A Question of Quality

I think we can whole-heartedly agree that having qualified teachers is essential to bridging the achievement gap in our country. This week, I read an interesting dialogue in the NYTimes Education spot titled “Getting Rid of Bad Teachers.” The editors in the article pose the question, “What is the most effective way to identify incompetent teachers and take steps to get rid of them? What would a fair and effective system consist of?” To me, this is a challenging question with many answers; like teacher certification, rating teacher quality and removing “incompetent” teachers from the classroom is subjective.

In our district of Baltimore City, we get rated on specific a performance-based evaluation system that consists of “professional domains,” where the four domains are the following:

Domain One: Planning and Preparation

Domain Two: The Learning Environment

Domain Three: Instruction/Instructional Support

Domain Four: Professional Responsibilities

In these domains, a teacher can be rated Proficient, Satisfactory, or Unsatisfactory. It seems to me like these 3 ratings are arbitrarily assigned in our city schools. My principal, in fact, has not observed me once, and is thus required to rate me satisfactory on my evaluation. How many times over does this occur in other schools? Where overwhelmed administrators do not find the time to conduct formal observations, many of the “incompetent” teachers are continually rated as satisfactory (perhaps even proficient due to their years of experience in the system). Furthermore, I do not think that two “formal” observations over an entire school year can be indicative of a teacher’s quality. To be able to fire incompetent, or in our case “unsatisfactory,” we need to be able to create a uniform policy across the district as to what that entails. Additionally, many teachers who are rated unsatisfactory get Professional Improvement Plans (or PIP’s). Though these are designed to help teachers grow professionally, so that (for example) a teacher rated unsatisfactory in “Learning Environment” should be able to improve upon that before the next formal evaluation. However, at least in my school, PIPs are seen as a disciplinary measure used by principals to threaten teachers, rather than as something beneficial.

Along the same lines, how does one eliminate incompetent teachers from the school district when they have tenure? Does an entire district change the policy about tenure? Should there be a more lenient policy in getting rid of tenured teachers? For in a place like Baltimore City – and I’m sure other urban areas – luring teachers to remain in the positions is something of prime importance. Teachers here receive tenure after 3 short years in the classroom; and though it gives a sense of job security, what happens when that security is lost to many of these veteran teachers in the city? I completely agree that there needs to be some way of “eradicating” unqualified or incompetent teachers from the classrooms, where they can sometimes be doing more harm than good. However, to be able to do that, districts need to adopt a uniform policy on evaluating a teacher’s performance; while also establishing guidelines for eliminating those “incompetent” teachers.

Accountability

During my Independent Reading with my class, I often try to find articles on education and city schools. Recently I read “Trends and Issues Affecting Primary and Secondary Education” by Robert Sexton after it was mentioned during a staff meeting. The website to visit this article is http://www.kltprc.net/books/exploring/PDFs/SEXTON.PDF.
The article focuses very much on assessment and accountability in school systems. It discusses using tests to drive instruction and using instruction to increase test scores and the delicate nature in which this must be done. The article discusses rewards programs, holding high standards for children and utilizing the support of parents and community members.
When I think about this article against the way that Baltimore City Schools functions, I find many similarities with the intentions but am not sure how effective we are in carrying out our plans. We are so assessment driven in our city: people lose jobs because of their low performing outcomes, schools lose their charters and AYP is a word that haunts our city principals. I absolutely agree that assessments and accountability both are essential in a school’s success but I think the weight that we place on assessments and AYP is often too much. I also think that we do a great job presenting ideas and ways to improve our school system but often fall short in the implementation and execution of the proposed plan. I’m not sure what the answer is or if there is one, but I think as a city, we need to focus on consistency and accountability within ourselves as educators before we can place it on the children and families of our city schools.

Posted by Shawn D (REFORMBLOGGER) via Leah's email address because of login issues with REFORM BLOGGER

Too Many Excuses

The first thing I learned when training to be a teacher, was that the most important thing for my students was to set the bar high for their successes and do everything I could to make sure that they met those high standards. As a HSA tested educator, it was very important for me to push my students in my classroom and make sure that they knew that it was going to take hard work and dedication to do well on the test and in my class. In my limited time in the classroom I have made sure that my kids know that I do not accept excuses and that they earn their grades, I do not give them. At each marking period I had high amounts of students with low grades, but still my children were proud of the accomplishments they had made. My kids have drastically increased their passing rate on the HSA, in comparison to our school’s history, and for this I am very proud of them.

With this in mind and student achievement in the forefront I attended my monthly staff meeting. At the end of this meeting some teachers were pulled aside to discuss a specific group of twelfth graders. This group had limited credits and needed to take a number of courses on the computer in order to graduate on time. I found this to be no surprise, since many of kids earn credits through an online recovery program. To my shock, however, was the request of the administration; allow these students to skip class 2 times a week so that they could make up courses that they had failed, during my instructional time. As I stood there dumbfounded I made no comments, instead I shook my head in agreement as my heart said no. I left that meeting thinking of all of the ways our students seem to outdo the requirements of coursework, and tried to make connections to Obama’s goals of having students “career and college ready” when they graduate from high school. I realized that many times in our school system the needs of funding over rule the real lessons of life that our students must learn in order to be ready for the next step. There are online courses, bridge projects, and make-up packets for so many students who think that showing up to school on time and prepared is one of their lowest priorities, when in reality they are some of the most capable of being successful. But, because graduation rates are a huge part of how successful a school is, we must work extra hard to seek these kids out and send them on their way with a diploma.

As an educator I do what I can with parent contacts, letters home, and conduct logs, but until my focus can be on my students who want to learn there will never be enough time to make them ready for college. As for our students who are hunted down to finish graduation requirements, we are not preparing them for the real world. Bosses and managers will not call their mom when they do not show up to work, or give them extra hours because they decided to come in late. I do not have an answer for this problem, but I do know that if we continue to find loopholes for these students, they will be less motivated to earn what they deserve.

Converting Failing Schools into Public Charters-Like Lipstick on a Pig?

Since 2005, Baltimore City has opened up 27 charter schools, some brand-new charters while others were former low-performing public schools. Recently, a heated debate at a city school board meeting arose over the potential closing of Dr. Rayner Browne Academy for poor performance, a first for a charter in Baltimore City (See article). Complete with a student chorus to add a much more personal appeal, the 7 out of 9-person school board voted 4 to revoke the school’s charter and 3 against. Without a majority, the board is reconvening to vote on March 9^th with all 9 members present in what will certainly be a night of high emotion.

One of the article’s comments refers to the national struggle in how charters are created in order to ensure the best possible success. Often, many charters prefer to create a completely new school with a totally new identity complete with hand-picked staff and administrators, mostly new students, and when possible, a glitzy new location. However, due to budget limitations, community advocates, and concerns of current school parents, staff, students, and other stakeholders, most charters- especially in Baltimore City- are challenged with trying to transform a chaotic and low-performing school over a summer. Sometimes new paint, emphatically positive slogans, a new principal (occasionally shuffled in from another failing school), and promises of a better learning environment do little to improve the school. Like President Obama commented during his 2008 campaign, “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.” One non-profit, Baltimore Curriculum Project, takes on the challenge of converting once failing public schools into (hopefully) high performing public charters- Dr. Rayner Browne Academy is one for their five charters. With Browne on the brink of possible closure, two other BCP charters, Collington Square and City Springs, were only recommended for two-year charter extensions with CEO Alonso citing insufficient student progress as a main reason. On a more positive note, Wolfe Street Academy was recommended a five-year extension, joining the ranks of three other city charters.

So the question remains, is Baltimore City doing what is necessary to help ensure that its 27 charters and counting have the support and infrastructure to succeed, especially now given the planned closing of several public schools at the end of this year? Are the charters too fragmented and does the City need to better incorporate larger charter networks like Achievement First and KIPP with more national notoriety? Does the City need to reconsider allowing failing schools to become charters as a last-minute lease? What about when charters- like incumbent congressmen and their constant re-election campaigns-have to focus on structuring their charter renewals applications every few years rather than focusing on the critical issues of their constituents-the school community?

Addressing Homophobia in our Schools

For another class at Johns Hopkins I had to read the article “Homo High” from issue 37 of Teaching Tolerance magazine. The article studies the creation or proposed creation of high schools in New York, Milwaukee, and Chicago that cater to a homosexual, bisexual or transgender population. In the article the proponents of the high schools argue that the schools create a safe haven for students who feel marginalized or unsafe at mainstream schools. According to the article, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) students are seven times more likely to skip school to avoid being bullied. The creation of “gay-friendly” schools offer them an education in an environment where they feel safe and welcomed for who they are. Opponents of the school argue that these schools do not solve the problem of homophobia or bullying, but rather remove or segregate LGBT students away from mainstream students. Opponents argue that the problem lies not with the LGBT students but with the bullies who harass them repeatedly. They would rather see an effort to eliminate bullying in regular schools than create “gay-friendly” schools to educate LGBT students separately from their heterosexual peers.

I agree that creating “gay-friendly” schools does not solve the problem of homophobia and gender orientation bullying in schools. In addition, by offering schools catered towards the LGBT community, mainstream students will not benefit from being exposed to an alternative lifestyle and the understanding that there is nothing wrong with it. If LGBT students are removed from the general classroom, they will continue to be seen as the other and persecuted accordingly.

However, last year I taught a student who was openly gay and underwent some extremely cruel harassment. As a result of the harassment he missed well over half the school year and was very far behind his classmates at the end of the year. If Baltimore had a “gay-friendly” school he would have had a safe place to go to school and finish his education in safety and acceptance. Unfortunately no such place exists in Baltimore and I am not entirely sure that he is still attending school.

Baltimore is a school district where homophobia and bullying stemming from it are widespread and almost systematic in nature. I think that Baltimore City schools would benefit from both the creation of a “gay-friendly” school and a system wide anti-homophobia and bullying initiative. The “gay-friendly” school would offer a short term solution for students who do not feel safe attending their current school and skip school as a result, while the anti-homophobia and bullying initiative would offer a long term solution by addressing the mindsets and attitudes in our students that a cause the bullying and harassment of their LGBT classmates.

Lies My Teacher Told Me

I recently read James W. Loewen’s Lies My Teacher Told Me for the second time. The book highlights the historical inaccuracies that many American history textbooks include and explains why they are included in textbooks even though they are at best misleading and at worst, factually incorrect. Prior to reading the book, I knew that many textbooks related a simplistic view of American history, but I was unprepared for the depth and breadth of the misconceptions. After my second reading I still was struck by the fallacies that many textbooks propagate, but even more so by Loewen’s explanation for why many historical inaccuracies are included in American history textbooks.

Loewen argues that large textbook publishers write books that will be accepted by state ratings boards and other public evaluating bodies. Some of these evaluating bodies have slightly skewed conceptions of American history to say the least. Many textbooks in the South called the Civil War “the War between the States” or “the War for Southern Independence.” Still other states have passed laws preventing textbooks from including anything but a lily-white version of American history. I find it hard to believe that the groups responsible for choosing the text that thousands of children will use would consciously decide to limit the information that they are given, especially when that version of history might disenfranchise a significant portion of our students.

As a history teacher I have to decide: toe the line and teach the standardized version of American history, or find new texts that examine the “dark areas” of American history. It is a lot more work to go and find new and independent texts, but teaching a whitewashed version of American history is not an option because it is not American history. It would be more similar to teaching “the American Dream” where nothing bad ever happened, no one ever made the wrong decision. Teaching in Baltimore City makes it all the more crucial to introduce our students to a wider version of American history. Many of our students arrive at school already underserved and marginalized; it would be a crime to restrict the information they are provided with in the classroom.

Funding as Fuel

Recently I re-read Jonathan Kozol’s Savage Inequalities, in which he outlines the alarming disparities present in our schools. I have read other books by Kozol-- Shame of a Nation and Letters to A Young Teacher—and readily nod my head in agreement as he details the particular challenges of advancing student achievement in historically under-funded school districts.

This week I discussed the book with fellow teachers and once again rehashed the tragedies of many urban school districts. As we rehearsed familiar lines, I began to really think about the factors that led to this mess in the first place. Is it an issue of teacher quality? Funding? Parenting? Community? Year after year passes with parents, politicians, and principals passing the buck when all the while our students are entering the world without the requisite knowledge and skills to succeed.

One of the recurring points in Kozol’s book, and what I discussed with other Baltimore City teachers, was the base issue of school funding. Per pupil allocation varies dramatically across states, with low-performing schools receiving the least funds, in many cases, per student. Other factors aside—and there are many of them—this puts those students at a stark disadvantage straight out of the gate. Where a community itself is resource-poor, its schools will reflect that. To pretend that all students have an equal shot at success is to deny the reality that we do not provide the same starting point.

Yet, I find it fascinating that so many tenets of school reform continue to operate under the guise of a meritocracy. Indeed, it seems to be how we define ourselves as a nation. From Horatio Alger on up, we insist that the American Dream is within reach if you simply work hard enough. Pull up your bootstraps, pull out the books, and one day you too will be privy to all the benefits of our nation.

This sort of philosophy manifests itself in school incentives, standards-based testing, and pay for performance. We insist that if schools work hard enough they will meet with success, and when they meet with success there will be rewards. On the flip side, if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain, there will be consequences. We seem to collectively buy into this philosophy of prizes and punishments (and I fully own up to loving the ideas of standards and accountability…who could argue with those things?) Yet, the underlying fact remains: these standards are pressed upon communities who have never, from day 1, been operating with the same resources.

If we insist on funding our schools based on lop-sided tax brackets, if we continue to insist that it’s every man for himself up until the day of Judgment—test day—then we will never reconcile the competing philosophies that have fueled the current system of inequalities.

Time on Task

In the world of education, it seems as though the phrase "time on task" makes its way into nearly every conversation on school reform. "Well, if we could just increase our students' time in the classroom working on material, then we could make up the deficits." Funny, then, that when inclement weather overwhelms districts as it has recently across much of the mid-Atlantic, the conversation turns to how many days we can afford to add to the end of the school year, how we can avoid cancelling Spring Break, how we aren't moving test dates despite the drastic drop in time on task.

And yet we have evidence to support the idea that a longer school day or school year would increase learning in much the same ways as increasing teacher quality or reduction of class sizes (Time for School). Quite a conundrum...

So in the event that a district suffers from substantial weather irregularities or severe weather events, what do we do? Forget increasing time on task--how do we maintain it? Do we hold after school meetings or study sessions on the weekends, assign more homework or become more drill sergeant like in the classroom? Or do we chalk it up to circumstances outside of our control and hunker down though we have on the inside already admitted defeat?

In the larger context of longer school years, the data showing the positives of more time on task are countered by the vocal opponents--tourism industries, some politicians, the expense, and most interestingly many teachers. It would seem that in the face of evidence and real experience regarding the benefits of longer school years, teachers, those dedicated to the success of students, would be among the strongest supporters of change. But we can't cut in to our summer vacation too drastically...

Elected School Boards...So goes the nation; why not Baltimore?

In a press release dated July 8, 2009, the Maryland State Department of Education announced its search for candidates interested in serving on the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners. The board is “responsible for raising the level of academic achievement of the students in the Baltimore City Public School System, improving the management and administration of the city’s public school system, and is held accountable for the academic achievement of the public school students in Baltimore City.”

According to the Maryland State Department of Education, the current school board submits its recommendations based on the field of candidates to the mayor and the governor. Joint approval by both public officials is required for an appointment to be made.

The criteria for the selection is that candidates must be at least eighteen years old; demonstrate managerial expertise in the administration of a large business or government entity; have knowledge or expertise in education; have a child in the school system as of the appointment date; and /or have knowledge of the education of children with disabilities. Applicants must submit a letter which addresses their strengths and qualifications for the position, provide proof of city residency, and provide three letters of recommendation. Indeed, a cursory review of the background of city school board members indicates that they fulfill the requirements for office.

On February 12, 2007, Baltimore City representatives Holten, Reisinger, and Welch submitted Council Bill 07-0251R requesting an Investigative Hearing on an Elected School Board. In the subtext for the bill, Holten et al. state that 96% of all school board members in the United States are elected to their positions rather than appointed. The movement failed.

On September 29, 1984, the NAACP announced its support for a charter amendment that called for elected rather than appointed school board members. In an article in the Baltimore AfroAmerican newspaper, the NAACP cited the predominance of elected school boards across the country, the inherent political process associated with an appointed school board, and the fact that school board members seemed “more responsive to an active constituency” when elected rather than appointed. In Baltimore City, the movement failed.

By 2004, ten of twenty-four subdivisions in Maryland have partially elected school boards; not so Baltimore.

In July, 2008 a coalition of parents, teachers, and education supporters lobbied the Annapolis legislature for the transition to at least a partially appointed school board. This emotionally laden issue polarizes educator and politician alike. In defense of an elected school board, BTU president Marietta English, “called the appointed board ‘a monster’ that created a budget deficit several years ago.” In response to the issue, Senate President Thomas (Mike) Miller said, “If I go to hell, it’s going to be because I created an elected school board.”

In an article published by The National School Boards Association, researchers Tim Waters and Robert Mazzano of the MidContinent Research for Education and Learning (MREL) reported on the results of a study on the efficacy of school boards. Waters and Mazzano noted a strong “positive correlation between district leadership and student achievement.” When there was “clear alignment of board, district, and school efforts in support of non-negotiable goals” and the board members “ensure these goals remain the primary focus of the district’s efforts and that no other initiatives detract attention or resources from accomplishing these goals,” a high level of student achievement will occur. Is this scenario possible when school board members owe their appointments to the mayor and governor and do not directly represent the interests of constituents?

The election process guarantees a field of candidates who demonstrate leadership, interest, and initiative in serving the public. More importantly, the public has an independent voice in determining the strategic direction of education (and its children) despite short-term, special interest, stop gap measures driven by the political flavor of the day.

It behooves Baltimoreans to ask yet one more time: What makes us so different from the rest of the country that we still have appointed school boards?

A Lithuanian's (controversial) Perspective on American Education

Recently, I was having dinner with a friend of a friend, originally from Lithuania, hence the title of this post, but now an American citizen who has lived here for well over 15 years. He was one of those straight shooters that was looking for interesting dinner talk, which is something I can appreciate because I don't like vapid conversation.

Anyway, he brought with him an interesting perspective on his educational upbringing in Lithuania and his criticisms of America's education system:

1. He believes serious tracking should be done in schools and that students should not be told that with hard work and perseverance they can reach their goals because that's simply not true. He argues that they should be given an honest assessment of what their prospects are and then guided to certain fields of study, whether that may be higher education, vocational training, etc.

2. He believes there is not enough high-level analysis or critical thinking in American education. He claimed that during his schooling in Lithuania, most of his assessments were in the form of essays and involved critical thinking. He criticized multiple-choice testing as a stupid form of assessment.

The first point is interesting but we can argue for hours on American ideals and the American dream. Also, I wouldn't know how to keep students motivated and produce productive citizens after draining them of their hopes and dreams.

But it was the second point that really hit me. He described multiple-choice questions and that type of learning as "eliminating the wrong answers." Because students are busy deciding what isn't the answer, they forget to look for what is. The deep thought and critical analysis isn't there. What's more, I thought of the way I make my decisions, and much of how I decide, because I have trouble making decisions, is eliminating choices I definitely don't want. This concept really resonated with me and made me think of how this kind of "train of thought" is pretty troublesome.

Obviously from a logistical standpoint, multiple-choice and standardized tests are great because results are easy to tabulate. It's hard to compare student progress when you are subjectively grading essays. We need to find a nice balance between the two and make sure our students don't become decision-eliminators instead of decision-makers.

The Purpose of Schooling

"...This is an intolerable situation. Illiteracy is not a fact of life, but a consequence of inaction on the part of governments and societies. Its consequences are pervasive and powerful. If we wish to combat poverty, injustice and the violence that so often results from them, we must begin by mobilizing minds through education and literacy."

-Former UNESCO Director-General Frederico Mayor

Two weeks ago, I attended a meeting for schools in which a variety of employees were present including a mix of teachers and administrators. In an early session, the presenter asked what I thought was a pretty common question. As she addressed the group, she asked, "Why do we offer students advanced courses in school?" Around the room, a low murmur of voices arose as people conversed with their neighbors. People began to tentatively offer their suggestions--to provide our students with challenges, to prepare them for college, to gain college credits, to raise expectations for all involved. The presenter then asked what our measures of success would be if not a single student passed an advanced placement exam, for example. Now the room fumbled for answers, eventually deciding that the experience was important for students.

Our presenter then began to speak to us. She said that 30 years ago, to be a fully functioning adult it was necessary to be on a 10th grade reading level. On a 10th grade level, you could read a military text, read newspapers, and fill out your tax forms. She then said that in the past 30 years, times had changed and that now to be a fully functioning adult it was necessary to be on a 15th grade reading level. She said that every time she asks a group about the purpose of advanced courses, she hears answers like college credit and preparation. Her challenge to us was to think about how necessary advanced courses are for life, how our job as educators is to prepare students not only for college and work but also for their daily lives.

For the past few weeks, this conversation has haunted me. I find myself looking for information often. One source I found reports some very eye-opening statistics (Literacy Statistics). The article estimates that 1 in 5 American adults cannot read beyond a 5th grade reading level. On average, it reads, Americans watch over 5000 hours of television (more time than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree) before entering kindergarten. Only 10% of the American population account for over 70% of the nation's reading. What's more, it reads, there is a strong correlation between daily reading time and success in school and on tests; the top 2% of students read more than 65 minutes a day while the bottom 10% read for less than 1/10 of a minute. In doing only a few minutes of research, one can find hundreds of similar statistics--our students do poorly in comparison to other countries on tests, our teachers have difficulty with exams that other nations' students must pass to matriculate.

As a teacher at a school with a college and career focus, I have thought a lot and spoken a lot to students about pushing toward higher education. I work to connect our daily learning to college and career fields and success. After hearing this presenter, however, I am beginning to zoom out, to see my field in an even broader and more urgent context. If I am not successful with my students in reaching our goals, my students may not only be unprepared for college and career, they may be unprepared to file their taxes or complete a job application. I feel invigorated and rededicated to the purpose of my profession--preparing literate adults for today's world and successful tomorrows.

High School of Choice

From ninth to twelfth grade I attended a large, comprehensive, “neighborhood” school, but I also had no other option. My high school had about 1200 students and it was the only high school in my city. Eighth grade students looking at going to high school next year in Baltimore will have a variety of schools to choose from instead of being forced to go to their neighborhood school if their grades aren’t high enough for the entrance requirements of application schools. So why did Baltimore move away from the neighborhood high school model? According to City Schools CEO, Andres Alonso, “The goal is to have a portfolio of schools that provide different options to every student in the city. But every single one of them needs to be an effective option.” Check out the whole story at "More Choices for Baltimore 8th-Graders".

The comprehensive high schools in Baltimore just weren’t working. There were plenty of safety issues within the schools and teaching and learning were not effectively happening. Now large schools have been broken into smaller schools, many times still within the same building, but with different principals. There are four remaining that have seen declines in enrollment, but still have about 1000 students. Initially when I came to Baltimore I didn’t think that it was a good idea to still have these large schools in the city; they were the schools freshmen would attend because they couldn’t get in elsewhere. However, now things are changing.

Eighth grade students are now able to apply for any high school in the city. Except for the schools with entrance requirements, all others will do a lottery drawing if they have more applicants than available spots, including the four comprehensive high schools. This will hopefully allow eighth grade students to have some buy-in to their school, whatever the size of it. Yes, smaller high schools may not have as many extracurricular or elective options, but they can offer specialized curricula that when done well will allow students with particular interests and skills to get a head start in these fields before college. Students and their parents will now have the chance to decide what they are really looking for in a school, which will challenge schools to make sure they have something to attract new students as well as the effectiveness that Alonso is expecting to not be shut down.

Ultimately, it is all about our students learning. The city needs to continue to design and maintain schools that accomplish that goal. If our freshmen keep dropping out before graduation and our seniors keep graduating with an eighth grade education, changes need to continue to happen.

Obama Seeking “Sweeping Change” to NCLB

According to Sunday’s press conference with President Obama, the No Child Left Behind Act is about to get a whole lot of changes. Although no specific details have been voted on by Congress, the Obama administration promises reform on how schools are judged to be succeeding or failing, as well as get rid of the 2014 deadline for all students to be academically proficient. The new plan is said to be differentiated for schools in chaos or critical conditions and will be based on academic gains instead of whether or not “adequate yearly progress” has been made. The funds allotted to schools and districts will no longer follow the formulas set by the Bush administration, and will be divvied up by how well student data looks from teachers and schools. The plan is supposed to hold teachers and school districts more accountable for the success of their children instead of giving out money in a form of entitlement.

As an educator in a low performing school, the thing I fear most is the accountability that is being enforced on the teachers. Obama’s administration wants to include test scores in teacher evaluations, which could have huge impacts on teacher ratings. While I understand the importance of teachers performing well and those skills showing on standardized tests, I am afraid that the differentiation that is being focused on will not be as diverse as they expect. For example, my school’s High School Assessment Scores are far below meeting AYP standards. However, our test scores in my subject have grown exponentially in the past couple of years. In comparison to other city schools, even though there has been big growth, we still look like we are performing far below what is necessary. I know that this plan wants to stress the importance of diversity, but to what level will a federal government be able to keep track of each schools’ teachers’ performances. I am afraid that even with the changes, neighborhood schools that are starting to improve will still get demeaning labels and budget cuts and in exchange charter schools will continue to receive more funding. Many of my students have no other option than to attend my neighborhood school, and lack the initiative or knowledge to get into these transformational programs. Therefore, many of my students will either give up or drop out. If some drastic change does not occur to the Reform Act, I am afraid that many of my students will lose their way in a broken system.

"Teaching to the Needs of the World."

“Time changes things, which means what was isn’t…” Has time changed or shifted the focus of the students we teach?

I came across a blog on Syracus.com entitled, “Teaching Students Skills that Fit the World.” (http://blog.syracuse.com/opinion/2010/01/teaching_students_skills_that.html) In a nutshell, the article discussed a shift in the learner needs from basic skills to basic analysis and application. In such an information driven, speedy environment, billions of dollars are spent in solving efficiency and energy issues, engineering focused revisions, and revamps that would eventually save money. As a teacher, is there ever a point where we should shift from teaching basic skills such as arithmetic, writing, and reading to teaching advance skills of analysis, interpretation, and eventual application?

“We can teach as many students as we want how to be great engineers, but if they do not know how to identify a problem and develop a solution, if they need somebody to tell them what to do, if they are not proactive and visionary, and if they cannot apply their skills and abilities to create true value, then they will bring minimal benefit to a prospective employer and our economy in general.” Good education is about fitting the needs of the world into the brains of our youth.

School Reform... Just Give Me the Money!

I recently read the article from the Baltimore Sun entitled , “Several senators oppose Grasmick's school reform plan," (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/md-education-briefing0121,0,5383465.story) which outlined Nancy Grasmick’s plan to change tenure policies and compensation plans in order to become “more competitive” for money being awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. This money is awarded to states with the most progressive school policies. But one must question the “cart before the horse” mentality that Superintendent Grasmick has created as it relates to school reform. The importance for school reform is not rooted in money being awarded for said policies, but for the necessity of Maryland students to walk away with a quality education. Superintendent Grasmick was quoted in saying, “"We need to show tangible efforts, not just good intentions.” She deemed these efforts necessary now when money is at stake; however, the grassroots of Urban reform efforts and polices are rooted in the necessity that students need quality education to become quality citizens. Money should not inform the efforts to propose a better quality education to our resident students, it should just aid in the transition that schools need to become more competent.

Maryland was one of ten states that did not apply for the federal funding during the first round of applications; this says to me that even if reform efforts are sought in order to get this funding, we are less than prepared to offer a convincing reform plan to the U.S. Department of Education. Reform is not an overnight analysis and revamping. It takes time, identification, and attention to detail in order to effectively maneuver a change within a school district drastically in need of providing quality education to its substituents. With Nancy Grasmick missing one deadline, and needing to meet another, her attention to detail will have to be sacrificed for the necessity to meet deadlines. Is this not counterproductive to very essence of school reform?

With so much money at stake for convincing, progressive school plans, is a slight revision in two or three policies enough to convince the decision makers that we are worth the investments they are offering?

The Value of Teaching - Repost

**This post had so many junk comments, it was easier to delete the original and repost it than to delete all the comments.*

On April 23^rd, the Baltimore Sun published an article that described a gap between the number of math and science teachers being produced in Maryland and the number required by public schools (“Ideas for Closing Teacher Gap”, http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.stem23apr23,0,558895.story). One of the key respondents to this issue was William Kirwan, the chancellor of the University System of Maryland, who is trying to make university presidents put measures in place to curb this problem. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan suggested increased payment for math and science teachers filling positions in particularly tough placements in addition to increased partnerships that would allow individuals in these fields to complete independent research.

A lot of this discussion reminded me of the issue of professionalizing teaching. Right now, districts use certification standards in an attempt to professionalize teaching with mixed results. The issue is that conceptions of teaching are closely tied with cultural values, and that it will be extremely difficult to induce a view of teaching as a distinguished profession without drastic systemic changes. One of the proposed changes in the article was the idea of permitting teachers to conduct independent research through outside partnerships.

Recently I was speaking with a friend who had spent a large amount of time working in the U.S. Finnish Embassy. She discussed with me how the country had basically overhauled its entire system of governance with a view towards promoting technology and education. As a result, Finland has attained one of the most distinguished education systems in the world. My friend was telling me that the top graduates from the top colleges actually seek employment as teachers. The fact that there is a teacher shortage and that we need to try to create extra incentives towards teaching demonstrates that indeed the teaching profession is not as distinguished as it could be and that this may be the result of a larger tendency to delegitimize education and teaching.

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.