Maybe the Square Peg Will Do

This article highlights the point that while educational reformers all seem to clamour about what needs to be done to make teachers "better" or the system more efficient, they still want to slam a "square peg in a round hole",  or find more round pegs, rather than change the hole.  Some of the authors' suggestions make sense; teachers (especially at the elementary level) are expected to be practically superhuman, as they teach all subjects, social skills, and everything in between.  However, one of their solutions (which is to provide online tutoring for those that are struggling) don't take into account what I feel to be the largest problem overall with the educational system: we have children living in poverty, in extremely high amounts in comparison to other developed nations, and the numbers continue to rise.  If there are poor resources available at home, then telling them to hop online for a math tutoring session will do zero good.  Unfortunately, the problems with our economy and overall social structure are leaking into the educational system, and as long as those in charge turn a blind eye to the true issue at hand - the fast evaporation of the middle class - then there will be no forward movement in educational prowess. 

Changing Policy to End Anti-Gay Bullying

I applaud this author's straight-forward look at the issues surrounding gay bullying in the school system.  This is a sensitive topic, primarily because of the religious aspect, but should be extremely evident - all students have the right to feel safe and free from harrassment in schools, regardless of their race, creed, gender, or sexuality.  What has always been ironic to me about the issue of homosexuality with the religious right is how undeniably hypocritical it is; their religion preaches acceptance and love, yet the hate they spew towards those who do not follow their creed is disgusting.  There obviously needs to be laws protecting children from the nastiness of others, though unfortunately passing such laws will  be difficult given the current political climate. 

Studies Shed Light on How Cheating Impedes Learning

Everyone knows it's wrong to cheat.  Yet there is a surprising percentage of students who do.  The approach this article took was a bit different - outlining several studies that showed how those who cheat believe they will do as well or better the next time around, regardless of their ability to cheat.  It's as if they lie to themselves about the cheating, and are truly convinced that the score or grade they obtained was rightfully theirs.  This is such a strange way of thinking to me; I've never cheated on a test in my life, and I can't imagine doing so.  What would be the point of taking it?  But what I found most intriguing about one of the studies illustrated in this article was that the cheaters actually scored on average higher than their non-cheating counterparts when they no longer had access to the answers and so could not cheat.  This was not commented upon in the article, so maybe it was a fluke.  I hope to be aware of these situations as a teacher myself; perhaps using mostly short answer and essay tests, rather than multiple choice, or mixing up the questions so they don't correspond with a neighboring student.  I'll have to ponder it further.

US Catholic Schools Seek Ways to Solve Financial Challenges

As a former Catholic school attendee, I am not surprised to see that the recent economic downturn has greatly effected enrollment.  In a time when every dime counts, and public education (though much maligned) is free, that extra $4,000 a term per child comes in handy.  I do find it a bit interesting that the Church hasn't stepped in much to help, from the tone of the article.  But I suppose the faithful will still attend mass on Sunday, and the indoctrination continues at home on a daily basis, so perhaps they aren't so worried.  In a time when there are voices speaking louder and louder for charter and private schools, with public schools' budgets being slashed to ribbons, perhaps they are just biding their time. 

Colleges Play Catch-up with HEA

It's nice to know that through all the hubbub of standardized testing scores for children, the future educators are not being left out.  This article details how a new report will be emerging in October of this year that rates teacher education programs, with a large emphasis being placed on - you guessed it - test scores.  Interesting, since that (to me) has little to do with whether or not the prospective teacher will be a great instructor.  Maybe I'm just feeling jaded as I recently had my brush with the ORELA and found it to be a rather unpleasant experience.  But again the government is running into the problem of evaluating the ability of teachers through yet another skewed lens.  It would be as if a panel were judging the quality of a singer on their pitch accuracy alone, and failing to account for the wide array of factors needed for a "great" singer.  Perhaps someday, there will be a method by which my future profession can be tangibly measured.  For now, we'll continue to fumble in the dark throwing random data around, hoping the target will be hit once or twice.

Scholars Say Causes of Stuttering Are Multiple and Interconnected

There is new light being shed on the possible causation of stuttering.  Researchers are now finding that it is highly hereditary, and while most children do grow out of it, there are roughly one percent that persist into adulthood.  While the initial instinct for a teacher of a stuttering student is to encourage them to "slow down", Tommie L. Robinson Jr, the director of the Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders, insists that teachers should instead model fluid, easy talking.  I find this quite informative, as I will most likely encounter a child effected by this disorder at some point in my career.  I haven't heard much about it, but as the article points out, with the film "The King's Speech" up for a dozen Oscars this year perhaps more attention and understanding will be brought to the disorder. 

On Rhetorical Battlegrounds, "Reform" Proves Potent Weapon

The author illustrates the importance of using the "buzz" words that become popular with any issue in politics.  It was interesting to see how both parties lept on the reform bandwagon, using vocabulary such as "the establishment/bureaucracy", "reform", "status quo", and "putting students first" to prove points on wildly opposite spectrums.  The use of rhetoric in politics is nothing new; in fact, since the days mudslinging became popular it is about all they do.  Hiding true agendas beneath shiny catch phrases that snatch public awareness and fire up personal opinions is the basis for most political pandering.  The attack and defense on the current educational system is no different.  While both sides of the arena desperately attempt to make clear their intentions on improving education for students, it is their actions and policies that must be put under the microscope. This is why learning critical thinking while in school is paramount, so that future generations can peer through the haze and search for facts to come to their own conclusions rather than simply gobble down the ego satisfying nuggets tossed at will by their chosen party.  For example: Republicans Tom Luna and C.L. Otter tout their "Students Come First" proposal, which would increase class sizes, limit teachers' collective bargaining rights, institute merit pay and virtual education.  How does this put students first?  Why don't you try increasing funding to urban schools, after school programs, and additional technology in classrooms?  But it sounds pretty, and if you oppose it, then by virtue of its title you are not supporting students.  The Democrats are little better; President Obama's Race to the Top speeches are rife with statements that bemoan our acceptance of "status quo, even when the status quo isn't good."  My guess is neither party really knows what needs to be done to properly "reform" education; they need to speak more with teachers currently in the classroom, and less to their administrators and special interest groups.

A Progressive Approach to Discipline

This article focuses on the use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PBIS, in a Washington school district.  It utelizes an approach that combines daily monitering of students by the school counselor in tandem with their teachers to be sure they are on track with their behavior, and minding their five P's: being prompt, positive, polite, prepared and productive.  The teachers rate a select group of twenty students each class on a scale of 0 to 2 for each P, and the student is to report back to the counselor at the end of the day for a debriefing.  There are incentives, such as prizes and time in a game room at lunch, and class wide rewards such as hot chocolate day if they comply. 
This is an interesting form of classroom management that would have our dear Alfie rolling on the floor in agony.  And yet two of the students interviewed by the columnist declared they find it very helpful, as they can see the improvement in their own behavior over the months since the program's inception.  I have no problem with this type of system; my step-son had a similar approach last year, when all other efforts failed and his behavior at school worsened almost daily.  It did work - and in spite of Alfie's insistence that once the rewards end, the good behavior does as well, this year he has had very few issues and the program had ceased.  Now, it could be his teacher this year has a better hand on class management, or a better rapport with him than his last.  Building trust with a child can be a long, tenuous process for some, while others seem to do so easily and quickly.  But I think these types of programs can be extremely beneficial when implemented school wide and with the notion that there are underlying issues greater than the behavior, and that some students simply need to be aware of their disruptions and effect on others to have them improve. 

US Teachers Seize "Teachable Moments" In Egypt's Revolution

I would love to be a humanities teacher right now.  The current uprising in the Middle East is such a ripe opportunity for current event tie-ins to a wide range of lessons, from geography to history to sociology, that I get giddy just thinking about it.  Not surprisingly, many other teachers have seized this opportunity, highlighted throughout this article.  While the author doesn't go into much detail, there are some examples of ways various grade levels are integrating these events, including group architecture projects, connecting to the Declaration of Independence or the Boston Tea Party, US interests in the area, policy decisions the US now faces, and economic repercussions.  I have no doubt that the images of the protests will have a great impact on these students, and bring depth and understanding to lessons that may have once seemed irrelevant.  Bravo!

GOP: Slash Current Aid

I used to enjoy politics, and the wrangling rhetorical rants therin.  But lately, my inevitable nausea each time I see what belittling, thinly veiled attempt by the GOP to crush the very last drops of lifeblood out of the middle and lower class in this country sends me running.  This article is no different.  Yet again, under the thread-bare guise of "fiscal responsibility", the Republican party is working on sticking it to the less advantaged.  And by that I mean those who gross under $500,000 a year or so.  Their latest attempt is aimed at the Department of Education's budget, where they seek to slash spending for Title I schools, special education, Pell Grants (which of course are for moderate to low income students), a plethora of literacy programs (because being Republican and literate - or logical - is the ultimate oxymoron of course, and they have to breathe new life into their party somehow), Head Start, the Education Technology State Grants, and Race to the Top.  Now I'm not about to say that all of these programs are necessarily run with precise fiscal mechanics, or that there couldn't be better ways to spend their current budgets.  But frankly it makes me so enraged when they nonchalantly kick poor kids to the curb in favor of tax cuts for the extremely wealthy (which, by the way, would pay for a LOT of this) that I hardly feel coherent. 
Now, I've tried to keep my own political meanderings out of this blog as much as possible, but at long last I can no longer hold back.  It seems too sinister, almost conspiracy theory-esque, and yet how else does it make sense?  The GOP doesn't want an intelligent, critically thinking citizen base - it would completely devalidate their party as a whole.  They run off lies and deceit, relying on Glen Beck and Fox News to pander to the masses in dribbles they lap up without question, as they never learned (in school!) to think for themselves.  I will not stand for it!! THIS is why my classes will learn the value of thinking for themselves, of seeking out information from multiple sources, and of questioning everything they hear and see.  But if the GOP has it their way, in ten years time our country will be so mired with sixty to a room classes and soup kitchen lines stretching for acres that no one will listen to me above the growling of empty bellies and leaking hovels.  It needs to stop. 

Untangling Hip-Hop for the Classroom

Music is one of my passions.  I obtained my undergraduate degree in voice performance in the naive hope that someday, classical music can again be related to current society, rather than be a merit badge for the well-to-do or the exit tune for cheesy cartoons and commercials.  This article speaks of a teacher who shared his youth with that of the hip-hop culture, and continues to make connections with his students through this medium.  Now personally I'm not a fan of this style of music; too much violence and repetitive sounds for my tastes (though ironically I love hard rock).  Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I can still appreciate what it means for students who do connect with it.  Music is something that transcends all boundaries, and should be used much more often than it is in the general education classroom.  This is especially true of current music, since the majority of students listen to it, watch it, and enjoy it on a very regular basis.  Creating connections between the content of a lesson plan and some type of music shouldn't be too difficult, given the wide range of possibilities to choose from, both lyrically and instrumentally.  One of my goals is to weave music and its emotionally stimulating abilities into my class whenever appropriate, and I love that the author of this article is on the same wavelength.  A massive part of being a successful educator is knowing your student, and their music is such an identifying piece that it's a no brainer to me that it should be celebrated in a class environment.  Sadly, music programs seem to be first on the chopping block when budget cuts come around; it seems the sounds of the boardroom drown out the music of the past, regardless of the tones. 

Am I Part of the Problem?

I really enjoyed this editorial.  The author speaks of how he is currently helping to widen the achievement gap as a parent, which he has battled for years to close.  How?  By being a white, active, involved parent, who is teaching is young girls (also white) to read early, spend quality time with them, and take them on educational outings on weekends.  His emphasis is on how the achievement gap is already in place by the time children enter Kindergarten, and that parents are the most important educational influence in a child's life.  Another point that he makes that I agreed with is that children of color or low-income are constantly compared to upper class white students - as if they cannot measure up to standards of their own, or at least ones that are universal and race-neutral.  We discussed these issues constantly in last semester's equity course, and this focus on race and/or socio-economic issues rather than the need for every child, regardless of background, to reach their full academic potential really bothered me.  I think we need to focus on each child as an individual, rather than grouping them all by color or the ever looming dollar sign.  Now naturally one would argue that studies indicate that race and income do influence achievement - but why is this?  Is it a cultural issue?  Obviously the income aspect makes a difference; it is much easier to raise your child in a nurturing, educational environment if you are fortunate enough to have a parent stay home with them or take them on amazing field trips.  But then we need to be looking at our daycare systems, and why they aren't picking up the slack when parents are too overworked and underpaid to devote the time needed to help these kids get a good start on life.  I know how much daycare is, and it seems to me that for those prices some focus needs to be placed on their work with young children.  Additional parent education should be highly encouraged as well, so that they realize how important the time and effort they put out for their very young kids can be. 

The Maker Movement

I'm very excited about this article, and what it could mean for science and math classes everywhere.  The "Maker Movement" focuses on the doing of the STEM fields that usually get lost in dry, boring text, long lectures, and seemingly endless testing.  Part of what draws me to become a science teacher is the vast array of physical experiments that can lead to understanding the complexity of the world around us - taking apart chemical reactions in common household items, discovering the functions of diverse plant and animal life around the globe, recognizing weather systems and how hard those weatherman really have it - these are all things that can either alienate students or get them excited and thirsting for knowledge.  As necessary as tests and texts may be to our current educational system, it shouldn't end there, and the makers certainly bring the data off the page and into a student's hands.  To me it seems obvious that this is the way to get students involved and motivated to learn, not only in the classroom, but outside of it as well.  Maybe the fear of embracing a new way of learning and the technology to do so is what keeps some more "traditional" educators at bay, but hopefully the new wave of teachers that are comfortable and very familiar technology can usher in an era of hands-on, project based learning.  I know that's my intent.

Researchers Look for Ways to Curb "Mean Girls" and Gossip

This article focuses on the increasing need to recognize and diminish "relational aggression" in schools.  I was actually quite surprised that this is a "new" idea, since to me it seems obvious that the majority of bullying begins with "relational" aggression - in other words, the interwoven psychological effect of gossip, ostracizing, and cliques on the victims, bullies and bystanders.  While the more physically violent bullying is extremely obvious, this more subtle form of aggression (I believe) is what leads up to the violence - especially in girls, who tend to be just a vicious but in a sneaky way that is harder to detect.  What was bothersome to me is when a group of researchers and teachers in Seattle observed students on the playground, while the researchers were able to easily identify "semi-public relational bullying", the teachers could not.  As a victim of this type of aggression myself in seventh grade, I can attest to how frightening and depressing it can be, and as a prospective teacher I believe having training on how to recognize the signs and immediately diffuse the situation is paramount to the well being of the student body.  Children need to learn empathy for one another, and I think with the desensitizing that goes on between violent video games, graphic reality television, and the wide range of images readily available on the Internet this is becoming a greater challenge for parents and educators alike.  To me it seems more than worth the class time to require social consciousness courses in early adolescence (fifth and sixth grade, just when hormones and peer pressure begin to kick into gear), in the hopes that we can head off some of these behavior patterns later on. 

No-Pass, No-Drive Laws Spreading

This is a GREAT idea!  Apparently over the last twenty years, several states are implementing policies that restrict driving privileges for students that are having attendance, behavior or academic issues.  For some reason researchers have been skeptical about the results, stating that there is little evidence pointing in favor of this practice.  I'd personally like to review the raw data, since I can't imagine how this wouldn't be a massive motivator for truant teens; unless of course they just drive without a license.  However, I would hope that there would be parental involvement in this instance - maybe I'm being optimistic, but most parents I know are rather loathe to place their children on their insurance in the first place, and are even less likely to allow them out the door with car keys when they are completely illegal to do so. 
To date, twenty-seven states have some variety of this policy in place, and I would applaud the rest jumping on board.  Professor Russell Rumberger at the University of California disagrees, stating that just because the students are in class doesn't mean they are learning anything.  But how then are they to learn when they aren't there at all?  At least this gets butts in seats (and teachers can't be dragging them kicking and screaming to strap them in); it is obviously up to the teachers at that point to get them engaged.

Mentor Program Provides STEM Options

I greatly enjoyed this article, which details the ACE (architecture, construciton and engineering) Mentor Program and how it gives high school students an opportunity for career exposure, mentoring and scholarships to enter one of their fields.  I've spoken before on this blog about my feelings regarding preparation for the work force, and to provide this type of on site knowledge is invaluable to students who may never have considered these careers prior to the program.  The majority of this service takes place as an extra-curricular activity after school, which does take initiative from the student and parents to utilize, but even if the child decides these careers are not for them, they at least are making a more informed decision.  I know my high school didn't have much in the way of work mentoring programs, unless it involved shop class, but it would have been extremely eye-opening for me to have had a peek into the "real world" as a workforce.  I may still have chosen music as my undergraduate degree, but many students enter college simply because that is part of the American Way, not because they have any idea as to what they are going for, or what they will be doing afterwards to pay off all the loans they've accrued.  While my idea of what the purpose of education is and should be is evolving as I myself become further educated, there is still the unavoidable fact that one must work in order to live, no matter how well they can theorize on Plato's cave allegory or recite the dates of each battle in the Civil War.  Unfortunately Taco Bell pays by the hour, not test score. 

Experts Zero In on Nonacademic Skills Needed for Success

I found this article quite interesting.  It focuses on the need for students to be socially and emotionally prepared as well as academically to succeed in a college setting.  This is especially true for students who didn't take AP courses in high school; attempting to switch into the higher gear needed for the quicker paced courses, longer and more detailed papers, and more frequent testing without this type of preperation can easily be overwhelming.  While I've ranted on this blog previously regarding the necessity for all students to attend college, I certainly believe that those who wish to should be given the tools and psychological preperation to do so.  This article mentions several ways to connect the data from local high schools to colleges so students can be tracked and trends noticed, which would hopefully lead to an early warning system of sorts to identify the students who may have issues in college before they even get there.  Then high school teachers and conselors can provide them with additional academic and psychological assitance that would then boost their success rate. 

Simulations Helping Novices Hone Skills

This article detailed the use of classroom simulators, TeachME and simSchool, to help train pre-service teachers in the art of classroom management.  I love this idea, since, as the article points out, real children don't forget when you make a mistake, and this type of environment allows a budding educator to work out some of the kinks in their lesson plan before presenting it to an often tough crowd.  While I agree that it can't replace the student teaching experience, I know I'd feel much better going into the field with several hours in this type of simulator.  The simSchool is fully programmed children avatars, with complex emotional, perceptional and cognitive profiles that have two million combinations to work with; TeachME, on the other hand, utilizes avatars of five actors in a separate room to react in character, live, to the teacher's lesson.  Either option seems to work well, giving the student teacher an opportunity to fall on their face a few times without being laughed out of the building, and I believe this is definitely a viable option for future teachers.  The uses for technology are endless, and this proves that gaming technology can be fitted for educational purposes with little stretching needed.  What I found extremely interesting is that a middle school class took a field trip to the TeachME lab at the University of Central Florida to give it a shot, and many left with their minds changed about how to treat their teachers.  Empathy is a strong medicine, one our "me first" society could use a whole lot more of, and I applaud this foray into role reversal.  That may even be a good idea in a live classroom; something to ponder, surely.