Texas Teacher Talk

First Year Reflections

2011-02-16T20:34:00.001-06:00

I came upon this a few weeks ago in my desk drawer. Even though I had teaching experience years ago, I returned to the classroom after 24 years in business. I share this with all the new teachers and promise to speak on it later.

Reflection, May 2007
As I consider this year, my first at the High School, I appreciate every experience. I learned something from each, sometimes with a smile and a nod of the head, sometimes with a grimace and a shake of the head.

Those lessons for which I am thankful came early on. I settled into a new curriculum for each language level, finding the pace of each class, and, if not understanding, at least recognizing the needs of individual students. I was reminded that with teenage girls it's all about them, and with teenage boys, it's all about waking up in a new world everyday. I found my place in a new department with acceptance from and an appreciation of my colleagues. Of all the new teachers across the school, most I see as caring, dedicated educators. My interactions with others left me with an overwhelming appreciation for NOT holding a supervisory position.

Those lessons that left me not only thankful, but wiser, I hold in high esteem. I really inderstand more about differentiation in classroom management from freshmen to seniors. Some management tehniques are universal across age and maturity; others are as different as children and adults. I learned to communicate the rules of classroom order early on and hold them in place all year. I learned to set the learning expectations immediately for each class, and as soon as possible for certain individuals.

Then, there are those observations that keep me puzzling with wonder. There are those about my classes, the biggest of which is why are so many students failing even after I decelerate the lessons? Should I accelreate the pace next year with higher ecpectations, and if so, at what speed and at what risk? There are puzzling observations about my fellow teachers' behaviors. For example, the high school clearly states its behavioral expectations for students and the consequences for non-compliance. Yet many teachers approach enforcement casually, if at all. Alas, my all time favorite is the system. Why do we have 1900 teenagers on a campus designed for 15% fewer; why does technology not work on-time, every time; where is our instructional leadership; where are the parents; are LEAs really a good thing; and, the state wants what!?

Occasionally, I get frustrated, depressed, and tired. More often than not, I remain upbeat. Right now, I anticipate (summer) next year with an enthusiasm for putting things into place for better delivery and better results.

Look Out for the 82nd

2010-11-28T19:18:00.003-06:00

It’s almost time for Texas 82nd Legislature Regular Session, Jan 11 at high noon. The legies are already at it with proposed educational reform from protecting us against bullying (HB170 Raymond, HB224 Strama), beverages (HB127 Alvarado), and borders (HB22 Riddle, HB29 Guillen). Shoot, that’s not even the silly ones. But with all their bravado, they continue to avoid the 600-lb. dunce in the corner --- school financing.

Even though I applaud proposals to increase teacher retiree benefits and give out a $4000 pay raise to working teachers (HB62 Matinez), that’s a bit short-lived due to an expected deficit of $18 - $25 billion (depends on who’s calculating) that seems to have suddenly appeared on the state’s books. I don’t remember one word about that during the elections, much less any plans to deal with it. Oh, excuse me, Governor Perry did mention that he intends to seek 5-15% cuts across budget, including education. And, that’s on top of the $3 billion that districts now must pick up from the legies early-on acceptance of stimulus dollars. And, the $2.5 billion in more funds needed to serve an ever-increasing student roll. And, don’t forget that the grass-roots, democracy-now, no-big-gov, no-more-tax, freedom-first-and-last, send-‘em-back-where-they-belong Teapublicans, well, are all about keeping what’s theirs, by god and by state’s rights.

Even if LEDs decide to raise local taxes for school funding, remember Chapter 41, the Robin Hood plan developed as a stopgap measure to inequitable funding. That sends about 40 cents of every dollar back to the “land poor” districts to give them a chance. Funny, but it is no longer the border districts that fall into that category. It’s now districts in and around Houston and Dallas.

So, that leaves the Texas public in a bit of a financial pinch that promises to turn into a series of slaps to the face and blows to the gut. What can we expect to happen. Here are a few predictions that even a four-year, home-schooled graduate can figure out. First, don’t count on a pay raise, duh. Since 85% of school costs are involved in staff salary, the fastest way to reduce expense is to reduce headcount. No one will be immune as job loss will affect (and in some districts is already affecting) all from custodian to administrator, but mostly, teacher. Secondly, with fewer staff get ready for a higher student to teacher ratio. Secondary core classes of 30 to 1 are not unusual. I even know of classes with 34 and 36 to 1 ratios working. But, I suppose that with good learning-style differentiation techniques and student-centered lesson plans promoting self-directed learning that shouldn’t be a real issue (lol). Finally, look for a lawsuit to get the legies off their collective butts and on their weak-kneed, wobbly-legged, pigeon-toed feet (sorry, my disdain is showing).

For a more balanced look at school funding, click on the following: Invest in Schools, World Internet News, and, one of my favs, Equity Center Radio.

Student Expectations

2010-09-12T11:49:00.001-05:00

After one-half of one-third of one semester, the kids are finally realizing that, hey, school has started. Gotta luv 'em. So, I wrote this on me Facebook page to which a friend replied, it’s usually Thanksgiving break for my classes.

Every year I get foreign exchange students assigned to my classes. They are always European from Germany or France. I ask them at the beginning of the year, “What most impresses you so far?” Without fail it is the fact that Americans drive every place they go. They come from towns where they are able to walk or take public transports for daily activities. I then clarify my question, “What most impresses you about the high school?” The initial response is how the students seem to disregard the teacher and the lesson. It’s like our Chinese-national teacher who asked me, “Do your students talk all of the time even when you are teaching?” To which I sadly replied, “Welcome to education in the US.”

Don’t misinterpret my remark. I do not believe that lining them up in neatly arranged rows as they sit with spine straight, focusing on the teacher, hanging on every sagacious word, and writing copious notes equates to learning. But, come on, exactly what are the expectations? Do we expect respect? Do we expect attentiveness? Do we expect engagement? Do we even expect them to learn? Questions simple, yet profound.

The administration requires that teachers produce Classroom Rules, review those with each class, and post them conspicuously for all to see. Mine have evolved over the past few years from a DO or DO NOT list of a page long, to only DO directives of about half a page, to a review and posting of my personal philosophy. I share it with you as such:

Live as though you will die tomorrow;

Learn as though you will live forever; and,

Love as you wish love in return.

This isn’t anything radical or new or groundbreaking or step-changing or whatever label you care to stick on it. It is just a few words that I choose as a personal way of living. I give thanks to many, many sages, some renown, most common, whose lifelong assistance led to my development of this philosophy.

graphic: uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/.../education.jpg

The 3 R's of Professional Development

2010-08-07T14:59:00.000-05:00

I admit to being somewhat of a Professional Development snob. What I mean is that I will not waste my time on meetings, seminars, or courses that do not meet my front-end criteria of quality professional development. So, here’s my qualifiers, the 3 R’s of relevance, reputation, and results.

Is it relevant?
I seek professional development providing meaningful information to positively change my behavior. Why? I believe that as a professional educator I have an obligation to be the best than I can be as a teacher, a role model, and an overall person for the collective benefit of my students and my community. I seek knowledge that leads to growth opportunities that lead to learning.

Is it reputable?
The provider must have credentials that persons of character deem reliable. I look within our district learning community first because, usually, the peer-delivered programs are designed for district needs. I look next at learning communities within the professional realm, i.e., professional associations, state agencies, state colleges, etc. I shy away from the one-day wonders that promise life changing results in five easy steps for $99 held in the conference room of the local motel with easy-on, easy-off access and free grade book/calendar with purchase of a complete class makeover kit and CR ROM.

Is it results oriented?
Why bother if it delivers a message with no meat? I want information that I can put into action for positive change in my class, in my community, or in myself. I want good substantiated educational theory turned into good orderly direction for good life changing practice. I want to step into my room the next school day and ---wait for it--- use it effectively right now. I don’t want Drs. Julie & Jim Dandy from the U of Fiendex reading their PowerPoint presentations during a web conference about the harmful effects of mobile telephone waves on the average teenager’s ability to text.

So to avoid the dull and the dim-witted, I employ some good old common professional sense - the 3 R's.

Texas Best High School

2010-07-08T18:50:00.001-05:00

It happens every year about this time. Jay Matthews releases the Newsweek List of Best High Schools in America. As soon as that happens the local newspaper runs a front page story about how well our high school fairs using headlines like “Newsweek Honor” and “among America’s finest”. Underneath the headlines several paragraphs remark without detail about the measurement, framed with quotations from a District representative. (Incidentally, her remarks put the “award” into a better reference than the article overall.) Newsweek’s methodology takes the number of AP/IB test taken and divides it by the number of graduating seniors. I don’t know if having every student take an AP exam is a good thing or not. I do know that others claim the list is misleading.

In 2006 Sara Mead and Andrew J. Rotherham co-authored Why Newsweek's List of America's 100 Best High Schools Doesn't Make the Grade. Boiled down to one statement, Our research shows that Newsweek's methodology is far too focused on one discrete indicator of school quality and that many schools that fail to make the Newsweek list may be doing a better job educating all (3T emphasis) of their students. And, in all fairness, Matthews responded to the criticism in a most professional and clearly stated manner. You can hit the links of both for a read. I only mention these to bring attention the fact that there are better means of judging one’s local high school.

Perhaps a better look at America’s Best High Schools comes from U.S. News & World Report. Their list reflects the best high schools that prepare students not only for college preparedness, but for basic skills attainment as well. The basic methodology is a three step process of investigation. Step one looks at state reading and math test performance of the individual school’s students versus the average student of that state. In turn, USN factors that by the number of economically disadvantaged enrolled in the school. Those who qualify move to Step Two which compares the school’s least advantaged students’ state test grades to the state’s average. Step Three invokes what USN calls the College Readiness Index. This computation involves numbers of students taking an AP or IB test with an additional quality factor using test scores.

So how did Texas schools come out in the two lists? Of the 1721 high school campuses listed by TEA, 669 made the USN list with only 122 of those making a Bronze medal or better. That ranked Texas at number 14 between Rhode Island and Colorado. The NW list recorded 127 schools with no state ranking. One cannot really compare Texas schools by either list. One can surmise that the USN list adds an educational depth not seen on the NW list.

What does all of this mean - not much. They are fun to play with, but the ultimate ranking comes from neither US News nor Newsweek, but rather from our own Texas Education Agency as directed by the legislature. It’s not about ranking your school, it’s all about meeting the challenges set by state government. A good place to start is the following three publications: The Texas Education Agency Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Years 2011-2015 (released July 2010); the Evaluation of the Texas High School Project, First Comprehensive Report (released May 2010);and, Closing the Gaps 2015, The Texas Higher Education Plan (originally released October 2000). They are bureaucratically wordy, but well worth the read.

Where Have All the Seniors Gone?

2010-06-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

Graduation has come and gone for high school seniors. As I sat listening to the salutatorian, gazing across the sea of eager faces ready to get that diploma in hand, I began wondering just what path these graduating students will take. Afterall, in our small village, we think that everyone of these smiling faces will pursue a 4-year college degree. At least, that’s the path we prepare them to take.

I went to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems to find surprisingly that only 52% of the graduating high school students in Texas will go on to college. Our high school’s data profile sheet boasts 55% plan on attending a 4-year college. Note that I said plans as the data comes from a survey of senior level students, not from any valid and reliable longitundinal study.

Throughout the year colleges and universities around Texas and beyond send marketing representatives out to high schools in pursuit of future enrollees. They hand out logo-emblazoned pens, trinkets, bumper stickers and slick four-color brochures extolling the virtues and benefits of attending their particular halls of learning. As the students’ senior year closes they begin receiving letters of acceptance, or rejection, from the several programs of higher learning of their choice. So, what happens to the 52% who pack up and move off to the ivy walls? Do they succeed?

For a look at that, I went to College Results Online to compare the graduation rates of some major Texas colleges (15,000 + student population). Here’s the data it provided:

2007 4-year Graduation Rate Public Colleges
U of Texas Austin 47%; Texas A&M U 38.4%; Texas Tech U 27.8%; Texas State U 22.4%; U of North Texas 14.7%; U of Houston 7.2%

2007 4-year Graduation Rate Private Not-For-Profit Colleges
Rice 77.5%; Southern Methodist U 55.5%; Texas Cristian U 50.3%; Baylor U 48%

I was surprised! After four years the best a major public university can get through their programs of higher learning is not even half of those enrolled freshmen. If your high school had that kind of graduating student rate, I’ll bet parents would demand that TEA launch a full-scale investigation.

I realize that there are reasons for this pitiful display. I am certain that each individual college can counter these figures with factual data that in their eyes mitigates the shame or in the least shifts the blame. In all fairness, let’s look at the rest of the story. Take a look at this:

2007 5-year Graduation Rate Public Colleges
U of Texas Austin 72.7%; Texas A&M U 71.7%; Texas Tech U 50.3%; Texas State U 47.2%; U of North Texas 32.4%; U of Houston 31%

2007 5-year Graduation Rate Private Not-For-Profit Colleges
Rice 88.8%; Southern Methodist U 69.3%; Texas Cristian U 66.9%; Baylor U 69.2%

The rate after that fifth-year victory lap are significantly better. Why is that? Do students continue one more year of study in their major field for scholarly investigation? Are they re-taking courses due to failing grades or dropped classes? Is it that mommy/daddy’s pockets are bulging with discretionary educational dollars demanding to be spent on one more year of college memories?

If only half of graduating high school students enroll in a “4-year college”, yet, only half of them graduate from that college, what are the rest doing? In 2007 approximately 240,000 students graduated from a Texas high school. That’s about 120,000 who enrolled in a 4-year college of which about 60,000 did not complete the program. I understand why the state educational system and the public hold Texas high school teachers accountable for student success, when will they offer the same scrutiny of accountability to higher education? One would think that the parents shelling out thousands of hard-earned dollars to those colleges might be a bit upset.

There are several points to be made from all this. I will make only one in the form of a question. If only half of the graduating seniors are college-bound, and only half of those complete a 4-year program, then where did the other 180,000 go? I’m working on an answer for you. Until then, I gladly invite your comments.

Hang on

2010-05-13T20:56:00.000-05:00

School is almosr out and I will update this space ad nauseum. Look forward to:

Special Education - do we really need it?
Technology in Texas Schools - I don't see it, do you?
FAPE - are we crazy?

Stay tuned for more fun & games - what?

Money Well Spent

2010-01-03T17:28:00.001-06:00

Whew!! What a whirlwind of a semester. I can say honestly that this is the most engaging school year ever. I can say also that this is the best freshman class that has yet to cross my threshold. They are inquisitive, courteous, attentive, and, well, fun. They are responsive to lessons, eager to participate, and easy to know. Since this first level freshman class may well be my last fourth level senior class before retirement, they make it easy to hold them close to the heart.

TEA released its report Enrollment in Texas Public Schools in November. From this Gary Scharrer and Ericka Mellon of the San Antonio Express-News reported on the looming impact of the 40% increase in economically disadvantaged students on the 2011 legislative sessions’ handling of school funding (Texas schools see more minority, poor kids). In the article Rep. Robert Eissler (R-The Woodlands), Chairman of the House Committee on Public Education, commented that he sees the cost of this increase addressed as part of the funding discussions. (As a side note, the Texas Classroom Teachers Association deemed Rep. Eissler a Friend of Education in its public official category last January.)

That’s all good and well, but a plethora of additional interesting data comes from the report. For example, total enrollment increased over 20% during the last decade with Texas adding about 80,000 students to its school rolls annually. That is astounding when compared to the nationwide increase of 8%! In the words of Joe Smith at TexasISD.com, “Our growth is tantamount to adding a new Fort Worth ISD in Texas every year.” Wow!

Another interesting comment comes from the New York Times Sunday Opinion pages. Carolyn Bucior pinned an article about her experiences as a substitute teacher along with a few facts about that nationwide. It does not surprise me that most school districts (77%) do not train subs, nor do they conduct personal interviews (56%). What surprised me the most is the fact that over 5% of teachers nationwide are absent o any given day. It compels me to research that figure for Texas teachers.

Over the next several months I will pass along my research of the portentous comments of others on the impending school funding issue. Until then, let me leave you with two good sites to help in your knowledge. The Center for Public Policy Priorities will definitely give us some good data, insight, and commentary. Also, Equity Center Radio provides some good podcasts of folks in the know on myriad issues, including Texas education. Incidentally, their last podcast of 2009 featured F. Scott McCown, the district judge, now retired, who presided over all Texas’ public education funding cases during the 1990s. He is now the Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities. (6 degrees of separation may be too many, right?!)

So, may you and yours be blessed with a healthy, prosperous, and happy New Year.

image: http://www.ct4me.net/images/SchoolDollars.gif

2009-09-30T18:39:00.000-05:00

First of all, I offer deepest condolences to the family of Todd Henry, teacher at John Tyler High School in Tyler. This is one of those incidents that one just cannot explain. Good words came from Nelson Clyde, publisher, Tyler Morning Telegraph, who asked those questions all on our minds… “Why, and What now?”

The State Board of Education decided to leave Christmas, Rosh Hashana, César Chávez, and Thurgood Marshall in the social studies standards. They also voted to reduce expenditures for English textbooks by 4.74% for a savings of $23 million.

Kudos to all 26 of the schools recognized as winners of the federal DOE Blue Ribbon School Award. Nominated by TEA each have at least 40% of the students identified as members of econically disadvantaged familes.

I refrain from commenting on President Obama’s address to our youth. Don’t get me wrong, I have an opinion to which anyone who knows me well can attest. I just don’t want this blog to become tainted with whining. Let me say only that how one can find controversy in such a non-controversial moment begs the question of intellect.

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 passed the House by an almost purely partisan vote with the Texas delegation divided strictly by party lines. With few differences the bill as introduced by Rep. George Miller (D), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, implements President Obama’s budget proposals for FY2010 student financial aid. Click here for the Committee’s review of the $87 billion injection and here for a more critical review.

Embedded within this legislation is an interesting initiative called the Early Learning Challenge Fund, the basis of President Obama’s Zero-to-Five initiative. The Fund provides moneies to state education agencies to plan, build, and sustain quality early learning programs and increase participaton of disadvantaged children. The Fund is composed of two types of grants: the Quality Pathways Grant and Development Grant. QPGs are for states well on the way toward establishing quality early learning systems. They are approved for five years, and renewable. DGs are rewarded to those states in the beginning stages of early learning system planning. These are issued for three years and non-renewable. For an overview go to Womenstake (I love this site and its progenitor National Women’s Law Center).

Well, so much for Education in September. I'm sure there is lots more, but these seem to be the highlights. If I missed something that you want posted, just say so.

We're All Different :-)

2009-09-25T12:31:00.000-05:00

I teach French at the high school level. It is not a core course, but, rather, a faux-core course. A student needs not a foreign language to graduate. However, since most students follow the state recommended plan, they must pass two years of the same foreign language as part of the requirements. That means the majority of students in my classes want only to get through the two years, and that’s not a problem. Here’s the problem. How does a teacher deliver the curriculum in a manner that accommodates the various learning styles and motivational levels? After all, it’s neither good teaching nor good learning when everyone is force-fed the same curriculum through the same strategies given the same amount of time.

I don’t profess to have the answer to that, but I do work a plan. I use common empirical data combined with competency-based evaluations to identify and differentiate student ability. I then categorize students by grade as struggling (<70), core (70 – 89), or expanded (≥90). Historically, the population falls as 10% expanded, 70% core, and 20% struggling.

Once categorized, My objectives and strategies are differentiated by group. For example, the curriculum may call for verb study. The core students may work on an activity of filling in the blanks with the correctly conjugated form of a verb. Those of the expanded group, which often includes Gifted-Talented students, may develop their own sentences using the same list of verbs. The struggling students may have to circle the correct verb form from two verb offerings for each sentence. Through these strategical differences I try to avoid the frustration for individual learners of a too slow or too fast pace and to increase the level of learning outcomes.

I monitor categorization of students with a feedback loop that requires a review every three weeks. At the end of the six-week grading period, I evaluate the population shift. If it moves positively with a shift of struggling students to the core group and of core students to the expanded group, it is a success. When an individual learner’s grade moves upwards, or that student moves to a higher group, I deem it successful. When I see any negative movement as a group, then I review the strategies for that group. When I see a negative movement by individual learner, then I look at that student from a personal perspectve, often confering with the counselor.

Is this the answer, probably not. Does this plan work, yes. Is this a lot of work for me, yes again. But when a student moves up in the ranks, it is worth the extra time.

2009-08-30T12:44:00.004-05:00

Ah, August. The month of AYP results, legislative actions, and a new school year. What a busy month.

In Texas (TEA News Releases Online), more students took AP exams with a higher rate of success than last year; SAT math scores improved, but reading and writing scores declined; ACT composite scores increased along with the subtests scores; and, we are behind on NCLB’s goal for meeting highly qualified teacher requirements.

The Center for Desease Control predicts an increase in Swine flu cases this year, especially on school campuses. TEA willl continue to offer waivers for high absentee flu-related days, but “school closures will no longer be recommended to limiting transmission.” Super-size me with anti-bacterial hand soap, please.

TEA also released its 2009-2010 Minimum Salary Schedule. AFT’s Survey and Analysis of Salary Trends 2007 ranked Texas at 29th, up from 36th in the nation. However, that’s not the point just yet. The point is the language of the law that stipulates how to calculate teacher pay. It seems to shift the burden of increase from the state to the Local Education Agency. Sorry, I cannot explain something that I don’t understand.

The state Legislative Budget Board announced that $2 billion of the Stimulus money earmarked for education will go to recurring expenses. That means the next legislative session will have to get real creative with educational funding. Perhaps they can leave that to the LEAs as well.

Several school districts are now requring new substitutes to show teaching certification as a requirement of employment. In a sluggish economy, the substitute teacher pool rises. Some districts see the new screening process as a way of moderating an influx of applicants.

The August 30, 2009 issue of the Las Vegas Sun ran a great interview conversation with Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education. Here are some select quotes of what may be things to come.

The process is broken for every teacher at every ability level, and if it’s broken for each of them, it’s broken for every student, too. Good teachers don’t get recognized and rewarded. We don’t learn from them. Teachers in the middle don’t get the support they need. And teachers in the bottom who, frankly, shouldn’t be teaching, don’t get identified.

Schools being open six hours per day, five days per week, nine months per year is an outdated model. It’s based on an agrarian calendar. Our kids aren’t working in the fields anymore.

We’re challenging districts and states to talk about common standards that demonstrate our students are ready for college, career and to compete internationally.

Finally, we say farewell to one of education’s strongest allies, Senator Edward Kennedy. During his tenure he impacted educational policy with his unique input from the Higher Education Act of 1965 through Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. We can only pray for others to fill his shoes.

Is this for a grade?

2009-08-23T19:37:00.000-05:00

We begin a new school year with guess what, a new grading policy. Let’s face it, grading is an art, not a science. Sure, you can do the math, calculate the curves, and post the numbers. The question, however, is, “how meaningful is that grade to the students, the parents, the administration?” The answer depends, of course, on who answers.

How important are grades? Well, we use them to determine class rank, GPA, UIL eligibility, scholarship awards, school club membership, at-risk identification, school rank, and a plethora of other school and non-school judgments. We grade for responsibility (doing it reliably) and processibility (doing it gradually) and mastery (doing it correctly). (I won’t even address the impact of the behavioral grades that we all give.)

The grade for responsibility is based on quantity, how much of the assignment did the student complete? This is appropriate if your objective is to teach the student the consequences of not doing the job. It does little for content mastery other than encourage practice. Grading for processibility, the formative assessment, provides your students with a idea of where they are in the learning process for that lesson, unit, project. We call these quizzes, notebook checks, labs, workbook exercises, and other process controls. Grading for mastery, the summative assessment, is the mother lode of learning feedback. It lets your student know if she got it and how well. We call these major tests, six-week tests, semester projects, term papers, and other assignments that arrange the building blocks of the lesson into a completed structure.

I wrestle with testing every year. I adjust and re-adjust my assessments to match ability, differentiate, accommodate, and evaluate in a meaningful manner to communicate to the student where he or she is at that given moment. Currently, I am reading Ken O’Connor’s How to Grade for Learning. (For his latest, A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades, Anne Keith offers a good overview.) Rick Wormeli’s Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing & Grading in the Differentiated Classroom is next on my list. Some day, if I am up to it, I might tackle Robert Marzano’s Classroom Assessment and Grading That Work (Still, anyone who remixes and updates Bloom’s Taxonomy on a scholarly level intimidates me a bit.). And, I’m not even ready to approach Alphie Kohn.

So, how well does your grading policy, whether personal, departmental, and/or district, give meaningful feedback to the student? Can you defend your assessments to a disgruntled parent? Are you in sync with the latest directive from administration? Are you personally satisfied that your grading methodology is the best that it can be?

First Day Back

2009-08-13T09:29:00.007-05:00

Well, it’s almost here: The First Day of School. All of you seasoned teachers have developed a first day/week routine. All of you new teachers, here’s some help.

My first day includes:
Greeting students at the door with a warm hello.
Starting the class on time with a warm-up activity.
Calling roll with a personalized greeting to each student.
Beginning class with a classmates icebreaker.
Sharing something personal about myself.
Giving an assignment to be reviewed at the next meeting.
Keeping it light; I don’t want to scare them off the first day.

My first week includes:
Completing any administration mandated assignments.
Detailing my classroom management philosophy.
Discussing the class rules.
Distributing and reviewing the course syllabus.
Painting a mental picture of what an “A” student looks like.
Introducing the textbook front to back.
Assigning the first six-weeks project.
Beginning the first lesson.

In case you need some details, here are a couple of my favorite lists of hints, ideas, and activities. Education World and A to Z Teacher Stuff®

Anyone want to share their personal secrets? Comments are always welcomed.

Do Your Research!

2009-08-10T16:44:00.000-05:00

I just completed a professional development course on research methodology using the Independent Investigation Method (IIM®) from Active Learning Systems, LLC. Our facilitator, Melanie, did a great job of covering a usually two-day class in one day.

The authors, Cindy Nottage and Virginia Morse, begin IIM® with a deceptively simple philosophical statement, “All students can do research.” To the best of my recollection, I learned the how-to of research, the methodology, through the dreaded high school social studies or English term paper. That consisted of a trip to the school library where we trudged through the Dewey Decimal System. That’s kind of like running in sand. You can do it, but it is really not fun. We never thought about the actions of research, much less learned a system.

Along comes IIM® with a simple 7-step process of research that all K-12 student, individually or collectively, can use in any class. It’s simple, easy to learn, and easy to use. Best of all, once learned in the early grades, a student’s research efficacy and efficiency increases through her school career. She simply produces more sophisticated quality research through adherence to the steps. So, from Kindergarten TEKS through the Social Studies Research Methods course, we are not just required by law, but obligated as educators, to provide our students with an understanding of the how-to of research.

Now, where is the district administration direction to mandate a standardized research methodologies system, like IIM® ? LEAs need to step up with local funding, development, training, and implementation of a system that will carry its students from K-12 into a guided approach to critical thinking, reasoning, and subsequent intelligent action throughout life.

As a side note, I promised to link Diigo in this post. Diigo advertises itself as offering two services in one, “it is a research and collaborative research tool on the one hand, and a knowledge-sharing community and social content site on the other.” On the research side it offers is a bookmark organizer and text highlighter where the researcher can add notes, tags, send info, filter, search keywords, create lists, and more. As a knowledge-sharing community it offers a social/professional network where one can invite friends/colleagues, create groups by topic for discussion, search & explore established groups, create lists, search & explore others lists, and still more.

I keep the Diigo toolbar resident everytime I go on-line. Try it and pass it along to your students.

Monthly Happenings

2009-08-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

Farewell, Frank McCourt. Becky and I listened to him read his Teacher Man book as we raced across the West Texas desert between El Paso and Ft. Stockton. If you have not read his book, don’t. Listen to him read it. Then, go to Only A Teacher for his frank responses about teaching.

The feds approved $2 billion of ARRA funds for Texas educational use, primarily funding pay raises. I’ll leave my thoughts in the words of Frank McCourt when he said, “We know that surgeons are well paid… It should be the same way with teachers. They're the single most important profession in the country because they're shaping the future.” Who’s listening?

Speaking of the feds, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke to the National Council of La Raza re-stating several statistics about the Latino drop-out rate. The answer, according to the administration, is the Race to the Top program initiated with $4.35 billion from ARRA. If you don’t know about our Race to the Top, go to this page at ED.gov

Finally, speaking of the drop-out rate, TEA announced its annual school ratings. Due to rules changes the number of exemplary schools doubled, but nearly matching that is the increase in academically unacceptable ratings. It’s all a matter of crunching the numbers. I predict a record increase of appeals from borderline school districts in the lower ratings.

Hope you had a great July. Wishing you a cooler August with anticipation of a new school year.

Be In The Moment

2009-07-22T11:14:00.000-05:00

Teaching is very much a present profession. I read this the other day on Vicki Davis’ CoolCatTeacher blog. A simple phrase with myriad meanings that got me to thinking about being in the present. I am a follower of Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen Buddhist monk nominated for a Pulitzer prize in 1967 by no less than Martin Luther King, Jr. I have a quote from him on my bathroom shelve that I see each morning, “The foundation of happiness is mindfulness.” Without pulling out the old Sanskrit, mindfulness means in the sense of one’s being in the moment.

So, what does “teaching is a very present profession” mean? It means being totally with the students in mind, body, and spirit. On the first day of school in September, looking out at the 30 or so eyes looking back, I pause briefly to be in the moment. At that moment, more than any other during the school year, I command the center of attention, something that I will not enjoy fully from that day on. The first thing I do is smile. Not just a pressed-lips-in-an-upward-curve look, but a genuine full teeth exposed, on the edge of a laugh, engaging SMILE. Why, because at that moment, we are all equally on the same ground, without baggage, with full trust accounts, awaiting that initial gesture of connectivity.

I read names on the roll, smile, look into the eyes of that specific student, shake his or her hand and ask or say something about them that gives us a connection with one another as well as with the course topic. It may be as simple as, “did you know your surname Smith pronounced in French is smeet?,” or as subversive as asking a question in French to gage their response. That really puts them in the moment. LOL.

Next, I redirect mindfulness to their classmates using a twist on Kagan. I have everyone line up alphabetically. Of course, they always say, “I don’t know everyone here.” To which I reply, “then you need to find out names so you will know where to sit.” Usually, they stroll in the direction of seating from A’s to Z’s. It’s hectic, but totally engaging, and let’s face it, it’s all about engagement, n’est-pas?

From that point on, it is up to each individual to be in the moment in my class. We necessarily move on to the first-day-of-class plan with all the syllabi, classroom expectations, and general housekeeping notes. Those are important, but not connective.

I know every teacher has his or her own particular special moment of engagement on the first day. I encourage you to tell us about those.

School bus art from http://testimonials.epromos.com/school-bus-resized.jpg

Low Scores = Poor Teachers

2009-07-18T16:34:00.000-05:00

What a great vacation in the Outer Banks! Now, back to business.

If you look at the website links on the right, you will notice that I added two: Kids Count and The Broader, Bolder Approach to Education. Both are places that a teacher ought to visit. They speak to a question that we all have asked, “Who says it’s the teacher’s fault for low TAKS scores? “

First, visit Broader, Bolder Approach. Read the home page, then click on Read the Full Statement. Take your time to browse. You will find a comprehensive, research-based discussion about what we must do to improve our children’s education from a national perspective. It requires understanding and acting on the association between social and economic inequities and low student achievement. It shows what we as teachers already know, that school improvement alone is not the answer.

Next, visit the Kids Count site of the Center for Public Policy Priorities by clicking KIDS COUNT on the menu bar. This is a great site for information and, more importantly, data that shows the correlation in Texas between low socioeconomic issues and the disadvantages those create for our students. This site does not speak to education alone, but provides good information on all social and economic issues that affect Texas families.

Teaching Reading

2009-07-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the first day of a long awaited six week vacation. Thursday ended my third year as the teacher of the high school summer Reading Academy. This program serves special education students who need assistance in improving their reading skills. They have taught me so much for which I am so thankful.

As a novice “reading teacher” I got to wondering about reading programs sanctioned by the state. Giving credit where credit is due (and this is difficult for me) then-Governor Bush’s administration mandated the Texas Reading Initiative (http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/reading/) in 1996 to combat the state’s 25% failure rate on state reading tests. A full frontal attack on illiteracy resulted in several programs that are notable and sustainable. The announcement of initial organizations agreement to approaching the battle was published in 1997 as Good Practices: Implications for Reading Instruction (http://www.eric.ed.gov/for the original). This contains a good overview of what the strategy for fighting illiteracy would look like.

This initial effort gave birth to several programs from Reading Academies to Reading Summits to Reading Spotlight Schools, to name a few. TEA teamed up with focused organizations that continue to play off one another for synergistically step changes in good practices. One only has to visit the website of Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts (http://www.texasreading.org/utcrla/) for proof.

Texas’ report card, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ ) shows 41% of fourth grade students in 2003 as below basics in reading. By 2007, those same students as eighth graders posted 27% below basics in reading. Seems like progress to me, but I’m not an educational researcher. I’m just a teacher with the desire to help one student at a time enjoy reading.

(Note: Bookbird clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com (http://discoveryeducation.com/).

Dress to Learn

2009-06-29T16:19:00.000-05:00

I never thought I would say this, but our high school needs a tighter dress code. It’s not a personal issue with me. I believe wholly in broad individual rights, but, give me a break.

I can stand outside my door at any given transition period and tag a half-dozen kids easily for dress code violations. I see students with saggy pants, flip-flops, t-shirts at their knees, holes in jeans, pajama bottoms, and way too much cleavage. I allow many to pass because I have priorities other than fashion police. If I tag anyone for violations, it takes time to process, e. g., stop the kid, get his/her name, write a referral, get him/her to the office, etc. Is that right or not?

Obviously, Texas school districts wrestle with this issue universally. Bryan ISD assigned a committee to recommend whether the dress code ought to be relaxed. At the same time, Seguin ISD announced no changes in its policy, but will initiate “a more strict enforcement” of the existing dress code. On the other side, Gonzales ISD received national news attention last year for requiring dress code violators to wear prison-style navy blue jumpsuits.

Most districts, and I admit I have not surveyed all, have a dress code that speaks to apparel, hair, and body similar to the general guidelines of Bastrop ISD as follows:

· Clean body and clothing;
· Pants, slacks, shorts, or skirts worn at the waistline;
· Covered midriff;
· Shirts may be worn out, unless they are longer than the bottom of the fingertips when the arms are fully extended at the side;
· Appropriate shoes; no house shoes;
· Shorts must be as long as the bottom of the fingertip with the arms fully extended at the side.

Other districts go into tedious detail involving skirt/shirt length, spaghetti strap width, body piercing, tattoos, etc.

So, what’s the answer to all of this diversion from education? Some districts have a good, simple answer: the uniform. It takes away any guessing for the parents and staff. It reduces time spent policing a detailed dress code policy. It allows students to focus on learning rather than be distracted by appearance. Kudos to the districts of Wylie, Houston, and Palestine for implementing a sane approach to dress.

I cannot say it any better than this, “In its quest for excellence, Mesquite ISD is committed to requiring a higher expectation of dress for our students. The district believes that students should dress in a way that is appropriate for the learning environment. Maintaining a school atmosphere suitable for academic study will help students focus on the business of school.”

Supreme Court Rules

2009-06-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

Thank you to the Supreme Court and (soon-to-be former) Justice Souter for the decision in the case involving the strip search of an Arizona middle-school female student in pursuit of drugs as a violation of her Fourth Amendment rights. So, someone told the school administration that this 13-year old girl was holding drugs, i. e., prescription ibuprofen. An assistant principal at a school with a zero-tolerance drug policy directed the school nurse to search the girl including removing her bra and panties. (She held nothing, incidentally.) Unbelievable! All I want to do is ask the universal question, “What the hell were you thinking??” You ever hear of “call the parents!?”

All said, this has nothing to do with education, but, rather, is an individual rights case (thus the Fourth Amendment stance). The case on which the Court ruled that impacts education is Forest Grove School District v. T.A. The plaintiffs claim that the school district failed to identify their child as ADHD and, therefore, refused services. The parents placed the child in a private school and, subsequently, sued the district for reimbursement ($5,000 a month). The Court ruled that even though the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) meant to control the costs of private school placement, it does not preempt a hearing officer or federal judge to order reimbursement under certain circumstances.

What does that mean? It means that the door is open for parents who disagree with a district’s decision of providing special education services can opt to take their business elsewhere at the district’s (taxpayer’s) expense. As Justice Souter (are we going to miss him or what) wrote in the dissenting opinion in the 5-4 decision, “Special education can be immensely expensive, amounting to tens of billions of dollars annually and as much as 20 percent of public schools’ general operating budgets.” I say that the majority of districts’ special education personnel have the best interest of the student at heart and mind. This decision opens the door to parents who disagree with any district decision to go elsewhere and send the tab to the taxpayer. This is not the intent of IDEA.

What say you?

Roll Over Gutenberg!

2009-06-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

I read as much as I can. I started to say that I read a lot, but that is meaningless. I know folks who read more than I do and I know folks who read less. I even know folks who say that they don’t read at all. Can you imagine?

I guess it all comes down to what reading is. I am not talking about reading a newpaper article or two on Sunday, although I do that. I’m not talking about incidental reading one does daily, like directions to a restaurant. I mean reading a novel for enjoyment or a non-fiction book that sharpens one’s understanding of the world or a magazine or professional journal to engage in a deeper thinking about one’s environment.

Now, I find myself retrieving my reading material as much, if not more, from internet sites. I actually reviewed an 18C book written by a French philosopher explaining his religious views. Thank you Google for offering millions of books online. Which brings me to the core of this post: HB 4294 allows districts to use textbook funding for electronic textbooks. Wow! Think about it, or rather, what do you think about it? Go to Steve johnson's article, How the E-Book Will Change the Way We Read and Write, for a fun read.

New Laws, or not

2009-06-22T21:27:00.000-05:00

Yea, HB 3646 passed through Gov. Perry. So, according to the new law, teachers et al will get a minimum $800 (based on 187 days) raise next year. Wow, that is a whopping $66.66 per month before taxes and TRS over a 12-month pro-rated contract. Granted, that the required increase is on top of the amount the employee would be entitled to under the district's 2008-09 salary schedule, if it were carried forward to 2009-10. That may average out to about a whopping $1,000 per year. Now I can finally max out that credit card, go on that summer long European vacation, pay for my son’s college, and everything else that is absolutely out of reach on a teacher’s salary.

And, to add promise to penury, it’s all dependent on stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Unfortunately, the feds have yet to rule on whether the funding can be used to provide an across-the-board pay raise in Texas. So, don't spend that windfall yet.

Otherwise, Perry vetoed HB 130 that would have established a $25 million grant for pre-kindergarten programs to expand to full-day. He also vetoed HB 2656 (submitted by Rep Miller, R-New Braunfels) that would have increased the number of retiree representatives on TRS by one. This was an about-face from his election campaign promise of “changing the makeup of the board so it would include greater employee representation." Both of these passed through the legisalature virtually unopposed.

Once again, the politicians fail to get it.

Block vs. Traditional Schedule

2009-06-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

Our high school is returning in the fall to a traditional schedule of seven periods per school day. This comes after the past several years of working on a 4x4 block schedule. I have taught both and can list my personal pros and cons of both.

Our district trustees were up front about the change having nothing to do with learning, but everything to do with finances. Facing a $1.6 million shortfall in January, they supported a few major changes to cut $1.2 million, one of those being a return to the 7-period day. I do, however, disagree with a statement made in their publication Across the Board of April 20, 2009 that the cuts will not adversely impact educational programs. I believe that is an inaccuracy. We cannot change from a block schedule back to a traditional schedule without some adverse impact. If I am wrong, please, tell me how. The publication offered no insight to that statement.

I have done a literature search of the schedule issue. I found no significant data that supports one schedule over another. It seems that support of one over the other comes from personal preference. As a vocational teacher, I preferred block simply because the time allowed for in-depth work on long-term projects. As a language teacher, I can debate the pros and cons either way. From an employee perspective, I find a 7-period day more physically demanding.

I know that as a teacher you have very little, if any, say on the schedule in your district. I would like to hear, however, what you prefer and why. If you have found any research supporting one over the other in a significant manner, cite it. I want to review it. If you feel strongly from experience about one over the other, I want to hear that as well.

Professional Associations

2009-06-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

There are several teacher associations in Texas, all vying for your money. Which is the best? I am current in American Federation of Teachers - Texas. However, I do not plan on re-newing my membership. Why? They do not seem to have an effective lobbying presence in the state legislature. I don't know, maybe it's because they are a really blue organization in a very red state. There is another reason. They don't respond to my inquiries via email. I ask questions, they fail to respond.

So, to which professional association do you belong? How is it working for you? I have a couple of months to be persuaded to join another.

Cheers.

Howdy Texas Teachers

2009-06-18T16:58:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Texas Teacher Talk blog. This is designed for every teacher in the state who wants to chat about texas education issues. All topics are open from helping students to certification to pay raises (or the lack of).

It's all about sharing infomation that helps your colleagues better serve their students, their community, and themselves. It's all about patting yourself on the back and giving your peers a well deserved high-five. It's all about venting your spleen and speaking your opinion. It's all about you, the Texas teacher.

Y' all come back real soon :-)