The Educator's Blog

Good Teaching = Good Relationships

2009-11-07T08:46:00.004-06:00

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a conference in Florida. It was a conference meant to assist educators with a rigor, relevance, and relationships framework. The crux of the conference was centered around good teaching, which embeds learning within exercises that are relevant to students. While building positive relationships with students, the relevant lessons used by teachers can also incorporate higher order thinking and complex processes that students can accomplish.

It was mentioned that the rigor, relevance, and relationships framework -- RRR for short -- (International Center for Leadership, n.a.) existed as a model for educators to follow to ensure student success. Numerous districts were present to detail the success they were having as a result of instituting RRR. It was nice to hear of these stories.

It takes a considerable amount of effort to build a healthy school climate. Unfortunately, many schools do not get it right.

Among teachers who transferred schools, lack of planning time (65 percent), too heavy a workload (60 percent), problematic student behavior (53 percent), and a lack of influence over school policy (52 percent) were cited as common sources of dissatisfaction (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005).

Regardless of teachers who transfer schools or leave the profession entirely, there are teachers who retire every year. This loss of experienced staff being replaced by less experienced or non-experienced staff is an issue for school and for education in general.

While considering what teachers have to do to be successful, it is no surprise teachers want to feel they are appreciated and are compensated accordingly. Here is a long, partial list of duties that good teachers do on a minute-by-minute basis. It is a long list, so feel free to liberally browse through it.

Instruction

Use Differentiated Instruction, which is instruction to meet the needs of numerous ability groups that exist within a class.

Accommodate Language Deficit Students When Assessing, Instructing, And Developing Activities

Get Students Engaged Within Group Activities, called Cooperative Learning

Have Students Utilize Appropriate Technology, But Expect To Encounter Numerous Issues as a Result of Old Computers in Schools

Promote Reading

Teach Reading Strategies

Do Mini-Lessons That Address Local Issues (Respect, Tolerance, …)

Decorate Your Classroom And Make It Educationally Stimulating

Use Classroom Openers

Post Essential Questions, Write New Ones When Necessary

Use Graphic Organizers

Use Power Point Presentations

Curriculum And Planning

Keep State Standards In Mind When Developing Lessons

Don't "Teach-To-The-Test"

Prepare Students For Standardized Tests

Scaffold Material To Provide Necessary Supports For All Students

Utilize Standards Suggested by Professional Organizations

Employ Strategies That Lead to Student Engagement and Educational Ownership

Develop Interdisciplinary Webquests

Cooperate With Other Teachers' Interdisciplinary Webquests

Use Van Hiele Levels For Spatial Learning, Like Geometry

Design Timely Worksheets That Meet Students Unique Needs

Prepare Students for Unit Tests

Design/Print Semester Review Materials

Assessment

Continually Assess Student Performance

Practice RTI – Response To Interventions

Observe Other Classrooms To Determine Levels Of Bloom's Taxonomy

Grade Papers

Continuously Determine Students’ Readiness to Move to New Lessons

Give Students Continuous Feedback Regarding Their Abilities, Comprehension, And General Progression Through a Course

Perform Item Analyses On Common Assessments

Assess Teaching Based Upon the Analyses of Common Assessments

Safety

Follow an Administration Handbook – A 173 Page PDF File – That Outlines Teachers’ Duties

Be Knowledgeable Of All Crisis Procedures

Keep Students In Classroom

Allow Students To Go To Locker Or Washroom Using Written Hall Passes

Keep Track Of Green & Red Room Number Signs

Check Deans' Lists for Students Who Have Discipline Issues

Verify Authenticity Of Hall Passes Allegedly Signed By Other Adults In Building

Check Temp IDs For Correct Name And Date

Execute School wide Fire, Tornado, and Intruder Drills

Motivation

Be Positive

Encourage Independence

Motivate Students to Work in Groups

Embrace Multiculturalism

Use Positive Reward Slips – Enforce Good Behavior

Accept Late Homework

Keep High Expectations

Do Not Fail Students

Expect That All Students Will Stay In Your Class Until The End Of The Year Despite Frequent Or Extreme Negative Behavior Exhibited or Lack Of Attendance

Celebrate Women’s' History, Black History, ...

Leadership And Management

Find Time To Use The Facilities

Be The Educational Leader For All of Your Classes

Accurately Record Attendance and Tardies

Check For IDs

Check For Uniform Compliance: Shoes, Shoe Laces, Socks, Ear-Rings, Pants, Shirts, Haircuts, Eye-Brows, Belts, Undershirts, Shirts Over Shoulders, Use Of Jackets/Hoodies, ...

Clean Desks And Continuously Monitor Them For Graffiti

Enforce All Rules Outlined In Student Handbook, To Include Extreme And Non-Extreme Behavior, Cheating, Gang Activity, Students' Use Of Language, Electronics, …

Do Not Abuse E-Mail By Sending Mass E-Mails, Especially When Including Administrators

Monitor The Hallway Outside Your Room

Don't Leave Students Alone In Your Room

Follow The Contract: Dress Accordingly (No Shorts, Flip-Flops, Beachwear, Faded Jeans), Be On Time, Be Respectful of Others, …

Maintain Positive Rapport With Fellow District Employees

Monitor Students To Determine Inappropriate Use Of Technology: Cell Phones, Ipods, Mp3 Players, ...

Close Door For Tardy Sweeps

Attend All Meetings, Institutes, And Workshops

Have Students Do The Pledge Of Allegiance

Sign Field Trip Forms

Send Assignments To Students Serving In-School Suspensions (or Learning Adjustment Centers)

Administer Tests – Such Regional Standardized Tests, Common Assessments, and The Tests Teachers Generate

Score Final Exams and Curve Them Accordingly

Communication

Contact Parents

Coordinate With Special Education Staff Concerning Your Special Education Students

Conference With Students' Counselors

Contact Your Representatives Regarding Educational Concerns

Contact Your Administrators Regarding Educational Issues

Follow Up On Referrals Sent To Office

Check Email For Important And Timely Messages

Involve Oneself with Special Committees to Handle Certain Issues (Discipline, School Improvement, …)

Professional Growth

Read Professional Journals

Belong To Professional Organizations

Maintain Teaching Certificate – Earn CPDUs

Present Ideology or Changes in Pedagogy at Conferences and Workshops

General Duties

Stand In Line To Use Copy Machine

Un-Jam Copy Machine

Help Students Before School

Help Students After School, Except When Meetings Are Scheduled

Administer Make Up Tests

Run Off Copies

Peruse Final Exams for Answer Key Errors

Monitor Students While they Test

Make Learning Fun Even Though High Stakes Tests Make Administrators Who Evaluate Teachers Very Critical

With such a long list of hourly duties to accomplish, it is no reason why teachers feel stressed or leave certain schools to be compensated with higher salaries, greater autonomy, and generally more positive working conditions.

However, that RRR conference was enlightening in that it is not merely a model for teachers to use while creating lessons. It is not a framework for administrators to use to simply inform teachers. It can be used as a day-to-day guide when working with educators and students alike.

Even though teachers do get evaluated numerous times across their careers, the evaluations are too few and too nonconstructive to make them valuable. Administrators usually use them to determine which teachers will not receive tenure. Many teachers look at them as a chore and create dog and pony shows to wow administrators using the latest teaching craze.

Like teachers who use can use RRR well and have students teaching other students with the knowledge and skills they have found, administrators need to incorporate moments when teachers teach other teachers. It helps create a substantial foundation of trust and praise, while also demonstrating good teaching practice.

It is all too common to sit through teacher in-services and be barraged by buzz words and disconnected jargon. But when those moments do arise, like they did for my entire high school district, when teachers provide insight as to how they muster up student motivation and reach higher order thinking within them, teachers must take advantage of those opportunities.

The rigor, relevance and relationships should be able to be demonstrated at all levels within a school, as this framework is demonstrated within any other successful institution, organization, or enterprise. There is no reason schools should be any different. It is often the last "R" in the rigor, relevance, and relationships that is neglected that causes so much trouble for everyone within education.

Only by tackling relationships can educational systems also successfully negotiate the numerous duties mentioned above.

Alliance for Excellent Education (2005) Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and to the States. Accessed on November 7th, 2009 at: http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/TeacherAttrition.pdf

International Center for Leadership (n.d.) Rigor/Relevance Framework. Accessed on November 7th, 2009 at: http://www.leadered.com/rrr.html

Science and the State of Education in the U.S.

2008-11-01T11:02:00.000-05:00

The entries posted within this blog are typically research-based. However, this entry will be on a personal level. Consider it an editorial.

I frequently get into debates with my friends. Whether it is politics, current events, or religion, it quickly becomes heated. Yet, we all consider this normal and get over our differences afterward.

Our last debate rested squarely on Intelligent Design (ID). I defended it, even though I have a strong background in mathematics and science. No, I am not a fundamentalist who wishes to live in Kansas and revolutionize science by re-tooling science classes by injecting Christianity via Intelligent Design. Not even IntelligentDesign.org advocates its teaching in public schools. Instead, I believe ID is a useful tool.

Let me drive this thought using two thrusts. First, ID is useful in that it brings us to the boundaries of science, involves many members of society to reflect on public education, and invites us all to become involved in a process of making reformations in education. Second, it dovetails nicely into the energies spent by our presidential candidates, who advocate for many changes within education.

A friend of mine who teaches science, wrote, "The philosophy that says that science has the final say over all knowledge – which sounds fairly fundamentalist to me – is known as scientism, for which there is no scientific evidence." He was trying to make a distinction regarding a certain philosophy of science extremism versus the application of pure science.

The conversation hit on infinities, the fact that ID rests beyond scientific principles, and another fact that science is a philosophy. The e-mail communications did a great job unveiling science for what it is: a philosophy of empiricism and/or an ability to observe, measure, and interact with one’s environment. As a result of this philosophy and carrying out the process, certain properties of the universe can be discovered.

However, science carries out a number of theories that are not directly visible. Tools are used, particles are measured through the interaction of other particles, and mathematical systems are constructed and then consequently solved to predict phenomena. Direct observability is not always done, making such acts targets for debate from within and without of the science community.

Couple this with public misconceptions, complete ignorance, and the duty of science of refute counterclaims. The result is science education needs to devote itself to shoring up these problem areas that exist in societies, especially in communities that believe heavily in non-scientific explanations of our universe.

Science education needs to address this and can do so by changing the way it teaches science or at least incorporating crucial lessons that could address the differences between non-science and science.

What, you don’t trust the opinions of this educator?

Look at what Professor Michael Reiss has to say. He writes, “If questions or issues about creationism and intelligent design arise during science lessons they can be used to illustrate a number of aspects of how science works.”

Look at Miriam-Webster’s first definition of science, the first definition states, “the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding.”

If we compare this great country to other countries in the world, it certainly is not number one. According to the 1999 Third International Math and Science Study (TIMMS), the U.S. was significantly beaten by 14 countries in science (3 countries non-significantly) and 14 countries in mathematics (4 countries non-significantly). It is clear there is certainly a lot of misconception for us to deal with and maybe we should look at science education.

When I first studied science, I thought I was learning something very fundamental to that which informed human beings must know. It was a mighty subject with infinite potential. I still think it to be so.

Science has its place and sure does come with striking potential for the good it does for solving our problems. Nevertheless, it does not come without drawbacks. It too must be kept in check by the other disciplines that exist. Having science exist as an isolated study on its own brings limits to it, and consequent perils.

It is not to say we shouldn't teach it. It isn't to say kids shouldn't learn it. It is to say that we need to teach its limits and the balance of knowledge within the framework of all bodies of knowledge. Doing this brings wondrous possibilities to learning/teaching and the disciplines themselves.

If we do not glimpse beyond our barriers and show the limits of our disciplines, do we really do them justice? Also, how do we get kids to think outside the box if all we do is present boxes of information to them?

My science teacher friend also wrote:

"[U]s educators know full well the push in education science is for interdisciplinary discovery in order to more closely represent real life. So mark's heart is in the right place and there are legit arguments about where the boundaries of science are, but in our utilitarian education system which is raising servants for the man, we have no room for philosophy and barely room for arts, etc."

This is unfortunate, but true. Science curricula are not free to be easily manipulated by adding units that could address this science vs. non-discussion. Curricula exist under a great number of forces that seek to change it, such as the preparation for state-mandated testing, bridging students from one area of science to the next level or area, and making sure students possess basic skills for movement into the workforce. Since the units cannot easily be changed, how teachers introduce their lessons must be addressed, which requires a great deal of finesse.

Yet, we make a great argument for breaking thresholds for learning and teaching, but how far do we go in reality? Aren't we all very traditional teachers? Despite my chagrin over this topic and desire to be unique and innovative, I'm quite traditional. I want to break outside the box, but doing so makes me feel like I'm punching pillows. How do we push past our boundaries and create lessons that are truly awe-inspiring and motivators for life-long learning?

Is what we are doing practical, meaning applicable to living in the modern world with its fast-paced changes? It is questionable. I think we all impart tidbits of knowledge, maintain order in the classroom, and hope for the best. Is there a concerted movement to change? Despite NCLB and our best intentions, we have yet to change. Part of it is getting over our inertia to make change, which may stem from a lack of desire to change or a lack of knowledge of how to change.

ID, despite the thoughts one may have on the subject, certain does stir up the hornet's nest, which initiates change. It may be the energy needed to get us past this educational inertia

A comment was made during the debates by a moderator: the U.S. spends more money per capita than any other country in the world. Yet, our output – in light of numerous studies from independent organizations – state that other countries do better than us.

Instead of citing false arguments about racial differences, economic disparities, tax laws, and other pointless lines of defense to maintain the status quo, we need to look at things differently. We are failing students if we continue to be out produced by students in other countries.

If teachers including myself were to be graded based on the money we spend and the output we produce in education, we certainly would not be walking away with "A"s. Would we be able to defend our benefits and our salaries?

I guess I should shut up. I guess teachers, administrator, and state legislators should simply collect our paychecks and keep doing the same old thing. I guess parents should continue to create babies but be unwilling to take a stake in their development in reaching adulthood. Why rock the boat when it is so profitable and it works so well?

Our candidates do not agree with such complacency. Obama is for merit pay and Charter Schools. McCain goes further and wants to include vouchers as an option. I cannot argue against any of these as they initiate change and provide a vehicle for ongoing dialogue between all members of society.

Intelligent Design may be a lightening rod for debate, but the state of education in the United States could certainly benefit from the jolts.

Resources
Intelligent Design Website on Education: http://www.intelligentdesign.org/education.php.
Professor Michael Reiss: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2008/sep/11/michael.reiss.creationism.
TIMMS Report: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001027.pdf.

Guns, The Supreme Court, and Calm Reflection

2008-08-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

The American Association of School Administrators published my Letter to the Editor in its August issue (AASA, 2008). The issue is related to guns. Considering the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling, which supports the 2nd Amendment as an individual right, the letter carries extra value. The unedited version of my letter can be read immediately below.

I read an article, titled Guns and Butter: Stepping Up to the Plate, written by Sarah Jerome from the December 2007 issue of The School Administrator. Sarah’s views rest on personal beliefs and not on facts.

She wrote, “Perhaps the presence of 223 million firearms in the United States or the fact that one in four households has a handgun elevates this issue to the status of a public health crisis.” It is not a public crisis of any kind. In fact, there is a body of research that suggests more guns equates to less crime.

In education, we must adhere to facts and legitimate research. We cannot make jumps in reasoning from a set of facts to a conclusion when no correlation has been proven. If Sarah wasn’t the AASA president, I would assume she was guilty of faulty reasoning. However, her achievement as president makes me consider that her intent is deceptive.

She wrote, “Our apparent paralysis to end gun violence continues.” What Sarah needs to do is this. She needs to read Kate Stetzner’s June 1999 article titled, How Safe Are Your Schools? Doing so will help her realize how solving the problem can be done. It does not involve ignoring the 2nd Amendment, like she proposes. It does involve a concerted effort between many organizations, agencies, and institutions.

When we deal with truancy, create positive learning environments, support anti-gang initiatives, and maintain curfew laws, we will make strides with safety in schools and communities. I fully support all of Kate’s proposed initiatives, not Sarah’s simple but erred proposal to strip us of our constitutional rights.

Resource
AASA (2008) The School Administrator. Number 7, Volume 65: The Ingredients for Leadership.

Education and the Election

2008-03-08T16:40:00.001-06:00

This presidential election cycle is extremely chaotic. McCain started out slowly, but then overwhelmed his competitors and obtained control of the Republican delegates. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is struggling between Clinton and Obama. Obama has a slight advantage with democratic delegates, but each requires “superdelegates” to clinch the party.

There are many issues that can help a voter decide who to support in this race, but I will bring a few points to light. Some of these points may help a voter to decide who to support. Whether this information may help primary voters within the Democratic Party or the full out presidential election in November, the candidates’ views on education may be surprising.

Regardless if one is a supporter of conservatives or liberals, the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, candidates across these spectra have something in common. This commonality should be of great interest to parents, teachers, and taxpayers. What is it? They all believe there is a need to bring change within education.

This change is not subtle, even if certain candidates do not boldly mention their intentions. Here are some of their views on education, in alpha order by candidate.

Hilary Clinton
She supports school choice, charter schools, and alternative routes to teacher certification (Clinton, 2008)

John McCain
He believes in vouchers, which would allow parents the ability to send schools to a variety of performing schools. He supports merit pay. This means he wants to reward teachers for extra effort. He also believes in homeschooling (The Des Moines Register, n.d.). He wants to assist math, science, and engineering education (The Des Moines Register, n.d.)

Barack Obama
He supports merit pay (Fitzgerald, 2007 & Davis and Miller, 2007 & Marcus, 2007).

All the candidates agree on one thing: No Child Left Behind needs to be changed. Some candidates feel more strongly about this than others. Some candidates want to alter or adjust it; other candidates want to throw it out and start fresh (Light, 2008).

Regardless of one’s choice for a candidate, business as usual is not on any of the candidates’ agendas. As an administrator, I find this to be refreshing. It is my personal hope that teachers who are directly in the trenches will acknowledge these sentiments for change. Consequently, there needs to be pedagogical shifts to propel education toward modernization.

When all of these candidates resonate on the need for change within schools, it is a clear indication of the electorate’s dissatisfaction. It must also follow that schools should unite in this purpose so as not to entirely forfeit what we know as public education. It is time for educators to stop thinking public education – at least the way it is currently constructed – will be immune to outside forces that are demanding reconstruction.

Be an informed voter. Study the issues and choose accordingly.

Resources
Clinton, H. (2008) Official Senate Website. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://clinton.senate.gov/issues/education/index.cfm?topic=elementary

Davis, T. and Miller, S. (2007) Obama Bucks Party Line on Education: '08 Democrat Pushes Performance-Based Pay. ABC News. Accessed on March 8th, 2008 at: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3894699&page=1

The Des Moines Register (n.d.) John McCain: Education. YouTube. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8DUM4CwkiE

The Des Moines Register (n.d.) McCain on Education. YouTube. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXUar_RQ0JU&feature=related

Fitzgerald, T. (2007) Obama Tells Teachers He Supports Merit Pay. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/8335627.html

Light, N (2008) Education Experts Critique Candidates' Policies. Kansas City InfoZine. Accessed March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/27328/

Marcus, R. (2007) From Barack Obama, Two Dangerous Words. Washington Post. Accessed on March 8th, 2008 at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/10/AR2007071001304.html

Ramping Up Rigor

2007-12-25T14:51:00.000-06:00

There has been a considerable amount of fervor concerning rigor within educational communities.

Educators have responded to the low ability and achievement of students in schools, ever since A Nation At Risk was released (NCEE, 1983). The report exposed problems such as dwindling career prep and vocational education programs, a low number of required hours of students in school, and textbooks used lack effective content.

Clearly, the report addressed a lack of rigor. Consequently, standards were adopted, benchmarks were set, and state boards of education implemented high-stakes tests.

A recent ACT’s report, called Rigor At Risk (2007), provided shocking information. Of the grade 11 students who took core courses and were tested in 2006, only 26% of those students met all four benchmarks: English, mathematics, social science, and natural science. 19% of these same students did not meet the benchmarks in any of these areas.

Research indicates educators must be careful how they respond to the reports gained from high-stakes tests.

“When high schools attempt to raise pass rates with skill-and-drill remedial routines geared narrowly to the test, conditions that nurture high levels of motivation and engagement are eliminated” (Grubb & Oakes, 2007).

Research by Brewster & Fager (2000) can be used to address motivation and engagement. They provided information on what needs to be done in classrooms and school districts. Their work includes allowing teachers to create student-centered learning opportunities, making students feel welcomed and supported, and developing a school climate that encourages creativity.

Grubb and Oakes’ (2007) work further invite educators to reinvent schools so that they no longer reflect the 19th Century model that exists all too commonly today. They suggest pathways for students to follow. Whether occupationally or non-occupationally theme-based, student interest can be bolstered as instruction becomes geared toward real-life problems and situations.

To enter into a mindset supportive of the research, one should reflect on Daggett’s Rigor and Relevance Framework (2006). This structure indicates learning should be geared toward students creating work that reflects real-world situations and open-ended problems. As explained by Armstrong (2007), this matches advances in cognitive psychology. Learning involving the creation of products is a great motivator and it addresses higher order thinking.

According to Muller and Chait (2006), rigor is, “…an educational experience that leads to a common outcome – that all students are well prepared for post-secondary education, career and civic life.” Muller and Chait also add that rigor is to include a high level content and instruction and an alignment of requirements with post-secondary education and work.

It appears to be apparent how rigor is to be increased. When approached within the context of real-world problems imbedded within school structures that support themes, rigor can be sustained and grown. Rigor is not an isolated variable that can be improved upon without also creating a sustaining habitat for it.

Resources
ACT (2007) Rigor At Risk: Reaffirming Quality in the High School Core Curriculum. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/rigor_report.pdf.

Armstrong, P. (2007) Bloom’s Taxonomy. Accessed online on December 25th, 2007 at: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/theory/blooms.htm.

Brewster, C. & Fager, J. (2000) Increasing Student Engagement and Motivation: From Time-on-Task to Homework. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.nwrel.org/request/oct00/textonly.html.

Daggett, W. (2006) Rigor/Relevance Framework. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.daggett.com/rigor.shtml.

Grubb, W. & Oakes, J. (2007) ‘Restoring Value’ To The High School Diploma: The Rhetoric And Practice Of Higher Standards. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://epsl.asu.edu/epru/documents/EPSL-0710-242-EPRU.pdf.

Muller, R. & Chait, R. (2006) Defining Rigor in High School. Prepared for the National High School Alliance. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.hsalliance.org/_downloads/NNCO/RigorFrameworkTool.pdf.

National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) A Nation At Risk. Accessed online on December 15th, 2007 at: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html.

Protesters or Hostage Takers?

2007-11-12T20:42:00.000-06:00

Recent events at Morton West High School in Berwyn, Illinois have many people concerned. Some students are facing lengthy suspensions and the possibility of being expelled due to their participation in a protest. The protest occurred within the school and during school hours on November 1st.

Are students receiving proper consequences? Have students been properly educated on how to voice their views? Do students have productive outlets for their views? What should the roles of parents be concerning how they need to support their children?

Let it be known, this blog does not entitle me the ability to exercise my right to freedom of speech so that I can voice my personal views on this topic. In fact, no one within the field of education has the right to use their position to inform others on what to think. Parents may be obligated to instill values within their children, but educators must tread carefully here. Parents who want to impose their personal beliefs upon schools would be equally operating without caution.

When teachers discuss history, conflict, critical thinking, and acts of civil disobedience, teachers must present balanced views. They must indicate how laws work, share the rights we have as citizens, and impart a vision of the potential consequences student actions can produce. When teachers address these issues in such a manner, they provide students with opportunities to lead successful, independent lives.

This doesn’t mean educators can't address values. Teachers can draw from current events, literature, texts, experiences, and fiction to help students understand the world around them. Character traits which can assist students to operate in the 21st Century and also change it are within their charge. However, doing so is less of a prescription but more like helping someone undergo a personal journey.

On issues of controversy, teachers must present balanced lessons. Imagine not. Imagine an educational system that does otherwise. We could allow schools to tell children what to think as opposed to how to think. We could tell student which jobs to pursue and train them accordingly. We can narrow their choices and views by our own standards, but at what cost to our schools and our democracy?

On another front, some people charge school authorities of delivering punishments that are too severe. If that is the case, appeals and hearings will draw out those issues. Authorities such as me do not make decisions in a vacuum. We reflect upon time honored rules and protocols, drafted from thoughtful councils, when determining consequences.

Our democracy is not absent of such an adherence to guidelines. There are laws, ordinances, and amendments. The First Amendment may entitle all of us to freedom of speech, but not at the expense of the Fourteenth Amendment, which entitles children and adolescents an education as a property right.

Consequently, school authorities must balance these rights. A responsibility to provide an educational environment that suits the needs of all students, not merely the First Amendment rights of a few students, is the intended goal.

Of the approximate 3,400 students who attend Morton West High School on a daily basis, we must ensure there are procedures in place to help all of them. These procedures include rules for students to follow so that order and safety can be secured.

Therefore, if students are to be educated, parents and teachers must inform them in such a way so as students will understand what consequences are at stake when they protest. I cannot imagine a school that would encourage and allow students to disrupt the educational rights of other students via loud protest. Fortunately, it appears many parents are in agreement with this requirement. Some parents may be disputing the severity of certain charges, but this is not uncommon within the realm of administering discipline.

As Morton West High School progresses through appeals and hearings, dialogue must be ongoing and process must be followed. Teachers must use their creativity to provide students positive outlets of expression. Parents must teach their children of the responsibilities of adulthood. Students must carefully choose which activities they engage themselves.

School leaders will continue to provide crucial programs to guide student engagement. Those programs will include classes and experiences enabling students to pursue a future in the trades, attend college, and enlist in the military. We will continue to provide these opportunities and allow students the ability to make these choices for themselves, not matter how disconcerting this freedom of choice may sit with a few.

Students, parents, teachers, and administrators have a right to personal beliefs but they do not have a right to use their classrooms as indoctrination zones. Personal beliefs must not override a true educator's judgment and cause a lapse in discipline. We could easily allow discipline to be waived under the pretense of good intentions, but what good would come from it? We might be tempted to allow pro-life demonstrating students a pass when they protest. We may allow anti-nuclear protesters a pass. What about students who want to protest less serious matters, like students who want to amass crowds over cold mashed potatoes?

We cannot afford to release our schools to students and parents of students who hold strong political views, one way or the other. We respect the rights and thoughts of students who are pro-war, those who are anti-war, and those who have yet to come to their own conclusions.

Let it not be lost on all of us to respect the educational rights of the majority of students who demand their daily dose of mathematics, science, English, and physical education. We must not allow protesters to take schools hostage, for whatever purpose, no matter how we may personally feel about the issue.

IMSA -- Great Minds Program

2007-11-02T05:44:00.000-05:00

The Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois held its Great Minds Program on October 20th, 2007. This specific program was centered on "Learning and the Brain: Where Are We and Where Do We Need to Be?”

There were distinguished presenters who provided information on cognitive brain research. Find details about their work by following the link below.

MATHguide: News for October 28th, 2007

PSAE -- Prairie State Achievement Test

2007-10-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

The PSAE is a test that Illinois high schools give to all of its juniors in April. It is a big deal. The scores of these tests are used to compare one school against the other and schools against state standards.

The PSAE is a two-day event. On day one, students take the ACT, which is a a college aptitude test. On day two, students take the WorkKeys test, which is a readiness to work test. The combination of the two -- college and work preparedness -- gives educators, parents, and students a strong idea of how systems and students are performing and are preparing students for the world they will face after high school.

Despite criticisms of standardized tests within teaching communities, the PSAE is a tool for measuring student success. The curriculum throughout all high schools have been aligned around a set of benchmarks. To measure whether or not schools are meeting the benchmarks, PSAE questions are aligned to the same benchmarks.

Consequently, PSAE reports are very valuable. They can be used to assess individual, school and state progress toward the standards. It can help schools modify curriculum and adjust programs. The test lends itself as a litmus test to student learning.

Since the PSAE shows no signs of going away, schools need to prepare students for it. Educators need to build programs and learning activities to meet the challenges of the PSAE. The below strategies can be used to address the PSAE within every school.

Teachers can start every class with a PSAE-like question.
Classroom tests can be made to have PSAE questions embedded within them.
Teachers can explain test-taking strategies to students.
Since one of the tests within the PSAE is timed as 60 minutes per 60 problems, math teachers can create quizzes with the same ratio: 10 problems/10 min, 15 problems/15 min, ...
Teachers can start with a WorkKeys type of problem and then use it to approach an ACT type of problem. Moving from concrete problems to abstract problems by changing problem parameters or modifying the original problem can invite students to participate in higher order thinking. This helps students with the overall PSAE.

Another way to prepare for the PSAE is to have teachers and students visit web sites that offer sample PSAE questions. To find those sites, visit http://www.mathguide.com/services/MathAssess.html#PSAE.

Evaluating Teachers

2007-08-19T13:08:00.000-05:00

I have a number of tutorials to help educators become more skilled and informed. They are offered free to the Internet community in order to help push educators to be better at what they do and help students receive quality instruction.

My latest tutorial is called, Evaluating Teachers. This tutorial is designed to help teachers understand the need to undergo continuous reflection for the purpose of enhancing instruction. Danielson's framework of teaching is discussed. The roles of evaluator and evaluator are also addressed in order to create a process for sustained growth that leads to better learning.

This tutorial can be viewed at...

http://www.mathguide.com/services/Evaluation/

However, to gain a synopsis of all tutorials, view the following webpage...

http://www.mathguide.com/services/Tutorials.html

The Educational Technology Continuum

2007-08-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

Math education is an important part of a child's growth. It helps a child perform critical thinking, decision-making, and problem solving, which are part of every imaginable job and daily activity. An informed and educated populace also can positively affect our economy.

The reader should investigate the following four sites in addition to http://www.mathguide.com/:

Teachers and Administrators
http://free.ed.gov/
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivitySearch.aspx

Students
http://www.cut-the-knot.org/Curriculum/index.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/hotscience/

I could have easily pulled up more sites using Google and strategic keywords, like “interactive, math, science, demonstration, explanation, tutorial, …” This is sufficient evidence that there is instructional media available to help math and science education. I encourage more educators, parents and students to investigate along these lines to find sites of their own.

It is clear that the pursuit of math education is no longer like it was. Comparing math education to what it was 15 years ago is an eye-opener to where we have come. Not taking advantage of all the dynamic interfaces that are available online and with modern calculators would be a sure fire way of not operating and one’s true potential.

I’ll leave the reader to entertain these questions to determine where their school is on the educational technology continuum.

Teachers should ask themselves:
Do I have a blog?
Do I encourage my students to have their own blogs?
How can I use modern technology to stimulate my students?
Is there a better way of teaching my curriculum than how I taught it in previous years?

Students should ask themselves:
How much time do I spend outside of the classroom actively furthering my own education?
How can I use the Internet in addition to other avenues to help myself be a better student?
When I plan entertainment with friends, are games involved?
Are there books I would like to read?

Administrators should ask themselves:
Is there a way I can encourage teachers to use technology to enhance their lessons?
Do my teachers utilize lessons that are both engaging and relevant to students?
Are the activities and learning experiences my teachers are using going to prepare students for our technological world and life after high school?How can I help teachers become metacognitive facilitators?

Computer for Every Child

2007-05-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Nicholas Negroponte has a dream. He would like to provide every child with a computer. He is working to do that via his company, OLPC (2007).

Negroponte is courting various governments with his latest computer. The computer is physically durable and can resist shock, dirt, sand, and water. It has wireless Internet capability. It can be charged with a crank device. There are music programs and more.

His critics claim it will be impossible to get every child a laptop. His critics may be correct. However, if a large portion of children are exposed to laptops and many of them on an intimate basis, the gains within education are sure to be felt.

Considering all of the many benefits of technology within education, Negroponte's goal is a valuable one. It's also not going unnoticed as reported by 60 Minutes (CBS News, 2007). Intel is in competition with Negroponte's computer. In fact, Negroponte is claiming that Intel is purposely undercutting their price for their device merely to wedge his computer from the market.

One thing is sure, when companies battle/compete in the marketplace for a product, there must be big potential for followup gains. This should tell us that the idea is a good one, for both business investors and communities.

Resources
OLPC (2007) One Laptop Per Child. Official Website. Accessed online at: http://laptop.org/.
CBS News (2007) What If Every Child Had a Laptop? Accessed online at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/20/60minutes/main2830058.shtml.

Dress Code Policy and Freedom of Speech

2007-04-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

When districts create policies addressing dress code policy, they must ensure the goal is to protect the learning environment while also imposing reasonable measures in doing so. When developing policy, administrators should know about the following court cases:

6th U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that a student's desire to wear clothes inconsistent with the school's dress code policy was not excessive conduct [Blau v. Fort Thomas Public School District (2005)].

8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a student's tattoo was not expressive conduct [Stephenson v. Davenport Community School District (1997)].

5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a student's desire to wear long hair was not expressive conduct [Karr v. Schmidt (1972)].

A federal court in Illinois ruled that a male student's desire to wear an earring was not expressive conduct [Olesen v. Board of Education of School District Number 228 (1987)].

A federal court in Florida ruled that a female student's desire to wear male clothing for her senior portrait was not expressive conduct [Youngblood v. School Board of Hillsborough County].

However in the last case, Youngblood filed an appeal and during the wait the School Board of Hillsborough County agreed to modify its dress code so that it did not force sex-differentiated wear. Whether the school wanted to reduce expenditures for legal proceeding or it believed it could lose to the appeal, school districts have to enforce dress code policies that are fair, even if it is not strictly a constitutional requirement.

In order to navigate the murky waters concerning student expression, First Amendment Schools provides a considerable amount of information on its website to assist school administrators, teachers, and board members.

Resources
First Amendment Schools (2007) Dress Code: Analysis and Commentary. Resource accessed online at: http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/resources/policy.aspx?item=dress_code

First Amendment Schools (2007) Key Court Cases. Resource accessed online at: http://www.firstamendmentschools.org/freedoms/speechcases.aspx.

Madrid, M. (1999) Student Dress Codes: Constitutional Requirements and Policy Suggestions. Resource accessed online at: http://www.modrall.com/articles/article_13.html.

Religion in Public Schools

2007-03-25T22:50:00.000-05:00

Discussing religion has always been a hot topic in American schools. The most recent large scale issue arose from Intelligent Design arguments, which caused a stir that reached The Supreme Court. However, it should be known that there is a curriculum being taught at the high school level that informs students about The Bible.

The aforementioned course being taught is at New Braunfels High School in Texas. It is based on The Bible and Its Influence curriculum, which is also that name of Schippe and Stetson’s book (2006). It is also important enough for Time to devote its April cover to it.

In short, the course and the curriculum are aimed at teaching about The Bible – the number one best selling book. It’s not about using public schools as a conduit for manufacturing Christian-bots, as secularists who are rigid Church and State separatists may worry about.

The act of including reference to The Bible in any form may cause consternation with such separatists. The themes in tales like Old Man and the Sea, Superman, The Chronicles of Narnia, Shakespeare’s works, and others require knowing about The Bible to be imperative for deeply understanding them.

The fact is, Biblical beliefs are so rooted in American values that not teaching about them is certainly a greater injustice than impartially including them within courses at the high school level. The Bible and Its Influence curricula will certainly reignite a debate involving First Amendment rights, even though the act of teaching about religion is without question constitutional (see 1943’s McCollum v. Board of Education and 1963’s Abington Township School District v. Schempp).

Bible Literacy Project (2007) Official Site. Accessed online at: http://www.bibleliteracy.org/Site/index.htm.

Karadimos, M (2005) Intelligently Designed Schools: The Role of Intelligent Design in the Science Curricula. Accessed online at: http://www.mathguide.com/issues/IntelligentDesign.html.

OYEZ (1948) McCollum v. Board of Education. Available online at: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1949/1947/1947_90/.

OYEZ (1963) Abington Township School District v. Schempp. Available online at: http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1962/1962_142/.

Schippe, C & Stetson, C (2006) The Bible and Its Influence. Published by BLP Publishing. ISBN 0977030202.

Van Biema, D (2007) The Case for Teaching the Bible. Accessed online at: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1601845,00.html.

Innovation in American Education

2007-03-04T15:45:00.000-06:00

“… a college education is becoming more and more essential to achieving the American Dream. Yet while two-thirds of high-growth, high-wage jobs require a college degree, only a third of Americans have one. We must create a nationwide appetite for math, science and rigorous graduation requirements, as well as need-based aid for college students.”
Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education

“A strong foundation in mathematics and science is vital for maintaining and enhancing the innovation and creativity on which our economy was built.”
Karen A. Holbrook, President of Ohio State University

“[W]e must improve the rigor and relevance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in grades K-12 to ensure all students graduate from high school with the skills needed for a 21st-century work force.”
National U.S. Governors Association, Innovation America

“Companies must advocate for strong education policies and work with schools to foster interest in science and mathematics and to provide an education that is relevant to the needs of business. Government must work with educators to reform schools and improve educational excellence.”
Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corp. and Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

It is becoming extremely evident that American leaders are concerned about us slipping and loosing our competitive edge. Some of these leaders already believe we have been slipping for some time and there will be dire consequences for not altering our course to correct for our weaknesses. One main focus of their concerns rests within mathematics and science education.

Educational leaders who are interested in initiating changes should look to schools that are already making a difference. High Tech High in California offers multiple schools that focus on math and science education and its students benefit from relevant, project-based curricula. Consequently, here are some HTH facts:

100% of HTH's graduates have been admitted to college.
Over half of HTH graduates are first-generation college students.
Academic Performance Index rankings (API) place HTH schools among the highest achieving in the state.
HTH’s African-American students outperform district and statewide peers by a wide margin.
In 2004/2005 HTH had more entries accepted into the Greater San Diego Science Fair than any other high school.
Through the MANPOWER Academic Internship Program, HTH students have completed more than 650 internships in over 200 community businesses and agencies.
HTH is the first California public school organization authorized to operate its own teacher-credentialing program.
HTH facilities have received numerous awards.
In 2004 Explorer Elementary was the only school in the San Diego Unified School District to receive a California Distinguished School Award.

The benefits experienced by HTH can be utilized by all schools. Daggett (2005) instructs educators how to incorporate relevant and rigorous lessons so students become engaged by learning. He describes the framework as one that drives educators to create lessons that facilitate real world situations where students both think and work.

As parents, teachers, administrators, business people, and community members reflect on education, they should realize the impact it will have on our youths’ futures and on the economy, as reported by those who have been quoted above. However, we can only strive to make change and benefit from positive results if all forces work together on these issues.

Resources
Curtis, D. (2001) Start with the Pyramid. Online Resource at: http://www.edutopia.org/php/article.php?id=Art_884&key=037

Daggett, W. (2005) Achieving Academic Excellence through Rigor and Relevance. Online Resource at: http://www.leadered.com/pdf/Academic_Excellence.pdf

Edtopia (2001) The Big List on Project-Based Learning. Online Resource at: http://www.edutopia.org/php/biglist.php?id=037

Gates, B. (2007) U.S. needs talent to be competitive. Online Resource at: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070304/OPINION09/703040331

High Tech High (2007) Official Site. Online Resource at: http://www.hightechhigh.org/

Kraft, N. (2005) Criteria for Authentic Project-Based Learning. Online Resource at: http://www.rmcdenver.com/useguide/pbl.htm

Napolitano, J. (2007) 'Innovation America': Governors' Call to Action. Online Resource at: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/171735

U.S. Department of Ed. (2007) U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Engages Business and Higher Education Leaders, Visits 21st Century Academy in New York City. Online Resource at: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/02/02152007a.html

Vindy News (2007) More Math, Science = Better Jobs. Online Resource at: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/324865223129953.php

Brain-Based or Brain-Compatible Learning

2007-01-08T23:58:00.000-06:00

When educators manufacture lessons, there is certainly a need to have a knowledge-base to begin the process. However, too many times this knowledge-base rests solely in the fields to that which apply to the subject and not enough of the knowledge-base reflects science and research.

Since I taught math for numerous years, I can say I did a great job of explaining how to factor polynomial expressions, solve trigonometric equations, and calculate volumes of solids, such as cones and pyramids. But, did I teach students how to do these things? Reflecting on my early practices, I would have to say I did a mediocre job at best.

My inability to teach these things at an optimum level was due to my ignorance of brain-based or brain-compatible research. According to Patricia Wolfe (AASA, 2006), brain-compatible learning reflects the following five characteristics:

How we use our brains shapes the brains we have. This means that our brains change to respond to need. Certain abilities are enhanced the more they are used because the brain actually changes to respond to the heightened demands placed on those areas. Like a weight-lifter who works on biceps to make them grow, our brains will undergo specific physiological changes and be enhanced as a result of frequent activities that target a particular set of tasks. Wolfe says that concrete experience best shapes our brains.
Memory is stored in numerous places within our brains. When an event is experienced, it is decomposed into various categories, like sounds, visuals, and emotions. These traits are stored in specific areas in our brains. When we reflect on these experiences, our brains reassemble the pieces and place them together to recreate the experience. The more places the information is stored, the more connections are formed and the greater the memory becomes. This invites educators to use multimodal instruction.
Memory fades over time. As experiences flood our brains, old experiences become less pronounced. However, Wolfe invites educators to utilize what she calls 'rehearsal strategies' to enable memory recall. These strategies include "visualizing, writing, symbolizing, singing, semantic mapping, simulating and devising mnemonics."
There are different types of memories. There are declarative (what our favorite color is and the names of the planets) and procedural (how to operate a computer and play a musical instrument) memories. Repetition is useful for handling procedural information but elaborative rehearsal strategies are essential for handling declarative information.
Emotion is an essential tool for learning. Emotions help make events memorable. Some emotions are shocking, like the destruction of New York's towers and others are comfortably sublime, like eating our favorite ice cream. When considering emotion within an educational setting, learning best occurs when students perceive the environment to be non-threatening.

Wolfe also points out that there is a considerable amount of beliefs that are shared among educators that are not necessarily accurate. For instance, she sites old studies that point to left-brain and right-brain characteristics that have long been overshadowed by more recent research. We educators have to be careful what we disseminate as truth as it definitely impacts how we manufacture lessons and educate our populace.

Knowledge of current brain research makes it easier to create lessons that are brain-based and brain-compatible, in effect making it easier for kids to learn and easier for us to teach. As a result of following brain-compatible research, it can make the process of educating students more successful and more enjoyable for everyone.

Resource
Wolfe, P. (2006) Brain-Compatible Learning: Fad or Foundation? Accessed on January 8th, 2007 from The Administrator Magazine, which can be viewed online at: http://www.aasa.org/publications/saarticledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=7810.

Spellings Interview

2006-10-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

John McLaughlin, of his own PBS program called One on One, interviewed Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. The interview should have been of interest to educators, because it covered a number of topics dear to educators.

Here were those topics:

School Safety
Special fencing and single point entry of schools, as with the policing of schools is a local issue. Such decisions should be based upon the concerns in every individual learning community.

Statistics
She is in charge -- to some degree -- of $56 billion K-12 budget, 15,000 school districts, and 70 million students. Schools gain roughly 8% of their budget from federal funds, the rest being from state and local funds. 90% of jobs require post secondary education. 50% of minority students graduate on time.

Reasons for Student Drop Out
Lack of skill/reading ability. Boredom in school. Lack of desire/ambition. Value crisis?

Intelligent Design within Schools
The Intelligent Design issue may act as a catalyst for fueling debate, interest, motivation, and information with science education.

NCLB - No Child Left Behind
Progress within the past 5 years has exceeded the previous 28 years worth of progress. It is closing the achievement gap. An escalating problem with minority students must have us address that problem, which it does. Local control still exists. SpEd compliance has been adjusted to reflect reasonable demands on schools. A judge threw out a case that argued NCLB is a set of unfunded mandates. NCLB provides for testing.

Consider this a Cliff Notes of the interview. The program's transcripts have yet to be offered on the McLaughlin site.

Resources
The McLaughlin Group (2006) One on One. PBS Television Program aired on Sunday, October 15th.
The McLaughlin Group (2006) One on One. Online Resource Accessed on Monday, October 16th, 2006 at: http://www.mclaughlin.com/moo/.

The Chicago Virtual Charter School

2006-10-11T20:17:00.000-05:00

Chicago is experimenting with distance education at the grammar school level via a virtual charter school. This is not an experiment without a track record. In Illinois alone, there are nearly 400 high schools that are taking advantage of its virtual high school. Michigan has gone a step further and distance learning participation.

The Illinois State Board of Education approved the virtual school. Therefore, it is clear there are a multitude of educators at various levels that advocate this kind of learning for all levels of students.

The virtual program has been created to possess the following characteristics:

Provide an integrated approach, including mentoring, independent study, structured activities, and online learning.
Deliver consistent content, methodologies, and strategies from a single source from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Shape a well-rounded child through educational excellence, social interaction, creative pursuits, and physical activity.
Help strengthen relationships between parents, children, teachers, and community.
Meet or exceed Chicago and Illinois standards of education.

The fifth characteristic separates this virtual school from home-based study. It demands its students use the same measuring tools as those used by all other public schools. Students have to take the ISAT and therefore can be compared against other students in public schools.

As a fervent proponent for distance education, I welcome the opportunities offered to Chicago families.

Resources
Belleview News Democrat (2006) Chicago Teachers Union Sues to Stop Public Funding of Virtual School. Source: http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/state/15680605.htm.

The Chicago Virtual Charter School (2006) Our Curriculum. Source: http://www.chicagovcs.org/curriculum/index.html.

Teacher Appearance

2006-09-22T20:08:00.000-05:00

Children look to teachers for guidance, knowledge, life experiences, how they handle situations and a whole slew of other important points. They look to teachers because teachers are their role-models.

This point is an important one and it should not be dismissed because some kids are not interested in school or because teachers are seen as 'nerdy' or out-of-touch. Teens, no matter how they may seem to be disinterested, are learning from adults. This is either an active or inactive pursuit.

One of the many elements of a being an effective leader, and therefore an effective teacher, is to understand the influence of being a role-model. Dressing professionally sets a tone, which is one that is understood by interviewees and interviewers in every field. Whether one is sloppy or neat, unspoken information is clearly transmitted with potentially catastrophic results.

Once employed, especially for teachers, it is crucial teachers communicate that education is important and that the classroom is a special place. Doing so encourages students to perform. The alternative is to not communicate the importance of the classroom and its activities, which runs a risk of setting poor tone, dealing with behavior problems, and teens who may feel that low expectations are acceptable.

As a veteran teacher, I have seen teachers who dress for parent-teacher conferences. The attire for many teachers is often a quantum leap above the usual. Why? Are parents more important than students? If setting tone is important with parents, the same tone is important with students.

Speaking as a former classroom teacher, I know from personal experience there is a clear difference of wearing professional attire versus the alternative. Honestly, wearing professional attire makes setting tone easier, which positively affects all other aspects of learning. My experiences may be anecdotal, but I have yet to see any research that suggests wearing less professional attire contributes to better learning and ease of instruction.

Resources

AASA (n.d.) The Link Between Teacher Dress and Student Decorum. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.aasa.org/publications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1843.

CBSNews (2005) Teacher Attire A Touchy Subject. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/06/national/main706875.shtml.

Dallas Morning News (2006) Local Districts on Teacher Dress: Have Some Class. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/stories/DN-teacherdress_15met.ART.North.Edition1.3f47a46.html.

Education World (2005) How I Handled… Teachers Who Wear Inappropriate Clothing To School. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.education-world.com/a_admin/how_i_handled/how_i_handled049.shtml.

KVUE News (2006) Districts on Teacher Dress: Have Some Class. Online Resource Accessed on September 22nd, 2006 at: http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/0915kvueteacherdress-eh.1042e007.html.

Teachers New to Education

2006-08-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have addressed the issue of classroom management in a previous submission. Yet, it is worth revisiting to a degree because as schools open their doors in late August and early September, new teachers across the nation are starting their first year of teaching. Classroom management is important for them to understand if they plan on surviving the test of time. Here is some background information regarding new teachers.

Within five years of teaching, a teacher is 46% likely to entirely leave the field of education (Ingersoll, 2003). The reason for teachers leaving the field is because: 1) they feel overwhelmed by the expectations and scope of the job, 2) they feel isolated and unsupported in their classrooms, or 3) expectations are unclear (NEA, n.d.). What is clear is that there needs to be an emphasis placed on retaining new teachers to retain high quality schools.

Part of feeling overwhelmed comes from classroom management issues. This makes shoring up classroom management a number one priority for new teachers. This would suggest new teachers should examine the issue to a greater depth.

Classroom management is much more than discipline. It is a mistake made by new teachers to assume management equates discipline. Discipline is a facet of management (ASCD, 1998). It is certainly not to be ignored but discipline strategies need not always be instituted when the broader aspect of management is addressed.

For starters, here are some strategies for starting the year:

Clearly define classroom procedures, like how to take notes, study, do homework, …
Teach students classroom procedures and routines. Explain, rehearse, and reinforce all procedures.
Teachers should have a binder that outlines their activities, ranging from beginning to end of class.
Consider cooperative learning, which Wong calls support groups or the support community.
Break up the class into small groups, giving the group an experiential learning activity, i.e. high relevance, such that all team members have a duty.
Use positive expectations.

If difficulties arise, here are some time-tested strategies:

Do not engage in power struggles.
Make situations win-win.
Make situations teachable life-lessons.
Use simple rules.
Expect correct responses/actions.
Provide students with time to transition.
Provide students time to control their emotions.
Do what works. This demands knowledge of students, good relationships, and personal experimentation.

The most important technique for survival may not rest in knowing all the answers. New teachers should network with other teachers in their school and build a repertoire. Future years should get easier as teachers learn management skills and effective teaching strategies. Networking with other educators also helps lift a personal burden that comes from such an intimate career as teaching.

If you would like more information on classroom management, visit http://www.mathguide.com/services/Discipline/ for an online tutorial, called Guide to School Discipline. In mid September, I will make available another tutorial for new teachers, called Preparing New Teachers: A Survival Guide.

Have a rewarding year, new teachers and veteran teachers alike.

Resources
ASCD. (1998) Is There Really a Teacher Shortage?. Online Resource Accessed on August 26th, 2006 at: http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem....

Ingersoll, R. (2003) Is There Really a Teacher Shortage?. Online Resource Accessed on August 5th, 2006 at: http://depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/PDFs/Shortage-RI-09-2003.pdf [PDF]

NEA (n.d.) Attracting and Keeping Quality Teachers. Online Resource Accessed on August 5th, 2006 at: http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/index.html

Classroom Management Assistance

2006-07-22T13:38:00.000-05:00

I recently asked a number of veteran teachers the simple question, “What tips, suggestions, or strategies would you offer newer teachers to help them be successful?” Classroom management was a persistent theme among the replies.

Classroom management is an extremely important concern, especially for newer teachers in the field. Teachers who have poor classroom management skills may find themselves overburdened and consequently feel a desire to leave the teaching profession.

Let’s also consider the major focus within education: students. Students deserve to learn within controlled environments. Learning should be respected and students must become positively transformed as a result of taking their courses.

This is where we are at, helping teachers attain proper classroom management strategies in order to save teachers lots of headaches and consequently help students achieve the successes they deserve. The sooner effective strategies are adopted, the sooner teachers can focus on creative ways to address the curriculum, thereby making learning more enjoyable in the long haul for everyone.

Classroom management is something that comes naturally to veteran teachers. They have had years to streamline their classroom procedures and integrate discipline strategies and offer meaningful learning opportunities to their students. Their classrooms usually flow with uninterrupted learning.

We have all seen classrooms that were not as well constructed. A visual image is easily conceived without any prompting from me, as we have all experienced such a situation sometime in our lives. These situations are certainly no fun for the teachers whom fall victim to them.

Teachers fall victim to poor situations because of bad planning. This was Harry Wong’s message when I saw him at The Model Schools Conference in Orlando this year. It was quite a dynamic performance, which provided insight to his ability to motivate others and deliver a set of objectives to help teachers be successful educators.

His book, The First Days of School, explains in detail how to gain a set of procedures for achieving successful practices and good classroom management strategies. They are reasonable strategies that are able to be tailored to meet the style of any teacher. I recommend reading it or, better yet, getting a chance to see Harry Wong in action.

Fortunately, I have had the ability to monitor classroom discipline by working as a dean of students at the high school level. The frequency by which students were sent to my office by certain teachers was nearly always a strong indication of classroom management strategies that needed to be tweaked.

Of course, student behavior needed to be altered, too. Yet, had teachers been able to construct effective classroom procedures and build relationships – the latter part described by Crystal England within her blog – then student problems would have mostly disappeared.

There is a consequence to not having a sound classroom management strategy in place. Teachers deprive themselves of control by having someone else address specific issues. Students are very perceptive and realize who is in control. Sending students to others should be minimized to send the correct message to students: teachers are in control.

Most situations should be entirely handled by the teacher. Only extreme cases of violence, disrespect, or disturbance should be handled by anyone other than a teacher. Handling these situations is not as difficult as it may sound.

I have a number of materials that may help new teachers with classroom management. A free web tutorial can be found at http://www.mathguide.com/services/Discipline/. The section on Preventive Practices may be most helpful to newer teachers. Readers will find theory-based strategies and also helpful documents within the Advanced Strategy section.

The sooner newer teachers develop good classroom management, the sooner they can make leaps and bounds in student achievement by focusing on the curriculum. This step is one that cannot be missed on a teacher’s road to becoming an accomplished educator.

Resources

Harry Wong's Sites: http://teachers.net/wong/, http://www.harrywong.com/, http://www.classroommanagement.com/

Model Schools Site: http://www.modelschoolsconference.com/

Crystal England’s Blog on Classroom Management: http://www.crystalengland.com/blog/2006/03/classroom-management.html

Innovative Distance Education University

2006-06-21T18:36:00.000-05:00

Capella University won a top award for innovation in distance education. Read the full report below.

Capella University Wins Top Award

School Choice

2006-06-13T22:57:00.000-05:00

According to Bristol (2006):

Never has any political race in South Carolina been as pure a referendum on a controversial issue as the Supt. Of Education race is today. The two leading candidates, Karen Floyd and Bob Staton, represent polar opposite positions on the issue of school choice. Staton is opposed, and has been endorsed by the state branch of the National Education Association. Floyd “strongly supports” public and private school choice, and has been strongly supported by like-minded groups.

This race allows voters a chance to gain the type of educational system they desire. Races of this type:

promote public discourse
an analysis of possible school systems
voters to commit to a candidate and consequently a decision regarding the issue.

This is democracy in action.

Whether one is for school choice or against it is not the issue here, only the benefit. The greater good is the ongoing promotion of democratic principles through a voting cycle that hinges on a critical issue. All participants are winners regardless of the outcome.

If more races in other regions throughout the country were to address similar controversial issues, the entire process would benefit those regions. If the issues involved educational systems, schools would certainly improve.

Resource

Bristol (2006) Case Closed, as of 7 p.m. Tonight. SCHeadlines. Online Resource Accessed on June 13th, 2006 at: http://www.scheadlines.com/article.asp?colid=5128.

Technology in High Schools

2006-06-05T21:35:00.000-05:00

High schools have dramatically changed over the years. In the 80's, Apple IIe and Radioshack TRS-80 were very popular at the high school level. Basic programming was taught and logic was learned. Those simple days are long gone.

Now, technology has improved by leaps and bounds. Students in Michigan high schools are mandated to learn via distance education (MVU, 2006). High school students in Illinois have benefited from integrated courses that have integrated technology with the use of PDAs (Brown, 2001). It's a much different world for high school students.

Students are engaged and are trained to enter into a competitive, technological world. Students are no longer required to listen to boring lectures in effective schools. Students in these schools are trained how to use technology to think and solve real-world problems.

It is no wonder that online distance education programs are now available to high school students. Students who take online courses not only learn how to be independent learners, but their education is learner-centered and relevant.

To learn more about how high school students can pursue online distance education courses, see Littlefield (2006). She created a number of references for About.com, which can make the process of understanding and acting on high school online courses easy to do.

Resources

Brown (2001) Handhelds in the Classroom. Education World. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/tech083.shtml.

Littlefield (2006) Distance Learning. About.com. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://distancelearn.about.com/od/virtualhighschools/.

MVU (2006) Michigan First State to Require Online Learning. Online Resource Accessed on June 5th, 2006 at: http://www.mivhs.org/upload_2/MIOnlineRequirment42106.pdf [PDF].

Traditional Versus Distance Education

2006-05-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Research shows that online learning is as good, if not better than, traditional education (Tucker, 2001).

However, there are certain people who may prosper with traditional education as opposed to distance learning.Those who prosper at distance learning are independent learners. They are able to adhere to objectives in a timely fashion. They are also usually older and hold careers.

Yet, this is not set in stone. Young people can be very successful at distance education, too. Michigan high schools require online learning (Yahoo, 2006).

Distance education is clearly the future for universities and high schools. Make room for professionals who offer online learning devices (such as MATHguide) to learners.

Honoring these free resources and making use of them may make publishers cringe, but I am not concerned about the chokehold they have on American schools. I am concerned with the usefulness of their products and the corresponding burden on already strapped districts.

Resources:
MATHguide (2006) Math Education Site

Tucker (2001) Distance Education: Better, Worse, Or As Good As Traditional Education?

University of Idaho (n.d.) Distance Education at a Glance

Yahoo (2006) Michigan First State to Require Online Learning

Distance Education

2006-05-20T18:04:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a considerable amount of interest in distance education. Specifically online distance education has become very popular. Never before has a learning environment been created that also takes in to account the learning needs of students. With learner-content, learner-instructor, and learner-learner modes of instruction available to distance learners, it is no wonder why it has become popular.

The website below will provide insight to the educational benefits of online distance learning.

http://www.mathguide.com/research/Assessing.htm

Here is an outline of the instructional benefits offered by online distance learning:

Minimization of Fatigue
Integration of Visuals and Text
Advance Organizers
Introductory Problems
Memory Support
Worked Examples
Practice Exercises
Graphics
Evaluation Against Standards
Metacognition Within Instruction

It is clear that online distance learning is not a trend that will disappear. It will soon become an element in every typical school, especially at the high school and college levels.

The use of online distance education shockingly remains to be controversial in a few school districts. Yet, there are numerous participating schools. Here is a list of schools in Illinois that participate with the Illinois Virtual High School:

http://www.ivhs.org/index.learn?action=started&subaction=studentinfo

A district's desire to explore this option speaks to the district's willingness to embrace the benefits of online distance learning.