Get Schooled

By luvs2teach

August 23, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this

I found it interesting, in the light of one of last week’s topics, that one of the first things he asked for was for the students to call him “sir” - not dog, dude, or anything else.

As far as turing things around, I like the old adage - they don;t care about what you know, until they know that you care. For middle schoolers at “challenging schools” I find that to be a key.

By decatuparent

August 23, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this

OFF TOPIC!! Luvs2teach… I saw your post too late yesterday.

Re Expeditionary Learning/Outward Bound - PROS: EL is very popular among parents and kids here and it seems that the teachers like it, though I heard that some who have been teaching for a long time were more resistant to it.

The neatest part is that it’s more than just the expeditions (which are very cool).. it’s the creation of an entire school culture. I see quite a difference in classroom culture since EL has been implemented. The kids seem to accept eachother’s differences better and really seem to look out for the weakest among them. You typically see little teasing or bullying in an EL class.

CONS: It requires a big commitment and a lot of work and travel on the part of the administration and teachers - we are talking years. It also takes a good bit of parent and/or community involvement so it might be difficult to implement where these things are lacking.

We are only in our third year of implementation, but so far so good.

You should check into observing a class later this year or come to one of the EL showcases that the Decatur K-3 schools have in the spring. My understanding is that the showcases are open to the public.

My favorite thing about EL is that it forces a school to avoid becoming a test mill - You can’t be an EL school and spend all your time teaching to those dern tests.

By V for Vendetta

August 23, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this

Interesting that the first thing he has to teach them is respect (calling him “sir”). Why isn’t that being taught at home anymore? When every other kid I knew was calling adults by the first name or things like Mr. John or Mrs. Jane, I was the only one referring to them by their last names, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. My parents insisted on it. It annoyed me then, but it taught me the basic principles of respect. Something I understand much better now.

And if you think the way the kids talk to teachers is bad now… well you should see their parents. I guess it’s no suprise they act the way they do…

By luvs2teach

August 23, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this

Offtopic!! decaturparent - Thank you!! I was researching Outward Bound, and I found the link to EL schools - it sounded really cool, but not an endeavor to be taken lightly. I’m in a school that is trying to turn itself around and EL sounded like something worth researching. I’ll look for the showcase in the spring.

By JustMe

August 23, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this

These types of “success” stories bother me. Why?

Well, yes, the students appear to be learning. They learn with unique teaching techniques and gobs of money and resources. So great, the students may very well be learning the content. However, does this predict their future success?

How many of these students succeed in college? Do professors at Yale or MIT teach with these “unique” styles? Probably not. How do these students suddenly change their way of learning in college to conform to the professors? They don’t.

So the bottom line is….. is this really a success? I bet the movie does not show what happens to these students in college. I would bet that most drop out because they are not used to the conventional classroom.

As a high school teacher, the measure of my success is how my students succeed in college, period. By the way, my students score way high on the EOCT and on the graduation tests.

By Kentria

August 23, 2006 05:50 PM | Link to this

I am so proud of my Geometry Lab class from last year because not only did their math grades imporve, but they gain confidence in themselves. Five out of six of them really come together as a group to improve their math skills. For my part I was gave them TLC (socially and academically) they needed to realize that they were capable of being good math students.

By SusanS

August 23, 2006 06:46 PM | Link to this

It is wonderful that your students score well on end-of-course tests, but what about those students who drop out before ever taking those tests? Something has to inspire those students to stay in school.

By Jeff

August 23, 2006 06:57 PM | Link to this

Kinda liked his milk technique. I’ve modified it so that if every single one of my students gets a 90% or better on any given test, they each get to dump a 5 gallon bucket of water over my head… on the coldest day in January…

Did anyone notice all of his rules on posters all over his walls?

By jim d

August 24, 2006 08:11 AM | Link to this

Gee Jeff,

are you admitting you’re all wet? :-)

By EducatorX3

August 24, 2006 09:08 AM | Link to this

Jeff, Off-topic…sort of. A couple of weeks ago you asked about moving on or staying with a concept until all your students “had” it. I’d like to give you some information and materials that might help. If you can send me an email address or let me know how to contact you, I’ll be glad to help you.

Now, as for Ron Clark…I’ve had the opportunity to meet him. I didn’t see the movie but I can tell you, he is awesome. One of those people that is everything in person that he appears to be on paper! He is a teacher in the truest sense of the word. He understands that if the students haven’t learned, you haven’t taught…no matter how well prepared the lesson. He understands that, while we may be measured by test scores, the real measure of success is what our students truly understand and can apply. (Sorry, but EOCT scores and graduation test scores are measures of discrete knowledge and skill, not understanding) As for his methods…the things that we remember most didn’t come from lecture but from experience. He is simply designing experiences to help kids learn.

By SNY

August 24, 2006 10:31 AM | Link to this

Just Me,

I also would like to know how the kids performed in college after they left Mr. Clark’s classroom. I would like to think that they received the basic knowledge to move forward. Along with receiving the skills and the know how to research and find what they are looking for. Most of learning is knowing where to go to find the answers you don’t have.

For example, I work in accounting but I don’t know all of the tax laws that I need to know. I don’t measure my success as an accounting student by how much is in my head and remembered, I measure it by knowing exactly which old textbooks or new tax programs to reference so that I can find the answer. I don’t need to have all of the answers in my head, I just need to know where to go to look for them. That is when you truly understand the education that has been given to you.

By MMM

August 24, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this

I would love to ask him why he wants to start a private school and have to fundraise every penny. Does he not know that being a charter school might be an option? Fundraising would still be necessary but in a smaller amount. Or does he have specific reasons not to want to be a public school in any form? If so, what are the reasons?

Do any of our bloggers know more about this?

By HB

August 24, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this

MMM, my guess would be that he wants total autonomy. Charter schools have a lot of freedom but still have to be approved by the local school board and usually are not exempt from all system rules/policies. The big innovative plans he has (travel, flexible curriculum, etc.) will probably be easier to implement if a charter does not have to be renewed every few years by the board. I wonder too if he wants to keep the doors open for metro-area kids who live outside Atlanta city limits. A public charter would require that students live in the district.

By Patti Ghezzi

August 24, 2006 12:30 PM | Link to this

Hi MMM, I saw him interviewed somewhere and he was asked this question about why not a charter school. I think he said he wants to be selective in his students. That is, he wants to serve the very neediest kids, because he believes he can help them. He feared that with a charter school, it would be come a magnet for higher achieving kids, and that just isn’t his mission.

Apparently he has done very well with his book, “The Essential 55” and educational rap CDs. He is pouring a lot of his own money into the project. I think it would be hard to be so invested in a school and then have to abide by the rules set forth by the local and state boards.

Patti

P.S. Some of his students were in town recently for a fund-raiser. I don’t know exactly what they are up to, but they have remained close to their teacher. I think he has taken several trips abroad with them.

By JustMe

August 24, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

SNY,

My concern for his students is that,yes, maybe they did learn the content. Maybe they do understand the material and even can use the knowledge learned.

However, does that alone prepare them for college? I know people that are very knowledgable and intelligent but just didn’t make it in college. They didn’t know how to listen to a lecture. They didn’t know how to sit and study.

I say “great” for his students learning. But teachers should also be preparing students for after high school as well.

By MMM

August 24, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this

Thanks Patti—those are good valid reasons. It is nice to know that he considered Chartering and made the choice he did in a thoughtful way.

I think Marva Collin’s school in a rough part of Chicago was another small focused point of hope. I hope he has similar sucess. He is facing a tremendous fundraising challenge in sustaining a school of any size for the long hall. I hope he keeps it small so that he doesn’t run through his money too quickly.

The founders of our charter school originally wanted to do a small private school focused on the special issues and services refugees need—-but having good financial advisors but no deep pockets available, they realized that there was not enough private money to serve a population that could not pay ANY tuition. Over time we have come to understand that those requirements that make us a public school, while burdensome, also make us a model that might be replicated and an inspiration to other public schools. Others can’t completely disreguard our sucess as coming out of some ablilty to pre-screen our kids, avoid NCLB’s testing, or spend huge amounts of money.

I hope his huge reputation can be leveraged over time into enough cash.

By Jeff

August 24, 2006 05:18 PM | Link to this

Educator,

I can be reached at ajc_jeff@yahoo.com

By Educatorx3

August 24, 2006 05:28 PM | Link to this

JustMe, I understand your view, and am in no way questioning your teaching skills, but I have to wonder… you are preparing high school students for college by having them attend to information delivered via lecture, when the students come to us at the university level, they want the same delivery…”just tell me what you want me to know so I can pass the test.” Where are we supposed to teach them to find the information on their own? Because we are teachers, we suffer through the life-long learning lectures on “why you shouldn’t lecture,” but most careers don’t involve continued spoon-feeding of information. In most careers, our students will be expected to find their own motivation, research their own questions, draw their own conclusions…and will rarely, if ever, be asked to pass another multiple choice test.

I have to believe that if we teach for understanding using authentic assessment and application situations, we will automatically increase scores on all of our standardized tests. From what I have read, this is what Ron Clark was doing.

Just a thought.

By MMM

August 25, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this

Authentic assessment—-what a wonderful term.

Who is qualified to make that assesment and what does it mean. Multiple choice tests can cover content which is necessary but NOT SUFFICIENT.

By Liz in Phx

August 31, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

Hi everyone, I am a teacher who has to do a research project on anything relating to education and learning. I would like to do it on Ron Clark’s 55 rules. Does anyone know of anything like this on the net or does anyone have any ideas for me? Thank you!

By jim d

August 31, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

Liz,

I’m not sure what you are looking for. There are literally tons of interviews of Mr. Clark available on the web. Seems most have been about his book. If you are wanting to find out where he came from and what motivated him though, I suggest this one as a good starting point.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/197/story197731.html