tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post5328448430176228046..comments2023-11-03T04:00:24.785-04:00Comments on Kentucky School News and Commentary: Quick HitsRichard Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-32333105713651665842009-09-14T07:49:16.887-04:002009-09-14T07:49:16.887-04:00And parents need to be involved on the days when P...<em>And parents need to be involved on the days when President Obama does not speak. Without PARENTS who PARENT, education reform is impossible.</em><br /><br />Now there's an observation that could generate some good debate. I would bet that many of the people who spoke the loudest a few weeks ago (on both sides of the issue) haven't thought about school since.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-42686704010160832422009-09-13T12:14:25.874-04:002009-09-13T12:14:25.874-04:00Teachers must always do all things possible to hel...Teachers must always do all things possible to help students learn. I live by this motto daily in my classroom. <br /><br />Before I start the new lesson, I review what has been previously taught. I give opportunities for students to do group work. I write daily on the email message board: study your notes and you will do well. I even practice good old-fashioned drilling. I communicate the value of each day's lesson.<br /><br />As an educator, I have never bought into the idea that the schools function as a place where we sift and sort students. I want all of my students to succeed, not just the brightest. To this end, I offer study sessions each week to help in the review process. In short, I do all I can. <br /><br />Yet, after the review, reteaching, and cooperative learning some students fail my test. Under the new way of thinking, I'm to blame. I'm the villain. I'm culturally unresponsive. I need re-training. I never fudge my grades the way colleagues do to help students pass.<br /><br />The truth is, however, that some students don't wish to learn or have nobody at home who wants them to do well. Another truth is that I have poor readers who have been passed on from grade level to grade level. When I read about schools with tougher standards, I shake my head. My standards are not tough, but some students continue to fail.<br /><br />I marvel that some schools, like the ones in Kansas, want to enact tougher standards on grading or more rigorous testing. I laugh when I hear that some charter schools don't have the results that are expected.<br /><br />Students will never do well unless their is a trinagular relationship between the school, the community, and PARENTS. And parents need to be involved on the days when President Obama does not speak. Without PARENTS who PARENT, education reform is impossible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-79095287152092140452009-09-13T09:11:58.429-04:002009-09-13T09:11:58.429-04:00in a charter project funded by the Bill & Meli...<em>in a charter project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation demonstrated high graduation rates and large numbers of students moving on to higher education, state test results don't show the same success. Two of the charter schools did not meet federal standards for adequate yearly progress on state tests,</em><br /><br />Humm...let's see...<br /><br />1. High grad rates...<br />2. Large number moving on to higher education...<br /><br />[sarcasm begins] But state "tests" don't see progress, so let's screw with them...yea, great idea...[sarcasm ends]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com