According to a new study, "structured" recess helps low-income kids "transition" back to learning environments and reduces bullying, See here.
So now we have evidence that poor kids need
surveillance when on the playground and can't be trusted to control themselves. I wonder if using the descriptor "low income" correlates with minority students?
And if it does, is this study really saying that minority students need even more monitoring. So what about middle-class white kids? I guess we have to assume that "free play" is still acceptable.
"Playworks is used in 23 cities at more than 300 schools serving low-income students."
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
No Social Studies for You!
After reading this article I decided to send a note to the "journalist" responsible for the above article.
"Steve,
Please follow this article up by talking to some National Council of Social Studies people (I am one). This is the most ridiculous proposal. Spending more time on Math instruction will have no affect on students' learning. It may temporarily raise test scores but this rise is not an indication of deep learning. However, these students will never get the time back to study social studies. This is educational malpractice. Denying students a rich curriculum in favor of tests scores should cost the superintendent his job. There is so much more to this story. Please call me.
Tim"
Here is his response.
"Thank you for reading and writing, Dr. Slekar. The article already includes a lot of commenst from 3 outside edu experts who pan this idea. I do not plan a follow up. If you would like to write a commentary on this issue, I invite you to contact our letters editor Bob Orenstein @ robert.orenstein@mcall.com."
So, in other words, "since we had three 'experts' offer limited resistance to this policy change the The Morning Call and I did our job. We have no need to actually dig deeply into such a drastic and shortsighted policy change. Our job is done!"
No. Your job is not even close to done. You just exposed the misuse of taxpayer monies by a school superintendent and a school board. Your readers need to know more now. This is a violation of the public trust. Any superintendent of schools (C. Russell Mayo) and board of directors that would allow for the removal of the social studies needs to be investigated further. Social Studies is the only subject devoted to understanding how living in a democracy requires a deep knowledge of history geography, civics, etc. Without a deep knowledge in these subjects students will have no ability to carry out their civic duty to protect democracy. In fact not studying these topics will erode a student's ability to criticize their government. Oh wait. Maybe that's what is really going on here? Allentown schools are actively dumbing down the public school children and thereby creating a more apathetic citizenry willing to allow pseudo-experts to make horrendous policy decisions that will favor only those that are in power.
This is the story! And as the media you owe the public a full exposure of the misuse of taxpayer monies and the plan to deny the public school students of Allentown the study of active citizenship—the social studies.
Move Along! Nothing to See here!
I
am close to the edge! And from here the picture is perfectly clear.
The
American public system of education is being systematically, and purposely
destroyed. This is not a statement from someone who routinely sees crop circles.
I am a teacher and I see it clearly--just like Diane Ravitch, Linda Darling
Hammond, Nancy Flanagan, Valerie Strauss, Anthony Cody, Stephen Krashen, Susan Ohanian, Mike Klonsky, Jesse
Turner, Mark Naison, Alfie Kohn, Marion Brady, Parents Across
America, United
Opt Out National, Save Our Schools, Children are More than Test Scores, Fair Test
and a host of other individuals and groups.
However,
I feel like we are in the middle of a crime scene surrounded by yellow tape and
the "liberal media" is standing on the outside with a bull horn
announcing, "Move along!" "Nothing to see here!"
WTF?
This
is the biggest story in the last 100 years (the death of public education) and
the only media attention it gets is typically dismissive of the voices
screaming for help. Or it receives media attention that continues to push the
corporate reform narrative. For example, big mouth Chris Christie got his
arrogant butt on MSNBC (Morning Joe) last week by "straight talking"
about the need for education reform and how he will not back down even if it
costs him his office. And what did he say? Of course he is "fighting for
the kids of New Jersey." Really? Do the kids of New Jersey have a clue
what will happen to them when Christie is done pushing his corporate reform
agenda?
Every
policy that he supports has been thoroughly dismissed by research.
Choice does not work. Charters don't help. Competition creates harsh learning
climates. Pay for performance doesn't work. Teach for America does nothing.
Using test scores to promote or fire teachers is a deeply flawed statistical
procedure. Destroying the working conditions of teachers actually creates
environments that hinder learning. In other words, Chris Christie's support for
the kids of New Jersey will actually harm them and he is perfectly willing to
risk his office on this platform. How is this possible?
Because,
after he made the comment, MSNBC did not dissect any of his positions on
education policy. Instead, MSNBC used the clip to demonstrate that as a
"straight talker," Christie is popular because he is willing to take
a stand and, get this, more people would "like to have beer with
him." Again WTF?
Is
this all the "liberal media" is capable of doing? This guy and a
bunch of others (Arne Duncan, Andrew Cuomo, Rahm Emanuel, Rick Scott, Scott
Walker, Tom Corbett, Michelle Rhee and the rest of the clown car called
corporate education reform) are actually advocating for the privatization of
the American public school system. A system that is supposed to deliver a free
and equitable education to all children regardless of background, socioeconomic
status, or zip code. A system dedicated to promoting democracy and citizen
participation in the government by educating the masses. Christie and all the
other idiots are selling out America's public schools and all the "liberal
media" can do is comment on how many people would like to have a beer with
him?
Mainstream
"liberal media" (Shultz, Maddow, O'Donnell, etc.) why are you letting this
happen? The corporate reform agenda does not have a single, semi-solid leg to
stand on when it claims to be able to help America's most vulnerable (children).
The evidence is right in front of your eyes. How about changing your tune? As
people walk past the yellow ribbon around the crime scene that is us, the
screaming "status quo" advocates for public schools and the children
that attend them. Use your bullhorn and try this...
DO NOT MOVE ALONG! THERE IS SOMETHING TO SEE HERE! These people are trying to save the American system of public education. You might want to listen to what they have to say.
And if you do this
I'll gladly have a beer with you.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Petrilli (a reformer): Democratic Education may not be for the Poor.
Now I'm sure Mr. Petrilli would like to argue that this is not what he means. So first, here's what he said.
Of course he follows this up by making a comment that he doesn't want poor students to have a boring education. However, does that take away from the above comment that, as a reformer, he appears to state that "Democratic decision-making, self-directed studies, internal motivation, and the like"will not benefit poor children?
Monday, February 27, 2012
@ The Chalk Face
Education Talk Radio.
Show #1 Diane Ravitch
Show #2 Bill Ayers
Show #3 Merit pay for teachers
Show # 4 Testing Toddlers and Leadership "John Kuhn" style.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Talking to Your School Board
Presented to Bellwood Antis School Board, 2/14/12
I am concerned about the future of education in our schools.
Pennsylvania schools are about to adopt a teacher and principal evaluation system that will use the high stakes test scores of children in determining the so called “effectiveness” of our teachers and principals. As you can read in the hand-outs that I have provided (digitally), this will do nothing positive for our children, teachers and principals. There is not a shred of research that supports such a drastic policy decision.
This board needs to understand that teaching to pass ANY high-stakes tests does not provide children with a quality teaching and learning experience.
I am speaking to the board tonight because I fear for the amazing teachers my children have had over the years. For example, last year and this year my daughter has had truly gifted teachers. She comes home and talks about what they did in school without any prompting. She eagerly shares papers and projects completed during the day. She asks questions about the things she learned during the day. She is using technology (on her own) to investigate other questions. She writes her own books. In other words, she in fully engaged.
Here is my Question for the board. What has happened over the last two years that has produced a hunger for learning in my child?
The simple answer is that her teachers care deeply about learning and have helped her develop a love for learning.
This is the heart of quality teaching and it will never be measured on a test. There is no statistical operation capable of measuring a teacher's ability to instill a love for learning.
If Bellwood and other Pennsylvania schools adopt this evaluation system, my daughters’ teachers (IN FACT ALL THE GOOD TEACHERS) will have to change their approach to teaching and learning.
If the pressure for high test scores and the insane notion that "we" should hold teachers accountable for test scores continue to drive policy discussions concerning teacher effectiveness, the most valuable experiences associated with learning will be dismissed. The drive for test scores will suck the life out of teaching and learning.
The politicians and others that are pushing this new evaluation system have decided that they know what's best for our children. This top-down, condescending view of teachers, parents and local schools is disheartening.
If we (citizens, parents, business owners, community members and you the members of this board) care about the quality of our schools, then we need to be talking about the love for learning -- not test scores.
I am asking that The Bellwood-Antis School Board to (and this is directly from the Board’s webpage), “Provide for the education of all children and Set district policies and regulations” that oppose the use of test scores as an evaluation tool for our teachers and principals. Doing anything else would be disregarding all the evidence and research on teaching and learning and the valid use of test scores.
Footnote
This past October, on Long Island New York. 1330 principals (over 73%) signed a position paper in which they refused to allow themselves and their teachers to be evaluated by high stakes test scores and refused millions of dollars in Race to the Top funds. WHY? Because this is what leaders do! What will all of you do?
Thank you for your time.
I am concerned about the future of education in our schools.
Pennsylvania schools are about to adopt a teacher and principal evaluation system that will use the high stakes test scores of children in determining the so called “effectiveness” of our teachers and principals. As you can read in the hand-outs that I have provided (digitally), this will do nothing positive for our children, teachers and principals. There is not a shred of research that supports such a drastic policy decision.
This board needs to understand that teaching to pass ANY high-stakes tests does not provide children with a quality teaching and learning experience.
I am speaking to the board tonight because I fear for the amazing teachers my children have had over the years. For example, last year and this year my daughter has had truly gifted teachers. She comes home and talks about what they did in school without any prompting. She eagerly shares papers and projects completed during the day. She asks questions about the things she learned during the day. She is using technology (on her own) to investigate other questions. She writes her own books. In other words, she in fully engaged.
Here is my Question for the board. What has happened over the last two years that has produced a hunger for learning in my child?
The simple answer is that her teachers care deeply about learning and have helped her develop a love for learning.
This is the heart of quality teaching and it will never be measured on a test. There is no statistical operation capable of measuring a teacher's ability to instill a love for learning.
If Bellwood and other Pennsylvania schools adopt this evaluation system, my daughters’ teachers (IN FACT ALL THE GOOD TEACHERS) will have to change their approach to teaching and learning.
If the pressure for high test scores and the insane notion that "we" should hold teachers accountable for test scores continue to drive policy discussions concerning teacher effectiveness, the most valuable experiences associated with learning will be dismissed. The drive for test scores will suck the life out of teaching and learning.
The politicians and others that are pushing this new evaluation system have decided that they know what's best for our children. This top-down, condescending view of teachers, parents and local schools is disheartening.
If we (citizens, parents, business owners, community members and you the members of this board) care about the quality of our schools, then we need to be talking about the love for learning -- not test scores.
I am asking that The Bellwood-Antis School Board to (and this is directly from the Board’s webpage), “Provide for the education of all children and Set district policies and regulations” that oppose the use of test scores as an evaluation tool for our teachers and principals. Doing anything else would be disregarding all the evidence and research on teaching and learning and the valid use of test scores.
Footnote
This past October, on Long Island New York. 1330 principals (over 73%) signed a position paper in which they refused to allow themselves and their teachers to be evaluated by high stakes test scores and refused millions of dollars in Race to the Top funds. WHY? Because this is what leaders do! What will all of you do?
Thank you for your time.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Pennsylvania Parents Helping Public Schools
Dear Pennsylvania Parents,
We need to take back our public schools. After ten years of No Child Left Behind and PSSAs are you ready for a change? Have you had enough with high stakes testing? Are you tired of watching the great teachers in your districts reduced to test prep managers? Does, “because it’s on the PSSAs” make you cringe? Do you even know what AYP means? Did you know that comprehensive research has demonstrated that PSSA testing can actually hurt kids physically, psychologically, and academically? Did you intend for your child’s scores to be used as experimental data? Did you consent to the research methods being used on your child? Have you had enough?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you might want to know that Pennsylvania law allows parents and children the right to “opt out” of PSSAs. Directly from the PA Code, “If upon inspection of State assessments parents or guardians find the assessment in conflict with their religious belief and wish their students to be excused from the assessment, the right of the parents or guardians will not be denied upon written request to the applicable school district superintendent, charter school chief executive officer or AVTS director.”
Specifically, you must make an appointment with the school to review the PSSA test, sign a confidentiality agreement, review the tests, and write a letter that simply states that participation in PSSAs violates your religious principles. If you’re not sure how PSSAs violate religious principals please be aware that after 10 years of PSSAs childhood anxiety disorders have dramatically risen. Children have been denied a fully comprehensive education. Our children are being used to provide data that will label the child, teacher, school, administrators, and community a failure. This data is being sold to Washington think tanks and other data management organizations. Tax money (our money) has been diverted to testing and data management companies instead of schools and children. What religion supports such a system?
So before March Madness (PSSA testing) begins please take some time to seriously consider the future of your child’s education. Remember, our children only get one chance at a quality education. The PSSAs and the culture of high stakes testing have denied a generation of children a quality education. It is time to put an end to this punitive system. It’s time to allow our teachers to get back to what they do best—teach. It’s time to demand that our public schools be given back to us. It’s time to make sure our children receive the education they deserve. It’s time to OPT OUT!
Sample Letter
Dear Superintendent,
Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(5) I am hereby exercising my right as a parent to have my child excused from any State standardized testing because of religious and philosophical beliefs.
We need to take back our public schools. After ten years of No Child Left Behind and PSSAs are you ready for a change? Have you had enough with high stakes testing? Are you tired of watching the great teachers in your districts reduced to test prep managers? Does, “because it’s on the PSSAs” make you cringe? Do you even know what AYP means? Did you know that comprehensive research has demonstrated that PSSA testing can actually hurt kids physically, psychologically, and academically? Did you intend for your child’s scores to be used as experimental data? Did you consent to the research methods being used on your child? Have you had enough?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you might want to know that Pennsylvania law allows parents and children the right to “opt out” of PSSAs. Directly from the PA Code, “If upon inspection of State assessments parents or guardians find the assessment in conflict with their religious belief and wish their students to be excused from the assessment, the right of the parents or guardians will not be denied upon written request to the applicable school district superintendent, charter school chief executive officer or AVTS director.”
Specifically, you must make an appointment with the school to review the PSSA test, sign a confidentiality agreement, review the tests, and write a letter that simply states that participation in PSSAs violates your religious principles. If you’re not sure how PSSAs violate religious principals please be aware that after 10 years of PSSAs childhood anxiety disorders have dramatically risen. Children have been denied a fully comprehensive education. Our children are being used to provide data that will label the child, teacher, school, administrators, and community a failure. This data is being sold to Washington think tanks and other data management organizations. Tax money (our money) has been diverted to testing and data management companies instead of schools and children. What religion supports such a system?
So before March Madness (PSSA testing) begins please take some time to seriously consider the future of your child’s education. Remember, our children only get one chance at a quality education. The PSSAs and the culture of high stakes testing have denied a generation of children a quality education. It is time to put an end to this punitive system. It’s time to allow our teachers to get back to what they do best—teach. It’s time to demand that our public schools be given back to us. It’s time to make sure our children receive the education they deserve. It’s time to OPT OUT!
Sample Letter
Dear Superintendent,
Pursuant to Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 4, section 4.4 (d)(5) I am hereby exercising my right as a parent to have my child excused from any State standardized testing because of religious and philosophical beliefs.
Tim Slekar is an administrator with http://unitedoptout.com/. This grassroots organization is committed to ending punitive high stakes testing and restoring local control of public schools.
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