Stories from School: Practice meets Policy

July

Thanks for visiting Stories from School: Practice meets Policy.  We are on hiatus for the month of July so that SFS bloggers can spend time thinking exceptionally big thoughts. Have no fear though, SFS posts are still accessible during this time through the archives or on Twitter. We will return in August, charged up and ready to go. Be ready to read new ruminations from your favorite SFS bloggers, plus get to know a whole new group of accomplished teachers who are ready, willing and able to connect practice and policy.

Thanks SFS community, for a great first year.

Year two is going to be interesting!

Looking Forward to Next Year

Next year I'm taking on something new and intimidating. I and three other teachers (history, algebra, and study skills) are taking most of the students from our feeder middle schools who failed two or more eighth-grade classes. Most of them will be boys, most minority, most who qualify for free or reduced lunch - although except for the gender, those qualifiers describe the majority of the students at my high school. Since passing ninth grade is one of the strongest correlations for staying in school and graduating, this is an important task.

Mostly, I'm excited even though part of me is sad that I had to give up my honors classes to do this and part of me is terrified that I will not be able to get the kids hooked.

I've been looking for more ways to bring kinesthetic activities into an English classroom where basic skills in reading and writing are a top priority, and believe me, there just aren't that many kinesthetic activities when it comes to the actual tasks of reading and writing. Kinesthetic projects and responses to literature I have aplenty. Actually getting them moving when they're reading and writing is pretty difficult - especially at the high school level.

We've also been exploring alternative assessment and trying to figure out how that will fit in. One of our discussions right now is how we will balance responsibility and mastery. We're playing with the idea that student can pass our final exams with a 75% or better, it won't matter whether they turned in assignments or not, as long as the tests prove mastery in skills and content. But if we do this, are we setting them up to fail when they move on to more conventional teachers?

There are still a lot of discussions to be had and decisions to be made, but I'm working with an outstanding group of teachers who are all strong relationship builders, and to me, that is the most important "skill" we need to make this work.

All in all, we are up for this challenge. It's either going to be the most rewarding, exciting year of my career, or it will be the year from H-E-double-toothpicks. But the glass is always half full to me, so I'm counting on the former.

Why Don't All Teachers Blog?

 

by Travis

Why don't all teachers blog? It seems reasonable to think that a great many do. Teachers like to share and the internet allows for such ease in sharing. However, I wonder how pervasive teacher blogs are.

Summer School, Anyone?

By Tom

Quick, what's eight-ninths of twenty-seven? If you solved it like my third graders, you divided the total by the denominator and then multiplied by the numerator. 27 divided by 9 is three; three times eight equals 24. It's pretty easy, right?

Actually, no it isn't. At least not for third graders. For my students, that problem was fairly difficult. Rigorous, if you will. It was a hard lesson to teach, but most of them finally got it.

Our district switched to a new math curriculum this year. It's more rigorous. Way more rigorous. And that's a good thing, according to all the school reform gurus, including Arne Duncan, our new Secretary of Education. He wants to implement high, nation-wide standards in lieu of the piecemeal, state-by-state approach that we're using now. He also thinks we should have a longer school year, which in an astounding display of poor timing, he announced just last week.

Meanwhile, back in my district, we had to cancel summer school this year. Guess why? That's right, as soon as we switch to a tougher math curriculum, we find out that we can't afford to offer summer school for the kids who need more time to learn it.

So here's an idea:

Teaching is Unique

Teaching is a unique profession. Certainly for the reasons you think—squirrelly kids, parents, bells. However, there is one more reason. A reason that is dear to all teachers, and likely something you would only know if you were a teacher . . . . or were told. And I am about to tell you.

Are Charter Schools the Answer?

By Tom

I use a lot of small group activities in my classroom. After I teach a concept, I like to put my students into groups of three to do an activity in which they get a chance to discuss the concepts and practice the skills I've taught them before I ask them to demonstrate their learning individually. It's a strategy that works pretty well.

To get my students into functional groups, I'll get out my set of Popsicle sticks, each with a student's name printed on it. Then I'll divide my sticks into three groups; the group on the right represents the kids who I expect will have understood the concepts and skills, as well as the instruction for the activity they'll be asked to do. I'll be counting on them to be the leaders in their group. The sticks in the middle represent the kids who may or may not go into the activity with a complete understanding of the material. I'm hoping that the chance to process it with their peers will complete their understanding. The sticks on the left are the kids who will probably need the most support. Hopefully, hearing their peers present the information in a different way and in a small group will fill in the holes for these students. After dividing the sticks into three groups, I'll form my groups by picking a stick from each pile, with consideration for who does and doesn't work well together.

A few years ago I had a student named Laura. Her stick was consistently in the pile on the right. She was a bright, hard working kid who also possessed great communication skills. She knew how to express her ideas without being bossy, and she knew how to listen to other people without compromising the correct answers. She was an ideal student. She was also extremely talented in music, playing first violin for the local youth symphony when she was only in third grade. 

And it didn't end there. Her dad was a hard-working engineer-type who kept her motivated and well-practiced in regards to music, and her mom, a nurse who had taken a decade off from her career to raise the family, was the backbone of our PTA, volunteered twice a week in my classroom (the only volunteer I had!) and chaperoned on every field trip. This was a family committed to their children and their school community.

But then they left. Our district has a choice school. One where each parent has to commit to several volunteer hours each week. It's a great school, with great teachers, motivated students and supportive parents. Not surprisingly, due to the miracle of self-selection, the test scores are in the stratosphere.  They hold a lottery for their openings, and Laura won.

Knowing vs. Thinking

I read an article a couple of weeks ago that really caught my attention. Unfortunately, when I went back to it - or at least TRIED to go back to it, I couldn't for the life of me remember where I had read it. Darn. It was about the use of technology in the classroom and how, if we aren't careful about how we use it, we might actually be doing more harm than good to our students' ability to think critically.

What technology and the use of the internet can give us is instant access to amounts of information so vast that our ancestors couldn't even have dreamt of it. Yes, I am a Google fanatic, and even as an English teacher who refuses to spell "relief" any other way, I have been known to use "google" as a verb. However, when I recently assigned my students a research project, I was reminded of how dismaying it is to see how they confuse "finding information" with "thinking" and "learning." They are great at cutting and pasting information into beautiful PowerPoint presentations or blogs or webpages. What this lost article pointed out and what I have fought against in my classroom is the ease with which technology negates the need to actually think. I require that for every sentence of fact, students are required to present two sentences of their own analysis, but often students are willing to settle for a lower grade in order to avoid the "pain" involved in activating their brain.

It reminds me of a conversation I once had with one of my daughter's elementary school teachers who felt it was unnecessary to require kids to memorize the multiplication tables or spelling lists because they would always have access to calculators and spell check programs. I tried to explain how understanding the concepts underlying the equations and word structure was just as important as being able to solve the equations or spell the words correctly, but she was in complete disagreement, stating that there are plenty of other areas where the kids can be asked to "think," and that if we skip some of the rote memorization, we can move on to more and better concepts. I understand the point she was trying to make, but recognizing patterns in equations or word formation is basic to analysis of any kind.

While we're touting the use of technology as "best practice," we have to be conscientious that we are not substituting flashy presentations and clever sound bites (or bytes) for true critical thinking, which is fundamental to the success of civilization.

P.S. If anyone read that article and could lead me back to it, I would greatly appreciate it!

State of the Union?

By Tom

 

When I received my first public school paycheck over two decades ago, I looked it over carefully. Noticing that a large chunk of change went to my union, I asked around and found out that being in the union was optional. So I called the union office to see about "unjoining." Although happy to help, they also mentioned that, should I decide to opt out, I would instead be coughing up roughly the same amount for an "agency fee," paid to the union as compensation for reaping the benefits of the union's collective bargaining agreement.

I complained to my father, hoping for some sympathy. As a city manager, he had spent a career across the table from the police and fire fighter unions and it wasn't always fun. But instead of sympathy, he sat me down for a quick history of the organized labor movement in this country. Then he told me I was lucky to be in a union, and if I had any problems with it, I should get involved and make it better.

So I did. I can't say I've made the union "better," but after many years in many different roles I certainly have more respect for the union that represents us. 

I also worry about it. This has been a tough year for all of us, and the teachers' association has taken a lot of criticism.

Is Seniority Best Practice?

This past week, our district was not exempt from the RIF’s that have been making the news in education.  We are losing four young, bright first-year teachers who have brought enthusiasm and innovation to their jobs.

In the background are some more “veteran” teachers who have refused to change with the times. In spite of the changes in society and technology, they teach the same way they have taught for years, holding on to their jobs out of habit rather than passion. They move through the curriculum by rote, paying little attention to whether or not the students are responding. Their evaluations haven’t been top notch, but their jobs are safe.

Then there are a few teachers who simply don’t get it. They want to be “friends” with the kids, or they care more about the content than the kids. The discipline referrals coming out of their classrooms are numerous and would be unnecessary with better management. Their evaluations haven’t been top notch either, but their jobs are safe.

I know that this is a very, very difficult question – especially in these hard economic times. (Maybe the question should be, "Is the State making the best budget decisions right now?" - but that's a different discussion.) However, with all of the pressure being put on teachers to meet professional standards through reflection and best practices, shouldn’t the teachers who are doing that have some advantage?

Retention

By Tom

I flunked a kid today. Held him back. Retained him. It was as bad as you can imagine, only a little worse. Getting held back is a big deal to a third grader, and we don't take it lightly.

 

Our meeting was set for 2:30, the afternoon of a non-student day, arranged after a series of emails and phone calls designed to lay the ground work. Of course, the decision itself was the result of a lot of processing and agonizing, trying different interventions and new strategies. And I know in my heart that it was the right decision.

 

Still, I woke up this morning in a horrible mood.

 

Measurement

By Tom

My class took the WASL last week. Things were going well; I had an ample supply of fresh pencils, a different snack every day, we had completed the practice tests full of retired prompts, the parents were told the benefits of proper nutrition and adequate rest. I had done everything I was supposed to have done to prepare my students. Or so I thought.

Renewal Haiku-al

By Tom

Finally finished

documenting all of my

professional growth!

So Now What?

By Tom

It looks like we'll have to accept a new reality next year. There will be fewer teachers, teaching more kids, for less money and with less support. There's no other way to look at it. It's grim, bleak and discouraging.

Many of us tried to mitigate what's happening right now. We blogged, lobbied and wrote to our representatives, trying to protect what was precious to us. And to some extent we were successful. The National Board bonus, for example, seems to have survived. But overall, this legislative session was a horrible disaster for education in Washington. Things will be different next year. And beyond. And by different, I mean worse.

So what do we do?

Who Speaks?

By Guest Blogger Terese

I woke up today thinking, “How did I get here?”

Just a few short years ago I was teaching fourth graders, working hard to do the best job I could and otherwise minding my own business. On Tuesday I was at the state Capitol, talking with a legislator about an amendment to a bill that had just been proposed. 

What happened in between is a long story. But out of my experiences I have developed a belief that is now central to everything I do. I spend my days thinking about it, planning, trying to figure out what to do next. I toss and turn at night, problem solving. I am dedicated to promoting what I believe in every way that I can.

I believe in the power of teachers’ voices.

The Faculty Room--Open Thread

First year teachers tend to avoid it. It typically takes a veteran teacher to pull the newbie from their fortress of solitude, clutching piles of paper, screaming, “I have so much to do!” Thank goodness there was a veteran teacher who pulled me out of my room 13 years ago.

Teaching Writing on a Budget

By Tom

I took my third graders on a field trip the other day. We went to all the important buildings in our community; the fire station, recreation center, city hall, public library and police station. It was fun, especially when everyone got to go into the holding cell at the police station. And when we got back everyone chose their favorite place and wrote a paragraph about it. The paragraphs were fine. Each one of them had an adequate topic sentence with three to five detail sentences. Exactly what I asked for.

Then we went on another field trip. This time we went to the local sewer treatment plant. When we got back to school we did some more writing. But this time the writing was incredible. There was far more elaboration and an incredible amount of authors' voice in their writing.

Training

A recent article printed in the Christian Science Monitor covered the issue of teacher training (http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0327/p01s01-ussc.html?page=1). The key controversy is that ”Some policymakers say the focus needs to be on improving traditional education schools, which produce 4 out of 5 teachers in the United States. Others are strong advocates of so-called alternative models designed to streamline entry into teaching for exceptionally talented students or mid-career professionals.”

As I sit through yet another sound bite for differentiating instruction based on the needs of my students, and as I am being asked to contemplate taking part in an alternative academy for low-performing ninth graders next year, I marvel again that we, as educators, don’t practice what we preach. Why should we expect every prospective teacher to flourish under the exact same training? We certainly don’t expect that from the kids in our classrooms.

Professional Development and Baseball

 

By Tom

My family and I are down in Arizona this week, trying to dry out from a ridiculously wet winter. Coincidentally, our beloved Mariners are in the exact same place! So we went to a Spring Training baseball game today for the first time, and frankly, it was a little weird.

Now we've been to a lot of Mariners games. But this one was different, and at first I couldn't quite get a handle on it. It wasn't so much the weather, which was perfect; like Seattle in July. It certainly wasn't the fact that the Mariners were getting creamed; God knows we've seen that often enough. No, it was something about the way the players went about their business. They were working, but differently. Their attitude wasn't what I'm used to seeing when I watch pro baseball, yet there was something oddly familiar about it.

NBPTS and Washington Teachers, a great match

Clickity-Click, tap….tap….tap, Click, CLICK, tappity-click. That is the sound of Washington teachers finalizing their portfolios for National Board Certification.

The process of National Board Certification involves 4 lengthy portfolio pieces, a combination of analytical and reflective writing; video submissions; documented accomplishments; and instructional materials. Additionally, there are 6 assessments on content knowledge at a testing center.

Randy Dorn, Seal Keeper?

 By Tom

It was pretty obvious to most of us that the relationship between Randy Dorn, Washington's new Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the state legislature didn’t get off to a perfect start. Shortly after taking office, he announced sweeping changes to the state assessment system; changes made without much input from the legislature.

 

They weren’t happy. But we didn’t know the extent of their unhappiness until just last week, when the House and the Senate each passed massive education bills. Which, according to verse three of Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill,” meant that the two houses then got to switch papers so that they could scrutinize and criticize each other’s work.

 

I looked at these bills and quickly became overwhelmed. They’re really long. Remember, I teach third grade all day. Anything longer than a paragraph freaks me out. So I decided to focus on the section about accountability: how the state is going to make sure our students learn. And for the most part, I like what I see.