cases of undocumented suspensions—or “cool off” days—that are designed to hide the true number of suspensions a school has. Additionally, there are the “half days” that certain students who pose behavior problems (not documented by an IEP however) are allowed to serve in order to allow schools to keep certain students out of the building while maintaining attendance percentages. While these practices might not appear as worrisome as forcing a student to resign from their school career, not holding students accountable for their actions and failing to maintain high expectations for student behavior will, in the end will, produce a student population that is not capable of meeting rigorous graduation requirements.

How to Support New Teachers

This past week the Washington Post published an article entitled “For New Teachers, Early Support Can Sustain Career.” This article discusses the various things than can make an impact on a new teacher. Specifically it looks at the merits of things like mentoring, performance and signing bonuses, training sessions, and teacher inductions. These programs are particularly prevalent in low performing schools in DC and the surrounding area. They can also be found in Baltimore City.

This article was so poignant to me because it touched on a lot of things I have thought about over the last two years. As a new teacher in an under performing school, I have faced numerous challenges. During my first year, I was particularly lucky to have a Department Chair that was incredibly supportive. She mentored me and helped me get through my most difficult moments. Without her help, I’m not sure if I would have made it through my first semester.

One line from this article rang very true to me:

“Good induction and mentoring programs have proven worth. But some programs are underfunded, with mentors who have multiple jobs or are ‘spread very thinly among many buildings,’ said Jennifer King Rice, an associate education professor at the University of Maryland.”

Though we had a true "mentor" at my school, she was spread much too thin and had far too many responsibilities to effectively support the new teachers. Far too many of my colleagues, both in my school and at other schools, were not nearly as lucky as I was in terms of a helpful department chair. They simply were not given the help that they needed. While Baltimore City required us to attend a two-week long new teacher orientation, it proved in some ways to be more harmful than helpful. Those two weeks took away valuable time we could have spent in our schools. Many new teachers in many schools simply got no help at all.

As a new teacher, there is nothing worse than feeling alone. I applaud these school districts for recognizing there is a problem and working on solutions. However, more needs to be done. There has to be a sustained effort among schools to ensure that their teachers, particularly new teachers, feel supported. Collaboration should be required. New teachers should be given a smaller workload; at least until they feel they have gotten their feet planted firmly on the ground. While more money is certainly not a bad thing, studies have shown that rather than cash incentives, that money should be used to hire more mentors or to lighten the teaching burden. I’m glad the issue of teacher retention and potential solutions are being raised. The continued success and support of these programs may go a long way to closing the achievement gap in our lowest performing schools. If new teachers, especially those in alternative certification programs, are expected to succeed, these kinds of programs must also succeed.

NCLB Failing to Close Racial Achievement Gap

After reading a recent article entitled “‘No Child’ Law Is Not Closing Racial Gap” in the New York Times I had to think about our own schools in Baltimore City. The article, in an offhand way, stated that NCLB had failed in closing the achievement gap between white students and minority students. Accordingly, students of both white and minority backgrounds were making progress in achievement, yet the gap between the two is staying the same. This article angered me in some ways because I couldn’t help but think about the situation of inequality that has long been plaguing inner city schools. Clearly that achievement gap will not close when we continue to provide unequal educational opportunities for minorities. When we think of the fact that our inner cities are comprised mostly of minority students, it is hard to imagine that we will find any means to close an achievement gap between races. If our society continues to believe that it is alright to underfund and discriminate minorities and schools comprised mostly of minority schools, of course that gap will continue. We have fashioned a system which seems very bleak at moments more often than not. While various forms of reform have pushed for change, we see schools that are continuing to get bogged down in a vicious cycle of old instead of being freed and rejuvenated by new. What has been found is that what many believed is right—all students can learn. We have seen improvement in achievement straight across the board in all races. On the other hand, what really needs much attention as well, inequality among schools, has been proven to have fallen on the wayside. The statistics are not surprising, rather they are what I had expected. How can we expect change when the opportunity has not been given and the resources and means to do so are non-existent?

‘No Child’ Law Is Not Closing a Racial Gap

On April 28, 2009 the New York Times published an article titled “‘No Child’ Law Is Not Closing a Racial Gap.” The article, based on data recently released, said that there has been an increase in test scores, but that increase has been equal for both whites and minorities. The article also talked about the improvement in test scores in the elementary to middle school range, specifically grades 3-8, but not in high school. It also commented on the affect of supplemental services to improve reading and math scores in the lower grades. There was acknowledgment given to the factor of culture and the pressure it places on student to not be too smart.

As a middle school science teacher I have seen my students reading and math scores gradually increase, however, their ability to perform on grade level for science has suffered as a result. I have students who had no science in elementary school because of the intense need to focus on math and reading. This drastically under prepares the students for high school science as many of the high school science teachers ask me what I teach the students because they come to their classrooms lacking essential skills. I think that while NCLB does benefit math and reading in the younger years of education, it must be re-evaluated at the high school level and content level to be more effective in closing the gap and producing well educated students.

How Should We Judge Alonso?

Manipulating reports and statistics is an old and unsurprising practice. Yet, the practice in education circles is ramping up, as politicians and superstar district heads turn into statisticians to hail signs of their success. Frequently, data is incorrectly used to state that teachers, not economic conditions, are the “root cause” of test score disparities. Perhaps this is true, but reports thus far have been either conflicting, inconclusive, or poorly designed. The proliferation of “data,” brought on by NCLB, has increased statistical abuse, while more meaningful data is left by the wayside.

Though many teachers are skeptical of any multiple choice and limited response standardized test, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (aka The Nation’s Report Card) has a solid reputation for delivering trusted results. It is proctored by trained examiners and tests students throughout the country, allowing localities across states to be meaningfully compared. The MSA, on the other hand, is given only in Maryland and changes from year to year, sometimes drastically, making it difficult to measure the true success of a student or school. Though politicians will always try to discount unfavorable results, NAEP is currently the best measurement we have to gauge student progress over time.

President Obama has signaled the importance of improved assessment. Even Martin O’Malley has demonstrated the need for better assessments and substantive comparisons. In March, Governor O’Malley announced that the state is considering using some of the stimulus funds to have a large sampling of students take the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA is not without flaws, but it will provide a more meaningful measurement for comparison than the MSA or HSA. Its sustained use will help us measure our own students’ growth more effectively.

I truly hope Alonso succeeds, and that Baltimore sees meaningful improvements on assessments, not for the numbers themselves, but for what they indicate. But the MSA and HSA alone are not sufficient measurements to demonstrate success. Given the recent history of districts and politicians misusing assessment scores for political purposes, it is up to the media and an engaged base of parents to hold Alonso accountable. We need to closely scrutinize NAEP data, as well as PISA data, if possible. Perhaps these measurements would still not be enough, but they will allow for a far more informed evaluation of Alonso’s tenure.

What other measurements should be used to gauge Alonso’s success? Real graduation rates and drop out rates? Should all measurement be based on pure student achievement, or are other factors crucial as well?

The Missing Medium for Collaboration

The number one difficult faced by new teachers is the lack of sufficient resources and materials, according to a 2006 survey on new teachers in Baltimore. The problem of inadequate curriculum plagues teachers at all experience levels. While the internet is flush with resources, few to none of the websites designed for teachers offer educators what they're looking for: coherent and cohesive units, complete with assessments, activities, and a suggested lesson chronology.

Teacher's lessons have context: they relate to the lesson before, the lesson after, the state standards, and, typically, a published curriculum. Current websites strip the context from lesson plans and, in the process, strip away much of the lesson's usefulness to teachers. Given the time and energy to dig through internet sites to find a suitable lesson each day, teachers resort to creating their own material, knowing all along that someone has already created it...if only they had access.

Why is there this tremendous void in educational materials available freely on the internet? The problem is three fold 1) There are no simple ways to present the structured information of a unit plan. Units plans are multi-leveled, like outlines. A unit plan has an outline with subnested lessons, activities, and/or assessments. More lengthy unit plans are subdivided into sections or concepts. The organization of the unit plan needs to be displayed visually as in published curriculum, to make it more accessible.

2) There are no websites which add value to the unit plan creation process itself. Current websites expect users to upload curriculum they've created--an often intimidating, arduous task for an unknown audience. Websites need to make the unit plan creation process easier for an individual and a group. An individual needs an easy way to create a unit overview, complete with standards and subdivisions, that is connected to individual lessons. Word processors such as Microsoft Word allow users to create unit overviews and lessons but do not allow teachers to connect the two. A team of teachers collaborating on a unit or a district curriculum department, needs the same creation tools as an individual does plus additional workgroup functionality. For example, teachers need to save their files to the website so they can be edited by any team member. There's only one copy of the file for the team--not multiple copies that are e-mailed back and fourth.

3) Lesson plan website don’t permit teachers to form networks, a la facebook. Teachers often aren’t comfortable creating a lesson plan for the known world to access via the internet. They want to share and collaborate on a lesson plan with their friends and colleagues. A website for teachers needs to allow multiple permissions to be set for units and lessons. There might be a team of teachers who can edit the plans and a group of teachers who can only view and add comments to it. This idea holds tremendous promise for school districts who find the curriculum binders or word documents they use now enable only one way communication. To continually improve, districts need to know which resources work and which don’t. A website allows districts to solicit granular feedback by allowing teachers to post comments about each lesson/activity in the unit plan.

Teachers need such a website to help them raise student achievement. If teachers can concentrate on perfecting materials already available instead of creating materials from scratch, they will have more time to concentrate on meeting the needs of their students. With better resources and more time to plan, teachers would be more effective in closing the achievement gap and ensuring that all children have an excellent education.

A team of teachers needs to be assembled that have experience with teaching and computer programming. Teach for America and other alternative certification programs excel at bringing in people into teaching with diverse backgrounds (such as computer science). However, finding such people can be a challenge. Anyone who wants to be part of such a project can contact myself, Scott Messinger at scottmessinger at gmail dot com. Together, we can enable teachers to raise student achievement through collaboration in new and powerful ways.

Rude Awakening

Renaissance Academy will graduate its first senior class in exactly 25 days and I have begun to worry that they are not even remotely prepared to take on the real world. We are supposed to be a college preparatory school and I believed it, at first. But when I started working with the senior class on college applications and things of that nature, I started to panic. The highest SAT score in the school was a 1080, and that 's for all three sections of the exam. I remember my own classmates in high school sobbing hysterically about having a score like that because it meant they wouldn't be able to get into the school they had hoped and that was when we only took the math and verbal sections. We also had 18 of our 39 seniors take the biology HSA last week because they still needed to pass it. It's APRIL of their graduating year and nearly half of them still haven't passed this test?

And then there were the bridge projects: a good idea in theory but a nightmare in practice. There have been multiple incidents of students paying their classmates to do them, teachers doing the projects for students, and plagiarism of accepted projects. Everyone is getting desperate and panicking because a low graduation rate for our first senior class would be devastating to everyone involved.

But are they really ready for the next step? The expectations have been lowered so many times to accommodate the vast rates of failing students that I don't think we have adequately prepared them to succeed on their own. We lowered the passing score to a 60. We give students who don't even attend class a 50. We give bridge projects if they can't pass the HSA even though there is no way to prove that the students themselves have learned anything from the projects at all. We send the message that if something is difficult, it's not worth trying because eventually, they will make it easier. Life will not make it easier.

Are they really prepared for college as we promised they would be? We practically threw a party for Mr. 1080-on-the-SAT but that score isn't anywhere close to what he would need to get in to the schools he initially wanted to (Princeton, Georgetown). Though he is certainly the most gifted student in the school, he is also one of the most immature and I worry that we have inflated his abilities so much that when he does go off to college in the fall, it will eat him alive. And he is our best and brightest. What's going to happen to all the others that have been very successful within our small school but just don't stack up nationally or even regionally?

Our seniors are in for a rude awakening.

Poor Leadership/ Failing School

Poor leadership is the main culprit for many unsuccessful schools. Leaders set the tone and standards of a school. It is not enough just to be “in charge. “A good leader does so by example, enthusiasm, accepting challenges that promote progress, and enforcing high expectations of themselves and all stakeholders. It is the responsibility of school leaders to maintain qualified teachers and equip them with the necessary tools and training. In order to be successful, it is necessary for school principals to transition from building managers to instructional leaders. For many this becomes difficult because of insufficient principal training programs on that transition. It should not be assumed that because a leader has had administrative courses that he/ she will automatically do well as a school principal. Far too often this has not been the case which results in low performance of teachers and students. The instructional leader must develop a supportive mind set as well as model, support, motivate, teach, and implement strategies that will enable teachers to prepare students for academic success both in school and beyond their school years. In order for this model to work effectively, the principal’s ability to support staff is of paramount importance.
Numerous authors suggest that professional development is the appropriate forum for cultivating the school culture, discussing needs of improvement that are specific to the school, providing teachers with new experiences and teaching strategies, self renewal, creativity, and respect. Professional development is usually focused on teachers: but it should begin with school leaders.

Extended School Year

Years ago the school year was determined by the needs of society. Times have truly changed. It is no longer necessary for the school year for students to be affected by timely agricultural responsibilities or lack of air conditioning school buildings. In today’s society, students’ learning is greatly influenced by a wide variety of issues and other circumstances outside of school. In order to help students reach their potential, it is necessary to try different strategies.

For many years the extended school year was accessible of students with disabilities. However, it has become increasing obvious that most students would reap similar benefits. Many regular education students do not retain what was taught in the previous school year after spending approximately two months of non instructional time during the summer. In other situations, students do not acquire the necessary skills and are in need for supportive instructions and services that were given during the school year.

Extending the school year also cuts back on the teachers’ loss of instructional time at the beginning of the school year. Although there are students who reluctantly participate in these programs, many return motivated because they realize that they learned skills that they needed, and their self esteem has been elevated.

I am in total agreement with extended school year programs if they are not punitive (do not follow a traditional grading system) and utilize strategies that will make learning interesting, hands on, and motivating.

Johnstonmay

Charter/Magnet/Choice/Small schools

I went home to Minnesota for a wedding last weekend and due to timing had to stay through Monday. With all of the talk of charter and small schools recently in our class, I decided to visit my high school, a “choice” school for 400 total 11th and 12th graders in a suburban school district of the Minneapolis area, called the School of Environmental Studies. I have not been there in 12 years since I graduated in 1997. In fact, my now married friend and I were members of the first full class at SES, so I convinced her to come with me. It was interesting to see what had become of the school after 14 years of experience now, and to look at it from a teacher’s viewpoint. While the school has evolved some, its mission and core values have remain unchanged; the school has found its niche in the community to be effective. I had a great experience there and thought that I gained much more than I would have at my traditional high school that I opted out of.

Opening charter/magnet/choice/small schools is visibly on the agenda of BCPSS. We will have 27 charter schools in Baltimore City by next year when the first opened in only 2005. However, the validity of charter/magnet/choice/small schools is questioned because of the students that they attract, and the individual differences that makes them succeed or not. As Sara Neufeld reported in the Baltimore Sun, charters do tend to attract students from better backgrounds. As Teresa Mendez writes in the Christian Science Monitor, small schools cannot be blanket labeled as effective. I agree, we cannot take the effectiveness of charter/magnet/choice/small schools as gospel, but need to critically evaluate what is and is not working for them.

Nonetheless, charter/magnet/choice/small schools represent evolution in education, something that we desperately need. American students, especially those in Baltimore City, are lagging behind the rest of the world in achievement, a detail that we cannot afford to ignore. We must find ways to improve our schools. Evolution on the smaller scale of a 100 student per grade charter/magnet/choice/small school is easier to implement and refine than in a 500 student per grade monstrosity. Meeting the needs of our different students in every community is at the core of the issue. If we must differentiate instructional methods to meet the needs of individual students, then we should also differentiate individual schools to serve the community as a whole better. Implementing more charter/magnet/choice/small schools is the logical step to accomplishing this.

Recently, I read two articles, one in the USA Today and the other in the New York Times, about the graduation gap between large urban cities and their surrounding suburbs. The articles displayed the graduation rates for our 50 largest cities. The study was conducted by the America’s Promise Alliance, a non-profit organization which is an advocate for children’s education, health, and safety. Colin Powell and his wife, Alma, are the co-founders of the alliance. The data in the USA Today was for the class of 2004. The graduation rate listed for Baltimore City was 34.6% and the suburban graduation rate was 81.5%. The gap was 47 points.

Some researchers have referred to the failing city schools as “dropout factories”. If that is the case, Baltimore City has a lot of “dropout factories” and the number of “factories” is increasing. Marguerite Kondracke, the executive director of the alliance, says that the urban-suburban gap is because teacher quality is not the same from classroom to classroom. I agree that there are some teachers who are partially responsible for the high number of students dropping out of school.

If you examine the staff of some of Baltimore’s failing schools, you will find a lot of low performing teachers who have been shuffled from school to school. One of the reasons our low-performing schools have become lower-performing schools is because they have become the receiving grounds for “reject” teachers. The students’ at theses schools deserve better. Research says that low-achieving students need the “best” teachers. Now, that our city’s schools have been spotlighted nationally for our low graduation rate, maybe some changes will be made. I suggest using some of the stimulus money to offer incentives so that our “best” teachers will be eager to go to low-performing schools.

Alive and Free

A few days ago, NPR showcased an extremely interesting documentary by a journalist named Ellis Cose; the piece was entitled, “Nerds in the Hood,” and dealt with issues of academic success in impoverished urban areas.  The documentary examined the types of negativity messaged through media, music and peer pressure for some adolescents growing up in the inner city and took a close look at an organization that is trying to combat the idea that smart = weak.  The Omega Boys Club/Street Soldiers (not affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of America) is a not-for-profit organization that was started in the mid-1980’s by a man named Dr. Joseph E. Marshall, Jr.  The main ethos of the Club is to treat violence like a contagious disease – spread through negative human interactions.  The ‘cure’ that they tout is something that they call the “Alive and Free” Prescription, which is a set of life rules which seek to keep kids alive and free from incarceration and mental manipulation (by gangs, etc).  The rules are as follows:  

1) There is nothing more valuable than an individual’s life. (never kill an enemy.)

2)  Respect comes from within.

3)  Change begins with the individual.

*4)  A friend will never lead you to danger. (a healthy person stands alone.)

 The Omega Boys Club recognizes that youth living in economically depressed urban areas need extra support and constant counter-messaging in order to “get out.”  On the Alive and Free webpage, it says that negative behaviors present as a “technique for survival…when in fact the opposite is true.”  In thinking about the students that we teach in Baltimore City, it might be useful to attempt to message this ‘violence as a [curable] disease’ idea as the need arises.  I know that a lot of teachers in the City see violent acts, hear violent and negative speech and see the glorification of illegal and destructive behaviors [I’m thinking of a student of mine who has worn a skirt to school every day since getting on an ankle box] every day and feel pretty helpless against the sense of empowerment that it seems to bring the students.  The Omega Boys Club believes that positive role models and messaging, fruitful after-school activities and a sense of security (whether at home or elsewhere – school?) can help to counteract the false message that violence=survival.

Here are some interesting websites hosted by the Omega Boys Club:

 

http://www.stayaliveandfree.org/

http://www.street-soldiers.org/contents.htm

 Here is the documentary from NPR:

 http://elliscose.com/against-the-odds/nerds-in-the-hood/

Bridge plan... bridge to...what?

I echo the concerns of the previous writers concerning the bridge plan. The class of 2009 is the first who must fulfill the HSA requirement. Students who do not pass are allowed to do projects, one of which counts for approximately 20 points on the HSA.
I have served as a bridge monitor and a scorer for biology, and I have been disappointed by the process. Individual schools have been responsible for obtaining the projects, materials, and teachers in order to help students satisfy the requirement. Unfortunately, many schools suffered from disorganization and lack of clarity from MSDE.
My main concern is that the projects are too difficult for students to complete. Please do not misunderstand- no one in Baltimore wishes this were the case. We would all prefer our students to read and write on grade level (and to have passed the exams), but they largely don’t. Therefore, completing bridge projects becomes an overwhelming mass tutoring event designed to score enough points.
Are students therefore more prepared to graduate? I see the bridge plan as exhausting, having spent many afternoons and Saturdays assisting with the same shark, etc. projects. I have witnessed students with special needs struggling for three hours a day to read and complete a project because there are no modified projects. If the purpose of the plan was to increase student achievement, it failed. On the other hand, if it was designed to drain more time and money out of departments that can spare neither, the project was a roaring success.

Wild Card: The McKinsey Study

An editorial by NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman cited a recent study on the  affects of education on the US G.D.P.  The study, conducted by the consulting firm McKinsey, concluded that the US’s inability to close the achievement gap has cost us $1.3 to $2.3 trillion dollars.  The study also showed that the longer US students stay in school, the further they fall behind their international peers.  In science and math, the United States’ test scores ranked 24th and 25th respectively (out of 30) in industrialized nations.  

Friedman argues that there are “huge numbers of exciting education innovations in America today,” including “new modes of teacher compensation” and “charter schools” that have shown improvements in school districts.  While I agree certain programs like KIPP have raised student achievement, I don’t think these programs alone can close the achievement gap.   Arne Duncan continues to advocate for universal accountability in all schools, but I think we should also be looking to invest our money not only in the schools themselves, but early childhood programs that give kids the noncognitive skills they need to achieve.  Paul Tough writes in his book Whatever It Takes that the achievement gap is already present when children are twelve months old.  If this is true, then schools who are forced to measure up to schools in more affluent areas will most likely fail.  Teacher turnover rates will continue to be high, principals will be recycled, and failing school will never hit their stride due to instability.  

I think it’s time we seriously look at federally mandated early childhood development programs.  Making sure all of our students enter school with a chance to succeed should be our highest priority.  This game of catch-up, which has been perpetuated for decades, is, to at least some degree, a lost cause.  Despite the extraordinary achievements of institutions like KIPP, getting underperforming students up to grade level is a Herculean task.  President Obama continues to encourage philanthropists to invest in programs like the Harlem Children’s Zone, which emphasize early childhood programs.  Maybe it’s our duty as educators to advocate for such programs.  The Friedman piece should be read by every CEO in the country.   I don’t expect highly successful businessmen to understand what is happening in our schools, but perhaps the numbers in the McKinsey study could encourage them to get involved.

Whose job is it to link research with practice?

I am a graduate student in a social science department that emphasizes the importance of basic research, I admire my professors' work, and I would aspire to become a professor one day. That said, the activist in me is constantly frustrated with the lack of impact that most researchers, especially education researchers, have on student achievement.

To make myself feel better about what I do, I have been going to a few academic job talks at a school of education. The presenters are trained in education research, a supposedly interdisciplinary field of study, surely these people would know more about linking research with practice. On the contrary, the talks have only made me more frustrated with the problem of NOT using research to improve practice. In a nutshell, the job talks provide a space for candidates for an assistant professor position to impress distinguished professors and graduate students with their ability to conduct quantitative education research using dazzling (if not dizzying) statistical modeling techniques and Greek letters. Though some of the candidates have had some K-12 teaching experience, I don't recall that any of them had shared any kind of concrete policy recommendations or recommendations for practitioners to improve their classroom strategies (even when asked about them after their presentation.) Okay, I get it, academics don't have to make policy recommendations, many, if not most, academics conduct research purely for the sake of basic scientific knowledge. But the problem is, most of these researchers are using tax dollars to conduct research, don't they sort of owe it to the taxpayers to produce some impact? It has become more and more apparent to me that researchers and practitioners don't particularly care to initiate meaningful discussion between the groups to figure out a way to really use research to improve education. Researcher are too far removed from the classroom and teachers don't have time to translate statistics and Greek letters into changes in their lesson plans. Should schools of education be doing more to link the two worlds? Should school districts be doing more to make the connection between research reports and their schools' performance?

School Reform Means Doing What's Best For Kids

Well thank you Arne Duncan for those inspiring words. However, I hate to think that there is a teacher or Administrator out there that is plotting what they can do to do the worst for kids. Point blank bad teachers and administrators are either ignorant of their lack of talent or just so apathetic there isn't much that can faze them. But I don't think these teachers are trying to do their worst, maybe I am wrong. In the Wednesday April 22 edition of the Wall Street Journal our Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan wrote and oped and our CEO Dr. Alonso felt it necessary to share these wise words with the teachers of the city. I believe it was more of a pat on the back that he is doing what the big dogs expect of him. There wasn't much useful information in the article beyond a brief outline of how the The Race To the Top and Innovation What Ever Works Funds $5 billion will be allocated to states, districts and non-profits that aggressively advance reform. He walks through the same old... "We need a culture of accountability in America's education system if we want the best in the world. No more false choices about money versus reform, or traditional public schools versus charter. No more blaming parents or teachers. We need solid, unimpeachable information that identifies what's working and what's not working in our schools. Our children deserve no less." While I agree with all of this and realize that this is just an op-ed piece, I want more from my Secretary of Education. I want to know how he is going to affect this change. The problem with Education is that no one has the ultimate answer, because if we did we would package it up (as many believe we can) and ship it out across the country and everything would be fixed. It is obvious to me that this Fund is meant to not just stimulate the economy but to stimulate Education reform. We are still looking for the solution, and it is obvious that we need data to drive the reform. So let's get cracking, how are you going to evaluate the system Mr. Duncan?

Closing Schools

The upcoming scheduled closing of many Baltimore City Schools in June is a great concern to the students and the staff of these schools. The high schools designated to close are Homeland Security Academy, Samuel L. Banks, and Thurgood Marshall. Some of these schools offered a unique curriculum which will not be duplicated in another school. All of the staff of the schools that are closing must submit a volunteer transfer form or attend the Job Fair scheduled for May 9th. Any school that is closing received a notice from the central office to start packing. Many schools have not started packing because their shipment of boxes has not arrived.
With the looming lay off of 179 people from the central office, the staff of closing schools is concerned with competing for the vacant positions in other schools. Rumors of “bumping” are spreading. “Bumping” would allow a person with more seniority to take a position from someone with less seniority. If at least 130 of the persons to be laid off come back into schools, this should be a concern for the staff of all schools. Most of the persons scheduled to be released from their central office position have more than 20 years of service to BCPSS. The morale of the faculty at all of the schools identified to close is low but yet, they are expected to continue to work diligently to have their students pass the scheduled assessments and make AYP.

Teacher-Created Violence

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/nyregion/25school.html?ref=education

A few days ago, at a school in the Bronx, a veteran computer teacher and teacher’s union chapter leader barricaded him in a classroom and made a bomb threat. According to the article, he came to the school after refusing to go to a reassignment center where he had been ordered based on claims of misconduct and corporal punishment. There was no bomb; he is in custody; no one was hurt.

As a teacher, I am torn between disgust and empathy.

Disgust: Why was someone deemed unstable allowed back into the school? How can teachers remain a symbol of guidance, maturity and wisdom for students if individuals like this discredit that important adult role? How can someone with a dozen allegations of misconduct against him continue to teach, getting paid more than $100,000 a year?

Empathy: Was he driven to mental instability because of the difficult demands of his job? Was he retained because no one else wanted his job? How many times have I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs only to have someone up top hear my complaints for once?

It is unfortunate that, so near the 10th anniversary of Columbine, we continue to see violent behavior at our schools. Even more disturbing is that, this time, it was created by the one of the people charged with protecting our students.

When does a student deserve to fail?

Teachers set their own standards for failure and success in their classroom, but there are two instances where most teachers agree that a student should fail. Those two instances are when assignments are not completed or when the child misses a large percentage of class time not related to a serious issue. A growing number of schools are placing restrictions on a teacher’s ability to fail a student for whatever the reason. In Baltimore, students can’t receive a grade lower than a 50 on their report card. This minimum grade actually helps students. Students can either; (1) not come to class for an entire quarter or (2) come to class everyday and be extremely unproductive, yet they are still in a position to pass the semester or year. The student only needs to make sure that their semester average is above a 60. So if a student decides for a semester to not complete any assignments and they earn a 0, the teacher still has to give them a 50. It’s much more difficult to get that 60 average if you are factoring in a zero as opposed to a 50. What kind of message are we sending our students? In some schools across the country, students are given H’s, for Held, instead of an F to allow the students extra time to correct their poor grades and not ruin their entire semester. In some instances an H would help those students with special circumstances, but I feel that it can lead to other students manipulating the system and continuing to give minimal effort with the knowledge that they will get bailed out at the last moment. Initiatives like these are lowering the standards of our high schools. High schools need to continue to maintain high standards for students and hold them responsible for their actions and behaviors. Students are being coddled today by the educational system and it is not preparing them for experiences like college, joining the workforce, or entering the military. Failing is not acceptable anywhere else, so why is it being accepted and tolerated in our public schools?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518101,00.html.

Sounds like a small school to me

When I think of the factors which add up to a successful secondary school, I always land on the importance of relationships. If you were to ask me about my favorite parts of high school, I would tell you stories about Mr. G and how he would run around the room and get really excited and crazy about the books we were reading. Or I would tell about an assignment Mr. M gave us which allowed us to use calculus in every day life and in a creative way. Even moving on to college, even though the work was difficult and sometimes almost painful, I look back with fondness on the professors I spent my time learning from and with. The key to my successful education has always been my relationships.
When I read the NY Times article about President Obama's view of education reform and the role of relationships, I couldn't help but tie relationships back to small school reform. If teacher and student relationships are suspected to be key motivators for successful education, I think of strategy to increase these relationships. Instantly, I think of solutions which are within my realm of understanding, such as my school experiences.
I was the product of a small school. My relationships with my teachers were possible because of my small school and the consistent relationships I had with them over the course of four years. My classmates shared the same great teachers over the course of their four years as well, all of them knowing each of us on a personal basis and serving our best interest.
While other variables are in play, such as teacher retention for the four years we were in school, as well as a cohesive culture of excellence in the school community. Both of these variables are more easily developed and maintained in a small environment.
While this anecdote isn't enough evidence for nationwide school size reform, I feel assured our President holds teacher student relationships high on the track to success in education. The strategies to accomplish these relationships will need to continue to be researched and developed, eventually, providing a similar school experience to my students in Baltimore City as I had in high school.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/opinion/13brooks.html?scp=1&sq=education%20reform&st=cse

A little madness in the spring... (Dickinson)

As I sit inside my living room on this beautiful spring day working on the Hopkins assignments I have due for this next week, I can't help but wish I could be outside.  It's a feeling that I know my students can sympathize with.  As soon as this spring weather comes in and lights that fire under their little feet, it's harder and harder to keep them in their seats- literally.

That's why I was immediately interested when I read this following article:

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/04/22-25/OMalley-Kids-need-more-outdoor-education.html

O'Malley is proposing to increase outdoor education opportunities.  While I don't want to get into the nuts and bolts and logistics of this (as well as the complication it would cause for City schools especially), I think it could be extremely valuable if implemented and supported.  I've learned in my two years in BCPSS just how worldly my students are; they have seen so much more than they should have to see.  At the same time, they're also surprisingly naive about the world that exists outside of the confines of their individual neighborhoods.  I'm from a suburb of Indianapolis, IN, and my elementary school had a Wetlands habitat beyond the playground.  Our middle school went on multiple camping trips.  Our high school had opportunities for field work.  Granted, we had the resources (both monetary and land), but I know that our urban kids would benefit from getting back to nature.  

Our Social Studies IST last year arranged for select students from our school to go on a National Geographic-supervised trip to the Chesapeake Bay to photograph the natural habitat for the magazine.  Needless to say, the kids were thrilled to be chosen, and had an extremely meaningful experience.  They learned from professional photographers how to capture the beauty that exists surprisingly close to Baltimore, and they had a few days just to be out of the city.  All of them told me it was among the most meaningful experiences of their lives.  We owe it to our children to expose them to things they wouldn't otherwise have contact with- isn't that the very definition of education?

Arne Duncan on Accountability

On April 22, an op-ed piece by Arne Duncan was printed in the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Alonso felt it to be so a propos that he e-mailed the piece to Baltimore City teachers this morning. The essence of Secretary Duncan’s message was that parents, teachers, administrators, and legislators need, essentially, to make themselves honest. All of these groups have a huge stake in reforming schools, but each has its own set of ideas about the source of the need for this reform. We spend so much time blaming each other for the problems that we miss what is really important: collecting valid data on what works and what does not work so that we can solve the problems.

According to Duncan, there needs to be a “culture of accountability” in education, and this is a culture that could greatly benefit Baltimore City. We say we hold schools and teachers accountable through testing, but, when I administer a city Benchmark exam, I scan the answer sheets into the system and never hear a word about the data they provide. We say we hold teachers accountable through evaluation, but I see teachers who are not technologically literate, or who consistently use nothing but the “pedagogy of poverty” in their instruction. In his article, Duncan addresses strategies for making schools and school systems accountable at a macro level, and he illustrates the possible consequences for those who demonstrate a lack of effort to improve. I am curious if Duncan has any strategies for ensuring accountability at the micro level in order to improve accountability within individual schools.

Unionizing KIPP

On Tuesday afternoon I read an article in the New York Times titled, “Charter Schools Weigh Freedom Against the Protection of a Union.” The article went on to detail the condition of a New York City KIPP school—KIPP AMP—that has become involved in the process of unionization. According to Kashi Nelson, a teacher at KIPP AMP, the unionization process began because of frustrations that developed over administrators misusing teachers’ time and failing to provide clear expectations and consequences to the staff. Essentially, an unchecked abuse of power seemed to be taking place. The article posited that union supporters continue to worry that charter schools “take advantage of young rookies, whose boundless energy fuels them for a couple of years of long hours at low pay but quickly turns to bitter burnout.” Arguably, this statement may be close to the truth for some, but far from it for others. At times, it does seem that union affiliations can slow down necessary processes. On the other hand, teachers are people too—shouldn’t their rights be protected if they’re performing correctly?


After reading Work Hard. Be Nice., which detailed the formation of KIPP charter schools, and Whatever it Takes, which explained the creation of the Harlem Children’s Zone, it seems that one of the greatest strengths of charter schools is their ability to make difficult decisions rapidly to ensure results. The KIPP brand is definitely an academic force to be reckoned with in Baltimore when standardized test scores are considered. In some respects, school leaders are able to maintain high standards because they are free of many stifling contractual obligations. Yet, one should worry when a teacher’s willingness to do whatever is necessary to ensure students’ success is abused or taken for granted.

Making Sure We Get the Bang For Our Buck

The New York Times published an article on April 21, 2009 to its website in the editorial section entitled "Accountability in Schools". As opposed to going after the usual suspects that are framed by the term accountability (principals, teachers, or parents) the article was actual a critical look at the uses of Title 1 funding. The federal stimulus gave a $13 million boost to Title 1 and the education funding in the bill was certainly a hot topic upon its passage. Therefore, the scrutiny that will now come over such programs will intensify in the coming years as all people on the political spectrum form their opinions of the stimulus bill. Even those who support the funding, people of whom I count myself a member, it is important to ask the question: is the funding going to the schools and the students who really need it?

Title 1 funds at the district level have traditionally gone to the district because those are the people that parcel out the monies. There have been times where that money was rolled into the full budget and disproportionately benefits higher performing schools that actually don't serve the students that warranted the Title 1 funding in the first place. Therefore, the Congress has instituted reforms that require more transparency on the uses of the funds. Exciting news here, Baltimore is ahead of the curve on something in education! Say what you will about the "Fair Student Funding" initiative in the city, it has told us where the per pupil funding is going in this city. Principals did have to budget and those budgets are publicly available. Now many teachers will look at those budgets and there will be discrepancies, the schools also have to account for their expenditures throughout the year and I think the next step in the process of transparency will be to post the annual accounting of each school along with their proposed budgets.

Now, this doesn't mean that Baltimore isn't partially missing the point with the Title 1 funding. Ideally the point was that it should be additional funding for those schools that qualify, but currently our funding structure does not make it completely clear that this is the case. We also roll our Title 1 funds into our general operating to dole out as well, but we do assign funding based on different types of student needs in our current system which is a more equitable system. While we may not feel like the funding or the money is enough, I do think we are on the road toward many of the steps necessary to make it transparent. With that transparency could come more people who realize the stimulus value of education funding and more supporters for those types of financial infusions in the future.

KIPP Baltimore is Expanding

KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) is expanding as they are opening an elementary school in Baltimore City. I applaud the efforts of KIPP to expand their local efforts as well as their efforts across the nation. I respectfully question the idea behind working backwards and creating an elementary school when the needs of the students in this city seem to point in the opposite direction.

If one of the major issues in Baltimore is to reduce the amount of students who drop out which usually happens in high school, why not create a KIPP high school rather than an elementary school? I understand the vision of KIPP and its founders and respect their efforts and dedication, but why not examine the obvious needs of the location and try to support the efforts of the city's school system? I know KIPP has their reasons, prepare the students in primary grades and instill in them tools they can carry straight through middle school especially when they are in the midst of their primary and secondary cognitive development stages. I understand that there was definitely some planning involved. I merely believe in keeping things simple when responding to the needs of the child.

If there is a need to address the urgency and critical situation that has been created by the city's drop out rate then maybe it would have been wonderful to offer options to parents who feel helpless when their children are not finishing their studies. I think KIPP's efforts help underachieving students with opportunities to maximize their potential and abilities but perhaps sharing in the efforts of the city's bold goals would help tremendously. I would think that even high school students would embrace an extended day program and opportunities to travel and apply their knowledge to different learning situations which can change their perspectives and probably change the course of their immediate future.

KIPP has a few high schools across the US, so I think creating a HS model would not have been too difficult. I think charter schools sometimes receive a bad rap and are know for doing their own thing. I think creating a high school would have helped bridge the gap that charters might experience as part of a the traditional system. Speaking to the urgent needs of the community and its students can assist in strengthening the relationship between KIPP and BCPSS and forging ahead as partners in education.

The National Assessment for Educational Progress

Recently, my eighth grade students took part in the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP).  On the US Department of Education’s website, it states that the NAEP is “a common yardstick,” meant “to provide a clear picture of student academic progress over time.”  The test is given to randomly selected school districts across the country, and is mandated for any state receiving Title I funds.  

The data yielded form the NAEP is used to provide information on how individual states are matching up academically with other states in the union.  The repercussions here are important for a district like Baltimore City.  If Maryland scores lower on the NAEP than other states do, it follows that the MSA would become a more challenging assessment.  Our district would thus be under more pressure to perform, and the education of our students would become more structured around standardized testing.

These are serious repercussions, so we better be sure that the NAEP is in fact yielding accurate data.  In my experience with the NAEP, this was simply not the case. There was absolutely no incentive for my students to try their best.  After the proctor read some introductory remarks about the test, she faced a barrage of questions from my students:  Are we graded on this?  Why do I have to take the science test?  Why do I have to take the reading test?  Why I am even taking this test?

In many ways, I agreed with my students.  When I took the SAT, my name was on that test, and my score would be an important factor in my college selection process.   My attitude towards the test would have been quite a bit different if I had taken it anonymously.  

So what is the incentive for our students on the NAEP?  Fourteen is a tough age, and eighth graders rarely do things out of the “goodness of their hearts,” in particular, to help out large institutions like the US Department of Education.  

So here’s an idea: why don’t we look at our students’ Terra Nova scores?  This, too, is a nationally given assessment, and in this case the students do have an incentive; their scores go a long way in determining which high school they attend.  Too often we think that instruction alone yields higher scores on tests like the NAEP, the MSA, and the Terra Nova.  But what about the motivating factor?  

HSA week for seniors

This week marks a special administration of the HSA tests for seniors so that they have one more chance to pass in time for graduation. As most of you reading this are aware, this is the first year that Maryland students must meet the HSA requirement in order to receive a diploma. About 2 weeks ago, Sara Neufeld of the Baltimore Sun reported that over 80% of Baltimore City’s seniors have already met the HSA requirements for graduation. This seems promising, in that with the new HSA requirements Baltimore City’s graduating class will be about the same number it has been in recent years; in other words not many students are being denied a diploma because of the HSA. Nancy Grasmick even mentioned how Baltimore City Schools have done a great job getting seniors to fulfill their HSA graduation requirement.

What I would like to draw everyone’s attention to is how so many of these student’s have fulfilled their HSA requirement – “The Project.” To me, these projects are a method of enabling our students to accept their inferior education and do enough to just get by. I say this because in my view, completion of the project in the Algebra/Data Analysis subject does not demonstrate any amount of subject mastery, just that they put in some effort to do something. Many teachers, at almost every school in the city, have spent much time, most of it one-on-one with students, for assistance with the completion of these projects (in the mean time they miss most of their scheduled classes for weeks at a time). For the math projects, it comes down to showing the student an example of a problem that is nearly identical to the one on the project, then they line up the similarities, fill it out, and move on without having really learned anything. Mathematics is not a useful skill unless you are actually able to know when and how to use it when it is appropriate. You must have facts, formulae, and processes memorized in order to do this. A traditional-type exam is, in my opinion, the best way to ensure that students can use mathematical knowledge when called upon. Completion of these projects does not ensure that students have actually learned anything that is enduring.

Nonetheless, over 1000 seniors in Baltimore City Schools have made-up their HSA requirement already this year, many by completing these projects. In our school, there are almost no seniors that are sitting for the HSA tests this week, as most have followed the path project completion. What I really worry about is next year and thereafter. Only 1467 of 4333 juniors in Baltimore City have fulfilled their HSA requirements this far. It sounds like next year we have even more students who are allowed to “get by” through project completion.

New Network Support Model

Searching for inspiration for this blog post I ran across some information about the 56 Network Support Position that Dr. Alonzo has created to help decentralize North Avenue. In essence, the idea is to trim the bureaucracy in the central office and replace it with a new tier of support for a small subset of schools.

According to this model, all of the schools in the Baltimore City Public School System will be placed into 'networks' of 10 - 15 schools. Each of network will have a network team consisting of 4 team members; a Network Team Leader, an Achievement Liaison, a Business Support Liaison, and a Student Support Liaison. Each network will be accountable to the Network Director, who I presume will report to Dr. Alonzo and the School Board.

In effect each school will be placed into a smaller district within a district. I find this idea particularly interesting and appealing for several reasons. First I think this creates an excellent opportunity to bring school leaders from within each network together with the Network Support Team to create more concrete vision for that network and apply some of the concepts of integrated vertical teaming between schools. Ideally I would like to see more communication, integration, and collaboration between elementary and middle schools and middle and high schools to create more overlap and greater depth of understanding from one grade and school to the next. I can't recall how many times I've heard students from different schools respond to the same content in completely different ways. On one end of the spectrum "I've done this before, why do I have to do this again," yet on the other side you have the "I've never heard of this before and don't have a clue what you're talking about." This happens despite the fact that we're supposed to be following the same curriculums in each grade.

I also like this approach because, again ideally, should create more autonomy for individual networks and help remove some of the steps required to do things like file requests for field trips and other activities that get bogged down in bureaucratic paper pushing.

Conversely, I worry about ineffective Network Teams failing to deliver effective response to local concerns and creating more gridlock than collaboration. I think a major step to reduce the likelihood of this happening is utilizing space within schools inside the network for their office and meeting space. I think this would help prevent the association of the Network Teams with the stigma of central office and make the members of the Network Team more accountable to the members of their Network by making them physically close.

School Expansions and Closings

The following article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.schools17apr17,0,3746134.story describes many parents reaction to Dr. Alonso's proposed facilities plan for next year. This plan includes closing many under performing schools while expanding successful schools.

Parents from National Academy foundation were worried that absorbing the student population of an under performing Paul Lawrence Dunbar Middle School might negatively affect the school's Academic rigor. Similarly, parents from a thriving William Pinderhughes Elementary worry about absorbing the population of a struggling George Kelson Elementary/Middle.

While I certainly understand the concern of a parent for their child's education, I can't help but wonder...why can't every student have a shot at a "good" school? In a school system where most of the students are in poverty, it doesn't take much research to figure out that there are high-performing schools, and low performing schools in BCPSS. It seems that all of the spots at the high-performing are coveted: student positions, teacher positions, administrative positions. Why can' there be room for for more at these high performing schools?

In Whatever It Takes, Paul Tough describes Geoffrey Canada's philosophy of "contamination," the idea that if a large number of students and families are performing well, they will positively influence all of the other families and students in the area. Doesn't this sound a little bit like what Alonso is trying to do with his facilities plan? It certainly seems that his hope is that the culture of high performing schools will rub off on the new student population it takes on.

If you ask a student, or teacher, or administrator, or parent of a school "Why is your school high performing?" I doubt any person's first answer would be, "Because of our adequate supplies and wonderful facility." I am sure that human capital is much higher on the list than tangible materials. However, many individuals whom Alonso's plan will effect seem to be very concerned that moving buildings will be detrimental to their students' achievement. They want a guarantee that their new buildings will be as well maintained as their previous school facilities. Don't we all seem a little nervous? Where is the faith in our human capital and strong school cultures? Surely facilities and supplies bear some importance, but is that what this is really all about?

It seems that we need to decide whether we truly believe in the idea of "contamination." I think that if you asked most individuals they'd tell you that they believe in Geoffrey Canada's mission and vision. But when we try to apply the same philosophy in our own system, we become apprehensive; nervous.

Nervous, however, for good reason. Whenever something new is tried, something is being gambled; something is at stake. What we are gambling in this situation is our students. What is at stake is our students' education. Perhaps our apprehension is derived from the question of whether "contamination" is simply too idealistic.

As the old proverb says "Without risk, there is little reward." Certainly Alonso's plan has it's share of risks; but it seems that if we have faith in what research has told us about this type of plan and in Alonso's vision, the rewards could be great, and not just for a "coveted" few.

The Need for The Arts

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see Living [in theory], original musical based on the stories from DC students.  The musical was produced by an organization called City at Peace, a non-profit that uses the performing arts as a vehicle for social change.  The performance was amazing but even more amazing was how this show was put together. 

            The program begins with the selection of teenagers to work as production crewmembers and artistic director.  Then, an outreach group recruits teens from all parts of the city, from top private schools to runaway shelters.  The recruits write and perform in the play.  The whole experience is empowering for teens because it utilizes skills that aren’t necessarily taught in the classroom: leadership, teamwork, and cross-cultural understanding.  The finished product is rewarding and a little more tangible than a grade. 

With all the talk of school reform, the arts are a topic that is often pushed aside.  This is unfortunate because, as Living [in theory] has shown, the arts can have a profound impact on teens.  City at Peace has been successful in nine cities, including New York and Los Angeles, and could be beneficial to Baltimore as an inexpensive mean of infusing the arts back into our teens’ lives. 

 

For more information about City at Peace, check out their website: http://www.cpnational.org/

Ten things I've learned...

In thinking about teacher quality and retention, I often think about the fact that I will enter my fourth year of teaching next year, a milestone that unfortunately, many urban teachers never make it to. According to the National Education Association, 20 percent of all teachers leave the classroom before they hit the fourth year mark. In urban districts, nearly 50 percent leave before making it to five years. These statistics sadden me in a deep way, as I know that most third and fourth year teachers are at least twice as effective as first year teachers. When I reflect on my effectiveness in my first year compared to my success now, as a third year teacher, I can see that my students are certainly learning much more from me now. It seems like it's only logical to link teacher quality with experience in this way.

Trends in our own city of Baltimore seem to show that many teachers who make it past the three year mark tend to stay with teaching, while most of the "dropouts" occur within those first two years. It seems that maybe teachers who make it past that three year mark begin to learn some things...or experience a certain amount of success...that motivate them to stay with it for longer. As I move toward this milestone, I reflect on the things I've learned that motivate me to stay in the game. While I realize that I have a limited amount of experience and am certainly no Rafe Esquith, if I could share ten things with a second year teacher thinking about leaving their career, it would be these ten:

1. The best advice I could give anyone about how to "manage" your classroom is to pretend that your life depends on whether or not you can get the children to behave in a way that they are able to learn each day. When thinking about this, I find it effective to visualize images from The Lord of the Flies in my head and pretend that I must, must, must get things under control. Understand that you have allies in this battle-other teachers, parents, siblings, and if you're really lucky, maybe even an administrator. However, don't expect anyone else to do the "dirty work" for you. Don't be surprised when you have to go it on your own at times. The most important thing is to keep searching for ways to get through to your students, from the beginning of the year until the very end. After looping with my students from 6th grade until 8th grade, I still have to call parents, give detentions, give rewards, and assign various punishments. There is not a "magic moment" where after two or three months of hard work the students all listen to you and you get to stop being a manager (despite what you may see in the movies). Yes, it gets better. I will admit that most of my students have achieved a level of behavior that I find acceptable for learning on most days, so the "dirty work" that I have to do is less often. However, you can't let your guard down just because things start going well, otherwise you'll lose it. Be consistent. Monday-Thursday isn't enough, Friday counts too. Sweat the small stuff. It's not fun, but if you truly care about student learning and achievement, you have to keep fighting the battle.

2. Don't be afraid to take chances. Sometimes I find myself being hesitant to implement a lesson for fear that the students won't be able to "handle it." I've taught myself to try these types of lessons regardless, and most of the time, I find myself pleasantly surprised. Student led projects, debates, field trips, role playing, and a number of other activities that I was once apprehensive about have proven to be amazing learning experiences for my students.

3. The beast is in the details. Just because a lesson didn't "work" right away doesn't mean that it was a bad idea. You may have missed one small step or minute detail that caused the lesson to crumble. Analyze what might have went wrong, correct it, and try the modified version again. Don't lose faith in you ability, or the ability of your students.

4. Be honest. When I ask my students to speak professionally in class, sans cussing, they often say, "You know that you cuss sometimes Ms. McGlynn." I answer, "Yes, but not in settings where I shouldn't. Personal vs. professional." This statement "personal vs. professional" has become a mantra in my room. Students correct each other by saying the phrase before I do. They respect the idea that nobody has to be on their best behavior all the time, and they'll respect you if you're real. I am not sure if this honesty is required in all populations of students, but I would certainly recommend it in Baltimore City.

5. Don't be too honest. While I encourage being "real" with your students on many levels, there is still a line that shouldn't be crossed. I think as adults, we should have the judgement to know where this line is.

6. Seek out resources. We all have issues with finding adequate capital (be it material, or human) for our classrooms. There are resources out there, and some of the best I've found when I began to "think outside the box." I have many friends that are successful adults and not teachers-I've asked them to come into my classroom and share their gifts with my students. Several of my friends have come in to be "guest speakers" on various topics we're working on in class. A group of students from Michigan State (the college I graduated from) came to work at my school for a week through the Alternative Spring Break program. My students enjoy and gain from these experiences in such a monumental way, it's difficult for me to adequately describe.

7. Get to know your students. I know we've all heard this one before, but I truly find it so important. Let your students get to know you as well. Tell them that you care about them even if it feels silly at first. After some time, they'll start to believe you, and start saying it back.

8. Don't let standardized tests consume you or your lesson planning. It's important that your students do well on them, but its also important that you remain sane in order to be a good teacher (or at least, somewhat sane).

9. Make sure that you're getting enough sleep. Your students will notice when you're tired, and they'll capitalize on it.

10. Laugh. Laugh at yourself, laugh at you kids, laugh at situations. Because if you can't find some humor in all this mess, you're just going to end up very, very depressed.

Schools Closing

In the upcoming weeks, the budget proposal for next year will be decided upon. Dr. Alonso has proposed a specific budget cut, which will close several schools, but expand others, and some will move to new locations. My school, Dr. Samuel L. Banks High School, is one of the ones that is going to be disappearing. This school is a neighborhood school. A lot of students come here, because it is closest for them. For seniors who are graduating, this won't pose much of a problem. However, for other students, this means they must apply to attend another high school. But the nearest high school for some of these students is quite far. What is upsetting is that Dr. Alonso keeps talking about bringing the kids back in to the schools and the fact that he is closing my school and the school we are housed with, Thurgood Marshall, is going to discourage a lot of students. Students are showing that they do not care due to the fact that they hear their school will no longer be in existence.
The one glimmer of hope I see is in some of my art students. Regardless of what is happening next year, I am still letting the art club and some select students leave their mark in the building—drawing designs on the cabinets and walls. The designs some of these students have come up are very interesting. But for some of these students, that little thing is bringing them to school—the chance to leave their mark.

Stimulus Money

In a recent Baltimore Sun article on Education, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants to use the stimulus aid to improve schools and improve education. This article along with Barrack Obama’s ideas about education is bringing teacher effectiveness and student achievement to the forefront. Arne Duncan wants to link stimulus money to student achievement, which may require governors to show data proving teachers are effective. He also suggests extending the school day, the school week, and the school year, so that the students can compete with students from other countries.
Teacher effectiveness and student achievement are now intricately related. In theory, this practice makes perfect sense to me. In education, everyone remains on the same pay scale, based on experience and education, regardless of what is going on in your classroom. Some schools offer stipends for teachers who come on Saturdays and who take on additional responsibility. Still, very few motivated, hardworking teachers feel they are making the money they deserve. Many studies show that an effective teacher is the most important part of improving student achievement. I would love to see a fair and equitable merit based pay system implemented, rewarding teachers who are the most effective. However, when dealing with education, we are dealing with human beings. The product or profits we are measuring are whether students have learned the content and can demonstrate it on a standardized state test. There is so much more involved in student achievement than simply the teacher.

The question becomes finding an equitable way to measure “student gains” and “effectiveness”. My fear is that we will begin to see the achievement gap widen, as teachers strive to work with the best classes, so they can make the most money. What happens to those students who are the furthest behind? Are 7th grade teachers effective if they move students from 2nd grade to 5th grade? Does it matter if the students who fail are taking their test without a calculator in a room that is 105°F?

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/on-education/2009/04/09/will-stimulus-money-lead-to-actual-education-reform.html

Wild Card Post: Professional Development

This is written in response to the post: Classroom Management Be Damned!

I will be honest, I recently attended a professional development day that was run by STUDENTS! And here’s what I learned—WHAT THE STUDENTS SEE WHEN WE TEACH! It was a major eye-opener, and the minute I saw the students recreate scenarios, I was like, “Holy **** this is me sometimes.” I think there need to be more days, FULL days, where we see other points of view and hear about what the STUDENTS might want, because not just the goody-two-shoes were telling us teachers about what they liked. There were at least 2 off-the-wall kids, and one kid who was the invisible kid. I also think that the roles should be reversed—the kids see OUR point of view. Now, I know this sounds very idealistic, but it may help. But I will be honest, if I had seen this at the beginning of the year, I can tell you right now, I probably would’ve felt better when I began the school year, and maybe my classroom management might have been better.
There are times when, yes, Professional Development days seem a bit idiotic. Then again, I am an art teacher, and our PD days are actually quite fun. Each PD day I have gone to, I have gotten free stuff, or there are sales of stuff created by art teachers in their free time—a PD day I went to before November, had a sort of jewelry sale that was hand-made by current and retired art teachers. Also, the topics presented are from teachers who are veterans—more than 5 years—and there’s no talk of BCRs, or when to send students to the office, or anything. Maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s just that I am an art teachers, and we just have fun.

-Moira S.