Hindrance or Helpful - Part 3

I believe that those who institute policies and/or programs that impact students and teachers do so not to harm the quality of education of students but to be of benefit.    Often what happens is that these policies and programs are put in place without fully thinking through ALL of the possible outcomes...the positive and negative ones 

So, for example, let's say that a state government wants to have ALL public school students take various tests.   Okay, are they thinking through the impact on the daily schedule?   Are they aware of the impact on the amount time lost for teaching and learning?   Are they sure that the tests are valuable?     Have they taken into account the input of school districts?    There are other concerns that should be weighed.

There are any number of programs and policies that, again might be well intentioned and even might be helpful, but, sadly, are fully vetted or thought through.    And we end up where we're at.

Dick 

A Hindrance or Helpful?

 In the past I have made my point that the so called 'reformers' might be less inclined to reform in the name of strengthening public education.    In short, I have seen enough 'reform' that seems to indicate that harm has been rendered to public education.

Of course any changes in public education, either from within or without, can be seen as being a hindrance or helpful to teaching and learning.    So, that being said, changes should be viewed not as purely as a hindrance or helpful to teaching and learning.    There is always nuance.

My intent in this series of blogs is to try to make sense of what is taking place in public education where teachers are feeling beat up, parents are raising mayhem at school board meetings and the proliferation of edicts from on high knows no bounds.  

And the changes we'll look at aren't simply involved in the structuring of public schools.   The changes are many and run deep.

Dick

Equality or Equity?

The issue of equality and equity has been a long debated issue in education.    It still seems as though there are many still clamoring for equality as if that assures a school and, in turn, the students that they will make it.

The idea of being equal largely means that a classroom or school is provided with the same supplies or resources as another class or another school.   So, in the CPS system, for example, one school in North Lawndale has the same student to teacher ratio as a school in the Pullman neighborhood.

Equity, on the other hand, realizes that the classrooms and students in North Lawndale have different needs, backgrounds and circumstances that are different from those of the Pullman neighborhood schools.    That in turn would dictate which resources/supplies should be afforded to each to hopefully arrive at a relatively equal outcome.

My simple point is this...equity is what is worth striving for.    Making something, in this case a classroom or school equal to another doesn't assure one of quality.

Dick

Shed Winter and 'Celebrate' Spring

 The sun is up earlier these days and here in the northern part of the country we are occasionally getting some warmer (50's) days.    So goodbye winter and hello spring.   That is one of the beautiful parts of living up north...the changing seasons!

Not only can you celebrate the arrival of spring but what better way to do it than to join with others in the '15 Year Celebration' of the founding of Schools Count Corp.    That's right, we've assisted children and their families in over 100 schools (and 4 countries including the U.S.) during that period of time..

The celebration is bound to be exciting.   The festivities include; a short recap of our work, a delicious dinner and a keynote address by Rob Stafford of NBC News.    One of the other significant parts of the evening is that you get to share it with like minded volunteers, donors, and those who have benefitted from so many generous individuals.

The 'Celebration' will be held on Tuesday, April 12th in the student cafeteria at Hinsdale Central High School (55th and Grant Streets).   The doors will open at 5:45 and dinner will be served at 6:15.   All to be followed by the program.    The evening's program should conclude around 8:00 pm.    

So it's my privilege to invite you to our 'Celebration.'    You and any guests are certainly welcome.  All you have to do is email me at rich219@comcast.net with your reservation.    You won't want to miss this great occasion.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Have a great weekend, 

Dick

The War and Education in Ukraine

 As I looked on in horror at the bombing of Kharkiv University (home to in excess of 24,000 students), which was established in 1804, I thought about the connection between the very fabric of a nation and the importance of education at all levels.

Think of that...1804.   That's just a bit after the birth of our own nation, just a few decades after the American Revolution.   Heck, the ink was barely dry on our very own Constitution!!

There is little doubt that the quality of any nation's existence is based in large part upon the quality of the education of the population.    Just take a look at nations that seem to succeed and those teetering on the edge.    I think you will find that in places where education is vibrant you will also find a flourishing country.

So, the Putin regime may bomb schools, universities, hospitals, homes and other buildings, but somehow I believe that the quality of education, among other strengths of Ukrainian society, will prevail in the long run.

Have a good day, Dick

IL Senate Bill 4179 - Education

 Let me share with you a proposed piece of legislation (word for word) from the IL Senate Republicans.  Yes, either party can propose legislation but I think that any such legislation solely proposed by one party is ill advised.

Here is Senate Bill 4179 - "The legislation requires school districts to publicly post on the districts website, at least twice per year, all of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction, as well as the policies and procedures for review and approval of the materials and activities."

On the surface this appears to be a rather benign bill; perhaps even a positive one.    I'm wary of this proposed piece of legislation for a number of reasons.

- First, as I alluded to, above, a bill crafted by one party is often ill fated

- Second, the bill seems to assume that teachers aren't already sharing learning materials and activities as part of their every day work.    Teachers have always done this.

-Third, excellent teachers, for a variety of reasons (sometimes out of their control) must by necessity or choice alter learning materials and activities.   When this takes place are they then suppose to make the changes on the website?

-Fourth, making the above Senate Bill 4179 law simply adds another responsibility to a teacher's workload; a workload already often too burdensome.

-And fifth, though there are other reasons to oppose this bill, we already have principals, assistant principals, dept. chairs and district curriculum coordinators who are in charge of seeing to it that teachers are making clear to students and parents what is taking place with regard to learning materials and activities.   Bottom line...does the legislature trust these individuals, along with the teachers in the state, to do their jobs?

Thanks and have a good day, Dick

Punishing for What's Taught

So we have some new and possible state laws dealing with what is taught or not and the possible ramifications if a school, and by extension its teachers, don't heed the law.

Here's why I think this is an important issue to examine.

Students, like all of us, are different from one another.    We have different sexes, different facial appearances, different cultural/race backgrounds along with a whole bunch of other differences.  Heck, we cut our hair and dress differently.

This young and untested first year teacher (me) simply assumed a quiet, long haired student who sat in the back of the room in what 'seemed' a sullen matter assumed that this boy didn't care.   Turned out he was quite bright and was a positive force in the class.    Lesson learned!

Was he different?   Yes!  But there is nothing to fear if a transgender or LGBTQ is in school.    They are students who need to be treated properly like any other student.    The people in these state legislatures  passing these laws need to get over their fear of others because the students are somehow different.

Have a good weekend

Dick