Monday, February 18, 2013
The Exhausted Teacher
I'm certainly exhausted - physically and emotionally.
Why?
This article provides some thought-provoking answers:
The Exhaustion of the American Teacher
Friday, February 15, 2013
Grades for Schools? Bad idea.
Missouri's state representatives have another BAD idea for public education. Kathryn Swan (R-Cape Girardeau) would like our state department of education to publish a letter-grade type report for each public school building or charter school. See HCS/HB 388.
Let's look at the grade card for this idea.
A for another punitive measure. Why do some legislators look for ways to punish public schools and teachers? Oklahoma has implemented a similar law. The Oklahoma Education Association has an extensive page on it - including research that the validity of the scores are flawed.
B for bad idea. OK - I'm trying here - so if you have an idea for "B", add a comment!
C for ineffective communication. Schools are actually reconsidering whether letter-grades are an effective communicate student achievement. For example, what does a "C" really represent? Student A could ace a test but lazily avoid homework. Student B could diligently complete all homework but do poorly on the test. Both might receive "C" grades. The state Board of Education just approved a new accountability framework called the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP5). Let's see if the communication of those scores will help parents and communities understand the successes and challenges of their public schools.
D for duplicated effort. Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) already has an extensive data portal. The operating budget for this department has been slashed and slashed. Someone in the department would need to create this report, ensure its accuracy and handle questions and issues that arise after publication. Our schools and students would be better served by the DESE staff working on real issues rather than legislative mandates and gimmicks.
F for narrow focus. Parents understand a simple fact which politicians conveniently forget. The success of their children does not rest solely upon the school and its teachers. Even before a child enters kindergarten, that child may have several obstacles place in her way. Did the mother have good prenatal care during pregnancy? Did the child attend preschool? Do the parents both live at home? Do they have jobs? What language is spoken in the home? Has someone read aloud to the child regularly? But often the very legislators who want to hold schools accountable for all sorts of things are the very same legislators who cut, cut, cut, cut, cut the services necessary to make schools work. The cuts to the Parent-as-Teachers program is only one sad example.
When teachers hear about this proposed law, many respond, "Can we grade the parents?" People would be outraged if we did that - and understandably so. Parenting requires a complex set of skills, but there are often circumstances outside of the parents control. I don't think that any parent would agree to reduce the complex relationship between parent-child to a simple letter grade. Then we shouldn't do the same for the complex relationship between teacher-student.
Let's not kid ourselves. Complex problems often require complex solutions - and often additional resources. We cannot have a first-class school system on a Third World budget.
HB 388 gets an "F" for FAILING our children.
A for another punitive measure. Why do some legislators look for ways to punish public schools and teachers? Oklahoma has implemented a similar law. The Oklahoma Education Association has an extensive page on it - including research that the validity of the scores are flawed.
B for bad idea. OK - I'm trying here - so if you have an idea for "B", add a comment!
C for ineffective communication. Schools are actually reconsidering whether letter-grades are an effective communicate student achievement. For example, what does a "C" really represent? Student A could ace a test but lazily avoid homework. Student B could diligently complete all homework but do poorly on the test. Both might receive "C" grades. The state Board of Education just approved a new accountability framework called the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP5). Let's see if the communication of those scores will help parents and communities understand the successes and challenges of their public schools.
D for duplicated effort. Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) already has an extensive data portal. The operating budget for this department has been slashed and slashed. Someone in the department would need to create this report, ensure its accuracy and handle questions and issues that arise after publication. Our schools and students would be better served by the DESE staff working on real issues rather than legislative mandates and gimmicks.
F for narrow focus. Parents understand a simple fact which politicians conveniently forget. The success of their children does not rest solely upon the school and its teachers. Even before a child enters kindergarten, that child may have several obstacles place in her way. Did the mother have good prenatal care during pregnancy? Did the child attend preschool? Do the parents both live at home? Do they have jobs? What language is spoken in the home? Has someone read aloud to the child regularly? But often the very legislators who want to hold schools accountable for all sorts of things are the very same legislators who cut, cut, cut, cut, cut the services necessary to make schools work. The cuts to the Parent-as-Teachers program is only one sad example.
When teachers hear about this proposed law, many respond, "Can we grade the parents?" People would be outraged if we did that - and understandably so. Parenting requires a complex set of skills, but there are often circumstances outside of the parents control. I don't think that any parent would agree to reduce the complex relationship between parent-child to a simple letter grade. Then we shouldn't do the same for the complex relationship between teacher-student.
Let's not kid ourselves. Complex problems often require complex solutions - and often additional resources. We cannot have a first-class school system on a Third World budget.
HB 388 gets an "F" for FAILING our children.
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