By FormerTeacher

March 30, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

I long for true success for all students.

That being said, if we’re really raising standards, is it possible to increase success at the same time? By it’s very nature, doesn’t “raising standards” imply that fewer students will reach them? Pair Ms. Cox’s goal with the lament of many colleges that there are so many students who aren’t prepared…doing both at the same time isn’t going to be easy or simple. Especially with such ridiculous amounts of time and money being wasted on frivolous testing and less and less spending on teacher training, support, and supervision. “Just work harder” isn’t the answer. And it really ends up that it’s all these admin types have to offer teachers alongside their lofty goals.

Tests don’t teach kids, teachers do. Let’s start investing in them for a change.

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

Cox and all politicans are very much out of touch with the reality of education. They increase class size and expect an increase in test performance?

Teachers are continuously required to do more and more “junk” that does not help our classroom teaching yet consumes our time. And, this is supposed to help increase student test performance? All it does is drive people out of the teaching profession.

GA politicans think that teachers can be abused with low pay, overcrowded classrooms, excessive paperwork, and beat over over the head to improve scores and somehow it is going to happen. Get real.

By HS Teacher Too

March 30, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this

Oh, it’s all so simple.

We’ll put as many as 40 kids in a single trailer with one teacher. All the teacher will have to do is keep the kids from killing each other.

We’ll dumb down our passing scores and confound the scaling system on our tests EVEN MORE so that anyone who can “bubble in” can pass.

Then we’ll be successful schools, consistently making AYP, with extraordinary graduation rates!

What’s so hard about that?

Hmmm. The only thing I worry about is what we’ll do to sustain AYP once we have a 99% graduation rate. Tough one.

By high school teacher

March 30, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

GA politicans think that teachers can be abused with low pay, overcrowded classrooms, excessive paperwork, and beat over over the head to improve scores and somehow it is going to happen. Get real.

And the beatings will continue until morale improves!

As far as individual graduation rates and AYP: student retention is recorded with a student’s original school. If a student transfers from a Pebblebrook High School school to Stars Mill High School school at the beginning of his sophomore year, and then drops out of Stars Mill as a junior, his dropout goes against Pebblebrook. How does that make any sense?

By OldSchool

March 30, 2007 11:24 AM | Link to this

Just as students have different learning styles, teachers have different teaching styles. Give us the Standards/QCCs/GPSs or whatever you’re calling them now and trust us to cover them in our own way. We did it for years and then got forced to teach to one style just because it is “research-based” and was the way one former teacher found it worked for him.

At least that’s what’s going on in my school system.

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

Old School -

Amen!!! Teaching was to be a profession where we were able to assess our particular mix of students and then decide on teaching styles/methods to best teach to them. Now, the stupid administrators and politicans simply want teachers to be robots, all doing the exact same thing at exactly the same pace.

Guess what? All kids/classes are not the same. They will not all react to the same approach.

Why not simply show a video to all students every class every day? This would be much more ‘uniform’ and cheaper than having a teacher actually teach.

By jc

March 30, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this

the education system in georgia suks….bottom line

By hs sped

March 30, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

In reference to Old School: Yes, Max Thompson. He’s God, right? What he is, is a very rich man and that’s about it. I think his essential question and word walls suck, but what do I know? I’m so ready for Easter break.

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

jc -

I disagree with your assessment posted at 12:13.

It would be more accurate to say, “the stupid GA politicans continue to muck up education as much as possible.”

In spite of the politicans meddleing, there are still a number of outstanding public schools in GA. If you live in the right area, your children can get a great education in the public school system.

By high school teacher

March 30, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

I think his essential question and word walls suck, but what do I know?

Maybe the blog should be re-formatted to contain an essential question that we can discuss. We can break into groups to complete the KWL charts (what I know about the issue, what I want to know, and what I learned). The next day we can complete a PMI chart - what was positive about what we learned, what were the minuses, and what we found interesting. Then exactly one week from the post, we can incorporate reviewing strategies to make sure we can remember what we discussed and how we answered the essential question - a ticket off the blog if you will. Think it would gain Max’s approval?

By OldSchool

March 30, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this

AAARRRGGGGHHHH! You kids said the “Max T” word!!!

Face that word wall for fifty lashes with a graphic organizer!

(My very first Essential Question…written neatly at the top of the marker board) was “NOW what?”

By Janine

March 30, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

Is Today’s Question…Can it be done? or is the question…Is it daunting? To either , the answer is : there is no limit to exactly how out of touch the people making the big decisions in educaion are….

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this

Cox’s and GA politican’s steps to improve education:

1) Increase required scores to pass or to graduate on standardized tests.

2) Spend large chunks of budget on idiotic consultants and programs, and create “academies” without addressing the core issue.

3) Force teachers to spend large amount of time on useless, brain-numbing programs (seem above item). And, force them to do this during school to take them out of their classroom.

4) Have regular “rah-rah” sessions to inspire (LOL). Of course, these are to be held at expensive hotels or convention centers.

5) Reduce effective teacher pay by not giving an increase at least equal to the rate of inflation.

6) Increase class sizes - number of students per teacher. I guess this doesn’t really matter since the teacher will be in those training sessions so often….

7) Since most of the budget is now gone (see the above items), the money actually spent in the classroom is reduced - who needs paper, markers, etc. anyway?

8) Hold press conferences to “congratulate” ourselves on such a fine job by quoting some obsecure statistic found on the internet.

9) Pay off the College Board to alter Georgia’s average SAT to show at least SOME improvement.

By jc

March 30, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this

justme……you should not have to live in the right area. I live in a very high end neighbood (town lake) in woodstock and the schools are horrible

By KA

March 30, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this

IMO Georgia graduation rates would go up IF there were a few changes:

By decaturparent

March 30, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this

OK, I give in. I’ll move to a cold state. Just get me out of here!

By jim d

March 30, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this

This is a no brainer. Increasing graduation rates is as simple as falling down. All they need to do is to continue to raise the bar by lowering expectations of students.

How hard can that be? They’ve been doing it for over 20 years. Hell you’d think they’d have it down to a science by now.

By scott

March 30, 2007 1:29 PM | Link to this

The first two items on KA list would be a great place to start. However, we are doing the opposite with the inclusion movement and parents fight to keep their child out of alternative school because they do not want them home with them. Once they have allowed a child to develop in an environment of non-discipline, they want the schools to work a miracle and bring their child under control.

By jim d

March 30, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this

DP,

No need to move north. Try this one on for size, you’ll never be cold.

http://www.italic.ky/lv/Dep/hp.nsf/95c5ae2338326c79802569a5003c913b/63b63c34f323ebef05256dfc0054700a?OpenDocument

By Lola

March 30, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

Until the parents of these under achievers who drop out of school start to actually participate in and be an active part of their child’s education, I don’t think there’s a teacher in the world who could have an effect on raising the graduation rates. It’s a sad state of affairs that there are so many baby mammas making these kids, but then doing nothing to help them succeed in life. And let’s face it. The drop-out rate of young blacks is what we’re talking about here. When I hear things about teachers being told not to correct grammar and things like that, I have no doubt that these kids are being done no favors by the lazy and ignorant people at home they call parents, nor by the school system that is supposed to be educating them. Unless they are an exception to the rule and decide on their own to take their education into their own hands, they are going to simply be another statistic and end up on the news for one crime or another sooner rather than later.

By Lola

March 30, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this

Until the parents of these under achievers who drop out of school start to actually participate in and be an active part of their child’s education, I don’t think there’s a teacher in the world who could have an effect on raising the graduation rates. It’s a sad state of affairs that there are so many baby mammas making these kids, but then doing nothing to help them succeed in life. And let’s face it. The drop-out rate of young blacks is what we’re talking about here. When I hear things about teachers being told not to correct grammar and things like that, I have no doubt that these kids are being done no favors by the lazy and ignorant people at home they call parents, nor by the school system that is supposed to be educating them. Unless they are an exception to the rule and decide on their own to take their education into their own hands, they are going to simply be another statistic and end up on the news for one crime or another sooner rather than later.

By Blind Homer

March 30, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this

Easy, just pass a law that says only the children of US citizens are entitled to a public education.

By Bill Kecskes

March 30, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

I have one simple solution: Change Georgia law so 16 & 17 year olds can not drop out of school (with parental permission). Failure is not an option should be the new mantra. Change the academic graduation requirements to better incorporate “technical education” or “guild craft” education. Our economy needs skilled factory workers, plumbers, electricians, etc. just as much (perhaps more) than we need college graduates.

By decarturparent

March 30, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this

JimD, you know, my kids might get a decent education there. At least they would all have good tans and be able to spear a lobster with the best of them, and that will surely help them in their job search. Then again, if we live in the Caymans, we can all just work at a resort and live simply and probably be quite happy. If we weren’t happy, there would always be the pina coladas to dull the pain! :)

This is sounding much better than Connecticut! What is their immigration policy down there?

Honestly, I’m pretty darn happy with what goes on at my kids’ schools right now. I am just worried about how long it can last when we are surrounded by stupidity at every level of government.

By MusicTeacher

March 30, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this

JustMe Sorry to burst your bubble, but the truth is, public schools only goal is improving test scores. My children attend schools that have always made AYP, and my son’s elementary school is a blue ribbon school of excellence and has received a distinguised award from the state. And with all of that, I am still displeased with the education that he’s receiving. My daughter spent her elementary years in a wonderful christian school that taught her the basics. My son, and he’s in the gifted program, has yet to receive that same level of education. The kids are pushed to meet standards that are ridiculous. And now, my 7th grade daughter is taking Algebra. How ridiculous. And yes, she’s passing with a 92 average, but… I can assure you that her class is not being taught on the same level that it would be if she waited and took it in high school when her brain is mature enough to understand the concepts.

Here’s her quote after her first week of public school - “The only reason we go to public school is to take the CRCT. They don’t teach us anything else. This is dumb! Can I go back to private school?”

Sometimes kids know more than the adults!

By high school teacher

March 30, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

A few acronyms for those of you who don’t work in education:

LYNT = last year’s new thing TYNT = this year’s new thing NYNT - next year’s new thing

There is always a new thing. I’m hoping that if I stay with this gig long enough, I will see the old ideas surface as new ones.

By MusicTeacher

March 30, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this

Hey Lola Thanks for making this about race. Blame black folks for every bad thing in America. Of course the white kids that I went to school with that got pregnant in high school and dropped out, and used worse grammar than the blacks in my school I guess are all a figment of my imagination.

What a loser!

By Don't blame gov't

March 30, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this

Guess what. If teachers had a classroom full of students who wanted to learn, the students would learn. GA education sucks because students are not held accountable for their actions. Stop blaming teachers and the gov’t and start blaming parents when their kids don’t graduate.

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this

Music Teacher -

I am sorry that your family’s experiences with your public schools are bad. However, it is unfair for you to extrapolate ALL public schools to be just like yours.

You simply cannot assume that all schools in GA are like yours.

By David

March 30, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this

The problem is that we have one standard. That standard is too low for most students, yet two high for some. How about different curriculum levels? A college prep diploma; a general diploma.

By MusicTeacher

March 30, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this

I speak from years of experience in public schools as a teacher in 3 different school systems. They’re all the same. It’s not about what is fair - it’s just facts. The objectives set forth by the state must be used by all teachers, not just certain schools. It’s unfortunate but it’s reality. Sorry.

By decaturparent

March 30, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

Actually, I really like the idea of requiring students to remain in school at least through 17 (I assume that you can’t require them to stay once they are 18). Then… you have to, have to, have to… give them something that they can and want to learn while they are there. Something that will allow them to make a good living if they decide not to go to college….

Why is everyone so against people learning a trade? My plumber makes more than some first year lawyers, and he has far fewer psychological and social issues (I can say that because as a lawyer, I know that most of us (myself included) are screwy). What in the heck is wrong with people?

It seems that people would rather graduate (or not graduate) with a load of college debt so they can wear a suit in a customer service office and earn $12.00 per hour when they could graduate from high school with a trade skill and earn $40-50 per hour or better with NO DEBT. I recall a crane operator that worked for one of my clients who made $150 per hour!!! Why is the former considered better in our society than the latter?

When I was in school, if I had known crane operators were making $150 per hour, I would have skipped law school and all its debt and learned to work a crane…!

By Dan

March 30, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this

So what would happen if every kid graduated. Everyone can’t have a better job. Someone still has to flip the burgers. If everyone has a degree it simply diminishes the value of the degree. Just like if everyone made a $1M it would diminish the $ Of course then in their leisure time they could enjoy a good classic novel instead of causing trouble, which is a worthy goal. The fact is bottom 10% of acheivers are going to have the bottom 10% of jobs, whether they have a degree or not

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

Music Teacher -

While of course you are right in that all public schools are given GPS as the standards to teach, that does not mean that all schools are ‘bad’ or that all teachers are ‘bad.’

One can teach algebra well, or one can teach algebra poorly. Neither makes algebra, itself, ‘bad.’

By Tutor

March 30, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

My grandson was at Woodstock Elementary and trust me the teacher he had was the WORST I have ever had the misfortune to come across—She basically taught my grandson to hate school. Teachers that do not like kids should NOT teach.—Better statement: Teachers that do not like kids should find another profession since they are NOT teaching anything other than how to have a BAD ATTITUDE.

By joe

March 30, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this

The only way to increase graduation rates anywhere is to find a way to increase parental involvement. If parents do not have an education how can they be encouraged to help their children to obtain a desire for learning? You can beat the teacher issue forever and not increase the graduation rate if you do not engage the parents in a positive and forceful way.

By teach overseas

March 30, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this

David-

There used to be different dipolmas for different kinds of kids.

But in the era of “raising the standards” the schools did away with anything less than a college prep diploma. Now, all but the the most profound and severe special needs students are all getting a “college prep” diploma. We have kids who care barely read getting a college prep diploma.

And Lord help any teacher who might dare suggest to any parent that their child is not “college material.”

I once had a chat with a student who said he wanted to be a chef. I mentioned to him that he probably wouldn’t need a four- year degree and that he should look into culinary school. I gave him some websites to look at. The following day I got a blistering phone call from the child’s parent telling me “to mind my own buisness” and that her child was going to college, thank you very much! At the next staff meeting, the principal made a statement that no teacher was allowed to discuss anything other than college with the kids- they should ALL be going to college!

Raising the standards indeed!

By Dan

March 30, 2007 2:55 PM | Link to this

True decatur parent, but it is very difficult for a crane operator to bill 2 clients for the same hour ;o)

By jim d

March 30, 2007 2:56 PM | Link to this

Yep Homer,

Its all tham dang mexcans.

Bill & Lola,

Rather than making them stay—let’s quit penalizing them for leaving. Cut our losses so to speak. After 6th grade they want to quit? hey hand them a broom or a shovel and say bye, bye now.

Decatur Parent—-love the island this time of year. Tell the kids to be sure not to spear a turtle though. They rather frown on people doing that. Matter of fact the kids might be able to get a job out at the turtle farm. Last trip down, met a couple from Pa. that had relocated and opened a bar and have a friend over in Al. that is developing some mixed use properties near Georgetown. As for becoming a legal resident? Not sure, but hey thats a good excuse to plan a trip!

By James

March 30, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this

Georgia’s educational system has been on the bottom shelf since I was in school 20+ years ago. Quit kidding yourselves. Politicians, Administrators, Teachers and Parents are all talk, no action.

All the money in the world is not going to fix a system that is designed to fail. Why are there laws to allow children to drop out of school? Why are drop outs allowed to have driver’s license? Our politicians are more interested in protecting an agrarian system that has never valued formal education.

Administrators are over paid bullies. There’s no need for most of them because they don’t have a purpose.

Some teachers are whiners for the most part. It’s always about the low pay. If I was paid to work only 9 months a year for my salary I would be ecstatic. I have news for most of you. You’re worth is measured by the number of children you teach properly to read, write and complete math problems. If you haven’t done that you are failing.

I’ve got an idea how about letting students grade the teachers? By the time students are in the third grade they know whether or not they are being taught correctly.

Parents are the biggest bums around. Most think their kids are just wonderful as the parent completes the kids homework and other assignments to fudge their grades. I’ve got a secret parents - teachers know your kids are dumb!!! Also the fake involvement is about protecting your little snotty nosed devil from bad grades and dealing with the failure they are sure to meet.

The only answer to the test taking teaching is to get rid of the tests all together. Chartered schools are one of the answers. Force true parental involvement by requiring parents to spend 6 - 8 hours per month in the classroom.

Oh I forgot our state legislators won’t go for that because it interferes with businesses. The same businesses that can’t hire competent employees because those employees were not able to learn anything in school.

By catlady

March 30, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this

Blind Homer—my experience is that the Latino kids (the ones whose parents are illegal) are among the best behaved and best achieving students. They sure put the sonny-bubbas to shame. Perhaps we just get the cream of the crop where I am, but that has been my experience the last decade. And how can we deny education to those born here? Unless you can get the feds to change the law so that the mother has to be a legal resident for the children to be residents, it does not seem to me to be a significant number of children we are talking about. At my school, of more than 100 kids of illegal parents, only about 15 are themselves illegal. I don’t want to deny my fellow Americans an opportunity for an education.

As to the other, KA and Just Me are on top of it!

By JustMe

March 30, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this

James,

Please allow me to address some of the issues that you mention…

1) Teachers are not paid an annual salary. We are only paid for the 9 months of work. It is incorrect to compare your annual salary to ours and to complain that we get paid to take the summers off - this is an untrue statement. Some school systems take our 9 months of pay, divide by 12, and then pay each month. This is not the way all school systems do it and so some teachers go without an income during the summer (unless they get a summer job).

2) Students cannot ‘grade’ teachers. Heck, even parents cannot accurately ‘grade’ teachers. Professional teachers have been to college to learn years of pedagogy, a variety of teaching methods, different learning styles, etc., not to mention the content. In no way can a third grader even grasp that concept, especially to ‘grade’ their teacher. What would happen is what has happened in some colleges - students rate their professors and the professors know it, so the professors make the class an easy A without the students learning a darn thing. Is this really what you want?????

If you want a viable, good suggestion along these lines, how about: having master teachers grade teachers? A master teacher is one with proven capabilities, proven test scores, and so on. Allow them to observe teachers and grade them that way.

By Janine

March 30, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this

I’m with those above who advocate the Multiple Purpose Diploma….which would mean, also said above, that students would be offered something in which they are interested,a career that does not require a hugely expensive college. The notion that everyone be on the college prep path is a plan for failure. THe sooner the Big Guns acknowledge,plan for, and offer in high school…with a diploma…. other ways for students to become productive, contributing members of our society, the sooner the graduation rate will improve.

By Name

March 30, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

While we are testing the students, let’s test the teachers. If we really want to attract talent to the teaching profession, we need some way of evaluating the best teachers.

The reason teachers’ pay is so low is that there are always those who are willing to do it. Unfortunately, there is no way of separating the best teachers, to the people looking for a guaranteed job with good benefits and Summers off.

By KA

March 30, 2007 4:04 PM | Link to this

Janine, I agree, group by ability, interest and career path. At a minimum make sure the students can read, write and engage in civil discourse, and learn life skills like basic finances, credit and interest rates, health and nutrition.

By lovelyliz

March 30, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this

In Houston (TX) they raised graduation rates by reclassifying the drop outs as transfer students.

By jim d

March 30, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this

lovelyliz,

Yeah, wasn’t that another one of the proclaimed miracles that weren’t?

By Janine

March 30, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this

Exactly,KA…and those things,….“read, write, engage in civil discourse, basic finances, credit and interest rates, health and nutrition” are critical for everyone who is going be a productive, contributing member of society….even if one is going to college. Andlovelyliz…that reclassification in TX! They have been models in ed. before..I wonder if Cox and Sonny have heard about it.

By SET

March 30, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this

Nobody is fooled by this. The principal way to raise graduation rates is to lower standards.

I just ran into a colleague who is 40 who told me he and his wife are homeschooling their young grade-school children. He said they work in a network of families to homeschool. This is the first time I’ve known homeschoolers… Most people just put their kids in private schools but that’s really expensive in CA now.

Think of it as evolution in action.

By lovelyliz

March 30, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this

Yes.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/06/60II/main591676.shtml

http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript238_full.html

By high school teacher

March 30, 2007 5:01 PM | Link to this

I don’t mean to split hairs, James, but my last day of work is May 31, and I report back on August 6, so that makes 10 months of working. :)

The Texas Miracle: Read all about it!

By lovelyliz

March 30, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this

Most private schools will never admit or will throw out students who dent their graduation rates.

By KA

March 30, 2007 5:20 PM | Link to this

Janine, YES, even the college bound kids need to be taught life’s basics as they are also largely uninformed, unless their parents have taught them.

SET, We have a lot of homeschoolers in Georgia.

By HS Teacher Too

March 30, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this

Bill Kecskes at 1:58 wrote, “I have one simple solution: Change Georgia law so 16 & 17 year olds can not drop out of school (with parental permission).”

Although I agree with Bill about going back to trades and that there is no shame in a trade, I wholeheartedly disagree with him about raising the dropout age. Heck, as a high school teacher, I think we ought to LOWER it!! To drop out, all a kid should have to do is prove that s/he has a place to live. Quite frankly, I don’t even care if they work.

Why? Because I’ve been in the classroom with those kids who don’t want to be there, and they are CANCERS! They are disruptive, more often than not they are discipline problems, they waste our tax dollars by taking (and wasting) space, and what’s more, they send a VERY BAD message to the kids who are “on the bubble” themselves.

I say, let them go! They will figure out soon enough whether education is valuable to them, and if they want to come back, then what we need to do is to provide a means for THAT to happen. Start perhaps with increased availability of (public) night schools, or raise the cutoff age for students to be in high school and then put “returning students” in their own sections so a 20-year-old is not sitting in the same Algebra classroom with a 14-year-old.

By HS Teacher Too

March 30, 2007 6:37 PM | Link to this

James, “Politicians, Administrators, Teachers and Parents are all talk, no action.”

Speaking as a teacher, many of us WANT to take action — but it’s shot down or otherwise impeded by the other folks you mention. I would say that of the groups you list, teachers have the most to offer as far as input on what to change and how to change it, and the least clout to get anything done. Nevermind that teachers, more often than not, aren’t asked for their input; they are simply told what the latest and greatest “whatever” system to make it all better is going to be.

Jimd knows my stance on this — he’ll say teachers should band together, rise up, and force the issue; but most teachers are not in the position to put their jobs on the line like that, and that’s just the sad truth, regardless of whether we like it.

By Lee

March 30, 2007 6:51 PM | Link to this

A few observations:

• If you set an arbitrary standard, in this case an 85% graduation rate, and tie peoples jobs to it, they will reach it. The way they attain that goal may not be the most ethical way and may have unintended consequences, but they will reach it.

• Why 85%? Why not 95%? He11, why not 99.99%?

• Every time I read a post that says “We should require parents to do this. Or we should require parents to do that,” I just cringe and wonder what chapter of the Communist Manifesto they are on…

• I really don’t care if your kid drops out at 16. If the illegal alien can come to this country and eek out a living without being able to speak a lick of English, surely our homegrown illiterates can find a job.

• I think parental feedback should be ONE of the items used by the administrator when evaluating a teacher.

• Likewise, I think teacher feedback should be ONE of the items used by the Superintendent when evaluating the Principal.

“Are you with me, teachers?” LMFAO

By catlady

March 30, 2007 7:15 PM | Link to this

It seems like to me many of the diplomas that are awarded now are just because the kid lasted long enough, instead of that they had learned enough!

The GHGT is a joke and the CRCT is a joke, or perhaps just justification for some state dept folks to have their cushy jobs.

Graduating from high school ought to mean more than you just outlasted the curriculum. Of course, finishing any grade level ought to mean something, but with continued social promotion it really does not.

Things I would add to Justme’s list: manipulating the CRCT cut scores so that it looks like more kids have the skills for success. Also, redefining “success” to mean the student can sit in a fifth grade class doing second grade work and do a fair job. Then there is “inclusion” of the few to the exclusion of instruction for the many. Lying to staff and telling them their input matters, when the decision has already been made from above. Finally, expecting teachers to sit in meetings for hours after school (at no additional pay) and doing idiot work such as bubbling in answer sheets because someone forgot to order the correct labels, or listening to the latest “cure” someone has purchased for us with no input from teachers actually in the classroom.

By p

April 2, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this

I look at kids graduating from HS today, and i am saddened and sickened by the thought that most of these GRADUATES are nearly unemployable in a city where the rent on a one bedroom apartment starts at $1200 per month, car payments run another $300 per month, and insurance on that car costs another $250 per month.

All the while we have idiots running the school systems wearing their fancy-go-to-church outfits, with their overly-polite and stilted PC mannorisms, and armed with degrees, masters degrees, and doctorate degrees from barely accredited deploma mill institutions.

These administrators, could barely pass an open book test on their own subject matter.

By Lisa B.

April 2, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

I really don’t want to have starving babies in America, but I think that if people knew they would be hungry if they didn’t work, and that they’d be homeless, today’s students might be more motivated to get an education. I sometimes have elementary students who say they don’t want to work when they grown up. They want to sit around MaMa’s house. When I explain that children normally outlive parents, one student said he’d move into his girlfriend’s house. I’m afraid that’s they behavior he’s seen in his male role models. If people really believed they would go hungry, work would take on greater significance.

I don’t know how to make that happen without punishing children for being born into poverty-stricken homes.

By James

April 3, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this

Lee our military requires parental involvement in the base school systems. So our military is communist as you see it?