Thursday, December 08, 2016
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Is the American education system taking creativity away?
I posted a brief comment regarding NCLB and creativity at Helium. The link below will take you to that post. Thanks for taking a look at this short piece.
Is the American education system taking creativity away? - Helium
Technorati Tags: NCLB, education, creativity
Is the American education system taking creativity away? - Helium
Technorati Tags: NCLB, education, creativity
Friday, February 09, 2007
No Child Left Behind
You might want to check out the following post at Helium.com:
Understanding the "No child left behind" law - Helium
Understanding the "No child left behind" law - Helium
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Parental Involvment and Literacy
Check out this post at Helium.
The importance of parental involvement in improving a childs literacy - Helium
The importance of parental involvement in improving a childs literacy - Helium
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
A school finds a singular road to academic success - Los Angeles Times
A school finds a singular road to academic success - Los Angeles Times
This is the most hopeful I have been in a long time. It is not about raising standards, placing more of a burden on schools to prepare students for tests, or doing the same old thing that has been done before. To change schools one must change expectations. That means that teacher expectations must change; expectations of students and of the quality of their work. Student expectations must also change but in order to create a context in which student attitudes can change, teachers must take the first step. What a concept. I am sharing this article with all three of my teacher preparation classes this semester.
This is the most hopeful I have been in a long time. It is not about raising standards, placing more of a burden on schools to prepare students for tests, or doing the same old thing that has been done before. To change schools one must change expectations. That means that teacher expectations must change; expectations of students and of the quality of their work. Student expectations must also change but in order to create a context in which student attitudes can change, teachers must take the first step. What a concept. I am sharing this article with all three of my teacher preparation classes this semester.
Education Week: Standards Get Boost on the Hill
Education Week: Standards Get Boost on the Hill
Oh my, what's next. States are not meeting current standards set by the Republican Congress through the No Child Left Behind Act so the solution must be to create even tougher standards to make sure that we are completely fair in our attempt to reduce everyone to the same, to engage in totalization of the self in the name of rigor. I simply don't get it. NCLB is broke and needs fixing, that is for sure. But the answer is not to get even tougher. Perhaps, and this might just be a radical thought, we ought to think more in terms of what the real objective might be. If the objective is to separate and categorize members of our democratic republic, then by all means continue along the lines we have laid out--indeed get tougher for that will separate and categorize far faster than anything else we could do. But if the objective is to help school children become active, critical participants in our democracy, then we must begin to think boldly--GOOD TEACHING INDEED TAKES CARE OF BAD TESTING. What about concentrating our efforts into inviting students into the classroom as active, engaged participants in areas of study. Let children practice history, become scientists, find real and practical uses for mathematics, and read as adults read, for the sake of reading alone. Then, and only then, can we learn to celebrate the diversity of our classrooms, hope to improve schools and find that our students are far smarter than NCLB gives them credit for. Until then, just shout LEARN and don't spare the rod either.
Oh my, what's next. States are not meeting current standards set by the Republican Congress through the No Child Left Behind Act so the solution must be to create even tougher standards to make sure that we are completely fair in our attempt to reduce everyone to the same, to engage in totalization of the self in the name of rigor. I simply don't get it. NCLB is broke and needs fixing, that is for sure. But the answer is not to get even tougher. Perhaps, and this might just be a radical thought, we ought to think more in terms of what the real objective might be. If the objective is to separate and categorize members of our democratic republic, then by all means continue along the lines we have laid out--indeed get tougher for that will separate and categorize far faster than anything else we could do. But if the objective is to help school children become active, critical participants in our democracy, then we must begin to think boldly--GOOD TEACHING INDEED TAKES CARE OF BAD TESTING. What about concentrating our efforts into inviting students into the classroom as active, engaged participants in areas of study. Let children practice history, become scientists, find real and practical uses for mathematics, and read as adults read, for the sake of reading alone. Then, and only then, can we learn to celebrate the diversity of our classrooms, hope to improve schools and find that our students are far smarter than NCLB gives them credit for. Until then, just shout LEARN and don't spare the rod either.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
READ THIS BOOK and teach kids to write.
My book is now out and wow Katie and I are very excited. It is available at Amazon at a pre-publication discount but I have no idea how long that will last.
Teaching Writing in the Inclusive Classroom: Strategies and Skills for All Students, Grades 6 - 12
Teaching Writing in the Inclusive Classroom offers teachers in grades 6-12 everything they need to help all students develop basic writing skills, relate writing to real-life tasks, and explore writing as a creative and enjoyable practice. Filled with fifty engaging activities, this hands-on resource is an important and valuable tool that can supplement any teacher's approach to writing instruction. Teaching Writing in the Inclusive Classroom offers strategies based on the proven TIP Writing Process that is designed to individualize the writing process by focusing on the specific needs of each student within the classroom.
Editorial ReviewsReview
"A very teacher-friendly guide to teaching writing . . . give teachers ample ways to entice students into sharing their own stories and experiences."--Donna Ogle, Ed.D., professor,
"Throughout this book, teachers are encouraged to clarify their own beliefs about the writing process as well as belief in the potential of each child to find their own unique 'voice' through writing."--Beverly Otto, Ph.D., professor, teacher education and author, Language Development in Early Childhood
"A must-have for any individual interested in providing access to appropriate educational opportunities for all students, especially for students who struggle with academics."--Peggy A. Duran-Klenclo, M.Ed., J.D, coordinator, student support services, Region 17 Education Service Center,
"Contains practical approaches for teaching our students to become better writers . . . I wholeheartedly recommend this book."--Melvina Adams, literacy teacher,
Friday, September 08, 2006
Literacy Educators and the Public Deeply Concerned about NCLB
This piece reports on a survey of English teachers in the United States regarding NCLB. 76% of the respondents believed that NCLB has had a negative impact on the teaching of English and literacy in the US. The only thing that is surprising about this number is that it is so small. Here is the real problem as I see it. NCLB strives toward differentiated instruction based on data that is carefully and systematically analyzed by instructional teams within schools. So far this is a good thing. The danger arises when districts, both large and small, begin to provide teachers with mandates for teaching with little or no support. Furthermore, NCLB restricts what counts as data to "sound science" which is a buzz word that data that does not rely on teacher input or judgment. Testing results are all that count as data.
Teaching is a profoundly human activity. Well trained, competent professionals must be expected to make judgments about students, curriculum and the like. Of course testing results must be considered but so must student produced work, journals, reflections, projects as well as teacher observations and student teacher interactions. Without the human factor at play teaching and learning is reduced to a mechanistic, profoundly undemocratic activity that is uninspiring at best.
So let's use data to drive instructional decisions, but let's make those decisions based on the broadest data set available.
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