tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post4260225468653705429..comments2023-11-03T04:00:24.785-04:00Comments on Kentucky School News and Commentary: A Shout out to Cassidy and MeadowthorpeRichard Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-49097334307051293352009-09-28T14:56:56.896-04:002009-09-28T14:56:56.896-04:00You are surely correct, the debate will continue. ...You are surely correct, the debate will continue. <br /><br />But the debate these days isn't like it used to be. America seems sold on quantification and the debate is around which data to collect. The public bought the idea of accountability.<br /><br />I like the idea of teachers being able to teach what they know, all for the love of learning. I'm just not sure how realistic that is in today's world. <br /><br />If there is some counter movement somewhere that is picking up steam let me know about it. But I'm pretty sure the tide is going the other way. <br /><br />Look for national standards, a national assessment, and teachers being unfairly assessed with even more testing.<br /><br />Perhaps the good news lies in expanded choice options. Get enough like-minded folks together, and the opportunity may soon exist to start your own school around whatever principles you value.<br /><br />But somehow you'll have to prove the school's worth in order to continue being funded. There's the rub.Richard Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-28864627128690765042009-09-27T22:45:23.186-04:002009-09-27T22:45:23.186-04:00The debate over education and school reform will r...The debate over education and school reform will rage on, won't it? Longer school days, as President Obama says? Remediation and mastery learning as advocated by Bloom and others? Discovery learning as advocated by Dewey? None of this will work unless parents are held accountable, too. The triangular relationship --teacher-student-parent --- must be observed and respected. In our nation, it is not. The burden is placed squarely on the teacher's shoulders.<br /><br /><br /><br />Like others on the blog, I continue to be disgusted by the rivalry between the public schools regarding test scores. And silently I buck every attempt by a principal or academic coach to tell me I must do more to get the scores higher. You see, I care about education (learning), not a school's academic index.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-12881234333024979462009-09-27T17:24:43.232-04:002009-09-27T17:24:43.232-04:007:12 et al - Is it really that simple? Good zip c...7:12 et al - Is it really that simple? Good zip code = good school?<br /><br />If so, then perhaps teachers and schools don't really make a difference.<br /><br />But I don't think that's the case.<br /><br />The question isn't whether we know how to teach or whether schools are important; America became the national and economic power it is largely due to a strong system of public schools. The question is whether we can extend that educational benefit to the greatest precentage of our population through a system of academic, applied and technical programs. It is by that means that America's GDP grew, and I hope, will once again.<br /><br />I understand teachers' complaints about the unreasonable demands and insufficient resources - and that percentage of unmotivated students who seem to act outside their own best interest. But the goal is crucial and it remains. The thing to do now, it seems to me, is to contribute our best effort toward making the new assessment better than the old one.<br /><br />In the meantime, Arne Duncan is saying the right things about NCLB; how it was a good idea but was implemented exactly backwards. It will help Kentucky a lot if the feds get rid of the unhelpful parts of NCLB.<br /><br />But "almost shameful" to express congratulations to Cassidy, Meadowthorpe and Ryland? Sorry. I don't buy it.<br /><br />Perhaps it's because I remember the days when Cassidy's feet were held to the fire over the achievement gap. Or when Meadowthorpe and Ryland were largely unregarded.<br /><br />For the record: Meadowthorpe is in40511. When I was there the student population was a near perfect bell curve, but of course, since my departure they picked up the gifted program. <br /> <br />Ryland Heights, in Kenton County (41015) is a fairly typical rural school except for the third of its students who were poor and living in federal housing - hardly affluent - with no special programs that I'm aware of and a decent index.<br /><br />The work is hard. The obstacles are significant. We ought to celebrate when we can.<br /><br />But trust me on this one: It is not the lazy student who gets the last laugh. They live with their choices forever.Richard Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-11586925802040585032009-09-26T23:22:33.970-04:002009-09-26T23:22:33.970-04:00The testing system is a farce. Each teacher knows ...The testing system is a farce. Each teacher knows it. 11:01 is right right: there is no accountability for students: remember those students who zip through an hour test in fifteen minutes? Especially on the multiple choice tests...It's disturbing, but the principals will blame us...and the superintendent blames the principal.<br /><br />The lazy students get the last laugh, often egged on by parents who loathe testing, and someone in the College of Education (Curriculum Department) will hurredly putting together a seminar on "Motivating the unmotivated student."<br /><br />Thank heavens for this blog. Seems to be the teachers are taking to the podium since the principals choose to remain silent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-90003717159519271142009-09-26T11:01:17.781-04:002009-09-26T11:01:17.781-04:00Forgot to include this with my previous post...
N...Forgot to include this with my previous post...<br /><br />Not only can you have disgruntled students, but there's the upset parent factor, as well. I have, unfortunately, heard parents *encouraging* their children to do poorly on these tests. It has happened in my district.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-24497944942740496532009-09-26T10:50:48.586-04:002009-09-26T10:50:48.586-04:00For 7:12 PM
I agree. Also, one of the biggest pro...For 7:12 PM<br /><br />I agree. Also, one of the biggest problems I see with the current testing system is the lack of accountability for students. Most students in elementary (and, sometimes, even middle school) *want* to do well on their 'tests'. However, if a system has some disgruntled high school students and they decide to 'throw the test', the teachers are blamed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-62937707686142227932009-09-25T19:12:50.998-04:002009-09-25T19:12:50.998-04:00I am a teacher in the Fayette County Public School...I am a teacher in the Fayette County Public Schools and would prefer not to give my name. These celebrations you publicize are almost shameful. The kids do the work and teachers get the credit. The kids don't do the work and we teachers get kicked in the face. Certain schools in 40502 are at the top. Others in less affluent zipcodes are at the bottom.<br /><br />We are all in this together, and the sense of rivalry and testing mania have only intensified under the current superintendent.<br /><br />What have we allowed ourselves to become? Most importantly, why are we allowing it to continue?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-24646002837933097292009-09-25T10:01:18.799-04:002009-09-25T10:01:18.799-04:00Thanks so much for the scores link from the H-L, R...Thanks so much for the scores link from the H-L, Richard! As a school board member, it would have been days before I'd been given this information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com