A Vote for Teachers

One of the many reasons I have always enjoyed teaching and support public education is due to the ability of teachers to adapt.  Adaptation in today's world is essential and it isn't always based on technology.

Over the years, the necessity of teachers to adapt to Education Services initiatives has called upon these professionals to adjust their curriculum.  Changes in societal lifestyles, the speed of the information age, diet/nutirition choices, the demand of the 'testing' era, and the world of work have called upon teachers to adapt.

The demands made by parents, changes in law, and education reform have also placed a huge burden on teachers in terms of making changes in their classroom practices.

When I visit schools, and watch classroom student-teacher interaction, and chat with colleagues who are still in the profession I witness people who DO make the necessary changes.  In fact, most exhibit this flexibility with attendant issues.  Quite candidly, I often find teachers to be the first in line to make the necessary adaptations so that students progress. 

Dick

Coming full circle at Chalmers

This is pretty exciting!!

First, we provided band instruments to Chalmers Elementary, this past spring, so they could start a band program.  Mission accomplished!!

Next, the band direction, Vernon Lloyd, had a two week summer workshop.  He had 45 children attend.  That's terrific  Again, mission accomplished!

And now...we are delivering some band uniforms to Chalmers tomorrow.  You know the refrain...mission accomplished!

Finally, Mr. Lloyd has confirmed that the students will perform at our Donor/Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Well done!

Dick

Toot Your Horn!

Many of our donors and volunteers, at some point in their lives, had the very rich opportunity and experience to play a musical instrument.  It takes a good deal of practice, time and patience to be adept at playing an instrument.

There are many children out there, who we work with, who long for just such an experience!  There's just one problem, they don't have the funds or access to the trumpet, trombone, drums, clarinet, flute or saxophone!

That's where Schools Count Corp comes in.  We have already helped establish a band program at Chalmers Elementary and now we are assisting King Elementary in Chicago.  We are buying some instruments but I'd like to reach out to you to ask you to consider donating an instrument that may be in your possession which you no longer use.  

I can assure you that your donated instrument will not collect dust!  It will be put to good use right away!  There are children at King who want to be in the band program but can't join because there are simply not enough instruments to go around.  Well, we can help them do something about it.

Simply contact me by calling 630-863-6035 or email me at rich219@comcast.net and we can chat about the opportunity to help the kids.  I can write you a charitable tax receipt for the current market value of the instrument and would be pleased to provide it to you.  Thanks for your consideration. 

Though parting with the instrument may be difficult, it will also allow a deserving, perhaps even aspiring, musician the chance to do something they have always longed to do...to play.

Thank you,
Dick

Seven Years Later

Seven years to the day, yet another hurricane has hit New Orleans and the surrounding area.  Scant coverage of this disaster has taken place other than on the Weather Channel.  To my knowledge no breaches of levees has taken place in the Lower Ninth, Gentilly, or other areas within Orleans Parish.

There has been considerable damage in such places as Plaquemines Parish, Jefferson Parish and many parts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  Biloxi, Waveland, Bay St. Louis and Gulfport are but some of the affected cities in MS.  I will try to get a better assessment of the damages to these areas and pass them along to you.

I am well aware that people were pulled from rooftops yesterday and that the situation is far from stable.  Some levees, other than the ones repaired, have been topped.  Flooding is a huge problem and with a lack of power in many part of the NOLA area, one understands that pumps won't be able to operate. 

I can report that our good friend Cheryllyn Branche is safe though she has some damage to her home.  I have not been able to get ahold of Marcel and Marva Scott in Gentilly but when I do I will pass along our best wishes.

At this point, because I don't have a complete report, I am not sure of our involvement, if any, in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac.  If we have the opportunity to assist these good people I will be sure to get in touch with you.

Thanks,
Dick

Teacher Unions - Hardly Villians!

I just learned this morning that the Chicago Teacher's Union has filed a ten day notice of its intent to strike.  The chances of a strike are quite high following the Labor Day Holiday.  This is not an unexpected event, many expecting one since early this spring.

I occasionally hear people complaining about teachers, education, and the alleged failure of schools (teachers) to meet the needs of students.  Films are literature are out there claiming that such problems, and others, are caused by teacher unions.

That is simply inaccurate.  There are hundreds of thousands of teachers out there.   These good stewards of the educational process have all sorts of needs, pay being just one of the.  Teachers understand curriculum, learning, the student and what motivates him/her, methods of delivering materials, how to make effective use of time, assessments and much more.

To make the above issues, and a whole host of others, more relevant and understood by the general public, a voice must be heard.  Unions and other teacher associations are willing and able to attend to the concerns related to these issues.  When you get right down to it, dealing with these issues is vital to students receiving a top flight educational experience.

Unions and teacher associations do an excellent of working on student and teaching concerns.  These union and association benefits rarely get noticed by most people.  This is but another reason NOT to villify teacher unions.

Dick

Hurricane Isaac

Seven years ago tomorrow, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast region, wreaking havoc in so very many ways.   Though much rebuilding has taken place much of Gentilly, East New Orleans and the Lower Ninth are regions still working to regain their original vitality.

Not much can be said as another hurricane approaches, though it's suppose to be much less intense, other than we wish for the very best for all the citizens in the city and surrounding area.  For me, and many of our donor and volunteers, the good people of NOLA are, in many respects, family.

Our charity started its work by aiding the residents and forty three of NOLA's schools.  It has been a great joy to see so many families and schools grow in the aftermath of Katrina.  One can only hope that the city and its residents will be spared the heartbreak that took place seven years ago.

Our thoughts, concerns and prayers are with you.

Dick

What is Going On?

It seems that almost any story one would read in a daily newspaper or see on television involves a teacher strike, their pay, school reform, and the problems associated with paying their pensions.  There is no denying the fact that these issues are out there.

The problem is this...if that's all the media focuses on then many of the current realities of the profession are ignored or out of the purview of the general public.  Teaching and teachers are going through a transformative period that is often not of their doing, has a draining effect and consumes huge portions of time and effort.

It is not uncommon for a teacher to have a variety of students in the same class...Honors, AP, Regular, Inclusion, those with IEP's and the like.  The demands made of teachers in such a situation necessitates that a teacher often work with multiple aides and have at least a couple of different lesson plans for the same class period.  The days of having one lesson for one class are going by the wayside.

The above situation calls on teachers to have a couple of different curriculums, additional handouts, and different classrooms materials.  I am aware of many teachers dealing with this scenario.  It also means that students with greater needs demand more teacher attention.  Sadly, some students get passed over not because a teacher intends to; rather, it simply isn't practical to 'get to' everyone.

You would be surprised at the out-of-classroom time, at school and home,  that an instructor spends with aides, case managers and parents in just one of the above described classrooms.  It is incredible!!!
Oh, it doesn't end here!!  You can be sure that a teacher will have to have different assessments, different tests and different rubrics that deals with the above situation.

The general public lacks much of this information.  Ones view of the teaching profession and the demands placed on teachers may simply be ill informed.  To be sure, those of us who have been teachers would be hard pressed in today's classroom.

The challenges are great but what I see taking place by those many great teachers continues to amaze me!

Thanks!
Dick