You bet collecting 1000 winter coats and gloves/mittens is a pretty daunting goal. It just so happens, though, that the prospect of a child walking to and from school this coming frigid winter will be far more challenging if that student doesn't have the proper warm clothing.
The goal of Schools Count Corp is to help children learn and in doing so we look at providing an array of resources that meet that end. Whether it is school uniforms, daily student supplies or winter wear, we are there to help kids.
Please consider being a part of our CPS 'Winter Wear' Drive. You can donate clean winter coats and/or gloves, purchase a new jacket or donate the funds to SCC and we, in turn, will purchase the clothing.
I can say that I never attended school without the proper attire, necessary supplies or the proper food. I am glad that my folks could provide these for me. Today, however, there are parents without the funds to help their children with these essentials and that is truly a travesty.
I appreciate your being a part of this effort to collect winter coats and gloves.
Many thanks,
Dick
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Winter Coat Drive
Crisp nights and cool days are at hand as autumn is once again upon us. Of course, that means snow, some howling winds, and bitter cold won't be far behind. Doesn't sound all that enticing does it?
Well, for children who attend classes everyday that means they have to wait at the bus stop in frigid temperatures or they have to slog through the snow, slush and ice on their way to school.
Plenty of these Chicago Public School students could use our help. We are starting our annual SCC Winter Coat Drive to make sure these kids stay warm during the upcoming winter. Aside from aiding the students with supplies, as we did in August, our winter coat drive is yet another way of helping the children get to class and stay engaged in their studies.
Our aim is to collect 1000 coats and gloves (or mittens) by Friday, December 2nd. That will give us time to sort and box up the clothes for delivery during the week of Dec. 7 - Dec. 11.
We would love to have your participation in this effort. Simply donate a clean 'used' coat (or purchase a new one, if so desire) or gloves which are appropriate for ages 4 -14. We need both boys and girls wear. If you wish to make a monetary donation (tax deductible) you can certainly go in that direction. I will then take the funds and puchase coats and gloves.
Once the purchase is made you can contact me so that we can arrange to have items picked up or dropped off at our mutual convenience. Kindly email me at rich219@comcast.net or call me at (630)863-6035 and we'll work out the details.
Thanks for being a part of this important initiative!
Dick
Friday, October 28, 2011
A Wonderful Evening
Last night sixty of our many donors and volunteers came together to celebrate the wonderful works of our charity. To be clear, none of our work in Joplin, Chicago, Haiti or New Orleans would take place without them.
There were a number of highlights to the evening; a wonderful meal prepared by the Hinsdale Central H. S. Chef and Restaurant class, an update on initiatives in the various schools, and an inspiring message from Fuller Elementary School Principal Ms. Carrmilla Young.
Ms. Young had a number of important messages concerning the education of the Fuller children.
One of the more illuminating comments that Carrmilla conveyed to the assembly of SCC donors and volunteers was the idea that education can't take place at Fuller until the personal issues and problems, faced by children, are dealt with by the staff. And Ms. Young made it clear that she and her staff are there to help their students deal with such concerns.
Another point made by Ms. Young dealt with the idea that no matter what problems may exist, and regardless of any past failures, a new day is dawning. At the same time, those failures will be replaced by a willingness to shed the cloak of failure.
Those in attendance left the dinner with an appreciation of the efforts of Ms. Young and voiced their support of our ongoing efforts to assist her, the staff, and students of Fuller.
It was great to get together with one and all last night. Thanks for attending the event!!
Dick
There were a number of highlights to the evening; a wonderful meal prepared by the Hinsdale Central H. S. Chef and Restaurant class, an update on initiatives in the various schools, and an inspiring message from Fuller Elementary School Principal Ms. Carrmilla Young.
Ms. Young had a number of important messages concerning the education of the Fuller children.
One of the more illuminating comments that Carrmilla conveyed to the assembly of SCC donors and volunteers was the idea that education can't take place at Fuller until the personal issues and problems, faced by children, are dealt with by the staff. And Ms. Young made it clear that she and her staff are there to help their students deal with such concerns.
Another point made by Ms. Young dealt with the idea that no matter what problems may exist, and regardless of any past failures, a new day is dawning. At the same time, those failures will be replaced by a willingness to shed the cloak of failure.
Those in attendance left the dinner with an appreciation of the efforts of Ms. Young and voiced their support of our ongoing efforts to assist her, the staff, and students of Fuller.
It was great to get together with one and all last night. Thanks for attending the event!!
Dick
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Fight Continues
Now that our delivery of supplies to NOLA, CPS, and Joplin schools has taken place, what should we do or be thinking about with regard to aiding these schools in the future? Should we even consider helping them in the years ahead? After all, aren't they better off now than prior to our help? Some might even recommend 'shutting down' for a bit.
There certainly is merit in 'catching our breath' and 'recharging our batteries.' I won't argue this point but I want to mention one condition that needs to be addressed and kept in mind; the needs of the children (and their families) don't have the luxury of such a respite. The challenges they face are daunting and they exist on a day-to-day basis.
I am reaching out to each of you to ask you to consider the above scenario in the hope that you will find a way to engage in an activity, of your choosing, that will help improve the educational and living-condition situation faced by the Chicago Public School students we serve.
Please know that I am most appreciative of your support and your willingness to engage in support of activities that promote the 'common good.'
Sincerely,
Dick
There certainly is merit in 'catching our breath' and 'recharging our batteries.' I won't argue this point but I want to mention one condition that needs to be addressed and kept in mind; the needs of the children (and their families) don't have the luxury of such a respite. The challenges they face are daunting and they exist on a day-to-day basis.
I am reaching out to each of you to ask you to consider the above scenario in the hope that you will find a way to engage in an activity, of your choosing, that will help improve the educational and living-condition situation faced by the Chicago Public School students we serve.
Please know that I am most appreciative of your support and your willingness to engage in support of activities that promote the 'common good.'
Sincerely,
Dick
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
More Education Cuts on the Horizon?
Friends, I thought you might find this article, written by Kimberly Hefling of the Associated Press, to be stimulating. Thanks, Dick
LANCASTER, Pa. — Educators are bracing for a tough reality: As difficult as budget cuts have been on schools, more tough times are likely ahead.
Even in a best-case scenario that assumes strong economic growth next year, it won't be until 2013 or later when districts see budget levels return to pre-recession levels, said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators in Arlington, Va. That means more cuts and layoffs are likely ahead.
"The worst part is that it's not over," Domenech said.
Already, an estimated 294,000 jobs in the education sector have been lost since 2008, including those in higher education.
The cuts are felt from Keller, Texas, where the district moved to a pay-for-ride transportation system rather than cut busing altogether, to Georgia, where 20 days were shaved off the calendar for pre-kindergarten classes. In California, a survey found that nearly half of all districts last year cut or reduced art, drama and music programs. Nationally, 120 districts — primarily in rural areas — have gone to a four-day school week to save on transportation and utility costs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Others are implementing fees to play sports, cutting field trips and ending after-school programs.
Districts have little choice but to put off buying textbooks and technology and training teachers, said Rob Monson, a principal in Parkston, S.D., who is president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
On a recent day at Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Lancaster, teenage girls in ponytails and boys in long athletic shorts dashed across the gym, pausing their game of indoor tennis to motion "Y-M-C-A" with their arms as the Village People's song blares from the loudspeaker. It's a scene happening less frequently these days. Budget cuts and teacher layoffs have forced the school to cut some P.E. classes, reduce library hours and eliminate small literacy classes for struggling readers and Spanish for sixth- and seventh-graders.
Principal Josh Keene says he's worried — not just about offering electives next year, but whether class sizes in core subjects will jump from around 25 to 35 or 40. His district received $6 million less from the state this year, which meant six staff positions in his school were cut. Even if state funding remains the same next year, the district expects to have from $5 million to $7 million less because of increased pension obligations and other expenses.
"I'm scared to death. As we continue to look at fewer and fewer non-classroom positions that are there, at some point it's going to impact core classroom positions and that's a very, very scary thing," said Keene.
Recognizing the reality districts face, President Barack Obama included $30 billion in his $447 billion jobs creation package to save teachers' jobs. The Senate rejected the jobs package as well as a separate measure focused on saving the jobs of teachers and emergency responders. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said the plan resembles "bailouts" that haven't proven to work and only perpetuate economic problems.
Not everyone sees all doom and gloom in schools' budget woes. Some say many districts haven't wisely spent tax dollars or didn't adequately prepare for the end of the $100 billion in federal stimulus dollars for schools. And that while the number of students per teacher in America dropped from 22.3 in 1970 to 15.3 in 2008, according to the National Center For Education Statistics, they say the reduction hasn't made a noticeable difference.
Karen Hawley Miles, executive director of Education Resource Strategies, a nonprofit based in Watertown, Mass., that helps urban districts develop ways to more effectively use resources, encourages districts to use this time to make changes they have been reluctant to do. They include strategically raising class sizes to refocus on teacher quality and changing teacher compensation to be more tied to performance, she said.
"In tough days when it's incredibly urgent, sometimes these conversations can take place in a different frame. We see districts really thinking about how they can really do things differently and really focus in on their priorities," she said.
In Pennsylvania, at the urging of Gov. Tom Corbett, the legislature slashed public-education spending by roughly $900 million, or more than 10 percent, to avoid a state budget deficit for the year that began July 1 without raising taxes.
Seemingly overnight, thousands of education jobs in the state were lost. A survey of school districts by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials found that leading into this school year, 44 percent reduced elective course offerings and 70 percent increased class sizes. More than 30 districts said they either reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten or pre-K programs.
The cuts hit many of the poorer districts harder because they are more reliant on state dollars.
In York, Pa., about a 30-minute drive from Lancaster, full-day kindergarten was saved when administrators and teachers agreed to a pay freeze. But art, music, and physical education teachers in elementary schools were eliminated, forcing classroom teachers to incorporate the electives in their classroom teaching, said Kim Schwarz, 45, a teacher and president of the York City Education Association. High school class sizes now are in the upper 30s, she said.
Schwarz said the changes are tough for kids who really shine in art or physical education and it's been hard on the morale of teachers.
"The district has scrimped and pulled and did everything they could to find additional funds ... and I think the teachers are doing an absolutely phenomenal job of educating the students and giving them the attention that they need given the circumstances, which just adds more to the stress and the level of exhaustion that we're all feeling," Schwarz said.
At Keene's school in Lancaster, about 60 percent of the students are Latino and 80 percent are considered low income. Many are sent home on Friday nights with donated groceries and recipes for cooking them. Among the staff members cut was someone who did home visits to follow up on children who weren't attending class. The school was able to continue an after-school program only after a non-profit agreed to run it.
Keene said he wants his children to have a full life, and he thinks music, art and physical education are part of that. He just hopes those classes will be offered in the future.
"You know the old adage sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder? We're frankly at a point where we just need to work harder and more hours, and with the reductions in staff, that's what needs to happen because otherwise, kids are going to suffer, and that's unacceptable," Keene said.
LANCASTER, Pa. — Educators are bracing for a tough reality: As difficult as budget cuts have been on schools, more tough times are likely ahead.
Even in a best-case scenario that assumes strong economic growth next year, it won't be until 2013 or later when districts see budget levels return to pre-recession levels, said Daniel Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators in Arlington, Va. That means more cuts and layoffs are likely ahead.
"The worst part is that it's not over," Domenech said.
Already, an estimated 294,000 jobs in the education sector have been lost since 2008, including those in higher education.
The cuts are felt from Keller, Texas, where the district moved to a pay-for-ride transportation system rather than cut busing altogether, to Georgia, where 20 days were shaved off the calendar for pre-kindergarten classes. In California, a survey found that nearly half of all districts last year cut or reduced art, drama and music programs. Nationally, 120 districts — primarily in rural areas — have gone to a four-day school week to save on transportation and utility costs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Others are implementing fees to play sports, cutting field trips and ending after-school programs.
Districts have little choice but to put off buying textbooks and technology and training teachers, said Rob Monson, a principal in Parkston, S.D., who is president of the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
On a recent day at Abraham Lincoln Middle School in Lancaster, teenage girls in ponytails and boys in long athletic shorts dashed across the gym, pausing their game of indoor tennis to motion "Y-M-C-A" with their arms as the Village People's song blares from the loudspeaker. It's a scene happening less frequently these days. Budget cuts and teacher layoffs have forced the school to cut some P.E. classes, reduce library hours and eliminate small literacy classes for struggling readers and Spanish for sixth- and seventh-graders.
Principal Josh Keene says he's worried — not just about offering electives next year, but whether class sizes in core subjects will jump from around 25 to 35 or 40. His district received $6 million less from the state this year, which meant six staff positions in his school were cut. Even if state funding remains the same next year, the district expects to have from $5 million to $7 million less because of increased pension obligations and other expenses.
"I'm scared to death. As we continue to look at fewer and fewer non-classroom positions that are there, at some point it's going to impact core classroom positions and that's a very, very scary thing," said Keene.
Recognizing the reality districts face, President Barack Obama included $30 billion in his $447 billion jobs creation package to save teachers' jobs. The Senate rejected the jobs package as well as a separate measure focused on saving the jobs of teachers and emergency responders. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said the plan resembles "bailouts" that haven't proven to work and only perpetuate economic problems.
Not everyone sees all doom and gloom in schools' budget woes. Some say many districts haven't wisely spent tax dollars or didn't adequately prepare for the end of the $100 billion in federal stimulus dollars for schools. And that while the number of students per teacher in America dropped from 22.3 in 1970 to 15.3 in 2008, according to the National Center For Education Statistics, they say the reduction hasn't made a noticeable difference.
Karen Hawley Miles, executive director of Education Resource Strategies, a nonprofit based in Watertown, Mass., that helps urban districts develop ways to more effectively use resources, encourages districts to use this time to make changes they have been reluctant to do. They include strategically raising class sizes to refocus on teacher quality and changing teacher compensation to be more tied to performance, she said.
"In tough days when it's incredibly urgent, sometimes these conversations can take place in a different frame. We see districts really thinking about how they can really do things differently and really focus in on their priorities," she said.
In Pennsylvania, at the urging of Gov. Tom Corbett, the legislature slashed public-education spending by roughly $900 million, or more than 10 percent, to avoid a state budget deficit for the year that began July 1 without raising taxes.
Seemingly overnight, thousands of education jobs in the state were lost. A survey of school districts by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials found that leading into this school year, 44 percent reduced elective course offerings and 70 percent increased class sizes. More than 30 districts said they either reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten or pre-K programs.
The cuts hit many of the poorer districts harder because they are more reliant on state dollars.
In York, Pa., about a 30-minute drive from Lancaster, full-day kindergarten was saved when administrators and teachers agreed to a pay freeze. But art, music, and physical education teachers in elementary schools were eliminated, forcing classroom teachers to incorporate the electives in their classroom teaching, said Kim Schwarz, 45, a teacher and president of the York City Education Association. High school class sizes now are in the upper 30s, she said.
Schwarz said the changes are tough for kids who really shine in art or physical education and it's been hard on the morale of teachers.
"The district has scrimped and pulled and did everything they could to find additional funds ... and I think the teachers are doing an absolutely phenomenal job of educating the students and giving them the attention that they need given the circumstances, which just adds more to the stress and the level of exhaustion that we're all feeling," Schwarz said.
At Keene's school in Lancaster, about 60 percent of the students are Latino and 80 percent are considered low income. Many are sent home on Friday nights with donated groceries and recipes for cooking them. Among the staff members cut was someone who did home visits to follow up on children who weren't attending class. The school was able to continue an after-school program only after a non-profit agreed to run it.
Keene said he wants his children to have a full life, and he thinks music, art and physical education are part of that. He just hopes those classes will be offered in the future.
"You know the old adage sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder? We're frankly at a point where we just need to work harder and more hours, and with the reductions in staff, that's what needs to happen because otherwise, kids are going to suffer, and that's unacceptable," Keene said.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
What We Ought to Expect
What do we really want our teachers to do that will ultimately make a difference in the lives of our young people? Notice I didn't say what will make them prosperous nor do I make any mention of an occupation. Likewise, I don't think it serves students well simply to be fully prepped for various exams.
No, I'm advocating for something far more reaching.
From my vantage point I want teachers to engage students. I want a teacher who can pass along his/her thirst for knowledge in the hope that his/her students will do the same. I want a teacher who is committed to listening.
I long for teachers who pour their heart and soul into teaching...who literally bare all that they stand for.
I want teachers who are truthful, full of candor and who act according to the principles of decency and act in the name of the common good. I want to see a teacher live by his/her word.
My guess is that if a teacher stands for the above, students - no matter their location, grade, race, gender, age - will be all the better for it.
Thanks,
Dick
No, I'm advocating for something far more reaching.
From my vantage point I want teachers to engage students. I want a teacher who can pass along his/her thirst for knowledge in the hope that his/her students will do the same. I want a teacher who is committed to listening.
I long for teachers who pour their heart and soul into teaching...who literally bare all that they stand for.
I want teachers who are truthful, full of candor and who act according to the principles of decency and act in the name of the common good. I want to see a teacher live by his/her word.
My guess is that if a teacher stands for the above, students - no matter their location, grade, race, gender, age - will be all the better for it.
Thanks,
Dick
Friday, October 21, 2011
Teachers Make..
Lots of talk out there these days about what teachers and administrators make in yearly wages or pensions. Let me offer another thought on what teachers make.
Teachers make...
...each day an exciting and rewarding experience
...students learn and excel when no one else seems to be able to do it
...sense of the world
...students dream of what they can be someday
...young people realize their potential
...countless opportunities for growth
...it happen
...it possible to do the improbable
...students squirm in order to learn
...things happen far beyond any amount of money they make
Just some of my thoughts on what teachers make!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Dick
Teachers make...
...each day an exciting and rewarding experience
...students learn and excel when no one else seems to be able to do it
...sense of the world
...students dream of what they can be someday
...young people realize their potential
...countless opportunities for growth
...it happen
...it possible to do the improbable
...students squirm in order to learn
...things happen far beyond any amount of money they make
Just some of my thoughts on what teachers make!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Dick
Monday, October 17, 2011
Make Your Voice Known
Too often, a number of skeptics of public education or those who are in the midst of pointing out some of the difficulties of teaching in the 21st century outweigh those who really know that students are receiving a great education.
It falls upon those of us, known as the silent majority, to make our voices heard. We don't need to assail our critics; rather, let your friends and the teachers of your children know that they are doing a great job.
We expect our public schools to bring out the best in our children, that's to be expected. Why not jot a note to a teacher to thank them for the effort and thought they put into their work? If you see that your son/daughter is faring well, let that school know you are grateful for the care and consideration shown them.
Do you have a coach or activity sponsor who brings out the best in your child? Why not send them an email thanking them for all that they do. Perhaps you see your son/daughter making progress. Part of that success is likely to be attributable to their teacher.
I think far more comes of acting in a positive and proactive fashion than simply complaining and griping about someone. Why not take the time and make the effort to support good teachers? I think it serves everyone's interests.
Thanks,
Dick
It falls upon those of us, known as the silent majority, to make our voices heard. We don't need to assail our critics; rather, let your friends and the teachers of your children know that they are doing a great job.
We expect our public schools to bring out the best in our children, that's to be expected. Why not jot a note to a teacher to thank them for the effort and thought they put into their work? If you see that your son/daughter is faring well, let that school know you are grateful for the care and consideration shown them.
Do you have a coach or activity sponsor who brings out the best in your child? Why not send them an email thanking them for all that they do. Perhaps you see your son/daughter making progress. Part of that success is likely to be attributable to their teacher.
I think far more comes of acting in a positive and proactive fashion than simply complaining and griping about someone. Why not take the time and make the effort to support good teachers? I think it serves everyone's interests.
Thanks,
Dick
Friday, October 14, 2011
Teacher Merit
Over the past couple of days I have shared some thoughts with you regarding Vince Santo, an elective course instructor, who may very well have half of his evaluation subject to the FL test scores (FCAT) of students who he doesn't even instruct.
The issue deals with merit pay and the fact that merit pay is being tied to the FCAT results. This is sadly an emerging trend.
Merit. Well, for some people a person's merit, or should I say worth, is being tied to test scores. This nonsense has to stop! A person's merit (worth) should not be tied to test results. Education is not piece rate work and it never has been. Teaching and learning is not some cut rate type of endeavor.
Piece rate work has its place in any economic system but it isn't appropriate for all types of occupations. Besides, dangling money in front of someone, in most careers, has proven to be a poor work incentive!
A teacher's merit should not be tied to or equated to merit pay. Merit ought to be more closely aligned to other teaching/teacher factors such as; the ability of the teacher to adapt, the instructor's knowledge base, developing a compatibility between teacher and learner, teaching style, knowledge of adolescence, work ethic, effort and more.
Any decent administrator will see the above elements as far more revealing of a teacher's merit than tying standardized scores to their evaluation. It is time to get away from test results being a panacea or the key to school reform.
Dick
The issue deals with merit pay and the fact that merit pay is being tied to the FCAT results. This is sadly an emerging trend.
Merit. Well, for some people a person's merit, or should I say worth, is being tied to test scores. This nonsense has to stop! A person's merit (worth) should not be tied to test results. Education is not piece rate work and it never has been. Teaching and learning is not some cut rate type of endeavor.
Piece rate work has its place in any economic system but it isn't appropriate for all types of occupations. Besides, dangling money in front of someone, in most careers, has proven to be a poor work incentive!
A teacher's merit should not be tied to or equated to merit pay. Merit ought to be more closely aligned to other teaching/teacher factors such as; the ability of the teacher to adapt, the instructor's knowledge base, developing a compatibility between teacher and learner, teaching style, knowledge of adolescence, work ethic, effort and more.
Any decent administrator will see the above elements as far more revealing of a teacher's merit than tying standardized scores to their evaluation. It is time to get away from test results being a panacea or the key to school reform.
Dick
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Are You Kidding!!
The article I posted yesterday from the Orlando Sentinel concerning the evaluation, based partly on merit, of Florida teachers who teach non-core courses is a fascinating yet convoluted scenario.
Here is a teacher, Vince Santo, who as a performing arts instructor, and FLorida officials will base half of his evauation on merit. Okay, I have a problem with the whole merit pay but that is another issue. Get this, Florida and his school, want to base his degree of 'merit,' or lack thereof, based on how students perform in math and reading, classes he doesn't even teach! Like I said, you have to be kidding.
It makes absolutely no sense to base ones evaluation of a teacher on the performance of students in courses that you don't even teach. How on earth is a Music, Drama, or Art teacher suppose to impact student performance on the FCAT tests with regard to math and reading? Quite simply they can't!
The performing arts are by their nature 'performance' oriented and subjecting students and, in turn, teachers to so some sort of standardized testing is absurd, simply absurd.
When will the 'powers that be,' who come up with these merit pay concoctions, get in through their heads that excellence in teaching and learning isn't merely a product of testing?
School reform will start to take place when educators get rid of the foolishness of an over-dependence on standardized testing and the idea that merit or worth of a teach is based on test results.
You want a good teacher? All you have to do is look to the many thousands out there who engage students, are bright, work their tails off, are prepared, and look to treat students in a respectful manner.
Thanks,
Dick
Here is a teacher, Vince Santo, who as a performing arts instructor, and FLorida officials will base half of his evauation on merit. Okay, I have a problem with the whole merit pay but that is another issue. Get this, Florida and his school, want to base his degree of 'merit,' or lack thereof, based on how students perform in math and reading, classes he doesn't even teach! Like I said, you have to be kidding.
It makes absolutely no sense to base ones evaluation of a teacher on the performance of students in courses that you don't even teach. How on earth is a Music, Drama, or Art teacher suppose to impact student performance on the FCAT tests with regard to math and reading? Quite simply they can't!
The performing arts are by their nature 'performance' oriented and subjecting students and, in turn, teachers to so some sort of standardized testing is absurd, simply absurd.
When will the 'powers that be,' who come up with these merit pay concoctions, get in through their heads that excellence in teaching and learning isn't merely a product of testing?
School reform will start to take place when educators get rid of the foolishness of an over-dependence on standardized testing and the idea that merit or worth of a teach is based on test results.
You want a good teacher? All you have to do is look to the many thousands out there who engage students, are bright, work their tails off, are prepared, and look to treat students in a respectful manner.
Thanks,
Dick
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
A Rather Interesting Story
The following story appeared in the Orlando (FL) Sentinel newspaper today. I thought you might like to read it as it deals with merit pay. I'll weigh in on this in tomorrow's blog.
A 15-hour workday is not uncommon for Vince Santo when he's directing the busy East Ridge High School theater program. Sets must be painted, parents enlisted, brightly colored costumes pieced together and acting skills honed.
But at the end of the year, Santo's own performance will be measured in a way much different from the one used to evaluate him in the past.
Because of Florida's controversial new teacher merit-pay law, nearly half of Santo's evaluation will be based not on how well his theater students can act, but how they perform in reading and math on their Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
"There has to be a better way to show how effective we are," Santo said.
School districts are working on that — in the form of student tests that would be tailored to disciplines such as theater, art and physical education. But until educators come up with those measuring sticks, thousands of teachers such as Santo will be judged this year on student FCAT scores in core courses, even though they don't teach those classes.
A Chinese-language teacher, for instance, will be evaluated on how her students read in English on their FCAT. And because the test doesn't start until third grade, first-grade teachers could be judged on how well third-graders perform on the FCAT.
The new focus on linking student-test results to teacher performance has school districts rallying to create standardized tests for every class in the coming years and paying for it with federal money. Districts are boosting staff with Race to the Top grant money and mustering teams of test-builders and data analysts.
Lake County Schools and other districts even hired psychometricians, test-creation specialists.
"We're going to have to build from the ground up on these assessments," said Heather Wright, the psychometrician for Lake County Schools.
For Wright and others, finding a way to evaluate a teacher's impact in core subjects such as civics and geometry will be challenging enough. But the job will become much harder — and more clouded — when trying to come up with a fair evaluation system for those teaching theater, music or art.
Across Florida, school districts are using more than $20 million in federal Race to the Top grants to create student tests that could be used to grade teachers in these noncore subjects. They have until 2014 to do so.
In Polk County, administrators are working on ways to create standardized tests for performing-arts subjects. The goal is to objectively measure students' performance and creativity.
"In the past, these had been assessed in some manner — you either like it or you don't like it — and so you have to have something that's less subjective," said Beth Cummings, senior music coordinator for the district.
Thanks to technology, some approaches to measuring progress might be a little easier, at least in music. Cummings said one approach the team might use is a software program that measures pitch and how accurately a student plays musical notes on page.
"That's a measurable thing," Cummings said.
In some Florida counties, standardized fine-arts tests are nothing new. In Hillsborough County, where the tests have been used for decades, students are graded on factors such as identifying major beats in pop music or determining whether an actor is dominating a scene.
But many fine-arts teachers worry the focus on testing will drain the creativity from their subjects.
"My biggest fear is we create nothing but test-takers — and creativity is gone out the window — because that's what everything's going to be based on," said Mike Cahill, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association president.
Santo, meanwhile, is encouraging other drama teachers to get involved in the process that could eventually impact the outcome of their professional evaluations. His biggest fear is the new testing push won't encourage students to learn performance.
"Anybody can memorize and write something down on a piece of paper," he said. "But can they get up and do it?"
ericarodriguez@tribune.com or 352-455-8046
A 15-hour workday is not uncommon for Vince Santo when he's directing the busy East Ridge High School theater program. Sets must be painted, parents enlisted, brightly colored costumes pieced together and acting skills honed.
But at the end of the year, Santo's own performance will be measured in a way much different from the one used to evaluate him in the past.
Because of Florida's controversial new teacher merit-pay law, nearly half of Santo's evaluation will be based not on how well his theater students can act, but how they perform in reading and math on their Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.
"There has to be a better way to show how effective we are," Santo said.
School districts are working on that — in the form of student tests that would be tailored to disciplines such as theater, art and physical education. But until educators come up with those measuring sticks, thousands of teachers such as Santo will be judged this year on student FCAT scores in core courses, even though they don't teach those classes.
A Chinese-language teacher, for instance, will be evaluated on how her students read in English on their FCAT. And because the test doesn't start until third grade, first-grade teachers could be judged on how well third-graders perform on the FCAT.
The new focus on linking student-test results to teacher performance has school districts rallying to create standardized tests for every class in the coming years and paying for it with federal money. Districts are boosting staff with Race to the Top grant money and mustering teams of test-builders and data analysts.
Lake County Schools and other districts even hired psychometricians, test-creation specialists.
"We're going to have to build from the ground up on these assessments," said Heather Wright, the psychometrician for Lake County Schools.
For Wright and others, finding a way to evaluate a teacher's impact in core subjects such as civics and geometry will be challenging enough. But the job will become much harder — and more clouded — when trying to come up with a fair evaluation system for those teaching theater, music or art.
Across Florida, school districts are using more than $20 million in federal Race to the Top grants to create student tests that could be used to grade teachers in these noncore subjects. They have until 2014 to do so.
In Polk County, administrators are working on ways to create standardized tests for performing-arts subjects. The goal is to objectively measure students' performance and creativity.
"In the past, these had been assessed in some manner — you either like it or you don't like it — and so you have to have something that's less subjective," said Beth Cummings, senior music coordinator for the district.
Thanks to technology, some approaches to measuring progress might be a little easier, at least in music. Cummings said one approach the team might use is a software program that measures pitch and how accurately a student plays musical notes on page.
"That's a measurable thing," Cummings said.
In some Florida counties, standardized fine-arts tests are nothing new. In Hillsborough County, where the tests have been used for decades, students are graded on factors such as identifying major beats in pop music or determining whether an actor is dominating a scene.
But many fine-arts teachers worry the focus on testing will drain the creativity from their subjects.
"My biggest fear is we create nothing but test-takers — and creativity is gone out the window — because that's what everything's going to be based on," said Mike Cahill, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association president.
Santo, meanwhile, is encouraging other drama teachers to get involved in the process that could eventually impact the outcome of their professional evaluations. His biggest fear is the new testing push won't encourage students to learn performance.
"Anybody can memorize and write something down on a piece of paper," he said. "But can they get up and do it?"
ericarodriguez@tribune.com or 352-455-8046
Friday, October 7, 2011
Chili Dinner - Oct. 14th
It's that time of the year...Friday night football, cool temperatures, and chili! And it also just so happens that all of this is taking place while Habitat for Humanity, at Hinsdale Central, teams up with Schools Count Corp for one of our biggest fundraisers of the year.
Our 5th annual Chili Dinner will take place on Friday, October 14th in the Hinsdale Central H.S. student cafeteria from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets, whether purchased ahead of time, or at the door are $5. That's an amazing price considering you get all the chili you can eat plus a dessert and beverage. By the way, did I mention that there are all sort of toppings for the chili? Well, there are!
All of the profits from the chili dinner will benefit two organizations, the HC Habitat for Humanity Club and Schools Count Corp. The Habitat member will use their funds for their 2012 building trip to West Virginia while Schools Count will use their portion of the proceeds to buy school supplies for students in the Chicago Public Schools.
Why not avoid cooking after a long week of work and school? Get the whole family together and come on out to support these great organizations! Once you finish your delicious meal you just might want to head out to the football field to watch the Red Devils take on Downers Grove North.
Hope to see you on the 14th!
Thanks,
Dick
Our 5th annual Chili Dinner will take place on Friday, October 14th in the Hinsdale Central H.S. student cafeteria from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets, whether purchased ahead of time, or at the door are $5. That's an amazing price considering you get all the chili you can eat plus a dessert and beverage. By the way, did I mention that there are all sort of toppings for the chili? Well, there are!
All of the profits from the chili dinner will benefit two organizations, the HC Habitat for Humanity Club and Schools Count Corp. The Habitat member will use their funds for their 2012 building trip to West Virginia while Schools Count will use their portion of the proceeds to buy school supplies for students in the Chicago Public Schools.
Why not avoid cooking after a long week of work and school? Get the whole family together and come on out to support these great organizations! Once you finish your delicious meal you just might want to head out to the football field to watch the Red Devils take on Downers Grove North.
Hope to see you on the 14th!
Thanks,
Dick
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Let There Be No Doubt
Wisconsin Governor Walker and the state legislature have cut the state's education budget by $1.6 billion over the next two years. That's right!!! That amounts to over $600 less funding per child per year.
So why the draconian cuts? The state does have a debt problem for certain. But cutting education by that total is simply hard to fathom. There has to be more to it. Well, there is!
Look at it another way. If you are having a debt problem and you can fund charter schools for less money than the traditional public school why not marry the two together. The debt crisis makes it easier, for those who propose such a venture, to justify funding schools at a lesser amount of money while creating charters. How convenient.
Let's not kid ourselves, you are going to find more local and state governments following this lead. In an age of cost cutting, education is going to be one of the first to be on the chopping block.
How foolish!! The very people who say we need to be more competitive in the new global economy are willing to sacrifice the very means, education, of how we become more adept in such a world. Pretty short sighted.
Here are some other issues to think about. If more charters are created and teachers are paid less (which is typically the case) then when those charter teachers retire, state retirement systems will pay them less of a pension than the traditional public school teacher. How very sneaky and sinister.
If charters need more funds for such things as expansion, while not getting additional public funds, they will have to obtain the funds on their own. Just another example of how government agencies can turn a blind eye toward public education. Let there be no doubt that many local and state governments are willing to make major cuts to the education of our children.
The above is happening all around us and we need to not only be aware of the situation but we need to voice our disapproval.
Thanks,
Dick
So why the draconian cuts? The state does have a debt problem for certain. But cutting education by that total is simply hard to fathom. There has to be more to it. Well, there is!
Look at it another way. If you are having a debt problem and you can fund charter schools for less money than the traditional public school why not marry the two together. The debt crisis makes it easier, for those who propose such a venture, to justify funding schools at a lesser amount of money while creating charters. How convenient.
Let's not kid ourselves, you are going to find more local and state governments following this lead. In an age of cost cutting, education is going to be one of the first to be on the chopping block.
How foolish!! The very people who say we need to be more competitive in the new global economy are willing to sacrifice the very means, education, of how we become more adept in such a world. Pretty short sighted.
Here are some other issues to think about. If more charters are created and teachers are paid less (which is typically the case) then when those charter teachers retire, state retirement systems will pay them less of a pension than the traditional public school teacher. How very sneaky and sinister.
If charters need more funds for such things as expansion, while not getting additional public funds, they will have to obtain the funds on their own. Just another example of how government agencies can turn a blind eye toward public education. Let there be no doubt that many local and state governments are willing to make major cuts to the education of our children.
The above is happening all around us and we need to not only be aware of the situation but we need to voice our disapproval.
Thanks,
Dick
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Larger Issue of Charters
If you are curious about the growth and direction of charter schools within the city of Chicago I can give you some data on their proliferation. According to an Oct. 4, 2011 Chicago Tribune article fully 12% of all CPS students attend a charter. That's a significant number.
The thrust of the article dealt with an examination of the financial footing of charters. The Civic Foundation, here in Chicago, reported that some charters fared better than others. One of the problems in terms of reporting on charter finances is the fact that different accounting methods are used by the various charters. The result is akin to comparing different brands of apples to one another.
What I found most intriguing, and I see as the larger issue, is the situation regarding the amount of money that charters have at their disposal. The Civic Foundation reported on the low operational amounts of money that charters have available to spend on each pupil. According to the study, "Charters receive around $7300.00 per pupil from the state, about half as much as neighborhood schools in CPS."
The point is that most charters are clamoring for more funds. That makes sense. Finally, towards the end of the article it was stated that "some large charter networks are able to overcome these financial hurdles with private fundraising."
And there, in a nutshell, is the problem. It's not that these charters are doing something wrong by fundraising. If local and state governments can see that the charters are going out and raising money, on their own, why would the government agencies want to provide more funding? The answer is that governments will be quite willing to allow them to do so while keeping low the amount of funds provided by the public sector.
As I've said before, in other blog postings, too many government agencies are ignoring their responsibilities of providing for the 'common good.' This is just another way of moving towards the privatization of public education.
Dick
The thrust of the article dealt with an examination of the financial footing of charters. The Civic Foundation, here in Chicago, reported that some charters fared better than others. One of the problems in terms of reporting on charter finances is the fact that different accounting methods are used by the various charters. The result is akin to comparing different brands of apples to one another.
What I found most intriguing, and I see as the larger issue, is the situation regarding the amount of money that charters have at their disposal. The Civic Foundation reported on the low operational amounts of money that charters have available to spend on each pupil. According to the study, "Charters receive around $7300.00 per pupil from the state, about half as much as neighborhood schools in CPS."
The point is that most charters are clamoring for more funds. That makes sense. Finally, towards the end of the article it was stated that "some large charter networks are able to overcome these financial hurdles with private fundraising."
And there, in a nutshell, is the problem. It's not that these charters are doing something wrong by fundraising. If local and state governments can see that the charters are going out and raising money, on their own, why would the government agencies want to provide more funding? The answer is that governments will be quite willing to allow them to do so while keeping low the amount of funds provided by the public sector.
As I've said before, in other blog postings, too many government agencies are ignoring their responsibilities of providing for the 'common good.' This is just another way of moving towards the privatization of public education.
Dick
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
What are We to Make of This?
There is a disturbing trend in America to sell off services or other government run obligations to private enterprise. You name it and authorities at various levels are getting rid of it. The reasons are plenty but the main one is funding.
Tollways, highways, parking meters, schools and more are being sold off or simply taken over by the private sector. I don't know enough about most services but I do know a good deal about the education sector being let go by various local government agencies. Most of this action involves the creation of charter schools.
It's true that charter schools use public funding though most get a lesser amount than the true public school in the same district, county or state.
As true public schools are becoming charters, for all practical purposes, the charters are pretty much on their own in terms of their operation. This allows them more autonomy while government agencies are able to free themselves of various commitments, financial and otherwise.
Remember, if a charter needs more funding they cannot go to the taxpayers and ask for a referendum. And if this situation exists well, don't count on the local or state government to come to the rescue. It just isn't going to happen.
I won't get into the merits, or lack thereof, of charters right now. My point is that government agencies, at all levels, have always looked at educating the nation's youth as one of their primary responsibilities and rightfully so. To disavow themselves of this commitment is a travesty and one that we ought not allow.
Dick
Tollways, highways, parking meters, schools and more are being sold off or simply taken over by the private sector. I don't know enough about most services but I do know a good deal about the education sector being let go by various local government agencies. Most of this action involves the creation of charter schools.
It's true that charter schools use public funding though most get a lesser amount than the true public school in the same district, county or state.
As true public schools are becoming charters, for all practical purposes, the charters are pretty much on their own in terms of their operation. This allows them more autonomy while government agencies are able to free themselves of various commitments, financial and otherwise.
Remember, if a charter needs more funding they cannot go to the taxpayers and ask for a referendum. And if this situation exists well, don't count on the local or state government to come to the rescue. It just isn't going to happen.
I won't get into the merits, or lack thereof, of charters right now. My point is that government agencies, at all levels, have always looked at educating the nation's youth as one of their primary responsibilities and rightfully so. To disavow themselves of this commitment is a travesty and one that we ought not allow.
Dick
Monday, October 3, 2011
Here's What Teachers Tell Me
Stories abound in newspapers, film documentaries, educational periodicals, television programs and the like concerning student achievement, school reform, and/or the perceived failure of schools.
The range of information carried through these various sources varies from truth to partial truth to out and out fiction. The result is often confusing and too often lead many to jump to conclusions about the quality of schools, teachers and instruction.
Many teachers tell me about their daily teaching, giving me a sense of some activities and events which are either harmful to their instruction, out of their control, and limits their effectiveness with their students.
What follows are some inhibitors to teaching and learning:
'Too many disruptions in the school day'
'We have to make all kinds of curriculum adjustments in our instruction because we have so many inclusion and educational service students, often to the detriment of the other students'
'Way too many late starts'
'It takes more than an hour just to respond to my emails each day. It leaves too little time to grade or lesson plan'
'With so many different learners, there are times when I have to have three different lessons for the same class'
'There are too many AP classes and the students face too much pressure'
'Too few five day weeks and that makes it difficult to develop a rhythm'
'There still is too much teaching to the test (state testing)'
The above are real struggles that often impede or impair the work of teachers. These teachers state that fewer of these impediments would increase the likelihood of improved classroom performance. I'm certain that if administrators would hear these concerns then improvements would result.
Thanks,
Dick
The range of information carried through these various sources varies from truth to partial truth to out and out fiction. The result is often confusing and too often lead many to jump to conclusions about the quality of schools, teachers and instruction.
Many teachers tell me about their daily teaching, giving me a sense of some activities and events which are either harmful to their instruction, out of their control, and limits their effectiveness with their students.
What follows are some inhibitors to teaching and learning:
'Too many disruptions in the school day'
'We have to make all kinds of curriculum adjustments in our instruction because we have so many inclusion and educational service students, often to the detriment of the other students'
'Way too many late starts'
'It takes more than an hour just to respond to my emails each day. It leaves too little time to grade or lesson plan'
'With so many different learners, there are times when I have to have three different lessons for the same class'
'There are too many AP classes and the students face too much pressure'
'Too few five day weeks and that makes it difficult to develop a rhythm'
'There still is too much teaching to the test (state testing)'
The above are real struggles that often impede or impair the work of teachers. These teachers state that fewer of these impediments would increase the likelihood of improved classroom performance. I'm certain that if administrators would hear these concerns then improvements would result.
Thanks,
Dick
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