Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Sense-less waste of life.

My heart mourns for all the people of Newton, CT.  The town, the families, the school will forever be changed.  There are not words to express sympathy for this cruel, terrible and sense-less act.  There are no words that can or will make any of it better for those that are lost and those that lost.  The only thing that I can say is my heart mourns for and with you all.  God bless.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thinking.

I have been thinking about what "I do" with my life and time.  I have come to the conclusion that somethings I do actually do not matter, and some things matter in the extreme.

There is a lot of "talk" about education.  Education is personal.  If  you are a person that is motivated to learn, then you will learn, against all odds.  Internal or intrinsic motivation is what makes the difference.  As a parent and as an educator, I have found that the best way for young people to succeed in life is to build internal motivation.  The question is "how do we do that?"  I don't think that we do that by giving out candy.  We now live in an entitlement society that has been created, in some cases, by our educational system.  Rewarding students for doing what is expected feeds this entitlement society.  We should be rewarding students who go above and beyond.  No one in the corporate world is rewarded for showing up at work.  A person is rewarded with a raise, when they have accomplished something that is more that just "showing up."

We are establishing beliefs in young people that they are "entitled" to have the same things that a person (from a previous generation) has gained through initiative, determination, and just plain hard work. 

I personally still believe in the American Dream, although it is dying.  The American Dream was that you could achieve on your own hard work and labor.  The dream was that you could have a good life and live free, through the fruits of your hard work and take pride in that work, because you did it, no one did it for you. We do not recognize that anymore. 

We do not teach our young people that through failure, you can develop the skills to overcome obstacles to your success.  Some of those skills would be determination, persistence, resolve, and a belief in themselves that they can overcome "road blocks."  Practice, practice, and practice some more.  No one is recruited by the NBA, NFL or other sports affiliation without putting in years of practice, without overcoming obstacles, without determination.  If schools applied the same determination and motivation that society exhibits for sports toward academics, we would see a huge improvement in our test scores.  It really doesn't matter what test you use, what matters is what you do in the classrooms every day and what happens in that student's life every day.

The classroom is where we, as educators, mold and enhance learning that has been delivered by other teachers, and most importantly, by parents.  There are some students that no matter how much we do as educators, when that student is not with us and does not have supportive parent(s), all of our work is undone. The process starts over every day. Parents are the key to a student's success.  A supportive parent is worth their weight in gold.

Reading is the one thing that anyone can do, at any age, to improve their education.  It takes practice.  When you can read and understand what you are reading the next step is to discuss your reading with others, then formulate your own ideas. . . don't let a "talking head" put words in your mouth.

Well it's for sure that one thing we don't have is a "Superbowl" for professional readers.  We say we want success for students, but are we just "talking the talk" and not "walking the walk?"


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A little light at the end of the tunnel. . . .

Yes, that old joke!  The light is the on-coming train. 

When we stop "passing the buck" in education and start really doing the hard work to make things better, then education will improve.  If we are not "passing the buck" then we are throwing money at the problem and we keep asking "why can't Johnny read?"

I see one of the real issues with students is that they are not being held responsible for their own learning.  I know there are some students who have support and good homes that value education.   Although for the most part, that is becoming more and more of a rarity.  The "talk" in the media is continually negative about teachers.  I posted some time ago, that I am so defeated because the media floods the airways and fiber optics with every negative story that can be found on bad teachers.  I tried to find a number for the total people employed as teachers, I checked the US Census. . .one number I found was approximately 7 million.  WOW! 

Yes, there could be some "bad apples" but not all are, for the most part we are concerned and care about our students.  Society needs to stop playing the "blame game."

I think one of the other issues we need to look at (besides student responsibility) is effective use of time and money.  Let's see, where is our money going???  To programs that are purchased and partially implemented?  To technology that is not maintained?  To training that is obsolete when the teachers get it? 

How is our time being used?  I was interrupted in one class 5 times by PA announcements.  It became quite comical, I would begin a sentence, stop, say another word, stop, and finish the sentence when I and the students had forgotten the beginning of it.  It is really imperative that we start managing our schools better.  Going to school is about learning and it should be emphasized as the end goal.  In many schools it is not emphasized. 

What is the atmosphere of your school?  Is it always a "reward day."  It is okay to interrupt the flow of units and education to reward the students for their good behavior?  When do all the parties turn the school into a circus or an amusement park?  Rewards loose their value when given too often and when the rewards are given for little or no effort, or not for academic achievement.  What message are we sending our students?  It's okay that you can't read, your behavior is great!  Is that what we are saying with meaningless rewards?

We need to get serious.  It's time, perhaps too late for some, for everyone (parents, administrators, support staff, community members, and anyone that is complaining about education), that is involved with a school to get in there with kids, roll up your sleeves and do the hard work!   Your child's teacher is already there.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Solutions?

Okay, so everyone knows that I am a teacher. 

It is a thank-less job. 

I am tired.  I am exhausted, I am stressed, I am physically sick . . .it is only the first nine weeks of school.  I have already gone through 2 doctor's visits and 2 prescriptions for antibiotics.  I have a dehumidifier in my classroom and it is full every day. . .the work environment is adding to my sinus infections, the stress is adding to my sickness. . .

I am a teacher, not a miracle worker.  Everything that is wrong today can not just be fixed by teachers, even though society tells us all the kids problems are the teachers' fault.

Here's a link to an article that elucidates these ideas better than I can. . .

Exhaustion of the American Teacher

As a teacher, if I point out a problem and suggest a viable way to fix the problem, then I am told I am not being professional.  If I object to the way things are being run in our school, then I am told I don't want to reward kids, help kids, etc. 

What I do as a teacher is always based on my students.  I want them all to succeed and when they do I want to reward that success.  What I don't want to do is to teach them that just showing up, socializing with their friends, not doing their work, bullying each other, disrespecting adults and breathing are what they get a reward for doing.

What happened to being proud of doing hard work and taking pride in that work?

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The connection between handwriting, reading and success in school

Once again, I have been reading.  I have witnessed students that have poor handwriting skills that also exhibit poor success in acquisition of new knowledge and of the ability to produce and explain coherently complex thoughts.

That has led me to explore the development and instruction of handwriting.  I have come to the conclusion, through reading multiple studies and research articles that handwriting and learning are definitely  connected.  The connection between handwriting and reading acquisition is definitely evident. Without the acquisition of adequate handwriting skills students will habitually struggle with conveying complex thought on paper and developing an ability to analyze complex thoughts which they read.

I know the argument is (with the development of computer technology) "why teach handwriting, you don't need it."  I object, I believe otherwise.  The physical act of typing on a keyboard is extremely different from handwriting the letters.  The sensory processes that are involved are complex and involves many different areas of the brain to produce handwriting.  The learned processes in the brain that are activated during automatic handwriting leads to the greater ability of the student to produce complex thought.  Without practice and the mastery of handwriting skills the brain struggles with the process of writing, thus using memory that can not be used in more complex higher order thinking.

That being said, the process of cursive writing or writing in long hand, is conducive to more fluid thoughts being expressed in essays and papers.  The automaticity of the act allows for the student to not only express more complex ideas but also to write more physically.  This skill will benefit college students during lecture.  Early education should build the foundation for success in those students who do continue their education through college.

So, is you child learning manuscript and cursive?  Perhaps they should be. . .especially if they are poor readers or are not experiencing success in school because they can not write legibly.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Tony Danza, an apology to teachers

So, I have read another book.  When visiting a local bookstore, I picked up Tony Danza's book "I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had."  The book is about his year that he spent teaching at a high school in Philadelphia and the A&E production "Teach."

I believe that about half of the stuff in the book would not have happened with out the celebrity Tony Danza; but I also believe that 100% of the stuff in the book would not have happend without Tony Danza, the man.  I believe that Mr. Danza's integrity to the students shines through, and without that, it would just be another celebrity "pet project."

I think Mr. Danza is being sincere in his book.  I think Mr. Danza actually learned what is like to be a teacher in today's environment.  Mr. Danza did not have a "full load;"  he only taught one block (90 minute) class.  Therefore, he did not experience the "real" thing. Mr. Danza realizes this, and he speaks about this in his book.  I applaud him, he has done what a lot of folks have not done, he attempted to "walk" in a teacher's shoes for one year.

The epilogue in the book really does speak to me as a veteran teacher.  Mr. Danza nails the issue directly on the head.

As a teacher, I have been so discouraged by the media, whether it's about a "bad" teacher or situation in a school, but also the back lash we teachers have to deal with in the classroom.  Education is not valued.  The media, TV entertainment, popular music, politicians and pundits do not follow through; yes, they may say education is important, but how do they back that up?  With more complaints about teachers in American classrooms?   We know what it will take.  Where are the people willing to make that happen?  We need more teachers to lower the student-teacher ratio, we need more support in our schools from school boards, administrators, parents, and local communities.  We do not need more rhetoric about data or accountability when the data or reports of accountability are not used in a valid manner.


I'd Like To Apologize To Every Teacher I Ever Had



Saturday, September 1, 2012

Who's driving this train?

You know, I've been thinking about leadership for some time. 

I look at leaders in my field and consider what they are promoting.  If a leader makes a statement, pro or con about a belief, then doesn't that represent them?

I do not understand.

Through the use of logic, training, education and practical experience I posses, I have come to realize that effective leadership is "hard to come by."  Some of the most ineffectual leaders are in the educational field (speaking from my own experience). 

There is a trend in education to use teachers in leadership roles.  Well, that's really great, if they are truly given the autonomy to do that with guidance.  Is leadership always doing what you are told? or is leadership compliance?  Does leadership operate from a basis of inducing fear?

I don't know. . . what I do know is . . .

True and effective leaders always have their eyes on the horizon and facilitates the establishment of goals that are worthy and achievable.  The true leader maintains those high expectations, and is also aware of and facilitates the workers by not only giving them tools to do their job, but including support to the workers.  The true leader grants autonomy to the workers in reaching the horizon, rather than stifling creative and productive problem solving. A true leader is really a servant to those that they lead.


Saturday, August 11, 2012

What is school culture and climate? How does it impact learning?

The culture and climate of a school has significant impact on student and teacher learning.  What does that mean?  How does the school operate?  What are the actions of school administrators and teachers that define the culture and climate?

To the best of my knowledge, I believe that every school has a mission and a vision statement.  Some schools also have belief statements.  That is great, and if the school's action reflect those statements it is even better, and is exactly how it should be. . .

For the most part though, many students, teachers and even school personnel can not quote any of those things if asked. 

What will tell you more about a school than any statement that they have published are the actions and words of school staffs and administrators.  This will give you some indication of the culture and climate.  Are the actions and words about student learning?  Are the actions and words about success on the test?  What is the language used to describe the school?  How are you greeted when you visit a school?  What do you see people doing when you come in to a school building?  What is the "business as usual scenario?"  

The culture and climate of a school can be anything from an enriching learning environment to a culture of a circus or to a rule of a tyrant or to be extremely toxic to professionals and students.  Who is in charge in the school?  It is not always the administrator.  A weak administrator allows others to not only influence critical decisions but to also actually make them.  A weak  administrator leads to teacher burn out, turn over in staff, discipline issues of students, poor communication with the community and poor decisions for the school as a whole. 

EVERYTHING that happens in the school goes directly back to the Principal's chair.  The principal is the one person in the building who can make changes. . .albeit, good or bad.  All actions of the school are directly related to the principal and their decisions and actions. 






Sunday, July 29, 2012

Something to think about. . .

Well, it's that time of year.  We are all headed back to school.  As usual I've been reading. . .

If you have email and belong to any organizations, you get notifications, newsletters, right?  Well, I have received an email that is really more than a notification, it is a newsletter.  I don't always read the entire newsletter, but really pick out the articles that interest me.  So, a "hot" topic mentioned in the title to one of the articles piqued my interest.  I am including a link:


http://neatoday.org/2012/05/16/bullying-of-teachers-pervasive-in-many-schools/?utm_source=neatodayexpress&utm_medium=email&utm_content=bully&utm_campaign=1207

While reading the article, I kept questioning myself, have I experienced this?  The answer is yes, at all levels.   I have witnessed examples of this between others and aimed at myself.  New teachers are much more "attractive" targets for the bully, because they don't have tenure and are afraid to speak up.  Teachers with experience and multiple degrees are becoming targets, due to the cost of employing teachers with experience.  In this situation, no one wins.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Value added evalutions

The more that I read about "value added" evaluations, as promoted through Race to the Top, the more concerned I become about the welfare of the quality of education in America.

I am concerned that Race To The Top is more about money and political clout than quality education for our children.  There are too many questions for us to implement these "innovations" across the board.  There are too many instances where abuse and mishandling of funds could exist.  There are too many instances of political partnerships with philanthropic organizations and the possible existence of graft and control for profit.  There are just too many questions.

Do we need some reforms?  Yes, but we need to be cautious.  Lack of funding is straining our schools to support our students.  As I said in my last post, one proven method of improving student learning is student teacher ratios.  The lower the ratio, the more success and learning for the student.  It is pretty easy, and no "for profit" organizations would be involved.

Please read the articles at these links and see what you think.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/07/the_gates_foundations_leverage.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/07/the_gates_foundations_educatio.html


On a more positive note, I have recently read an article about schools extending their day.  This makes sense, and I will follow their progress.

http://www.ednewscolorado.org/2012/07/16/40526-dps-launches-extended-learning-pilot

I am familiar with PEBC (Public Education and Business Coalition).  I have attended professional development with PEBC  consultants.  I have found PEBC to have sound practices which engender rigor in learning for students.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Conversations need to re-focus. . .

I had some data brought to my attention today.  Since I was not sure who had compiled the data, I decided to go to the one source that would be most accurate, the US Census.  This is the report I found.  I think we need to change the conversation in eduction to "what we can do" rather than "what we can't do."  It is a paradigm shift.  It changes how we approach our issues.

http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p20-566.pdf

I also think we should start talking about the success we have had over the last decade.  Is all this uproar (i.e. teacher effectiveness, test scores, accountability) about who can have the largest part of the money pie?  I have witnessed personally a lot of waste in finances.  With the advent of Bill Gates and Race To The Top, is the uproar over who gets the cash?  I have seen many people paid many dollars for "new" educational practices that are not all successful, and some that are just not practical.

Again, when are they going to ask the people who do the job what is best to help the students succeed?  Research for many years, and practical experience have given us the answer over and over again.  Smaller classes, more teachers.  Done.  Hmmm, that didn't cost much.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Effectiveness of teachers. . .

I have been involved in discussions on measuring teacher effectiveness.  I am still not convinced on the best way to measure the effectiveness of teachers.  There are a tremendous amount of variables, it would have to be an extensive amount of work.  Basing effectiveness on one facet such as test scores is not viable.  You will never get the whole picture from one measurement.

I just read an article, that yes, and yet again, my profession is compared to other professions. . . hmm.  Apples and oranges?  Although this article did make some valid points, the most major one is that of teamwork.

It is worth reading and thinking about.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hunter-gehlbach/teachers-should-be-evaluated_b_1643211.html

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Ok, so someone else is aware!?!

I came across this article on Yahoo news.  Ms. Bloom has apparently written about the state of education and what we, as a society are saying to our young people.  The article is well worth reading. . . .

http://lisabloom.com/site/lisas-books/swagger-excerpt/

I think the second paragraph pretty much sums up how it really is . . . not just perception.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

OH MY! Arousal sensors!!!!!!!

I just read an article about a sensor that is being tested in schools this fall.  The sensor is supposed to inform teachers about which students are engaged in the lesson.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation-world/sns-rt-us-usa-education-gatesbre85c018-20120612,0,3007501.story


EPIC FAIL! 

What are we doing to education?  How in the world can we get past all the gimmicks and just go back to teaching the students?  What kind of crazy train are we riding?  I don't know about you all out there, but it really makes good sense to me to try and ask the people doing the job what would truly help.

Jus' sayin'.

Friday, June 8, 2012

A word about teacher evaluations. . . .


An evaluation is a stressful and overwhelming process.  The teacher, in some cases, is required to maintain a professional portfolio to be referenced for the evaluation (this is on-going throughout the school year).  The evaluation of the teaching depends on the number of standards that the state has developed/required and the teacher needs to at least "meet expectations" on each of those standards (or a certain percentage of the standards). The lesson should include all parts that are relevant to that particular day or unit of instruction.  Copies of all materials will need to be on hand for the administrator to review and or file.  This collection of documents can be very detailed and can included pre-assessments, assessments, rubrics, activity sheets, project examples, plans for modifications and materials needed for those, transition activities, the physical lesson plans with standards and curriculum cross referenced on the document, documentation and plans for any differentiation and any materials which will be needed for those students who require that, data analysis of students' success or challenges, and any other documents as requested by the administrator.  All of this takes place prior to the observation.  The teacher is also required to complete a pre-observation form, including demographics and other pertinent information and submit to the administrators in advance of the observation.  The teacher is required to meet with the administrator and discuss the pre-observation form and the lesson that is to be observed. At this point, the administrator observes a lesson. After observing the lesson and reviewing the materials, the administrator scores the evaluation, meets with the teacher, and discusses all relevant points or issues.

I have not mentioned that in many cases, the lesson could possibly be derailed due to the students' success or lack of success in previous lessons, the observation time slot can be re-scheduled with little notice, you could be sick on the day of the observation, or any other situation that can arise at any time.  If this is the case you are probably going to have to start all over at "square one" on a new lesson.  Ergo, teacher frustration.  Teaching is not a process of "one day we do the first step and the next day we do the next step."  Lesson plans can not be written in "stone;" the plans will always be fluid if the teacher is doing his/her job right.  The fluidity is based on the students, it can be very unpredictable.  Some days you can predict, others you can not.

As a teacher, I have some issues with administrators who have or had not been in a classroom as a teacher for an extended period of time.  It is a very common practice for administrators to be placed in administrative positions with only 3 to 5 years classroom teaching experience.  As a veteran teacher, I can honestly say, that in a period of 3 to 5 years you will not have "seen it all."  I am still seeing and learning new things about education and students on a daily basis. As a veteran teacher, I have difficulty in taking advice from an administrator that has considerable less experience and in many cases less educational college/research experience than me.  These administrators rely on what they are told by others, read, or attend seminars and conferences on “what good teaching looks like.”  Weak administrators do not have the hands-on experience to actually know what good teaching does look like.  

I have had the opportunity to observe many teachers. I have seen some very good lessons.  I have seen some mediocre lessons. I have seen some elaborate “dog and pony shows” where all stops are pulled and the individual teacher is in a hyper compliance mode.  I believe, in most cases, that the “dog and pony shows” are only for the administrators’ sake and for the sake of a good evaluation.  The more emphasis which is put on compliance to “do this” and “do that” to exhibit good teaching will only encourage bitterness and burn-out; thereby defeating the purpose of mentoring a teacher toward new growth.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

What are you reading?

School is almost over for the year and summer vacation is just around the corner.  What are you planning to read this summer?  I still have one more novel to read before summer, then I will be buying something new to enjoy during those lazy afternoons.

The book that I have left on my list is a Jack Whyte's novel, Order in Chaos.  I am finishing up Phillip K. Dick's novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?   I am very eclectic in my reading selections.  I will endeavor to read any genre and any author. 

How do you choose you reading selections?  I choose by author, sometimes by genre, many times I choose simply because of the title, and sometimes by the illustrations on the cover of the book.  I don't know about other folks, but I love a good book store.  I love to browse and see what strikes my fancy.  That is why I really am not a fan of reading digital books and books on line.  I love the feel of a book in my hands.  There is so much more to reading than the ease of the digital format.  Now, I have read books on line and have enjoyed it, although, I have a tendency to read only authors I am familiar with for example Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and others. 

Comment and let me know how you choose books or why.  Happy reading!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

So, just how many people are teachers?

As a teacher, I always cringe when someone who is also a teacher makes the news in a negative story.   The media has influenced how the public views teachers.  At one time, I did not tell anyone I was a teacher.  If I was in a social situation, outside of school, and the conversation turned to the topic of careers, I did not participate.  I had, on too many occasions been verbally challenged about the public school system and "why didn't teachers do a better job."  After a while, that became really "old."  So, I didn't tell anyone what my chosen career was, a job that I frankly loved.

I was younger then and not as confident as I am now.  I tell people I am "just a teacher."  I do not elaborate or encourage any discussion, because I know it will degenerate into negativity. I wonder if someone else feels this way? I wonder just how many people in the United States are employed as teachers?  I wonder what is the percentage of "bad teachers" that make the news?  So, I have tried to find out.

I can not really locate a good firm number.  One number that I have discovered is:

"7.2 million

Number of teachers in the United States in 2009. Almost 3 million taught at the elementary and middle school level. The remainder included those teaching at the postsecondary, secondary, preschool, kindergarten levels, special education and other teachers or instructors.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011, Table 615 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>"  Retrieved May 2012 from: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff15.html.


That is a lot of people.  So, now when I see a news story that is negative about ONE teacher, I will not feel quite so bad.  I know that our schools employ great teachers, who day in and day out do their job without recognition from the media, public, administrators, and communities.  There are hundreds of thousands of teachers who continue to return to their classrooms, day after day, without any praise, pay raises, or incentives.  (I know in my district teachers have not received a raise for 5 years, and this year our contract is being cut by 2 days).  I am really discouraged by our political leaders who creates legislation to make everything better in education, when those political leaders are not veteran educators (the specialist in the field, the people in the trenches).

Yes, I am sure with a group as large as 7.2 million, you might find some mediocre or even bad teachers, but for the most part, we are all trying to do our best by working in a system that is broke and is becoming more so as each new piece of legislation is passed.

The one group of "stakeholders" that does recognize our efforts and our caring and our selflessness is our students.  That is what makes a teacher go back into the classroom day after day, our kids.  Even when we feel defeated. Even when we feel no one is going to do the right thing. Even when we can not see the good we are doing anymore.

So, long and short, think twice before you "dis" another teacher.  We are doing more with less, and we are only doing what we are directed to do.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Teaching on a daily basis. . .


I mentioned in my last post that teachers are only allowed to do what their administrators direct them to do.  That is not totally accurate, teachers can do something that the administrators did not direct them to do at the risk of being written up or applauded depending on the outcome. Teachers are required to teach the curriculum as mandated by their state.  Teachers can not just "teach by the seat of their pants." Teachers are evaluated at least twice a year in the state where I teach.  Some teachers are evaluated multiple times depending on a program that they may be participating in or teachers can be evaluated as many times as the administrator wants to evaluate them.  I will address evaluations in a future post.

As a teacher, I do not think that the general public has a good grasp on what a teacher does on a daily basis. 

Teachers spend a significant portion of their time documenting what they are doing and how they are doing it.  As a teacher, there are some weeks when I work 6-7 days, on average, 8-10 hours a day.  Not every week is like that but I would estimate that  to be 2/3rds of the time.  I report to work usually at 6:30 to begin my day. I am not required to be there at 6:30, I do that so that I have time to prep for the school day, and this is a good time to do that.  I do not get called away to do something else.  The students begin arriving at 7:25 and then I have duties to complete.  I teach 6 classes (50 minutes) a day.  I have one planning period (50 minutes) to complete any task that has been assigned to me and to check on students in detention.  I do not use my planning period to plan, it is impossible, there is not enough time. I write my plans over the weekends, (I usually take work home everyday). Many times my planning period is used for parent conferences, communications (phone/email), meetings with other school personnel and possibly covering another teacher's class. My lunch is 23 minutes long, to include travel time to the cafeteria and back to the classroom. At each class change I am required to be in the hallway or by the restrooms to monitor student behavior.  At any point in time, my classroom my have a "walk-through" (quick evaluation by administrator).  I do not sit at my desk, I am constantly walking and monitoring the students.  Occasionally I will sit in a student desk or stool or chair, but not for any length of time.  The students are released for the day at 3:00.  I am then required to attend any meetings that have been scheduled or that are called.  Meetings can last from 15 minutes to an hour or more.  When the meetings are over, I then have time to grade papers, enter grades and data on the computer, plan lessons, copy materials, or another task I need to complete to teach the next day.  Often times I leave the school grounds around 5:00 or 6:00.  Recently, I have made a rule for myself to try and leave by 4:30.  That doesn't always happen.  I am officially released at 3:30 or 4:30 (depending on the day of the week).

With all the aforementioned, we teach students.  Before we can teach students, we must have classroom management procedures/skills in place.  That means dealing with discipline. During the school day, we are continuously dealing with events/issues that the students are having while teaching.  We have to be and remain extremely flexible for school events.  A drill (fire, severe weather, earthquake, etc), can be expected anytime.  We also have events which occur during the day such as club meetings, pictures, rewards time, nurse calls, office calls, any numerous interruptions, etc.  A teacher has to continue to teach and maintain the flow of instruction.

That is why we are all exhausted.  Absolutely no one teaches to "get rich" (our pay scales do not go that high). You have to love the job to do it.




Thursday, April 26, 2012

3rd and 4th grade readers

Multiple studies/research have been completed on reading and it's impact on school success.  We as educators know that if reading problems aren't addressed in 3rd and 4th grade that student who has problems is at risk for dropping out and not completing school. You can read one study at http://www.aecf.org/Newsroom/NewsReleases/HTML/2011Releases/DoubleJeopardy.aspx.  If you also consider socioeconomic status, the student is even more at risk for failure.  The more we look at data, the more we know that children with poor reading skills, combined with other indicators is very likely to fail. We know this as educators, we can identify these students, so why aren't we doing something?  There is not an easy answer to this question.

The answers involve parents, teachers, administrators, and central office personnel.  Why so many people?  We know what is right for the child.  Teachers are controlled by administrators, administrators are controlled by central office personnel.  Teachers can only do what they are allowed to do.  As a teacher, I can make recommendations, but those recommendations can be taken or discarded.  In my experience, more times than not my recommendations have been discarded.  At this point, I have no recourse as a teacher. 

This of course brings up the debate on social promotion.  Social promotion is advancing the student to the next grade level so that the student can remain with the same group of peers.  Many parents do not want their child held back in school. As educators, we know that reading problems that exist in the 3rd and 4th grade are detrimental to the students' success, many times the student will never catch up to their peers, regardless of the reading interventions.  If this is not addressed at 3rd and 4th grade levels the outlook is less than positive.  Another study that supports this is found at http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/documents/17/DismalNAEP.pdf

So, if you child is beyond 4th grade and the teachers are recommending reading interventions, then it is imperative that you as a parent demand that you student gets the interventions.  If your student is a primary student, pay very close attention to the reading scores, the reading lessons and practices.  Work with the teachers on what you as a parent can do to assist the student to become successful.  I might add, if a teacher recommends that your child remain in the grade level for an additional year, then seriously consider this, for the sake of your child's success.  The best self-esteem builder is academic success.

Monday, April 23, 2012

"I don't want to read."


How many times have teachers heard this?  I can’t count that high.  I have learned from experience that I have to preface the oral reading we do in class with an explanation.  As a teacher, I need to hear the students read, so that I can gain some information about the problems the students are experiencing with reading.  Yes, there is a plethora of tests to indicate reading and comprehension levels. Yes, the students are tested multiple times using multiple formats.  Although, there is no substitute for observing (visually and aurally) the student perform. There is a tremendous amount of information that you gain by hearing the students read aloud.  You can hear mispronunciations, attention to punctuation, inflection, expression, etc.  Without hearing the student read, you are losing important information that could be corrected to lead to a student’s success.  My observations are not only auditory, but also visual.  The students’ body language yields valuable information.  There are many times that I discover poor eyesight just by watching the student read.  If I can solve the problem with addressing eyesight issues, then that is a winning situation for the student and for me.  

When a student is assessed in reading, many times the scores are reported as “grade level” scores.  A grade level score would look something like 7.2.  That score means that the student is reading on grade level 7, second month.  If the student is a 7th grader and that it is the beginning of the school year, then that student is on grade level.  The problem occurs if the student is again assessed, using the same instrument, and continues to test at 7.2, then we as teachers are going to have to discover or explore on a deeper level why that student is not growing.  If the student assesses at a higher level, we need to continue to challenge them to stretch and grow.  A student performing at a higher level would be given reading material on a higher grade level than what assessment results indicated.  A parent might hear complaints of the “work being too hard.”  The student needs to be challenged, without this challenge they will not improve.   I am referencing Lev Vygotsky’s, Social Development Theory and in particular the Zone of Proximal Development.  You will also find the terms “scaffolding” or “constructed” used in conjunction with the Zone of Proximal Development. (Retrieved 4/23/12; http://www.simplypsychology.org/Zone-of-Proximal-Development.html)

An analogy could be learning italic handwriting.  As you practice writing, your instructor observes the way you hold your pen, or makes the strokes for the letters, with brief instruction to correct the deficit, you would be able to hold the pen correctly or make the strokes of the letters correctly. Sports skills are perfect examples. Any skills that you are trying to learn, or improve on demands a progression of difficulty to increase your skill level would be examples or could be analogous to this theory. If this student is given something below their reading level on a continuous basis, they will not grow and perhaps become weaker in skills that they had already mastered (resistance to learning (Retrieved 4/23/12; http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/resistan.htm).

Sometimes reading assessment scores are reported as stanines.  A stanine score is on a scale of 1-9.  Nine is the highest a student can achieve on an assessment reported as stanines.  From my experience a student who is scoring in the 4-5 stanines is more than likely reading below grade level.  If a student consistently scores 4-5 on a stanine assessment they will likely need some reading remediation.  It follows that if the student scores 1-3 on a stanine scale then they are well below grade level and will need intense remediation.  There are other assessment scores that your child’s teacher may report to you (i.e. lexiles or percentiles).  You child’s teacher should be able to explain the assessment scores to you and what the scores would indicate is needed to help your child succeed.  The key to understanding all scores is to observe a steady increase regardless of how the scores are reported.  What I like to see is a steady progression over time.  If fluctuations in the scores are occurring, then I as a teacher will have to do some more investigation; you as a parent can really assist teachers at this point.  Your knowledge of your child and a discussion of their habits, likes and dislikes, lifestyle, eyesight, etc. will be extremely helpful for the teachers to understand what approach and methodology to use with your child.

Teachers are just as individual as students.  We are all people, so we are all unique.  I approach reading somewhat differently than other people, and perhaps somewhat similar to some.  When I encounter the entrenched “I don’t want to read,” I immediately try to investigate.  Many students are “taught” to hate reading.  Reading is seen as a chore, and in some instances torture.  Somewhere and somehow these students have been taught to hate reading (not necessarily in a school setting, but sadly many times it has been).  Perhaps it is poor reading skills, maybe the student has a speech impediment, poor eyesight (and refuses to wear glasses), or just by having an embarrassing moment at some point in their past when called on to read.  I have to address all of these issues, as do other reading teachers.  If I can’t get past this roadblock, then I will not have much success if any.  That is why a classroom needs to be a “safe zone” so students who are inhibited will feel safe from reprisals and will stretch out to become successful.

The most opportune time to address reading issues is prior to and during 4th grade.  Reading issues can be addressed at higher levels in school and should be addressed. A deficiency that is apparent at 4th grade is hard to overcome.  I will discuss this 4th grade issue in another post.

Retrieved 04/23/12