How Do You Evaluate Teachers

Who Change Lives?

 

I read the title of this article and was drawn in immediately.  I have often wondered how some teachers will fare with the new evaluation system.  So many things good teachers do can't be measured by numbers.

 

 

The author of this article was a troubled high school student that was fortunate enough to come across a teacher who really made a difference in her life during her 9th grade year.  As she tells her story, this teacher didn't always do things the conventional way and may not have been highly in favor with administration.  He dared to be controversial and do what he knew in his gut was right.  This 9th grader is now a 35-year veteran of the public school system and currently a school superintendant.  She remains in contact with this teacher who made such a difference for her.  But she wonders if he might have been fired if evaluated by today's system.

 

 

This author writes that her greatest worry is "that teachers will fade into deadly, robotic, fit-the-rubric nonentities and receive high scores, but offer nothing of substance to students - nothing to carry with them for a lifetime."

 

 

We all need to think about the true goals of education.  Aren't we meant to do more than teach reading and math?  Shouldn't we be having a positive impact on students in other ways that can affect their lives for the better?  I hope you can take a few minutes to read this article.  I found it inspiring and think you will too.

 

 

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/04/17/28cella.h32.html



PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) is composed of 22 states.  It is designing the assessments that will take the place of FCAT in 2014-15.  All assessments will be computer-based at that time.  PARCC has recently released its draft accommodations manual for ELL students and students with disabilities.  This is something I have wondered about.  There were some glitches this year with FCAT math testing, since it was the first year that fifth graders took that test online.  There were accommodations in place for some students.

In this recently released draft, ELL accommodations must meet three conditions:

• "It must reduce the 'linguistic load' or complexity of the language that is necessary for students to access the content in curriculum or on the assessment;
• It can't alter what is being measured in a test item or alter the test itself;
• It has to help 'address the unique linguistic and socio-cultural needs of an EL by reducing the effects of English-language skills on the student's overall performance on the assessment." 

There are guidelines for determining which students receive these special ELL accommodations.  There are specific accommodations available and listed.  Some accommodations are built into the computer program, such as a highlighting tool and definitions for specific words that don't provide an advantage in answering the question.  There are some areas that still need work, such as a student who is permitted to speak their answers to a scribe (as in a pencil-and-paper test).  The policy on translations is due this summer.




To view the entire article, see:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2013/04/parcc_releases_draft_policy_on.html        

Cursive – A Disappearing Skill?

I found yet another article about the waning relevance of cursive handwriting in school.  This article was in The Washington Post.  As in the previous article, the new national standards were cited as part of the blame.  Other reasons for the decline in teaching cursive handwriting are lean budgets and lack of time in the school day.  The new standards set the learning goals and objectives students need to be successful in the world after high school.  Obviously, technology is engrained in every aspect of our lives in some way.

It's hard to blame teachers for their reluctance to spend time teaching cursive.  After all, much of our testing is done online now.  In the near future, all of our standardized testing will be via computer.  Students need to be proficient typists in order to successfully complete their assessments in the time permitted.  Most people seem to agree that, while cursive handwriting can be beautiful and some of our older historical documents are written in cursive, the need to learn it is rapidly becoming obsolete.

Deborah Spear, an academic therapist, disagrees, but not simply because of the beauty of cursive or its usefullness in interpreting old documents.  She relies on cursive handwriting when working with dyslexic students.  "Because all letters in cursive start on a base line, and because the pen moves fluidly from left to right, cursive is easier to learn for dyslexic students who have trouble forming words correctly."  She states, "Yes, needing to read cursive is greatly diminishing in our society, but it's still very applicable as an instructional tool."

Steve Graham is an education professor at Arizona State University and also a top U.S. expert on handwriting instruction.  He says, "I can't remember the last time I read the Constitution.  The truth is that cursive writing is pretty much gone, except in the adult world for people in their 60s and 70s."  He ends with the assertion that, "The question is why teach two forms of writing when one will do the trick?  Something's gotta give.  Cursive handwriting is under pressure."

As for me, I can still be swayed either way.  I hate to see cursive go completely by the wayside.  I can't imagine signing my signature in print.  That just doesn't seem right to me.  I still write in cursive for students occasionally, just so they can at least learn to read it.  I practice reading cursive with my grandchildren.  In fact, my second grade granddaughter excitedly told me last week that she was going to be learning cursive over the balance of the school year. 


The article can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/cursive-handwriting-disappearing-from-public-schools/2013/04/04/215862e0-7d23-11e2-a044-676856536b40_story.html

Cursive – To Teach or Not To Teach

What are your thoughts about teaching cursive handwriting in elementary school?  How about memorization of multiplication facts?  Cursive is no longer required.  At one time, cursive was taught in third through fifth grades, but not anymore.  The state of North Carolina has decided it is important enough to do something about it.  Also, because students are using calculators more and more, they are very concerned about children not learning their multiplication facts in elementary school.

The state House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation recently to require students to learn both in elementary schools throughout North Carolina.  Known as the "Back to Basics" bill, 107 voted yes, with no dissenters.  The bill goes to the state Senate next and, if approved, will be implemented in the 2013-2014 school year.

Disappointment was expressed when the Common Core State Standards failed to address cursive handwriting at all.  While some believe that with today's technology, there is little need to be able to write cursive, others strongly disagree.  The main criticism I have read here and in other articles is the need to be able to read historic documents.  Without the ability to read cursive, they may as well be written in another language.  Students would no longer be able to read the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, or letters from Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

California, Georgia, Idaho and Massachusetts feel the same way, as they are all resinstituting cursive as a requirement in their schools.

I remember feeling all grown up when I learned how to write cursive in elementary school.  Since it is a school-based decision, some students here in Florida still learn how.  My granddaughter was very excited since she was beginning to learn cursive today.  I believe it is still a very important skill to learn, but can also understand that teachers have so many things to fit into their days that it seems like something has to go.  Unfortunately, things like cursive are the first to be cut.



http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/04/2801884/nc-house-passes-cursive-handwriting.html

Creativity Through Nonfiction Texts

I have worked hard to learn everything I can about the Common Core Standards.  While I am excited about their implementation, there are teachers who don't feel the same way.  Many are worried about additional work on their part.  Some are concerned about the new assessments that will accompany the new standards.  Something I had not considered or heard until reading this article is that the CCSS will further slow down students' creativity.  In elementary school, the texts students are required to work with are an even 50/50 split between fiction and nonfiction.  However, by the end of high school, students will work with 70% nonfiction text and only 30% fiction.  For this reason, teachers are concerned about the stifling of creativity because of reading so much dry informational text.

David Coleman, President of the College Board and an architect of the new standards, is quoted in this article as saying during an NPR interview: "The idea is that things like Lincoln's second inaugural address and Martin Luther King's letter from the Birmingham jail ... are worthy of close attention.  ...  Not just in a historical context, but also for the interweaving of thought and language."  The remainder of the article contains explanations by the author (Nathan Sun-Kleinberger) of how he uses nonfiction text while teaching his students creativity.  He teaches AP Language and Composition.  Sun-Kleinberger follows with specific examples of how he does this.  He proves that when a writer makes purposebul choices in his words, he can be creative in writing nonfiction.  In his examples, he uses the Declaration of Independence, inaugural addresses, and Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.  These are all wonderful examples of how an effective teacher can use almost any material to inspire students and relate the text to real-world situations.

Education is in (another) state of change and change is usually frightening for the majority of people.  If we embrace the change as a step forward, we can make the most of it.  I like the way the last line of this article sums it up: "If we have the courage to embrace nonfiction writing as an art form, perhaps we will inspire our students to freely speak their minds like King, Lincoln, and Roosevelt."


http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/04/03/tln_sunkleinberger_literacystandards.html?tkn=WMCC7Mil54GV0%2BqU%2Bmb9JARWgLDMMHQoVFed&cmp=clp-sb-teacher

Common Core State Standards --

Ready or Not, Here It Comes!

 

Most states have now adopted the new Common Core State Standards.  Florida is among them.  I, for one, am excited about the new standards.  I have attended conferences and trainings about them over the past year and a half or so and believe they will enable teachers to once again rely more on their own expertise rather than a scripted basal reader.  After attending a state conference in Ft. Lauderdale in June of 2012 with my principal and two other teachers, my position in my school was changed from a third grade teacher to the Professional Development Resource Teacher.  My primary responsibilities were to assist teachers as they made the transition from the NGSSS to the CCSS and to deliver appropriate professional development sessions to augment those efforts.

 

Therefore, it pleased me to see the article on edweek.org.  The state department of education in Tennessee has selected 704 teachers to be trained in depth in the Common Core State Standards and to then train the other 30,000 teachers in Tennessee.  The hope is that there will be greater teacher buy-in when other teachers are leading the way in the trainings.  The session will consist of five weeks of summer training led by teacher-coaches.  There are no other states mentioned in the article that are planning on such a comprehensive training.  Maybe it should be considered.

 

 

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2013/04/i_recent_heard_from_a.html

"Taking a New Approach to Reading in Epping"

 

This is a short article, but one that I found very interesting after reading Thomas Newkirk's book.  Teachers at Epping Elementary School in New Hampshire have "uncluttered" their curriculum, following Newkirk's sixth literacy principle.  They elected to teach without a basal reader and without teaching guides.  While I've personally heard teachers say they would like to do this, I seriously doubt that most would actually follow through.

 

 

The Epping teachers admit that it is more work for them, but they believe it is worth it.  The students' reading and writing scores have improved and they seem more excited about reading and learning.  Instead of teaching guides, teachers observe students and create their own lessons based upon student needs.  How can this not be successful when done with integrity?

 

 

Other schools are beginning to incorporate this new reading model also.  Students are allowed to choose books they want to read and are reading more independently.  As a result, the students like to read more.  Obviously, because this involves extra work and judgment by teachers, it takes special people to teach in this environment.  I would personally love the challenge!

 

 

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130329/NEWS04/130328963



Teachers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are exploring the use of technology in their schools by students.  About 80 teachers from the school district spent six months researching and analyzing the use of electronic devices by students and how technology could best help their learning.  They presented their findings last month.

The hope was that by using teachers for this research, ways to incorporate technology so that it was the most beneficial for students would be a top priority, as opposed to simply how to use technology to teach.  I was impressed with their guiding question -- "What concepts and skills have historically been difficult to teach?"  They began there and built on how to use technology to assist teachers in areas they felt there was the most need.  For example, helping students learn math facts seems to be universally difficult.  These teachers discovered that using iPads for this purpose boosted scores significantly.  The students were engaged and learning, despite the "fun" aspect to it. 

Another teacher uses a tablet to record her students' fluency, allowing them to listen to themselves.  Their reading rates have improved.  There are many instances cited where students have been helped by technology.  While every school can't possibly supply every student with a personal iPad or laptop, we seem to be moving in that direction.  Technology is here to stay, so isn't it wise to use it to our advantage?

Read the entire article at http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_22743548/burnsville-eagan-savage-schools-teachers-assess-technologys-role

--  B.Y.O.D.  --

 

 

Have you ever seen this notation on an invitation?  Lots of students have in the state of Alabama!  The letters stand for "Bring Your Own Device" and refer to personal electronic devices.  The idea is catching on in Mobile, Alabama, and other nearby cities.  Students are using their own tablets, smartphones, laptops, iPods, and reading devices in their classrooms to access information and make lessons more engaging.  This is an alternative to buying laptops for all students.  They bring in any device that has wireless access to the Internet to conduct research.

 

 

The participating schools must have laptops available for those students who are unable to bring in their own device, making sure nobody is left out.  Surveys in Mobile County indicate that about 75% of students, regardless of income, have these devices at home.  BYOD has reportedly been a huge hit with the students. 

 

 

Security has been beefed up at participating schools in order to prevent inappropriate access to the Internet by students.  More filters than normal have been put in place. 

 

 

With technology becoming so prevalent in our lives, BYOD may become more common in schools as they strive to keep up with the technological demands of students.

 

 

To read the article for yourself, visit http://blog.al.com/live/2013/03/more_mobile_county_students_on.html

Are you technologically challenged, or just want to become more proficient?



These are the latest two books I have purchased and I absolutely love them!  Lori Elliott does an excellent job of explaining how to use many, many types of technology.  With each section, she introduces the technology, tells how it can be used, and gives the reader a step-by-step tutorial on what to do.  She leaves nothing out!  I like the fact that I can use her book to try something new and she teaches me how to do it, assuming I know nothing at all about it on my own - which often is the case!  Secondary students would be able to follow the directions on their own. 

After giving very explicit directions on using the tool, Elliott includes a "Look What You Can Do" section where she actually walks you through a way she has used it.  Included are color pictures of each computer screen you will see as you move through the process.

I have begun to use more technology over the past year, but admit that sometimes figuring out how to use something seems like more trouble than it's worth.  With this book, I've established an Animoto account and made an Animoto video.  I also learned how to use Glogster and made a poster with it.  Using Edmodo is my next challenge!

Chapter 3

Balance the Basics: An Argument for

Parity Between Reading and Writing

 

 

The main point made by Thomas Newkirk in chapter 3 is that writing is sorely neglected in education today.  One problem is argued by James Moffett in Teaching the Universe of Discourse when he says "writing does not fit this disciplinary model--it lacks 'content' that other disciplines are built on.  Writing is both more pervasive, applying to all subjects, and less substantial in terms of information and material to be learned.  In the battle for curricular space, writing loses time and again."

 

There are many facts and concepts to be learned in all other subject areas - much content.  Because writing does not consist of facts to be learned, it is more abstract and is usually pushed to the side.  In my experience, writing is the first thing to be relegated to "when I have time to get to it" by teachers.  There is so much to teach and not enough time to teach it.  I believe a major problem is that teachers don't really understand how to teach writing and why it is necessary.  Most educators would tell you that you have to teach students to write a 5 paragraph essay in response to a prompt.  Elements would be determined by whether it is narrative, expository, or persuasive. 

 

While people do need to know how to write those types of essays, writing encompasses so much more.  People in many jobs, probably most, read and respond to emails daily.  People do this in their personal lives.  Think about all the texting we do.  Police write reports of accidents or other incidents.  Doctors must write detailed, accurate accounts of patient illness, diagnosis, and treatment.  Attorneys must produce clear, persuasive arguments in writing to be read by judges.  Teachers must write for many purposes:  lesson plans, notes to parents, newsletters, IEPs, RTIs, other documentation for students files, etc.  The list could go on and on.

 

If teachers could come to realize that writing is, or should be, involved in every content area we teach, then writing would become a regular, natural part of student work everyday.  Students should be writing in many useful and appropriate forms - not just prompt after prompt.  In that way, students would learn to use writing in a very natural and useful way.  Writing also helps the thinking process.  Children would understand their lessons better if they could do more writing, stretching their thinking processes.

 

One last thing - a bit of a pet peeve of mine.  Writing should not be used as a punishment in school.  Too often, I see students go to time out in another room and have to write something as a punishment.  This in no way helps the student and certainly doesn't promote a love of writing - quite the opposite!  Encourage a love of writing, just as we try to do with reading, and I think we'll all be surprised at what they can do.



 

I read an article from The Washington Post published February 2, 2013.  The article is entitled "Prince George's considers copyright policy that takes ownership of students' work."  Basically, this County Board of Education in the Washington area has proposed to copyright work created by staff and students for school.  Needless to say, this proposal has created quite a bit of controversy. 

 

According to the Board Chair, this is being done to establish who owns teacher-developed work while using apps on school-owned iPads.  However, the St. George's policy goes a bit further, stating that "work created for the school by employees during their own time and using their own materials is the school system's property."    This is probably an issue because of the market for lessons designed by teachers, i.e. Teachers-Pay-Teachers.  A University of Colorado professor believes the district is saying, "If there is some brilliant idea that one of our teachers comes up with, we want to be in on that.  Not only be in on that, but to have it all."

 

When questioned further, the Board Chair insisted that it was not their intention to "declare ownership" of student work.  She said they would have to restructure the language of the policy.

 

This seems like such an invasion of intellectual product.  If a teacher is employed specifically to work on a certain lesson to be used by a school or even a district, then it makes sense that it is the property of the district.  However, I have a problem with the notion that my lesson plans and any unique presentation or activity I might come up with is the property of the district.  I design lessons to meet the needs of my students in a way that I can be the most effective teacher possible.  I have never sold my lessons, but always freely share them with others.

 

How can anyone believe that student work is the property of a school district?  If a student writes an essay that wins an award, monetary or otherwise, that student should benefit from that work.  Students certainly are not employeed by the school district to produce work for the district's benefit.

 

I hope I'm able to see the outcome of this policy-making effort.  I find it hard to believe this policy will pass, but one never knows.

 



 

 

 



Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones, Chapter 2

After completing chapter 2 of Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones, I have to agree with the author that in many ways education hasn't changed since the 1940s when scientific research began to guide the course of education.  Teachers should be allowed to, no - actually encouraged to - teach children to read, using good teacher judgment.  There is a science to learning to read, not fads that become popular and are thought to work for all learners.  There have been several contradicting reports as to the value of independent reading and matching readers to books correlating with their reading levels.

Being in the classroom for many years has shown me the value of matching my students with books they are interested in and that are written on a level they are able to read and comprehend.  Igniting a passion for reading within children is such an exciting thing.  Once this passion is ignited, students discover the excitement and joy of reading.  Most often, unless there is a learning disability, the student takes off from there and learns to love reading.  While I do use research based methods, there is a lot of teacher judgment and individualized instruction involved.  I would hate to have my ability to use my own judgment taken from me. 

Chapter 2: The Teacher as Schmidt            

 





I discovered the meaning of Mr. Newkirk's title for this chapter.  He has gone back into history to find out where many of our teaching dilemmas originated.  In 1899 when the U.S. was at war with Spain, pig iron was needed for the war effort.  An efficient expert watched workers and decided that strictly controlling the movements of the workers, their work output would be doubled.  He began with a worker named Schmidt.  To earn more money, Schmidt had to work when told, rest when told, and never talk back or question.  It didn't take long for this concept to take hold in the educational field.  Obviously, Mr. Newkirk is equating the worker named Schmidt to today's teachers.

 

A plan was developed to enable larger urban school districts to become strictly organized and supervised.  One plan was William Harvey Wells' book, The Graded School: A Graded Course of Instruction for Public Schools with Copious Practical Directions to Teachers and Observations on Primary Schools, School Discipline, Schol Records, Etc ([1869] 1962).  I think the title pretty much says it all!  Schools were equated with businesses.  It was thought that by running a tightly controlled ship, the product could be attended to more efficiently, whether the product was pig iron or children.

 

Those supporting this principle asserted, "Teachers cannot be permitted to follow caprice in method.  When a method which is clearly superior to all other methods has been discovered, it alone can be employed..."  "The fundamental decisions about instruction must be made by management, not the 'rank and file'--for only a scientifically astute supervising class could oversee the full sequence of 'production.'"  Today we frequently hear all about research based teaching methods, etc.  While I value and read research, that doesn't mean that research can tell me the best way to help individual students.  As long as students are different from one another (and we know they are and always will be), teachers have to use much discretion in discovering the best way to help each unique individual.

 

The next part of chapter 2 is called "The Failure of Educational Research."  Another post will follow when I finish reading it.

 



 

Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones:

Six Literacy Principles Worth Fighting For 

by Thomas Newkirk

 

 

This book is divided into three sections, with chapters within each of those sections.  The first section, "Part 1: The Mechanization of Teaching," contains the first two chapters.  I wondered immediately at the title of the first chapter, "The Curse of Graphite."  Mr. Newkirk begins with a history of electronic methods for scoring tests.  The first of these machines was developed in the 1930s by Reynold B. Johnson.  His experiments produced the "Markograph."  The Markograph could score graphite marks on a test sheet.  Hence, the #2 pencils passed out annually at our standardized testing times.  In 1935 the Iowa Test of Basic Skills was developed and quickly became the standard in American classrooms. 

Even now, students are tested on items that can be scored electronically.  This obviously eliminates so many qualities we attempt to instill in students, such as reasoning and thinking outside the box.  Teachers are engulfed in the standards movement, emphasizing standards-based instruction, enabled by scripted teacher instructions.  Mr. Newkirk advocates a balance between standards and teacher initiative, allowing for teacher decision making.  He states, "Unfortunately, in my experience many of the reforms that have been put in place are so restrictive--even distrustful of teacher creativity--that they strip teachers of agency and ownership of their own craft.  This is a heavy, unconscionable price to pay."  I agree that teacher judgment seems to be more and more pushed aside in the name of uniformity and standardization.  Standards themselves are a good thing.  We should have a plan for what needs to be taught.  I object to the scripted teacher editions.  However, it does make it easier for a substitute to come in and teach without knowing anything about our students.  But what does that say about what teachers are permitted to do in their classrooms?  Sadly, not much.

Mr. Newkirk discusses the situational aspect of teaching, such as helping a child who is having trouble decoding a word.  He highlights the number of variables that need to be considered by the teacher, all in a short amount of time, such as previous success by the child, frustration level, significance of the particular word, interest, prior knolwedge, child's strengths and weaknesses, teacher's patience level, and the behavior of the other children.  "Group comparison research may suggest patterns for large populations, but teachers must make decisions in complex and individual human situations.  consequently, there is an inevitable mismatch between the guidance research can provide--and the decisions teachers must make."

Another point is that standardization can lead only to sameness, not quality instrsuction.  I cannot count how many times I've said that "fair doesn't mean equal."  I think all good teachers will acknowledge that the way we treat students depends on so many varied factors.  Students need to be taught and treated according to their individual needs.  Even in the area of discipline, each student is an individual case.  That's what makes many hard and fast discipline systems fail.  Individual students respond to discipline in varied ways.  While some may require a more firm hand, others would be humiliated with the same treatment. 

One point made by the author that summarizes his thoughts in this chapter is "I will make the case that when curriculum is defined as covering 'content,' writing in particular is the activity that gets crowded out."  He goes on to say, "Time is chopped up into shorter and shorter units.  Depth gives way to breadth; and time-intensive activities like writing and revising fall by the wayside."  I know from talking to many teachers that this holds true.  Other than fourth grade teachers, most say that they have a difficult time giving writing the instructional time it deserves because of all the other requirements and deadlines they have to meet.

I look forward to reading Chapter 2 -- "The Teacher as Schmidt."  I don't know the symbolism of the name yet, but will eagerly read to find out!



 

 

 

 

 

 

I have begun reading Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones (2009) by Thomas Newkirk.  Mr. Newkirk taught at-risk high school students in the 1970s.  He is now Professor of English at the University of New Hampshire.  Mr. Newkirk is also the director and founder of its New Hampshire Literacy Institutes.  He has studied literacy learning from the preschool level all the way through the college level.

 

                         

 

Books by Thomas Newkirk:

The Art of Slow Reading (2011)

Holding on to Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones (2009)

Teaching the Neglected "R" (2007)

Misreading Masculinity (2004)

Performance of Self in Student Writing (1997)

Taking Stock: The Writing Process Movement in the 90s (1994, coedited with Lad Tobin)

Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide to Teaching College Composition (1993)

 

Children Want to Write - coeditor with Penny Kittle

The Essential Don Murray - coeditor with Lisa Miller

 

Thomas Newkirk has been named the 2010 recipient of the Gary Lindberg Award for his outstanding contributions as a faculty member of the University of New Hampshire.