The winter wear continues to pour in!! The College Board has joined our efforts to collect coats and additional outer wear. Beyond the College Board, the Schuessler Family has made a donation of coats. Boxing are filling up fast.
To be a part of our drive simply contact me by email at rich219@comcast.net or give me a call at (630)863-6035. We can make arrangements for a pickup or dropoff.
Remember, we need childrens coats, both boys and girls (SM - XL), in addition to adult coats (S - L). We'll also gladly accept gloves, mittens, scarves, and hats (preferably stocking). We can do our part to keep students warm this winter.
Just a tip of the hat to Prairieview Elementary in Darien. The 350 students in grades 3-5 are working on a school wide initiative called Positive Behavior. Their 'Positive Behavior' program focuses on collecting winter coats for the children in the CPS and Harvey, IL. schools. Talk about a positive and caring endeavor!!!! Thank you students and Ms. Olsen.
Thanks for your assistance!
Dick
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Coats are Coming In
Our 'Winter Wear' drive is off to a quick start. Plenty of coats and other warm outer wear clothing is coming in fast and furious. Plenty of individuals and groups are pitching in to keep the Chicago and Harvey, IL. kids warm this winter.
Here's a listing of those who have already donated to the cause:
Archer Daniels Midland
The Bhargava Family
The Bull Family
Joyce Fleming
The Hill Family
Maureen Kuehne
Jan Mankivsky
Terry Meyers
The Patel Family
Vandna Shah
Prairieview Elementary (grades 3-5)
Hinsdale Central's Students Assisting Students Club
Thank you!!
Dick
Here's a listing of those who have already donated to the cause:
Archer Daniels Midland
The Bhargava Family
The Bull Family
Joyce Fleming
The Hill Family
Maureen Kuehne
Jan Mankivsky
Terry Meyers
The Patel Family
Vandna Shah
Prairieview Elementary (grades 3-5)
Hinsdale Central's Students Assisting Students Club
Thank you!!
Dick
Monday, October 29, 2012
Charters, Credits, Vouchers and More
What's wrong with education? Well, not as much as you might think in terms of what is taking place in the classrooms around the country!!
But one thing IS wrong with education. Those who are schooled in education, those who know students, and those who have the background in curriculum are too often excluded from being part of any policy formation. Those on the front lines are excluded from serious discussion on moving forward.
I raise this point because those, not necessarily in the know, feel that they can create a kaleidoscope or cookbook of ways to deliver public education. You name it and they have an answer for 'what is wrong with our schools.'
Essentially their (again non-teachers and building administrations) arguments go like this: "Here's a voucher...go look for a school." or "Your local neighborhood school is not doing the job, we'll create a charter."
Where reform is needed, teachers and school officials have many of the best solutions to helping educate our children in the 21st century. They have to be the driving force in the discussion.
Thanks,
Dick
But one thing IS wrong with education. Those who are schooled in education, those who know students, and those who have the background in curriculum are too often excluded from being part of any policy formation. Those on the front lines are excluded from serious discussion on moving forward.
I raise this point because those, not necessarily in the know, feel that they can create a kaleidoscope or cookbook of ways to deliver public education. You name it and they have an answer for 'what is wrong with our schools.'
Essentially their (again non-teachers and building administrations) arguments go like this: "Here's a voucher...go look for a school." or "Your local neighborhood school is not doing the job, we'll create a charter."
Where reform is needed, teachers and school officials have many of the best solutions to helping educate our children in the 21st century. They have to be the driving force in the discussion.
Thanks,
Dick
Friday, October 26, 2012
The More I Think About It...
The more I think about the comments made by Diane Ravitch concerning the extent to which poverty and parents have a significant impact on student learning the more I got to considering one additional factor (though it does overlap with poverty) and that is the community environment.
Is the community safe? Are there decent jobs? Is it family friendly? Are there decent playground and recreation areas? Are homes, sidewalks (riding bikes to school, walking to school), roads in good condition? And what about violence and gangs? Are businesses shuttered? What kinds of restaurants are found in the neighborhood, are they mostly offering fast food that is lousy for ones diet? Do families look out for one another?
All of the conditions in the previous paragraph have varying degrees of influence on the upbringing of a child and will certainly have an impact on the growth (positive or negative) of a young person.
Yes, poverty, the community environment and parents are critical components which greatly affect student learning. These issues have to be dealt with if there is to be significant change within the school walls.
Thanks,
Dick
Is the community safe? Are there decent jobs? Is it family friendly? Are there decent playground and recreation areas? Are homes, sidewalks (riding bikes to school, walking to school), roads in good condition? And what about violence and gangs? Are businesses shuttered? What kinds of restaurants are found in the neighborhood, are they mostly offering fast food that is lousy for ones diet? Do families look out for one another?
All of the conditions in the previous paragraph have varying degrees of influence on the upbringing of a child and will certainly have an impact on the growth (positive or negative) of a young person.
Yes, poverty, the community environment and parents are critical components which greatly affect student learning. These issues have to be dealt with if there is to be significant change within the school walls.
Thanks,
Dick
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Ravitch Rails!!
Diane Ravitch, noted education historian, has recently spoken to a number of teachers at the Annual Mtg. of the Minnesota Education Association. Her message was clear...high stakes testing is wrong and, in her own words, is "sucking the life out of American education."
Her words ring true. Plenty of time is put into test preparation, the results are often used to evaluate teachers to a large degree, and the standardized test results have yet to prove, in any meaningful way, the extent to which positive test results positively correlate to life, economic, education or social success in the years after public schooling. Beyond that, the testing that takes place is done to the detriment of great day-to-day teaching and learning.
The vast majority of people in the field of education understand that the testing agenda plays too large a role in the process of educating our nation's youth. Perhaps those in the corporate testing world should listen to those in the classroom (teachers and students) to get the real scoop.
Ravitch has also criticized proponents of the testing reform movement as ignoring other educational components beyond teachers and the school building...the impact of parents and povety.
Our work in Schools Count Corp has discovered the first hand evidence concerning the role that poverty and parental influence plays on student learning. Where poverty abounds and parental involvement is lacking, student success is often lagging.
Ravitch isn't just blowing smoke, she speaks the truth.
Dick
Her words ring true. Plenty of time is put into test preparation, the results are often used to evaluate teachers to a large degree, and the standardized test results have yet to prove, in any meaningful way, the extent to which positive test results positively correlate to life, economic, education or social success in the years after public schooling. Beyond that, the testing that takes place is done to the detriment of great day-to-day teaching and learning.
The vast majority of people in the field of education understand that the testing agenda plays too large a role in the process of educating our nation's youth. Perhaps those in the corporate testing world should listen to those in the classroom (teachers and students) to get the real scoop.
Ravitch has also criticized proponents of the testing reform movement as ignoring other educational components beyond teachers and the school building...the impact of parents and povety.
Our work in Schools Count Corp has discovered the first hand evidence concerning the role that poverty and parental influence plays on student learning. Where poverty abounds and parental involvement is lacking, student success is often lagging.
Ravitch isn't just blowing smoke, she speaks the truth.
Dick
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Warming Up the Students
Friends of Schools Count,
As many of you are well aware, our charity not only provides thousands of area school children with the necessary classroom supplies they need throughout the year, but we are also endeavoring to supply them with other goods/resources that augment and improve their ability to learn. Recently, we have put two bands together (Chalmers and King) in addition to providing sports equipment to a number of North Lawndale and Harvey schools.
As fall cools off and winter is approaching we want to turn our attention to keeping the kids warm as they head to and from school. In this regard, we will start our Second Annual 'Winter Wear Drive.' Our goal is to gather 1,000 winter coats AND winter wear such as gloves, mittens, stockings hats and scarves. Collecting this many coats and accessories will be a big but necessary task but our charity is committed to making this happen.
We will be collecting all this winter wear commencing this week right up to Thanksgiving. We'll then distribute the coats and accessories to many CPS and Harvey, IL schools right after Thanksgiving. Should make for a wonderful holiday season for one and all.
Check your closets, use your social media skills, contact your neighbors, family and organizations you're a member of and help us in our 'Winter Wear Drive.' No donation is too small...every coat, each pairs of gloves or just one hat will make a difference. We can make arrangements for the collection and drop off of the wear at our mutual convenience. Just give me a call at 630-863-6035 or email me at rich219@comcast.net.
Here are the particulars:
Many thanks for your help!!
Dick Flesher
As many of you are well aware, our charity not only provides thousands of area school children with the necessary classroom supplies they need throughout the year, but we are also endeavoring to supply them with other goods/resources that augment and improve their ability to learn. Recently, we have put two bands together (Chalmers and King) in addition to providing sports equipment to a number of North Lawndale and Harvey schools.
As fall cools off and winter is approaching we want to turn our attention to keeping the kids warm as they head to and from school. In this regard, we will start our Second Annual 'Winter Wear Drive.' Our goal is to gather 1,000 winter coats AND winter wear such as gloves, mittens, stockings hats and scarves. Collecting this many coats and accessories will be a big but necessary task but our charity is committed to making this happen.
We will be collecting all this winter wear commencing this week right up to Thanksgiving. We'll then distribute the coats and accessories to many CPS and Harvey, IL schools right after Thanksgiving. Should make for a wonderful holiday season for one and all.
Check your closets, use your social media skills, contact your neighbors, family and organizations you're a member of and help us in our 'Winter Wear Drive.' No donation is too small...every coat, each pairs of gloves or just one hat will make a difference. We can make arrangements for the collection and drop off of the wear at our mutual convenience. Just give me a call at 630-863-6035 or email me at rich219@comcast.net.
Here are the particulars:
Coat sizes needed: Childrens small through XL in addition to
adult sizes small through large. Yes, we will take gently used coats that
are very clean and appear to be like new.
Gloves, mittens, stocking hats and scarves:
All sizes and colors. We prefer that these be new items.
Many thanks for your help!!
Dick Flesher
Monday, October 22, 2012
A Bit More on Evaluations
Just a few days ago Deborah Kenny, Founder of a Charter School in Harlem, NY, authored a piece in the New York Times critical of state and local evaluation systems which tie the ratings of teachers to the scores earned by students on standardized tests.
Ms. Kenny makes a persuasive argument for a more nuanced form of evaluating staff. For instance, Ms. Kenny states that a building principal needs to have the freedom to hire competent people and then to be able to have the correct balance between what she terms 'evaluation and encouragement.' I couldn't agree more! If it's all about tying scores to a teacher's evaluation then what is to become of the negative teacher, on a team of colleagues, whose students score well? Why bother with in-service program or the like? Of what real use then are team leaders, Dept. Chairs, and Principals?
Speaking on school leadership, Ms. Kenny prefers to have a principal who encourages and engenders trust, teamwork and offers candid feedback. These attributes are fundamental to growth and effective teaching and, in turn, student learning.
Perhaps the most profound statement by Ms. Kenny on behalf of a nuanced manner of assessing teacher performance is this statement, "There is no formula for quantifying compassion, creativity and intellectual curiosity." Quite true. A formula concocted by some state or local bureaucrats linking student test scores to teacher evaluations is doomed to fail.
I believe the idea that the enriching process of dynamic teaching and learning will never be able to be assessed by merely quantifying such personal and interactive processes between various individuals.
Dick
Ms. Kenny makes a persuasive argument for a more nuanced form of evaluating staff. For instance, Ms. Kenny states that a building principal needs to have the freedom to hire competent people and then to be able to have the correct balance between what she terms 'evaluation and encouragement.' I couldn't agree more! If it's all about tying scores to a teacher's evaluation then what is to become of the negative teacher, on a team of colleagues, whose students score well? Why bother with in-service program or the like? Of what real use then are team leaders, Dept. Chairs, and Principals?
Speaking on school leadership, Ms. Kenny prefers to have a principal who encourages and engenders trust, teamwork and offers candid feedback. These attributes are fundamental to growth and effective teaching and, in turn, student learning.
Perhaps the most profound statement by Ms. Kenny on behalf of a nuanced manner of assessing teacher performance is this statement, "There is no formula for quantifying compassion, creativity and intellectual curiosity." Quite true. A formula concocted by some state or local bureaucrats linking student test scores to teacher evaluations is doomed to fail.
I believe the idea that the enriching process of dynamic teaching and learning will never be able to be assessed by merely quantifying such personal and interactive processes between various individuals.
Dick
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