Political Punch

I still don't get how Linda Darling Hammond got this weird reputation as being a supporter of the Status Quo in education. She's opposed Teach for American on the data that most of those very talented folks are not given enough training to do a good job and most of them (about 1/2) leave after a few years--whereas people who get the training they need to be good teachers are apt to stay in it. We need to give up this idea that good teachers are "born" not made. If you want to be a good teacher you need to know things about child development, research on how people learn and how the brain works and how to most effectively teach the subjects that you know. Why is that hard for us to accept. Would you want to go to an untrained doctor or lawyer why do we think teachers should just be pulled in off the street? When Darling Hammond was in New York she helped get CONCESSIONS from the teachers union to allow for more innovation, better use of teachers professional time and more flexible means for assessment and evaluation. Folks who don't see her as a radical, haven't followed her career. She's JUST the right person for this job!!

Mike_C

Lowest reading comprehension in class was 2nd grade, 3rd month. I had to get elementary school level science books and pull out information on the topics being covered in class as much as possible. I had to make tests that covered the elementary texts on that level. Poor kid still couldn't pass. Currently I have 3 students with limited reading comprehension; they have to come in during the midday study hall and listen to the book on computer. Tests have to be read aloud. IEP requires extra time for assignments. Tests have to be multiple choice with limited responses (2 or 3 choises). Several years ago an emotionally disturbed teenager in my class (no aide) did learn to handle a scalpel. Two weeks later he fatally stabbed his adoptive father 23 times. I have to limit burn labs because of the in-class danger.

While special ed (learning disabilities classes) are limited by law to 10 students, I have had as many as 11 in one class, with 12 other students. The admin says it's "because you're so good with them".

The federal government allows pull-out instruction in math,English, and social studies (because of the amount of reading). Science, although a core subject with specialized vocabulary and math, doesn't meet requirements for pull-out classes. Go figure.

"My high school classes are all inclusive, so I have learning disabled, physically handicapped, emotionally disturbed students, gifted and talented and regular students. Want to hand out scapels and dissect? How about a burn lab in chemistry?"

You make the comment, but do not elaborate. What fun expereinces have you had giving a scapel to an emotionally challenged kid? Have you had a kid whose fundamental level is that of 3rd grader taking your science class? If so, did you alter his work load and also how he was graded?

Inthose classes were you had kids who dispurted the class on a consistent basis, how often were they removed from the class, allowed to return only to repeat the offense? Do you honestly feel that upper 1/2 of your students today are getting the same level of attention as they did when you were a student ?

Entry level teachers make $23K in my district. I've been teaching science for over twenty years and make less than $40K. I have also, in those twenty years, worked nights cleaning a daycare center and my current part-time job is a night class at a nearby public baccalaureate college. (As I point out to students: honest work done well is nothing to be ashamed about). I have raised a son alone and I sent him to public schools and a state university. I will be debt free in 5 years.

My high school classes are all inclusive, so I have learning disabled, physically handicapped, emotionally disturbed students, gifted and talented and regular students. Want to hand out scapels and dissect? How about a burn lab in chemistry?

Here, entry year teachers are paired with highly qualified teachers. Teachers that are struggling are put on plans of improvement. They can be denied tenure. Administrators can also be placed on plans for improvement. They usually get promoted or asked to leave.

Union? I've been on the negotiation team and helped write the master contract for our district to insure equitable treatment for all teachers. I've been on the professional rights committee and faced down administrators on behalf of faculty members being unfairly targeted and harassed.

Teachers from my state are actively recruited because of the teacher-education programs. Most leave the state because of financial considerations: they can make more money.

Why don't I leave? My parents are in their 80's and 90's, and I need to be here.

What would I change? NCLB requirements. Unfunded mandates (both federal and state). Society's perception of teaching: those who can, do. Those who can do MORE, teach.

liberalshateAmerica

as a Teacher, I, can say confidently:
you don't have a clue !

Posted by: Oonogil

- Football is higher priority than chemistry.
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The reason football gains greater recognition, and is often a priority, is simple: CASH.

Football (especially a school with a winning team) will generate the most revunue through concessions, fundraisers, and selling team merchandise that is often used for such things as school lunches, school events, field trips, etc. Furthermore, football can also offset other expenditures not covered by the district budget, like, extra microscopes for the chemistry lab.

"This places greater responsibility on families - and Ms Haatainen says that an important ingredient in Finland's high achievement in reading and writing is a strong culture of reading in the home.

Parents nurture a love of reading among children and this is supported by a network of public libraries, says the minister."
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Contrast that with families here who sream discrimination if there local school disctrict does not give in to their every whim.

I completely agree that early reading & full support at home is critical to giving your child his/her best chances to be successful academically.

One has to remember that back when I was very young (Early 1960's) the vast majority of mothers were stay home moms! Finding that time now in today's society is very difficult for many families. You have to realize that even in good homes, if both parents are working, kids are being raised in day care. By the time everyone gets home, has a meal, there is very little quality time for the type of reading and parental guidance that is needed for this to work.

Education key to economic survival.
Finland has often been hailed as having one of the most successful education systems. But what drives its high level of achievement? And what makes it different?
This places greater responsibility on families - and Ms Haatainen says that an important ingredient in Finland's high achievement in reading and writing is a strong culture of reading in the home.

Parents nurture a love of reading among children and this is supported by a network of public libraries, says the minister.

In the last international education league tables, produced by the OECD, Finland's 15 year olds were judged to have the highest standards of literacy in the world.

Ms Haatainen also says that the country has made a conscious effort to have highly-qualified teachers throughout the school system.

liberalshateAmerica,

Very True! My wife & I decided to put our son in a local private catholic HS. It was a huge strain on our finances, but now he is in college studying to be an engineer and is a Dean's List student. It was worth every penny.

What most people dont realize about the private high schools is they have teachers who actually want to be there and are really excited about having students who want to learn. Unlike most pblic schools where it is still "uncool" to be smart, higher end students thrive in these environments.

Also, the schools do NOT have to deal with special education or other concerns that the public schools do. It is a real shame that there are not more programs around for the upper level kids. There are literally hundreds of programs for those kids who are less advanced or less fortunate in their family situations.

I attended public schools in 3 states and none impressed me. I fought public schools while my daughter was young. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly.

- There are a lot of good teachers, and some bad ones. Good administrators are as common as honest politicians.
- Football is higher priority than chemistry. A sports program for a few is funded better than academics for many
- No effort is made for vocational training. Why can’t a kid come out of highschool as a certified welder or licenced electrician and ready to go to work?
- Bi-lingual “education” drains funds that could be used for actual education.
- Parents care more about their own entertainment than about their kid’s education.

Lord God Obama can’t fix our education system because the problem goes much deeper than that. We will have to change society and society isn’t willing to change.

I suppose if the schools fill the positions at school with more teachers having master's degree,they will make a huge difference.
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NOPE! That will make ZERO difference. Agreat many of them already have a Masters. Virtually everywhere, teachers are required to take a number of courses over a specific time period.
The number of classes & the time frame vary. Also, getting that Masters is also a way to improve their pay!

Having or not having a Masters Degree has absolutely nothing to do with the issues that are destroying the public school system.

Paying teachers more will not produce better teachers. Teachers who perform their job well should be rewarded by being allowed to keep their jobs. Teachers who aren't performing need to yield their responsibilities to those who are willing and capable of performing. The NEA is a stumbling block to better education. Teachers like everyone else should have to compete for pay and benefits, even their jobs. The approach of "pay me more and I'll do more" has never worked. Right thinking on the part of an employee is "I'll do more so I'll be considered for more pay and benefits."

Mike_C

Liberals are so obsessed with making this country "fair" for everyone that reason and logic left their brains a long time ago. When I went to school, kids who didn't do their homework (or often even attempt it) were called out, and the ones who completed/attempted it were rewarded. Now some schools are no longer allowed to give homework because it might not be fair for all kids to complete it outside of school.
Liberals have traded in capitalism/ self-reliance for socialism and a "nanny gov't" state.

One person's education, or a lack thereof, affects everyone! So your particular antipathy towards minorities provides no positive input to the AMERICAN education system. As I keep on saying, educating 10% of the population does the country no good when 90% is left illiterate. And especially when other countries are focusing on educating ALL their citizens.
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Question ,

The very first thing that everyone has to come to grips with is very simple. Despite the concept, which was admirable, it is impossible to "Leave No Child Behind". Completely & totally IMPOSSIBLE!

The reasons are many and varied, but the fact remains - We cannot educate every single child in this country. We can make the most reasonable attempt, but we must accept that we are destroying the system in order to reach those we cant reach.

The only real solution is to teach the material at each grade level that needs to be taught. No IEPs, No special tests or varying levels of homework. Each & every student must be expected to perform to a required level before advancing to the next grade! If they can't do that, they stay back. Simply passing them thru the system is where this mess starts.

Teaching to the lowest common denominator is killing education in this country! It has been a failed social experiment for many, many years. It is time to return to the traditional teaching that made our public education system the best in the world.

That means accepting the fact, even though no one likes it, that some kids will dropout at some point, or their needs are to special to be met by the public system.

I have done my share of substitute teaching over the years. I have seen with my own eyes the complete futility of having a mentally handicapped kid in a regular classroom. I have watched clidren like this be handheld thru their day by an aide. These kids have no clue about the material being presented in the class, and are often the object of ridicule by their classmates. I am not saying that we do not educate them, but it is obvious to anyone who has been in a public school, that the environment there is NOT what these kids need to reach their maximum potential. The need to be in a school with properly trained people who have the time and the teaching techniques to really help these kids.

As far as the so-called special education kids go, its time to recognize that modifying their education so they can do 25% or 50% of the work expected of regular students has failed miserably too. This was one of the truly dumbest ideas of all time. Give a kid and "A" for doing "D" level work, because that just all they can do. Then they get through the system, with "great" grades, but cannot even handle the most basic of minimum wage jobs. Yes, this is an idea we should just keep pushing!!!

Over 30 yrs ago, these kids might have gotten out with "C" grades, but it was true "C" level. Now maybe they could do better, maybe not, but there was not artificial inflation of their grade right from the start. Many would then go on to get a job in the local economy, or maybe go to a trade school. There was a good chance of them succeeding because they did understand the process of learning. They were not "artificially" told in 2nd and 3rd grade that because it was hard, they only needed to do 5 homework problems instead of the 10 the rest of the class was doing. There is nothing wrong with having them do 10, and getting 5 wrong. At some point, we ALL make mistakes and need to learn how to work through them and correct them.

As a youth sports coach, the strangest thing about all this is I would see 9-yr olds playing competitive athletics such as Little League and Youth Football and guess what....the kids with less skills do not get 5 or 6 strikes. They have to play and measure their successes and failures just as every player does. For many today though, this is the first place where they are introduced to real failure.

It is time to stop worrying about the psycho-babble we have been hearing for all these years about failure in the early grades crushing kids egos & self-esteem. Failure is a natural part of the learning process - It seems our esteemed high level educators have lost sight of this.

Alice, take a deep breath! As korf said, this particular thread seems in SUPPORT of his right to educate his kids as he sees proper. And I'm probably one of the few, if not the only, with a child in "private" (home) school. I don't support him as PE, but I will publicly defend his right to made this decision. I just want the same right he has.

And the middle-name article is dattaway.

Goodness, chill! Go find the "yous" who "are hateful" and the "most of you" threads about education, let us know where they are, and we can go set 'em straight "as one" on THIS topic at least! And you should have Obama skate on over here for some imspiration on fixing the public schools, there are a lot of good views here.

... that doesn't mean I'm coming over to his side, mind you...

I suppose if the schools fill the positions at school with more teachers having master's degree,they will make a huge difference.

If BO can afford to send his kids to an $18,000 a year private school and I can't, shouldn't the government make it more fair by paying for my kid's tuition? Shouldn't we spread the wealth around for tuition?

BO has endorsed publicly bill ayers' book and taken his children to a black liberation theology church. Both examples show that BO is more than willing to expose children to messages of HATE and anti-American sentiment. Hopefully America will come to realize that they just elected rev wright with more moderate rhetoric.
Also, both his kids attend an $18,000 yr private school, but hey, he's just your avg guy, right?

I don’t blame Obama for sending his kids to a good private school. We all want the best for our children. Recognizing that government cannot always do the job properly, Obama has turned to the private sector to educate his children.

His desire to keep other children in failed public schools smacks of elitism however. Evidently Obama has learned well from his friend Ted Kennedy. Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others.

Obama didn’t kill our education system, neither did Bush or Clinton. It’s a societal problem extending from the local levels to national. Obama can’t fix the problem but he can make private schools more accessible to others.

I'm sure Obama does not want to be seen as breaking the DC teacher's union but its clear that DC schools are pretty bad. Rhee needs the ability to fire underperforming teachers and reward good teachers with great salaries. The union should have been finding ways to improve their own schools before Rhee came to town. Now it's too late