Posted on 02/14/2004 7:18:36 AM PST by George Frm Br00klyn Park
WBAL AM-RADIO Baltimore
Ron Smith's "Something to Say" Commentary
School Budgets, Teaching and Teachers
Friday, February 13, 2004
“I could see the fury in their eyes,” said Baltimore Teacher’s Union President Marietta English upon her arrival at the polling place where city school teachers voted “no” to accepting a pay cut to reduce the budget deficit faced by the reeling school system.
It’s clear that teachers feel they shouldn’t have to suffer for the financial ineptitude of their bosses. One can sympathize with their emotions; especially since many of them regularly dip into their own pockets to pay for classroom supplies the school system doesn’t deliver.
But the problem remains, a $58 million cumulative deficit, and something has to be done about it. There doesn’t seem to be a way to avoid hundreds more layoffs and other belt-tightening. It is a crisis, simple as that.
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While on the subject of teaching and teachers, it is good to remember that public school teachers are the real front line in our continuing war against ignorance, illiteracy, social inequality and cultural despair. How are these front line troops being trained? What are they themselves being taught in their college classes?
These are questions that journalist Rita Kramer sought to answer more than a decade ago when she embarked on an extensive tour of the Ed School World, visiting 15 campuses across the country, talking to students, faculty and administrators, attending classes and then visiting the elementary and high schools where the trainees had their first teaching experiences.
What resulted was a most instructive book, "Ed School Follies : The Miseducation of America's Teachers." It’s a must read still for anyone who would like to understand what’s happened to the teaching profession in this country. There are still many skilled and inspiring teachers, make no doubt about that. But the system is stacked against them.
Furthermore, the inane No Child Left Behind Act that the Bush Administration has pushed down the throats of the states is the bastard child of the modern educational theories so devastatingly detailed in Ms. Kramer’s book. It, as you probably know by now, mandates that in a decade, all American school children meet the same educational standards in key subjects at certain ages. That this is an impossible goal doesn’t matter. It makes sure that massive fraud will ensue on the part of educators who will have to lie and cheat in order to satisfy Uncle Sam.
Educational reform is much needed, but the proliferation of mush-minded teaching theories makes it all but impossible. As Ms. Kramer put it so well:
“No amount of restructuring or empowerment, no amount of money spent on salaries or programs, will make much difference until we place knowledge itself at the center of educational enterprise.” Currently, she adds, “Knowledge – real knowledge in the form of facts, not ‘thinking skills’ or feelings of self-worth – is about the least concern of the professional education industry.”
Amelia, I'm not blaming the "bad" teachers, I'm blaming ALL of them. ESPECIALLY the "good" teachers are to blame because they especially should have known better than to allow all of the bullshit coming from on high to be made policy.
And, today, teachers are afraid of losing their "low wage jobs" if they stand up to the evil of administrations. And, the "teacher's " unions WILL forsake any teacher who tries to fight the administration. The unions and administratiors and lawmakers are in cahoots to "get more money". Teachers rarely see any increase despite the MASSIVE increases in education spending. NOT EVEN, to mention the "Capital" budgets for "infrastructure". But, many "continuing education" junkets are funded, that essentialy teach the teachers what the article speaks of.
Sorry, but teachers must share in the "blame" in the EVIL that is education in the present day United States of America. It has only become so over the last few years. WHY???????
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".....the teachers aren't solely to blame, and they can't fix the system alone."
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No, teachers aren't "solely" to blame. But, teachers are the ONLY force capable of fixing the system "alone". And, they already get enough money to do so. Peace and love, George.
RD, No. The act states that ALL children, "..must learn to read, write, and understand mathematical concepts." equally well. And, it s not impossible to achieve. But, it is ONLY possible at "THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR!! Peace and love, George.
Here is a nice summary of Federal involvement in special education. I believe the reversing of financial priorities is largely a result of court mandates.
Do you have a link for that "equally well" part? My understanding is that all have to meet certain minimum standards.
You obviously didn't read a single word I posted above, or if you did, you totally ignored it.
How would you suggest teachers "fix the system", absent the cooperation of parents, students, administrators, judges, and politicians?
You are either living in a dream world, or looking for a scapegoat.
I don't know of a single occupation (other than perhaps self-employment) where the employees have total control of the system. Do you?
The Letter from the federal dept of education to the state schools has:
Under the NCLBA, schools are held accountable for the achievement of all students, not just average student performance. Ensuring that schools are held accountable for all students' meeting State standards represents the core of the bipartisan Act's goal of ensuring that no child is left behind.In a nutshell, the requirement is that the "subgroups" MUST reach minimal standards. There is no mandate to try to have non-"subgroup" kids do better than "proficient". Therefore, all available resources will be channel toward meeting the mandate (minority kids meeting minimum standards) at the expense of non-subgroup kids who have the potential to achieve better than just "proficient"...
However, any Title I school in which any group of students fails to meet the AYP goal must be identified as in need of improvement, and all such schools that are identified are subject to the timeline for improvement required under Section 1116.
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A State's definition of AYP is based on expectations for growth in student achievement that is continuous and substantial, such that all students are proficient in reading and math no later than 2013-2014
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States must set separate, measurable annual objectives for each of these subgroups that ensure they meet the deadline to reach proficiency within 12 years.
Subgroups for accountability are major ethnic/racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient (LEP) students, and students with disabilities. The goals for each subgroup may be the same as long as each subgroup reaches 100 percent proficiency in 12 years.
Did you follow the link to court cases I provided above? It's been going that way for a good 25 years now. Parents of gifted students can demand extra for their children, but most end up either providing it themselves or putting their children in private school.
My point is, there's a big difference between saying all students have to meet a minimum standard and saying that all students must perform at the same level.
Amelia, I know of no occupation where employees DON'T have total control. Most just fail to exercise that control. And, If teachers stood with the backbones they have, and protested the abominations handed down from on high, and not cry for more money {which ALWAYS seems to be S.O.P.}, IMHO, they would be surprised and delighted at the parental and community support they would recieve. People DO know. Teachers are the ONLY group who could accomplish this "impossible" goal. Peace and love, George
George, parents are part of the problem. Not all parents, but a few who use the court system to attain their goals.
Who do you think got prayer taken out of schools? Who is trying to get the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance?
I'll give you a clue: It's not the teachers.
You are wrong. Parents are the only force capable of fixing the system "alone". A teacher speaks out and gets fired, the rest will shut up. Surprise, surprise! I can't make my house payment if I get fired.
Now if we could get parents and teachers to work together...I think wonderful things could happen. But the problem is still going to be those parents who expect not to lift a finger to help their own child succeed. Not only do they do nothing to help, but they undermine achievement by allowing too many absences, not getting their kids to bed at a reasonable hour, undercuting the teacher's authority, etc.
The teacher shouldn't be blamed for that child's failure. If my paycheck will depend upon ALL of my children doing well, I'm going to teach in the richest, most lily-white school I can. There, I have the best chance of actually succeeding.
Once again, the problem isn't solved, is it?
D, EXACTLY!!! For fear of losing a "bad" {according to all of those "in the know"] job, teachers are failing the students by their deafening silence. It is the "few" parents who should be stood up to. MOST parents understand that what is happening in schools today is EVIL!!! I don't even have any "dogs" {children} in this fight. I only write from observation. The more "money" that is poured into this abyss, the worse schools get.
If one taecher stands up, perhaps other teachers will prevent their firing. but, all are afraid. thus, the failure WILL continue. Peace and love, George.
Like we "stood up to" Roe vs Wade? How do you fight a court order? We should all just walk out? You don't think there are 50 morons willing to be bad teachers?
It's the parents with the power. It's parents who have gotten courts to demand that disruptive, barely teachable children be placed into our classrooms along with the rest. Where are the parents of good kids who have been bullied and harassed? Where are the parents who are pissed off that their kid gets no real attention because the teacher has to keep eyes on the kid who is capable of exploding at any second?
I'm a parent. I've been there. I've gone to teachers and administrators who tell me there is nothing they can do because the kids are mandated to be there by the courts. The rest of the parents? They're GONE! So who am I left with to back me up?
And I'm the fool who is, at this moment, in an ed program begging to be blamed for society's ills. I want to help fix things. But what I see is that many of the good teachers and most of the parents who give a damn have already checked out.
I'll tell you what I think, George. Since you know how to fix it, I think you should become a teacher and do so.
When you're out there on the front lines with the rest of us, I'll take your opinion a little more seriously.
What's that old Indian saying about "never criticize a man 'til you've walked a mile in his moccasins"?
It's real easy to stand on the sidelines and complain. I did it for a long time. Give me a couple more years and I'll be right there with you Amelia. I don't know what we can accomplish, but I'm sick of all the complaining. I want to DO something.
This is why I decided to homeschool my gifted oldest daughter
My point is, there's a big difference between saying all students have to meet a minimum standard and saying that all students must perform at the same level.
In principle, yes. In practice, no
One thing I noticed in my daughters school, before I took her out, was the practice of having the smarter kids helping tutor the slower kids. I could see where this was going.
In a system where the game is to have certain subgroups meet minimum standards, the irresistible temptation will be to have the more capable students drafted as unpaid labor to help the less capable ones. Teachers' attentions will be focused on the process of the less-capable subgroups. The net effect will be to rob the more capable ones of any education beyond what's needed to meet the minimum proficiency standard.
In a school-system with finite resources, giving more resources to A must come at the cost of taking resources away from B.
Being sure that certain subgroups "get it", and the elimination of tracking in school systems these days (it was phased out of my school district 8 years ago) means that the class must not progress through material at any rate faster than what can be absorbed by the slowest students. This means that the fastest students will not be challenged in the course room.
The rebellion is starting. Time magazine has an article about Virginia seeking to leave the program. Utah wants to also. At least twenty states are in rebellion.
If middle-class parents feel that their kids' needs are not being met by the public school system, they will abandon the public school system, and watch it crash and burn
We can't fix the whole system, and we can't save every kid, but we can make a difference in the lives of some of them, and we can make some difference in the system. That's what makes it worthwhile. :-)
I've checked out. I home school. It is a more effective way to ensure my main goal (the education of MY children) than to play Don Quixote with the school system. Over time, control of the schools has gone from the parents of the local school districts, to the bureaucrats of the state and federal education bureaucracies. It was possible for a small group of parents to mobilize energy for change within a school district. It's real hard to change the federal mandates, enforced as a result of federal court orders.
At this point, I'm not sure if the concept of public schools can be saved. The courts have ruled to mandate egalitarianism. Fine, then. The only solution left is the "Atlas Shrugged" solution: withdraw all support from the system (financial, intellectual, emotional) and let it fall. Let it fall completely, then rebuild out of the rubble.
Oh, big new education practice. Highly recommended in education schools, as are group work and projects.
Meanwhile, research shows that the tried & true method of lecture & explanation, then practice, is the best way of imparting information. Odd that it's not the method the ed schools or the administrators recommend.
Being sure that certain subgroups "get it", and the elimination of tracking in school systems these days (it was phased out of my school district 8 years ago) means that the class must not progress through material at any rate faster than what can be absorbed by the slowest students. This means that the fastest students will not be challenged in the course room.
They had to eliminate tracking here years ago because the courts decided it was de facto segregation - there were more minorities in the lower classes. If it could be used, and if it were used correctly, it might be part of the answer - give the slower kids the extra help & remedial services they need.
One of my children was gifted & not being challenged at all - and was becoming a behavior problem from sheer boredom. I had to push for gifted services for him. Parochial school would have been a nice option, had there been any nearby.
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