It seems that professional learning communities are a more effective means of staff development. Although I am not a teacher, many of the teachers I know don't necessarily apply the lessons learned in individual workshops to their classroom. I don't think that this demonstrates a lack of interest or initiative on the part of the teachers. Rather, I think it stems from a lack of support or understanding of how to apply what was learned specifically to their own classroom. PLC's seem to address this problem. I like the idea that the teachers collaborate and support one another. I also think it is helpful that the PLC's address specific needs of the children in that school. I was astounded that the number of teachers implementing new practices in their classroom jumped from 8% to over 90% when those teachers worked together in PLCs. I also think that part of being a teacher is a willingness to collaborate with others in order to problem solve. PLCs seem to support that very well. I also liked what Becky DuFour said about professional development - that "the best PD is job-embedded and social."
As far as implementation, many of the people involved in the chat had good questions about how to effectively introduce PLCs into a field where there are already high demands and major time constraints. I thought that the ideas offered up by the panel were all good ones. I know that the school district I frequently work in has a period of time one Thursday each month where an entire grade will have an extra recess, monitored by aides. During this time, all of the teachers from that grade will hold a meeting. I am not sure if this is a PLC, but that idea would certainly work as well. I also thought that the panelists had many helpful ideas with regard to troubleshooting and establishing and adhering to norms within the collaborative groups.
One thing I would like to learn more about is the difference between PLCs and joint planning of lessons. My impression is that information in PLCs tends to or needs to be more evidence based, but I am not entirely sure about this.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
My Visit to CLC Charter School
Last Thursday I made the trip down to State College to visit CLC Charter School and speak with 5/6 grade lead teacher Melanie Loring. CLC is a charter school serving students in grades 5-8. Their curriculum is project-based, with an emphasis on technology. Upon entering the building, I was struck by the many differences between this school environment and the environment I have encountered in more traditional public schools. The atmosphere was very relaxed and informal, and the staff were extremely courteous and appeared happy to have me there. On one wall I looked over the CLC "trading cards," which included autobiographical information not only on the students, but on the staff as well. I noticed students talking to their teachers freely. These conversations were also quite relaxed and informal, but it was clear that the students did have respect for the teachers they were addressing. Parents were able to drop in to have lunch with their children or visit their classrooms. When I entered the classroom, Melanie was finishing up a lesson on space. They were watching a DVD clip and discussing it in order to build background knowledge for an upcoming project. The children were seated in various spots throughout the room. Some were sitting on tables, others on chairs, and some on the floor. Some children had hats on (a big no-no in most schools), and Melanie herself was dressed informally in jeans. The students addressed her by her first name. Aside from the occasional whisper to a classmate, which is inevitable, the students appeared engaged. Their thoughts and questions were relevant and appropriate, and demonstrated that they were thinking about what they were being taught. The lesson then ended and the students went to get their lunch (they eat in the classroom).
At this point I had the opportunity to talk with Melanie and ask her a few questions about what I had seen so far. I wanted to know if the children were seated around the room that way because they were watching a movie, or if this was the norm. Melanie responded that this was typical, and that in general they tried to give the students freedom to make choices and teach them self-control. She added that in general this works well, although they do occasionally need to help the students out by having them move to a different seat. I wondered if her classroom tended to encounter this more since many of the students are coming in for the first time from a very structured school environment. She agreed that this was a factor, and that sometimes it took students almost the full two years with her before they started to really grasp the notion that they are in charge of their own behavior and capable of making decisions.
This got me thinking. I think that it is very important to have structure and maintain order, especially when managing a group of people. However, I sometimes wonder if we create environments that are so structured that we miss out on teaching students self-awareness and self-control, two qualities they will need to succeed in life. I have encountered this many times working in the field of behavioral health. If I am working with a child who is disruptive, and I alter his environment and stand directly behind him all day long keeping him quiet, then I am managing his behavior. It works in the short term, but the moment I leave or the environment changes, he will most likely resume previous behavior. On the other hand, if I teach him to recognize his triggers, work with him on developing effective techniques for managing his feelings, and then give him the opportunity to practice this himself, I am helping him to learn new behavior. Although this approach may not have many short term benefits, in the long run I have done a better job of preparing that child to function independently.
I feel that CLC does this, not only from a behavioral standpoint, but from an academic standpoint as well. The project-based lessons that the teachers design give students the freedom to make choices, think critically, and problem solve. Because it is project based, CLC'c curriculum integrates a variety of subjects, such as science, reading, and history, rather than fragmenting them. This helps students learn to integrate concepts, rather than memorizing concepts separately while failing to recognize the connections between them. The projects are engaging and motivating.
While some might object to the relaxed environment CLC offers, I feel that it goes a long way towards helping the students develop the ability to think. I also feel that the staff at CLC have done a good job in creating a safe, nurturing environment where students can feel comfortable enough to take risks. In sum, I feel that many of the techniques that are unique to this school can go a long way toward preparing the students there to become active, thoughtful, and productive members of our society.
At this point I had the opportunity to talk with Melanie and ask her a few questions about what I had seen so far. I wanted to know if the children were seated around the room that way because they were watching a movie, or if this was the norm. Melanie responded that this was typical, and that in general they tried to give the students freedom to make choices and teach them self-control. She added that in general this works well, although they do occasionally need to help the students out by having them move to a different seat. I wondered if her classroom tended to encounter this more since many of the students are coming in for the first time from a very structured school environment. She agreed that this was a factor, and that sometimes it took students almost the full two years with her before they started to really grasp the notion that they are in charge of their own behavior and capable of making decisions.
This got me thinking. I think that it is very important to have structure and maintain order, especially when managing a group of people. However, I sometimes wonder if we create environments that are so structured that we miss out on teaching students self-awareness and self-control, two qualities they will need to succeed in life. I have encountered this many times working in the field of behavioral health. If I am working with a child who is disruptive, and I alter his environment and stand directly behind him all day long keeping him quiet, then I am managing his behavior. It works in the short term, but the moment I leave or the environment changes, he will most likely resume previous behavior. On the other hand, if I teach him to recognize his triggers, work with him on developing effective techniques for managing his feelings, and then give him the opportunity to practice this himself, I am helping him to learn new behavior. Although this approach may not have many short term benefits, in the long run I have done a better job of preparing that child to function independently.
I feel that CLC does this, not only from a behavioral standpoint, but from an academic standpoint as well. The project-based lessons that the teachers design give students the freedom to make choices, think critically, and problem solve. Because it is project based, CLC'c curriculum integrates a variety of subjects, such as science, reading, and history, rather than fragmenting them. This helps students learn to integrate concepts, rather than memorizing concepts separately while failing to recognize the connections between them. The projects are engaging and motivating.
While some might object to the relaxed environment CLC offers, I feel that it goes a long way towards helping the students develop the ability to think. I also feel that the staff at CLC have done a good job in creating a safe, nurturing environment where students can feel comfortable enough to take risks. In sum, I feel that many of the techniques that are unique to this school can go a long way toward preparing the students there to become active, thoughtful, and productive members of our society.
Monday, October 29, 2007
ASL browser, etymology website
These are two resources I think I would use myself. I've always been interested in etymology and learning about the way words are connected to one another. This could also be a good resource for students to use when learning new vocabulary. The ASL browser is something I can use even now. Some of the children I work with are non-verbal or difficult to understand, and rely on some kind of alternative form of communication. I tend to favor signing over PECS for a variety of reasons, but am not as familiar with many signs as I'd like to be. The ASL browser can be a handy tool for quickly looking up one or two words. I think it would also be valuable in a classroom to introduce all students, even those who are able to communicate, to some of the signs. Obviously, this would facilitate communication with students who do sign, and open the door to positive peer interaction. They had begun to do this in California schools when I lived out there, and it was working well.
Parent Portal
I think this is a wonderful resource for parents to use. I think that most parents want to be more involved in their child's education, but may feel intimidated by the schools or be receiving completely different information from their child. Parent Portal provides them with a way to monitor their child's progress relatively quickly and easily. I do not think this should ever replace parent teacher conferencing, however. I also think it is important to consider that some parents may not have Internet access and therefore may not be able to access this information. As for including a child's disciplinary records(for teachers only to see), I think this is only a problem if teachers make it one. As a TSS, I have learned that children very often present differently in person than on paper, so it doesn't make sense to make a judgement based only on the psychological evaluation or the treatment plan. However, these documents do contain information that is useful to have, if only as a frame of reference. I think that as long as teachers do not read too heavily into a child's disciplinary record or make too many prejudgements, this is not a big problem. As a matter of fact, I think it is better to be provided with facts than to hear through the grapevine comments such as "this kid is bad," or "she never pays attention."
Being allowed to go to college without a high school diploma
I'm not sure about this one...On the one hand I agree that it seems kind of unfair to those of us who worked hard in high school, but on the other hand I can think of a lot of people that this would help. I know several people who received poor grades in high school, some of whom ended up dropping out. They went on to get their GED and go to college, and did really well within their field, because it had more meaning for them. People such as these might benefit from a program like this. Then again, I think they should be evaluated in some way prior to entering.
These are two resources I think I would use myself. I've always been interested in etymology and learning about the way words are connected to one another. This could also be a good resource for students to use when learning new vocabulary. The ASL browser is something I can use even now. Some of the children I work with are non-verbal or difficult to understand, and rely on some kind of alternative form of communication. I tend to favor signing over PECS for a variety of reasons, but am not as familiar with many signs as I'd like to be. The ASL browser can be a handy tool for quickly looking up one or two words. I think it would also be valuable in a classroom to introduce all students, even those who are able to communicate, to some of the signs. Obviously, this would facilitate communication with students who do sign, and open the door to positive peer interaction. They had begun to do this in California schools when I lived out there, and it was working well.
Parent Portal
I think this is a wonderful resource for parents to use. I think that most parents want to be more involved in their child's education, but may feel intimidated by the schools or be receiving completely different information from their child. Parent Portal provides them with a way to monitor their child's progress relatively quickly and easily. I do not think this should ever replace parent teacher conferencing, however. I also think it is important to consider that some parents may not have Internet access and therefore may not be able to access this information. As for including a child's disciplinary records(for teachers only to see), I think this is only a problem if teachers make it one. As a TSS, I have learned that children very often present differently in person than on paper, so it doesn't make sense to make a judgement based only on the psychological evaluation or the treatment plan. However, these documents do contain information that is useful to have, if only as a frame of reference. I think that as long as teachers do not read too heavily into a child's disciplinary record or make too many prejudgements, this is not a big problem. As a matter of fact, I think it is better to be provided with facts than to hear through the grapevine comments such as "this kid is bad," or "she never pays attention."
Being allowed to go to college without a high school diploma
I'm not sure about this one...On the one hand I agree that it seems kind of unfair to those of us who worked hard in high school, but on the other hand I can think of a lot of people that this would help. I know several people who received poor grades in high school, some of whom ended up dropping out. They went on to get their GED and go to college, and did really well within their field, because it had more meaning for them. People such as these might benefit from a program like this. Then again, I think they should be evaluated in some way prior to entering.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Some Thoughts on Positive Change...
After watching the pieces on New Orleans an Oakland schools, I do have some thoughts on what schools with tough conditions need to do to bring about positive change. I do feel that a lot of it lies with the staff - their visions, their attitudes, their ability to work as a team for the greater good. When watching both of the pieces, I was moved by the dedication of some of these educators. I know that they face a lot of resistance in many forms. However, their willingness to come back each day and keep working towards their vision of education sends a clear and powerful message, not only to students and their families, but to other educators. I particularly remember two statements from these pieces.
The first statement that struck me was in the piece on New Orleans, when Vallas responded to a veteran teacher who referred to him as "bright-eyed." He basically stated that there is no room for negativity at this point, and went on to ask, "What comes first, lower performance or lower expectations?" While I can understand that teacher's feelings, particularly after being in a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, I also believe in self-fulfilling prophecies. If you think something can't work, it won't. So why not try something new? If it works, that's wonderful, if not, we can learn for the next time. But if we as educators adopt a "why bother" attitude, we've failed before we've begun.
In the Oakland piece, I was initially a little puzzled about one principal's use of a table as a metaphor for education. However, once he explained it, I agreed with his statement that "there is no impact without all of those voices." I think it is important to remember that bringing about change and improving the conditions of these schools does not lie in the hands of one person. Rather it depends on everyone's willingness to "come to the table," so to speak.
The first statement that struck me was in the piece on New Orleans, when Vallas responded to a veteran teacher who referred to him as "bright-eyed." He basically stated that there is no room for negativity at this point, and went on to ask, "What comes first, lower performance or lower expectations?" While I can understand that teacher's feelings, particularly after being in a disaster like Hurricane Katrina, I also believe in self-fulfilling prophecies. If you think something can't work, it won't. So why not try something new? If it works, that's wonderful, if not, we can learn for the next time. But if we as educators adopt a "why bother" attitude, we've failed before we've begun.
In the Oakland piece, I was initially a little puzzled about one principal's use of a table as a metaphor for education. However, once he explained it, I agreed with his statement that "there is no impact without all of those voices." I think it is important to remember that bringing about change and improving the conditions of these schools does not lie in the hands of one person. Rather it depends on everyone's willingness to "come to the table," so to speak.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Reflection on presentations 10/01/07
Presentation 1- Graduation and Dropout Rates
I think that a high school diploma is a good predictor of future acheivement, and not having one puts young adults at a disadvantage. I was a bit startled by the numbers once the group broke them down - 7,000 children are dropping out each day?! It seems to me that we are failing a rather large number of students. Another statistic that intrigued me was the fact that children retained in elementary school are more likely to drop out. I wonder why, and I also wonder if this is a causal relationship, or if there is an outside factor (SES anyone?) influencing both of these things.
I'd like to say that I was surprised by the fact that there are higher dropout rates in urban areas, unfortunately that seems to be the pattern. The education system appears to consistently fail children of varying ethnicities and low socioeconomic status, both of which are found in large numbers in urban areas. We need to alter our curriculum to set these children up to succeed and become productive members of our society, and so far we are not succeeding. I had previously said that I did not feel education was currently in crisis, but that we needed to be aware of and address certain discrepancies. After this presentation, I'm still not sure if I feel education as a whole is in crisis, but knowing that less than half of high school students in Philadelphia are graduating...that's certainly a wake up call.
Presentation 2 - PSSA Scores by Demographic
This presentation also reinforces the fact that minority students and students of lower socioeconomic status are consistenly receiving lower scores. As we touched on in our presentation on PSSA scores, I think that some of this has to do with the structure of the test itself, and a variety of biases that exist in the test itself as well as the procedure for taking the test. I also think that it goes back to the undeniable and sad truth that, in general, upper class white students are affored more opportunities within their education. Schools in poor urban areas tend to have less resources, more students, and fewer qualified teachers, so is it any wonder that they are not doing as well as students in districts where there are more resources or a better student to teacher ratio?
One thing I really liked about this presentation was that they offered a series of possible "first steps" toward change. I was also interested in the idea of schools funding social services programs to try and bridge the gap.
Presentation 3-NAEP Results for Ages 9,13,17 and Graduaiton Rates
I think that the fact that there has been so litle change between 1971-2004 could possibly indicate that our current methods aren't working, but again it goes back to my opinion that standardized tests aren't an accurate measure of ability. I don't know how much those numbers reflect what is really happening. I do think that the discrepancy between the scores of whites versus other ethnicities is pretty clear, across all presentations. The fact that we have more children in high school than other countries could be encouraging, but I don't know enough about education in other countries to really understand this data. My favorite part about this presentation was the question posed at the end. Namely, is this a true crisis, or the perception of a crisis created for personal or political agendas? Can it be a little bit of both?
And now...Gleichert's Formula for Social Change
When this formula was first introduced to us, I though of it strictly in terms of our current situation, with our dissatisfaction being with No Child Left Behind. After looking at all the PowerPoints, it seems that some of the same problems existed before NCLB was put into effect. There was a large discrepancy between the quality of education that different populations were receiving before NCLB, and maybe that was the intial dissatisfation. Maybe teachers had the same vision then that we do now, i.e., a vision of a future in which all children could develop a love of learning, and not be shortchanged by the education system. So does that mean that NCLB was designed to be a first step? Possibly, but I happen to believe it was a first step in the wrong direction. Then again, all of the problems that have arisen and will continue to arise from NCLB have led to a good deal of dialogue about education, and I think that's a good thing. Maybe we can learn from our mistakes (isn't that the best way?) and start headed in a different direction. Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I do know that right now, many of us have expressed our dissatisfation with many of the things we see happening in (or to) our schools. I think we all have a vision of something better, and that's why we are all here. And aren't these our first steps - talking, questioning, and applying what we learn in these classes and through these conversations? I know that resistance is still pretty strong right now, but I don't think it always will be. I still believe that social change is possible, and that on some level we are all a part of it.
I think that a high school diploma is a good predictor of future acheivement, and not having one puts young adults at a disadvantage. I was a bit startled by the numbers once the group broke them down - 7,000 children are dropping out each day?! It seems to me that we are failing a rather large number of students. Another statistic that intrigued me was the fact that children retained in elementary school are more likely to drop out. I wonder why, and I also wonder if this is a causal relationship, or if there is an outside factor (SES anyone?) influencing both of these things.
I'd like to say that I was surprised by the fact that there are higher dropout rates in urban areas, unfortunately that seems to be the pattern. The education system appears to consistently fail children of varying ethnicities and low socioeconomic status, both of which are found in large numbers in urban areas. We need to alter our curriculum to set these children up to succeed and become productive members of our society, and so far we are not succeeding. I had previously said that I did not feel education was currently in crisis, but that we needed to be aware of and address certain discrepancies. After this presentation, I'm still not sure if I feel education as a whole is in crisis, but knowing that less than half of high school students in Philadelphia are graduating...that's certainly a wake up call.
Presentation 2 - PSSA Scores by Demographic
This presentation also reinforces the fact that minority students and students of lower socioeconomic status are consistenly receiving lower scores. As we touched on in our presentation on PSSA scores, I think that some of this has to do with the structure of the test itself, and a variety of biases that exist in the test itself as well as the procedure for taking the test. I also think that it goes back to the undeniable and sad truth that, in general, upper class white students are affored more opportunities within their education. Schools in poor urban areas tend to have less resources, more students, and fewer qualified teachers, so is it any wonder that they are not doing as well as students in districts where there are more resources or a better student to teacher ratio?
One thing I really liked about this presentation was that they offered a series of possible "first steps" toward change. I was also interested in the idea of schools funding social services programs to try and bridge the gap.
Presentation 3-NAEP Results for Ages 9,13,17 and Graduaiton Rates
I think that the fact that there has been so litle change between 1971-2004 could possibly indicate that our current methods aren't working, but again it goes back to my opinion that standardized tests aren't an accurate measure of ability. I don't know how much those numbers reflect what is really happening. I do think that the discrepancy between the scores of whites versus other ethnicities is pretty clear, across all presentations. The fact that we have more children in high school than other countries could be encouraging, but I don't know enough about education in other countries to really understand this data. My favorite part about this presentation was the question posed at the end. Namely, is this a true crisis, or the perception of a crisis created for personal or political agendas? Can it be a little bit of both?
And now...Gleichert's Formula for Social Change
When this formula was first introduced to us, I though of it strictly in terms of our current situation, with our dissatisfaction being with No Child Left Behind. After looking at all the PowerPoints, it seems that some of the same problems existed before NCLB was put into effect. There was a large discrepancy between the quality of education that different populations were receiving before NCLB, and maybe that was the intial dissatisfation. Maybe teachers had the same vision then that we do now, i.e., a vision of a future in which all children could develop a love of learning, and not be shortchanged by the education system. So does that mean that NCLB was designed to be a first step? Possibly, but I happen to believe it was a first step in the wrong direction. Then again, all of the problems that have arisen and will continue to arise from NCLB have led to a good deal of dialogue about education, and I think that's a good thing. Maybe we can learn from our mistakes (isn't that the best way?) and start headed in a different direction. Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I do know that right now, many of us have expressed our dissatisfation with many of the things we see happening in (or to) our schools. I think we all have a vision of something better, and that's why we are all here. And aren't these our first steps - talking, questioning, and applying what we learn in these classes and through these conversations? I know that resistance is still pretty strong right now, but I don't think it always will be. I still believe that social change is possible, and that on some level we are all a part of it.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Response to "Is Education in Crisis?" by Tara, Bonnie, and Perry
What I found most surprising about this presentation was that the test does not evolve based on changes in curricula, teaching methods, or new findings about the way children learn or changing definitions of literacy. I wonder along with them, what is this test really measuring? Is it an accurate indicator of ability (but then again, is any standardized test)?
I also thought it was interesting that the NAEP test results did not show any gains until high school. I wonder what possible reasons for this could be?
Other data showed by the graphs was similar to what we found in our analysis of PSSA scores...Girls consistently scored better than boys on reading, and White students scored better than minority groups.
As for the technical aspect, I thought it was well done. I liked the background they selected, and I thought they made a good use of graphs to illustrate their points.
I also thought it was interesting that the NAEP test results did not show any gains until high school. I wonder what possible reasons for this could be?
Other data showed by the graphs was similar to what we found in our analysis of PSSA scores...Girls consistently scored better than boys on reading, and White students scored better than minority groups.
As for the technical aspect, I thought it was well done. I liked the background they selected, and I thought they made a good use of graphs to illustrate their points.
Response to "IEP Students and Their Impact on AYP."
I wasn't very surprised to learn that the special education population is growing at a higher rate than the general education population, maybe because I work in the field of behavioral health. I always wonder how much of this is due to an actual increase in the number of children being born with special needs, and how much is due to better screening methods and the emergence of new disorders (I'm pretty sure that Asperger's Disorder wasn't even a diagnosis until 1994). I don't know if there is any way to really find this out, but it is an interesting question.
I was very surprised to see the similarity in the scores across all three school districts. I wonder if that similarity would carry over if we looked at districts closer to my area, such as Wayne Highlands or Western Wayne.
I was also very surprised about the end result to the PowerPoint - that children with IEP's do not have a negative impact on a district's PSSA scores. I had always assumed they did, and I guess part of the reason for that stems from the school district that I live (and occasionally work) in. They have always had an outstanding special education program when compared with other districts in the area. In fact, I know several parents who deliberately moved into the area so that their children could go to this school. Thus the special education population has increased quite a bit over the years, and I'm pretty sure their test scores have gone down. I always thought there was a causal relationship between the influx of special education students and the fact that standardized test scores have gone down, now I'm questioning that. One thing I do wonder about is what will happen in 2014, when schools are expected to have 100 % proficiency. Do they take into account that some of these students will never be proficient, because of their disability? Should the schools/students be penalized for that? (NO!!) Obviously, this is something that will need to be addressed.
One final note on the more technical aspects of the presentation - I thought it was very well done and appropriate for the topic. I really enjoyed the sound effects - I think that they also helped to enhance the content. Good job guys!
I was very surprised to see the similarity in the scores across all three school districts. I wonder if that similarity would carry over if we looked at districts closer to my area, such as Wayne Highlands or Western Wayne.
I was also very surprised about the end result to the PowerPoint - that children with IEP's do not have a negative impact on a district's PSSA scores. I had always assumed they did, and I guess part of the reason for that stems from the school district that I live (and occasionally work) in. They have always had an outstanding special education program when compared with other districts in the area. In fact, I know several parents who deliberately moved into the area so that their children could go to this school. Thus the special education population has increased quite a bit over the years, and I'm pretty sure their test scores have gone down. I always thought there was a causal relationship between the influx of special education students and the fact that standardized test scores have gone down, now I'm questioning that. One thing I do wonder about is what will happen in 2014, when schools are expected to have 100 % proficiency. Do they take into account that some of these students will never be proficient, because of their disability? Should the schools/students be penalized for that? (NO!!) Obviously, this is something that will need to be addressed.
One final note on the more technical aspects of the presentation - I thought it was very well done and appropriate for the topic. I really enjoyed the sound effects - I think that they also helped to enhance the content. Good job guys!
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