The New Way to Meet Student's Parents

So maybe this is not really what happens in schools anymore. Parent Teacher Conference. When I was kid, if you had one of those that meant you were in trouble. My parents saw my teacher maybe at maximum 2 times a year. This was at the Open House in the fall and the last day of school. Luckily, I attended a small Catholic school so everyone knew everyone, even the teachers. Maybe my parents were like the woman in this photo at one point, but times are changing and some schools are adapting to the change.

Recently Mark commented on the blog and suggested I read this article regarding teacher house calls.

Areas in Boston and Springfield are having their teachers make house calls to students to promote parental involvement in the schools. Areas such as Springfield report that grades are going up and parents are becoming more involved in their child’s school. Also, some believe that having the teacher visit the parents takes away some misconceptions both the parent and teacher may have of each other.

I personally like the idea of house calls. Many times parents cannot visit schools and the parent teacher conference that constantly gets rescheduled can finally happen. Also, the house call makes things more real. What do I mean by this? It is no longer a kid going to school. It is a kid, their child, going to school and interacting with the person who is sitting at the table with you. I know many times parents have questions about the material and they wonder what they can do for the child, but feel intimidated on what to do to solve the problem. I had a parent come to my after school last year asking how to solve math problems to help her daughter. This mother took the time to come to the school and ask, but many times the parent can’t due to timing, jobs, lack of transportation, or any other circumstance.

Maybe I am being a bit naive, but I think most parents want to find ways they can help their children. Maybe they won’t be the school’s mascot of school pride, but a parent can volunteer and do the most important thing for a student, make sure they stay on track. I have heard, and I myself have said, that schooling is not only in school. It is the parent’s job to make sure their child receives the constant reinforcement of education in the household. I feel like a statement is made when a teacher visits a home, “I’m making the commitment to you by seeing you. Now you need to make the commitment that you will support this child.”

Hispanics and Education: Lack of Motivation or Genes?

So I was on the internet, which is where I as most people spend many hours, and came across a few different articles on Hispanics and education. I think both are worth reading and present some interesting views.

The first article comes from the New York Times. The main finding can be seen in the first line:

"The children of Hispanic immigrants tend to be born healthy and start life on an intellectual par with other American children, but by the age of 2 they begin to lag in linguistic and cognitive skills, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, shows." 

In the study it also says that low income whites and African Americans also fall behind on cognitive scores, but it is higher in Hispanics, especially those from Mexican backgrounds. One belief for the decline may be due to the education levels of Hispanic mothers, who usually have a lower education level than most other mothers of different ethnic backgrounds. One professor also remarks that you do not see children in lower income Latino households doing reading activities or saying their ABCs to their grandparents. The article then talks about how the Obama administration is investing 8 billion over eight years to states to start programs to promote learning skills in toddlers and pre-k students.

The other article comes from James Nava. In the article it talks about the high school drop outs in the Hispanic community. It argues that most in the community value education, and that the community needs stronger values like motivation to succeed in the community. At one point it also says that of the Hispanic students that were evaluated, 35% that dropped out were failing. The other 65% were actually doing well academically.

The question that needs to be asked is why? What causes this? I personally feel that the idea that it is a mental reason Hispanic students are failing seems illogical and a scapegoat excuse for explaining why one group of students are not doing well. Yes, the study does mention that it has to do with economic status, but the fact that "Mexicans"do worse on cognitive levels than others in low economic standings seems...almost ridiculous. If anything, I want to be in those houses the examiners went in. If the second article is correct, Hispanic families want their children to do well in school. Why would the grandparents not play word games with their children? I was raised in a middle class family, so maybe I don't understand. However, I feel like laying the blame in "cognitive" development skills seems too simple to be the actual explanation.

Louisiana: Still Ranking Low in Education.

Some disturbing articles from Will Sentell in The Advocate present a dark outlook on education in Louisiana.

The Department of Education has said that Louisiana ranks 47th in the nation for high school graduation rates. In 2007, 61.3% of high school students graduated on time in Louisiana. The whole "on time" meaning that the students took the average 4 years to graduate. As Mr. Sentell says, "Only three states had lower rates that year: Nevada at 52 percent; South Carolina, 58.9 percent; and New Mexico, 59.1 percent." In the nation, the average is 73.9% with Vermont ranking the highest with 88.6% of on time graduates.

Something else that should and needs to be noted is the difference between the Caucasian and African American students. In the report, 71.3% of Caucasian students graduate on time, whereas 49.9% of African Americans graduate on time.

Another disturbing fact is that Louisiana ranks the highest in the country for 9th grade drop out rates at 8.3%.

Along with the low "on time" graduation rates, Will Sentell wrote another article about math rates on Louisiana.  The results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress "show fourth-graders are 48th in the U.S. in math and eighth-graders are 45th, said Scott Norton, assistant superintendent for the state Department of Education." Here are some statistics from the report:

• Fourth-graders earned an average score of 229 out of 500, down from 230 last year.
• The national average is 239, the same as last year.
• Eighth-graders earned an average score of 272, the same as last year.
• The national average is 282, up two points from last year.
  

In a nut shell what does this say? Louisiana is still ranking low and there haven't been improvements. As a native to Louisiana this is so frustrating. "Scott Norton, assistant superintendent for the state Department of Education said, 'It is disappointing to see that we didn’t grow.'" It is a lot more than disappointing. It is appalling. The other thing that frustrates me is the common belief that it is just okay. My parents are visiting me and when I told my dad about the statistics between blacks and whites in graduating on time, he said, "Are you really surprised?" No, I'm not, but that should not stop you from finding it terrible that it is still there. We have to still be angry when we see things like this and not apathetic. Apathy does not lead to change, it leads to acceptance of the same problems.

2 Million Minutes

Ran across this trailer while wondering through the endless depths of the Al Gore creation, internet. It has an interesting concept, judge US kids against other rising countries in education and see how the go up against each other.

Looking into different countries and seeing how their education system ranks against the United States is always something worth looking into. What is being done differently? Should we put more money into the school systems or is it a matter of methods? Do we care more about being "well rounded" or scores?

This is the trailer, but from what I've seen in the bits and pieces of the documentary on YouTube, there is the same information being taught (usually) but the focus of the material is different. At one point it is argued that the United States focuses more on extracurricular activities. The other countries have a larger focus on education and the majority of the day, and years, stays focused on learning the material only rather than engaging in sports and other activities.

Is this really the deal? Does multitasking take away from education? Is that the huge flaw? Or is it something else?

A Report Card for the Teacher?

About a month ago I ran across this article from the New York Times. I know, a month? Well, now it is here for your viewing pleasure!

In New York, they have a sort of report card system set up to grade the teachers each year.

"The reports use standardized test scores to monitor how much teachers have helped students improve from one year to the next and whether they are successful with particular groups of children, such as boys or those who have struggled for years."

Interesting concept. However, many teachers do not view these cards because it is not required by the school. Also, the report card does not affect teacher pay. So for the teachers who view it, they get to see where they stand with other teachers in New York and what group they work well with.

The reason I like the report card idea is because teachers DO need to be evaluated. Sure, I have a thing against state testing, but if we look at student scores and there is a huge sign that students are not doing well with a teacher then something is up. Knowing that information can be huge. Think about it. A school receives a report card that one of their teachers passed students who did poorly on state testing (along with other students in the class). The next teacher could recognize the problem early on, and that student would get the help they need through the school or outside sources. Also, the teacher with a low result would have more pressure to do better, or at least evaluate their teaching method.

So of course the Teacher's Union didn't want the test scores public. Why? The fact being that there are some bad teachers out there that are still keeping their jobs because they have their "years" in with the system and it is basically impossible to fire them. Now, I may not be the mind reader of all principals, but I saw this same thing in my school last year. There was a teacher that they wanted to fire. She was originally working with the young children (2nd-3rd) and some things happened so that they needed to move her. Well, she had at least 50 years of tenure under her belt and it was impossible. What to do? She becomes a specialist. Was she good? No. The class was chaos, and teachers began to do their own supplement of science because they were going to be tested in science this year on the state test. Those kids NEEDED the information. Eventually though she did go under early retirement the last 2 months of school. 

The school should have had a teacher in that class who was competent and could control it. It shouldn't have just been a placement position anywhere because they needed to move her. Don't get me wrong, wonderful lady outside of class. However, maybe she needed a report card to show herself where she stood in the classroom with other teachers.

Teach to teach vs. teach to learn?

While wondering online and doing some Latin American Politics homework I came across this video. Yet again, the calm futuristic music plays in the background as educators urge for a change in the system of education. A change to a 21st century model of education. At one point, the 21st century plan of collaboration and technology proficiency is quoted word for word. For a moment I want to yell, "Yes! Policy change!" Then I stop. Why do I stop?

Maybe I am a cynic, but I feel reluctant to believe in a 21st century model of education. Not even completely that. This blog is called "Reworking the Education System" to see other methods of education and how to improve upon the United States model. Yes, the ideas are presented well in the video, and I feel like they are ideas all teachers would agree with. I guess my reluctance comes when I think about classroom vs. test scores. The 21st century model, in my eyes, only applies to a classroom model. They don't mention that pesky thing No Child Left Behind requires. State Testing.

We can't escape those things, at least not in the EVALUATION method that schools require. In theory, the new model, the "21st century" model, will make students strive for a higher education. But what if in that strive, kids are studying more about the Civil War than on percentages? I get so frustrated when I hear that the teachers are failing students. Yes, there are some bad teachers out there, but there are good ones as well. I was in a classroom last year where my teachers had to sacrifice social studies to teach reading and math. We had to try and go out of our way to find a way to inform students about their history in the country. I should mention my students were mostly immigrants as well, so they wanted to also know about their own history as well, which the school couldn't provide. However, minority history is another topic for another day.

What I am trying to get at is that state model testing requires teachers to essentially teach the material that will be on the test. Some may say, "Shouldn't the teacher already be teaching that?" They are, but if you don't get al the material in to a short time frame, then the student will miss points. Yes, you may have to go a bit fast in the material, but it isn't about grasping the full concepts. Teach to teach. That isn't what the previous model of education was based on, but that is what it became. The original one was teach to learn. Maybe the 21st century model will get us back to that, but it still has to battle with that age old bully, Uncle Sam.

Education for the 21st century, new idea or old?

What is a 21st century education? 

Hey, I wanna know as well. I was looking online for some articles on education and came across this piece by Dave Mundy. He gives a pretty harsh idea of what the "21st century" skills are. Mr. Mundy asserts that education reform isn't really happening in the United States, and if anything, only can prepare students to work at Wal-Mart and use a computer. Asserting that the skills outlined in the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) are only skills to help utilize computer skills that are already being understood by students. Here are the skills that are on the NCTE website:

• Develop proficiency with the tools of technology  
• Build relationships with others to pose and solve problems collaboratively and cross-culturally  
• Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes  
• Manage, analyze and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information  
• Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multi-media texts  
• Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments

That doesn't sound that bad does it? Mr. Mundy thinks so. He asserts that it is just computer skills. Hold up, just computer skills?


So in the article he says to go to the Department of Education to read about it. Guess what? The buzz word everywhere is "21st century" education. But what IS it? Yes, we are in the 21st century, but from my knowledge nothing seems to have radically changed. In middle school we used technology to help us with projects and we also worked in groups to collaborate on work. Is it that new of an idea? Or is this supposed to be in the context of hands on materials? Everyone talks about hands on work so what is different about that?


If anything, it just seems like it means that we are going to just use technology more in the classroom to promote collaboration. However, that is not the only aspect to it. Mental abilities become greater in the idea of math, science, and literature.  The idea of grasping concepts through mental calculations rather than pen and paper. 


Okay. So the mental math/science is new, anything else? I don't see that much. So maybe Mr. Mundy's statement that education reform isn't happening is true and it is only there to fill the pockets of "reformers." Whatever the case is, "21st century education" is my buzz word for the week and the next couple of posts will be focusing on its development and why it is coming about now.

Looking Back on Bedtime Stories

As a child, my favorite book was "Bootsie Barker Bites" by Barbara Bottner. I can clearly remember my mom sitting next to me and reading the story over and over again. I'm pretty sure we read it together from the ages of 4-8. I loved it. I even learned big words like "paleontologist." Yep, I was cool. I still have the book with edges ripped and colored on with my own interpretation of Bootsie Barker's hat. 


So okay, I liked that story as a kid, what is the point of this post? I want to talk about not just education reform, but education as a child and the role of the parent. If you have ever wandered over to the U.S. Department of Education website there is a whole page dedicated to "Helping Your Child Become a Reader." Throughout the page things such as "read to your child" and "talk to your child" are mentioned. Well, yea. What would you do? How would you not talk to your child? As Jane E. Brody mentions in the article in the NY Times,  this is not a common feature anymore. Many adults are turning to their cell phones and Ipods rather than talking to their babies and interacting with them. This is a huge deal, but why?


"Children whose parents read to them tend to become better readers and perform better in school (Snow, Burns, and Griffin 1998)." These students will come into Kindergarden with a higher vocabulary and, in theory, will be a better developed reader. Here are some facts for you from Allina Hospitals and Clinics:

1. An average of 2 minutes of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of fewer than 4,000 words. 
2. An average of 1 hour of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of 8,000 to 10,000 words. 
3. An average of more than 1 hour of reading or talking to a child will result in a vocabulary of more than 10,000 words. 
4. By Kindergarten, children need to know more than 10,000 words to become successful reader. 

So talking and reading to your child is a good thing! It gives a child that bonding time they need for emotional support and also helps in education! It may not seem like a baby really understand what you are saying, but the whole process is a way for the child to develop an understanding of different sounds and syllables that are needed in language development. 

But reading and talking to your kids should just not be at the baby stage either. Reading is a life long skill that needs to be practiced. I'm pretty sure if my mother didn't give me that time to read with me I wouldn't want to read as much as I do now. And really, it doesn't just have to be written stories. Oral stories are a form of practice to children. It invites them into a different realm, one of creativity and exploration. 

And since I like this song I shall post it! I put the clean version just in case. 

P.S.- Some viewers may find the video offensive. I would like to note the images depicted in the video do not reflect any ideas I have. Only the fact that you should, "read a book." 

Schools out for summer...or not?

Alice Cooper once sang all students national anthem of school. "Schools out for summer!" Well, if Obama has his way, maybe not Mr. Cooper.

While going to check my email yahoo posted an article about the Obama administration and education reform. The gist of the article that you need to get is that administrators and politicians are thinking about extending the hours of schools and cutting down on the summer.

So what does this mean? No more summer!? Of course not. Everyone realizes that kids need that break away from education. It provides a time for relaxation and growth that school can not give to kids. Rather, a new policy would limit those summer days.
As Arne Duncan, Education Secretary said,

"Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today."

The calendar has been based on the agrarian calender when children were needed for the planting and harvesting seasons. Now, yes, some areas  still need that. However, most cities and school areas have migrated towards a capitalist society and no longer work on the family farms. If this is the case, why not lose some summer day and replace them with school? Kids are not planting in the summer, they are chillin at the pool. Obama feels the same way (not necessarily in the same terms). Even if we don't extend the year, why not have more summer programs and summer school things?

Summer School, eh? Now, I don't know what other kids school years were like, but summer school was a source of shame for me. Back in the day, it meant you were not smart enough to pass the grade and needed more time to finish. Sadly, this is a stigma still in summer school. However, it shouldn't be that way. It is very frustrating to see kids leave school with a high reading level then come back from the summer and they drop two grade levels in their reading. What happened? It was only a few months, how could it drop so low? Lack of practice. Reading is a skill you have to do everyday to fully excel in it. Most of the times, kids just don't read. There are always amazing programs like the summer reading program at public libraries. However, the sad truth is that if you are not forcing a kid to read in the beginning, then they just won't. Educators look to summer school to fix this problem, or at least a summer school program disguised as "camp."

Clip Art by Mark A. Hicks

There have been plenty of organizations that realize that summer time is critical for students. So what to do? Make summer school fun! They implement a school like curriculum into the program. The thing is, they realize it is summer, and they give a lot of time to field trips and hands on learning to make it fun. In my personal experience, I never attended summer school or a real camp in the woods sort of deal. On the other hand, I went to a lot of "educational" programs through Girl Scouts. I did everything from dinosaurs to mad scientists things. I was learning without knowing it in a sense. I was lucky and had that offered to me. Some kids don't.

Are there other benefits to longer school days? Yes! Did you know that juvenile crimes are highest between 3-6 in the afternoon on week days? What time is that? After school time. After school programs are in high demand throughout the country and the cost is just as high. So why not extend school time to half of that and provide that extra learning time? I remember working in the school system in Boston. It was difficult because all you could do was focus on reading and math. There was hardly any time for the fun subjects like science and social studies. If there was that extra time, students could have more time to really absorb the information brought to them in class. Crazy huh?

So extend school time or have a longer school year. Personally I would do both, but each one cost a lot, so I know we would have to pick one. So maybe school isn't out for the summer...but it is still rocking.