Friday, March 27, 2015

Looking Ahead

Did you know that there is a shortage of FACS and Shop teachers in various parts of the United States? Sadly, this is a growing trend and other curriculum areas in high school and college programs are likely to see this trend continue.

There are lots of reasons for this alarming situation. For starters, a number of colleges are dropping various programs that train teachers in these respective areas. Some high schools have dropped these subjects in light of expenses. In most cases that I have witnessed, programs of this sort are not being shelved because of a decrease in enrollment.

I'd be curious to know the impact of standardized testing and doubling up on teaching some courses, such as English and Math, on the dwindling Shop and FACS programs. If this situation is taking place, I for one, am saddened that such courses and programs are being harmed.

What will the future bring?
Dick

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Look at it This Way

What's so important about public education? Well, plenty!! Many of us know what the strengths are concerning a strong public high school in our nation's various communities.

Let's look at it in a different light. What would our country be like without public schools?

For one, I think you would find that education in America might well devolve into competing institutions. Perhaps some would largely focus on Math and Athletics. Still others might emphasize the Humanities. Still others might concentrate on the Sciences. No doubt, each of these are critical. But each would miss out on 'educating the whole child.'

Already, there are plenty of specialty schools that really don't take all comers. Some aren't taking all students for a variety of reasons. So, without public schools, a good portion of the children in this country might well be totally ignored.

Without strong public the very foundation of our nation, in my view, would be in peril.

Just sayin...
Dick

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sit and Stare

You know something is drastically wrong with the preparation and administration of the PARCC test when those students who opt out have nothing else to do, while the exam is given, than to merely sit and stare. But, lo and behold, that is pretty much what is happening.

What, you can't read or write or doing something else that is constructive? That appears to be the case. Right now, Illinois has no laws or rules on how to deal with students who won't take the multi-day exams. Districts are struggling with how to handle the opt outs.

Some districts have the students in the PARCC test environment while some keep them out of the exam room. At any rate, getting PARCC off the ground has not been smooth. Let me finish with this notion. There was no real buy-in from the get go. Unless you get people 'on board,' then you are going to have these sorts of issues, sitting and starring but one of many.

Thanks,
Dick

Monday, March 23, 2015

Are You Serious!!

I thought I had seen it all with regard to the craze for all stakes standardized testing. The latest in the circus of education simply becoming a testing ground has reached a new low. The state of North Carolina is instituting a standardized test in 2015-16 for Kindergarten students!!!

Yes, they may not know their ABC's or be able to tie their shoes but we will have a standardized ready to go. Really, friends, a standardized test for your Kindergarten son and/or daughter.

This is out of control. By the way, who the hell really cares about how you stack up compared to someone else. Aside from a waste of real learning time, standardized tests do not positively impact learning and personal growth. I thought that what we do is for the students. This is a joke and a sad one at that. Why on earth are we being co-opted by this endless barrage of tests? For one, no one is willing to say hell no!

The social/emotional growth being assisted by a standardized test? NOT A CHANCE!! Real learning taking place by giving the standardized exam? NO WAY!!

Get rid of this now!
Dick

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Calling All Musicians

This past year our charity established a band at John Hay Elementary School in the Austin neighborhood. As Ms. Chicoine has said, "the kids love every minute of band class."

We are now in the process of starting a band in the Harvey Elementary School District. Schools Count, along with Amicus, will help the schools get their very own band program. If your son or daughter no longer plays that trumpet or saxophone or they have outgrown their trumpet playing days, please consider donating the instrument to the cause.

I'd be glad to pick up the instrument, tune it up if necessary and will write you a tax deduction receipt for the market value of the instrument. As you can see, this is a win-win for everyone!!! You get to help someone, a child gets to make some music and you can lower your taxes!!

To donate your instrument, kindly email me at rich219@comcast.net

Many thanks,
Dick

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

PARCC Follow Up

As the Spring testing frenzy continues on it is my hope that when the PARCC exam period ends the 'powers that be' will seek input from the various schools seeking their feedback. As with any test, classroom or not, the test is reviewed with the participants.

Specifically, I would hope the state would see how many children couldn't/wouldn't take the test and find out the reasons why. Did the school not have enough computers? Were there hardware/software issues? Since this is the first time through for PARCC did the test fulfill all of the credibility/reliability concerns?

There are many other questions to be answered but if this PARCC test is to survive then some serious follow up needs to take place at the grassroots level.

Dick

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Great News

It is with a great deal of excitement and pleasure that I can announce that the annual Hinsdale Central High School Jazz Ensemble will be performing at the Hinsdale Community House on Madison Street on Monday, April 27 at 7:00 pm. This is a wonderful group of musicians and they will be doing their part to help start up another band in Chicago.

All of the proceeds of the evening will go towards the purchase of trumpets, trombones, saxophones, drums, clarinets and flutes to the Harvey Elementary School District. Harvey School District Supt. Dr. Adams is "thrilled to bring music to the children and hallways of the elementary school system."

I will provide more details on cost and the lineup as they become available. At any rate, you won't want to miss this great evening of jazz performed by some of the most talented high school students in the area.

Thank you,
Dick

Monday, March 16, 2015

She's that and More

Part of the rhetoric of the 'reformers' is that teachers have summers off, are somehow corrupted by unions and are overpaid. Well, that's just some of the ill-advised and poorly expressed sentiments of some. These arguments are not only misleading, they don't come close to telling the truth.

My girlfriend is a FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) teacher and she cares about her students and her subject matter. The ideas expressed in the first paragraph don't represent the person I know and see each day when it comes to teaching. Let me give you but one of many illustrations of her devotion and love of what she does each day she heads to school to work with the students.

Yesterday she spent 8 hours, on top of 5-6 more on Saturday, typing up and testing recipes for her classes. The countertop was littered with all sorts of ingredients, recipes and sponge cakes. As I observed her I thought of the joy brought to her as she was baking.

This past weekend was but one of many spent in the kitchen doing what she does best. I can't begin to tell you the many ways that she serves students but I do know that her impact on the lives of those she comes in contact with are all the better because of her.

She, and many like her, offer so much more to children than we can ever imagine. What a person, what a teacher!

Dick

Friday, March 13, 2015

Putting a Halt to the Pipeline

No, I'm not talking about the XL oil pipeline in the Midwest!! That being said, the pipeline that does exist between school suspensions and prison are certainly toxic and something has to be done about it. Schools can do their part just as surely as the parents of children.

From a standpoint of schools, as I mentioned yesterday, they need to take a hard look at what they are doing right now in terms of dealing with the misbehavior, or worse, of students.

Allow me to offer this. School personnel need to work at defusing volatile situations. That is certainly not enough but it is a start. When it comes to individual poor choices and actions of individual students, it is critical that schools embark on the path of 1 to 1 counseling. This takes place with teachers in the classroom, Deans, and Social Workers.

At the very least, schools need to look at finding ways to keep students in schools. Too many students who have significant behavior issues are all too happy to get out of school. Let's find ways to keep them engaged and in the classroom.

Dick

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Follow Up

As I noted yesterday, the punishment system in use in many schools, which often makes liberal use of suspensions, can have serious and harmful implications for students in the years after they leave schools. It is not unlikely that students who are suspended face serious punishments going forward including imprisonment.

Make no mistake, misbehavior and harmful actions by students who are attending school need to be addressed.

The conversation, as I see it, should shift to examining a fundamental question. As Kevin Gilbert, a member of the NEA Executive Committee, sees it we need to ask this question: "Do our discipline structures help or hurt kids?"
I'd add that it has to be a serious look at what is meant by 'helping' and 'hurting.'

Unless we examine we what have been doing in the past and present with regard to handing out punishments for all sorts of poor student behavior we are not likely to really help students.

Dick

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

School to Prison Pipeline

I don't often write about school issues but an article in NEA Today sparked my interest. The piece is entitled "The School to Prison Pipeline." There are many important facets to the story but I want to tackle one that deals with how schools handle problems.

Essentially the author, Ms. Mary Ellen Flannery, researches and concludes that the age old system of school suspensions can most definitely lead to prison. Says Flannery, "A suspension can be life altering. It is the number-one predictor-more than poverty-of whether children will drop out of school, and walk down a road that includes greater likelihood of unemployment, reliance on social-welfare programs and imprisonment."

This is a fairly stark statement and hopefully a wake-up call to those running our schools regarding the serious implications and effects of school suspensions.

For me, I have long thought these were not in the best interests of the students growth and maturation. There has to be other ways of dealing with student misbehavior or worse.

Dick

Monday, March 9, 2015

A Great First Week

For most of us, this time of the year is tax season. To a person, we never have fun gathering up our financials and paperwork from the past year in order to file!! Okay, if we get a big return then we might be a little happier with the outcome.

Aside from tax season, March is also the lone month of the year in which Schools Count Corp. raises funds for our many projects for the rest of the year. From buying schools supplies to purchasing band instruments to acquiring warm winter clothing, the funds raised enable us to help thousands of children with the aforementioned.

We always welcome donations of any amount. Be assured that your contribution is tax deductible to the limits of the law. Just as importantly, as in the past, 100% of the funds are used to buy the supplies for the children. We don't use your funds to pay operating costs!!

Yes, last week was a great first week as we raised $970.00. Please consider a donation to Schools Count. It makes a huge difference to the kids and their families.

Many thanks,
Dick

Friday, March 6, 2015

Testing Their Readiness

So the PARCC is suppose to assess the readiness of children to attend college and to be prepared for a career. Is this really the intent? I have my doubts and that is not the small part of my personal skeptical nature speaking; rather, my long understanding that what 'reformers' want is a way to assess teachers...to hold them accountable.

Okay, so they say they are testing for readiness. Students are ready at different points in the lives for college or a career. So the fact that some students in elementary school or high school 'aren't ready' doesn't mean they won't be 'ready' at some point in time.

Let me say this about being 'ready.' Getting decent classroom instruction, over the long haul, will do more to make young people 'ready' for what is ahead. Another point...the true purpose of education has way more to do with helping young people other than being ready for college or a career. It is time to value education for all that it encompasses rather than for job preparation.

Dick

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Not Skipping School, Just Skipping PARCC

At least two North Side CPS schools, Nettelhorst and Blaine Elementary, are skipping the administration of the PARCC test which commences next Monday. In fact an "opt-out bill passed out of a House committee Wednesday in Springfield." Still other schools are considering opting out of giving the exam.

The reason for not participating in the testing is simple. As the Blaine PTO put it, "our students can get back 10 hours of vital classroom instruction." The Blaine Principal, Troy LaRaviere, supports the PTA in terms of maximizing classroom instruction. That's it. Parents, teachers and many administrators want teaching and learning to take place rather than spending the time on standardized testing.

Remember CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett doesn't think the test is in the best interests of the students.

Maybe some legislators in both state and federal government circles will start coming to the realization that teaching and learning trumps constant high stakes testing.

Dick

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Money Wins Out on PARCC

The brass at CPS has relented on its original pledge to have just 10% of the schools take the PARCC test. The reason for the turnaround has nothing to do with being equipped for the exam or whether the test is worthwhile (that's another can of worms). The bottom line is this...CPS was faced with losing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid if they didn't administer the test this spring.

Yes, the Illinois State Board of Education was going to hold back the funding. Nothing like being held hostage!! UGH!

Just to give you an idea of the craziness of this whole affair, let me share with you the sentiments of schools chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett. She said, "I continue to personally and professionally believe that to administer PARCC this year is absolutely not in the best interest of our students."

There you have it! A professional, not a politician, speaking out on the issue. So what happens, the education professionals are ignored.

Don't be surprised if a fair number of parents and staff, perhaps the sleepy public, rise up and say no. I'll have more to say on this in the coming days.

Dick

Girls Singing at IMN

Classes Singing at IMN

IMN School Opens

Driving into Port Au Prince

IMN School Welcome

Tour of IMN School

IMN School