Category: Educational Reform

My students come to class hungry

not knowing where the next meal comes from

but we focus on test scores.

My students come to class tired

They have not had a full night’s rest

but we focus on test scores.

My students come to class anxious

living in fear of violence and abuse

but we focus on test scores.

My students come to class unfocused

so much uncertainty in their world who could

but we focus on test scores.

My students come to class sick

no insurance to help cure their ills

but we focus on test scores.

My students DON’T come to class

having to care for siblings at home while parents work

but we focus on test scores.

My focus will be my students

Maybe if our school reforms focused on students and not their test scores we could really fix education. Schools are but a reflection of the ills in our society. When we truly value education and educators we might find the solution!

As I drove to set up my classroom this morning, I passed a brand new charter academy with a beautiful campus and two billboards advertising neighboring district schools. Educational choices are abundant like picking a brand of potato chips at the store.   Similar to picking chips are the school choices a REAL choice? or just choices based upon the brand names? My kids have long sense realized that the store brands taste the same as national brands. Aren’t mosts schools the same?

Of course schools have different physical facilities and staffs. The content taught and methods used in schools are predominantly the same. When picking a charter school or school of choice it is more about the marketing campaigns, Zip codes and facilities than about educational choice. Districts and charters are competing for students. Money is being spent on advertising and “shiny” upgrades instead of going into the classrooms to improve learning. Instead of collaborating to offer students real choices in their education, districts are fighting for every last student. It is time to stop the cannibalization of schools! It is time for collaboration.

3 steps to improve choice:

1. Charters need to offer something different working in conjunction with public school around them. Student populations are very diverse, one method of instruction does not fit every students. Charters should be offering this alternative. If school district offers traditional instruction then charters should offer Project based, flipped or blended options (Some do this now). This way when districts encounter students that are struggling alternative teach methods can be offered and students moved to proper fitting school.
2. End open school of choice. Too often parents move from school to school based on zip code. This will allow all the funds used for marketing to be redirected into classrooms. Did you know some larger districts employ entire marketing departments?
3. Encourage neighboring districts to collaborate and establish smaller alternative learning path schools. Many districts are doing these now with Career and Technical Education. Wouldn’t it be great to offer more students a similar choice? Just think if districts offered up a project based or blended high school or middle school option.

Without this coordinated collaboration districts will continue to drain their limited resources fighting for students. Charters will pop up offering no real choice in places corporations see the ability to make money. It works best when we all get better together.

I studied supply and demand in middle school. Demand goes up, supplies shrink and the prices go up. Or Demand goes down, supplies stack up and the prices fall. Newscasts talk about supply and demand all the time. From gas price fluctuations to high demand job salaries: consumers hear about supply and demand on a regular basis. The basic principals of supply and demand apply to every avenue of our lives. SO how does it work in education?

Right now there is a teacher shortage! Urban schools are finding it hard to staff all of their teaching positions. Many district struggle just to find qualified applicants for teaching positions. Under normal supply and demand situations: teachers pay would go up because the supply of qualified teachers is falling. Education isn’t the norm. Legislative bodies across the USA are hoping to tap into a fresh supply of teachers. New laws are going into place to allow uncertified teachers into the classroom in hopes of staffing all teaching positions. Is this how it works in other career fields? Not enough licensed doctors or certified accountants so let just let anyone with a college degree do it. NO, in other fields corporations raise pay to attract more into the field.

Our schools need qualified teachers! The market can’t be adjusted by mindlessly drilling for more teachers everywhere. If college graduates wanted to be teachers, then they would have been. We know the supply and demand model well. It has been proven time and time again. Right now this model tells us to raise the pay for teachers to help fulfill the demand.

Tell our legislators to make it happen!

References:

Keeping Good Teachers ASCD: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104138/chapters/Responding-to-the-Teacher-Shortage.aspx

DPS Facing Surge of Mid Year teacher departures: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2015/11/26/dps-teachers-leaving/76311802/

 

 

My heart sank last night as the evening news announced that Detroit Public Schools would be closed today due to a teacher “sick” out. As the school year nears its close, students need to be in school to reflect on their year of learning. Teachers are upset due to unkept promises from the district. The eighth emergency financial manage since 2009 announced on Friday that the district would not be able to pay teachers after June 30, 2016. It also means that summer school will not be offered for DPS students and summer special education services will be canceled.

This is the second time, DPS is faced with sick outs. Rick Rhodes, DPS emergency manager, does not see this action as a solution as the district waits for the State House of Representatives to act on a Senate bill to provide the needed funds for DPS. Legislators view this as adults acting on their needs not the students. Well, they are wrong.

DPS has been in dire need to be fixed for years. The state has been in control of the district since 2009. When will the Lansing act to really solve the problems? The teachers actions are finally giving the issues some urgency in Lansing. The Senate passed a $715 million solution in March, now in MAY, the house has not acted! But the teachers are to blame?

DPS teachers actions are shining a light on the issue. If they did not take action, Lansing would continue to kick the can down the road. Teachers are upset about the possibility of not getting paid over the summer for work they completed during the school year. They are also speaking out on behalf of the 46,000 students in DPS that are losing summer school opportunities and special education services in June. Without teacher actions, Lansing seems to fail to act.

STOP blaming teachers for legislative inaction. Lansing needs to hear the teachers and take action. Our legislative body needs to stop kicking around education as a political football and take action! I challenge them ALL to work a day in Detroit to see the conditions, then listen to teachers for solutions. Schools need the best and brightest working with the students in most need. Do these conditions attract the best and brightest?

It is teacher appreciation week, show appreciation by listening to them and giving them respect!