Education Reform Starts at Home

Dr. Jim Taylor suggests some interesting ideas on education reform.  (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/real-public-education-ref_b_786627.html).   He agrees, as do I, that until greater parental involvement is achieved, we will not be able to solve the perceived education crisis.  His idea is to create the "American Good Parent Initiative", a five-pronged approach to increasing parenting skills, placing more importance on reading and improved daycare.  He suggests that this initiative be funded by the federal government, foundations, hedge fund managers and others with deep pockets.  I totally agree that if parents do not make education a priority, then neither will their children.  I especially like the idea of parenting classes and think that anyone who has a child should be required to participate in ongoing training on raising children.  Don't you think that it would be good for society in general, and not just education?

Does Social Networking Cause Antisocial Behavior?

In his New York Times article, "Antisocial Networking", (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/fashion/02BEST.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1), author Hilary Stout addresses concerns about teenagers' constant use of electronics and the impact on their social behavior.  The most shocking part of the article to me was the fact that "Americans between the ages of 8 and 18 spend on average 7 1/2 hours a day using some sort of electronic device, from smart phones to MP3 players to computers."  Kids, mine included, would rather use their cellphones to text a friend rather than just call them to talk.  One mother in the article actually texts her kids from her bed to tell them to get off the computer.  The author brings up the point that this plugged-in behavior is affecting the ability of kids to read facial expressions, voice intonations and body language.  I think that to some extent, this behavior is "impersonalizing" society -- that people will not know how to behave in face-to-face interactions because they are so used to having an electronic device between them.  Any thoughts?

Is Master's Pay Going Away

Check out the article, "Economists Take Aim At Bonuses For Teachers With Master's Degreeshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/20/teachers-bonuses-masters-degrees-_n_786449.html.  U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is citing figures from studies showing that teachers with master's degrees are not more effective than educators with only an undergrad degree.  Duncan suggests that a way to trim the education budget would be to do away with master's bonuses because they are not justified.  Apparently, Bill Gates feels the same way, stating "My own state of Washington has an average salary bump of nearly $11,000 for a master's degree – and more than half of our teachers get it. That's more than $300 million every year that doesn't help kids."  Suggestions include increasing starting salaries and the ever-popular tying compensation to student achievement gains.  I am of the firm opinion that education is never wasted and provides benefits in some way.  Why shouldn't a person be rewarded if they make the time and effort to improve their job skills?  I'm worried that education reform is the topic du jour and people just want change for the sake of change (e.g., the most current election) without truly examining the long term effects.  Does that mean all of us in EDU 653 are wasting our time and money? 

As if Teaching Weren't Difficult Enough

Wow.  Check out this article about Holly Winter, a Colorado teacher who suffers from "visual amnesia."  (http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/2010-11-15-visual-amnesia_N.htm?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader)   Holly was in a car accident 21 years ago and suffered permanent brain damage.  She has no visual memory -- sort of like the main character in the movie, "Memento."  She teaches 6th grade and keeps track of her students with a list of their physical characteristics and has photos of the students around the classroom and on their journals and has devised a system to deal with daily life.   Holly considers herself to be a good example to others as to how to live with a permanent disability and does not allow her students to make excuses for their physical ailments.  I cannot imagine how difficult it would be to get through a teaching day (let alone any day) with that type of disability.  I would love to have cameras follow her in the classroom for a day.  I'm sure that any teacher and any human being would find inspiration in her story.

You Are What You Read

I came across this Scholastic website "You Are What You Read" and had to share it (http://youarewhatyouread.scholastic.com/).   I have been a voracious reader my entire life and became a teacher to encourage children to develop a love of reading.  The year I taught supplemental reading was one of the most fulfilling of my life.  I'm one of those people who walks through the airport or around a hotel pool and checks out what books other passengers have in their hands!  This website allows me to do that without having to go through airport security!  People (famous and not-so-famous) contribute a list of their favorite books.  It's fun to check out others' favorites and compare them to mine.  This site would be a good start for a book club or reading discussion.  Hope you get a chance to check it out!

Father Sues School Over Slavery Reading

A Sterling Heights, MI (Detroit suburb) elementary school has been sued by the father of a fifth-grader claiming that the reading of a book on black slavery during Black History Month has caused his daughter harm and specifically alleges that the reading "affected the conditions of learning duties and the advantages of her further education, and seriously affected her mental and emotional well-being, past, present and future."   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/11/father-sues-detroit-district-over-slavery-reading_n_782174.html.   Passages from the book, Julius Lester's "From Slave Ship to Freedom Road",  were read and a "positive" discussion was held afterwards.  What is interesting about this lawsuit is that the father did not contact the school with his objections until three months after the passages were read.  Does anyone believe that the child was truly damaged or that the father is looking for an easy payday?   Has he ever had an intelligent discussion with his daughter about the horrors of slavery and other atrocities of world history?  If the reading was so disturbing, how come no other complaints have come forward?  Teachers, please let me know your thoughts.

Ball Chairs in the Classroom

A fourth grade class at St. Simons Elementary School has traded in their standard classroom chairs for "ball chairs."  Ball chairs are similar to rubber exercise balls, but have prongs on the bottom to help keep them in place when not being used.  The classroom teacher, Jacqueline Tyre, reports that the balls have been a big hit with the students.  The balls have eliminated the problem of keeping feet off the chairs and allow the kids to have movement and flexibility during the day.  She allows the students to bounce on the balls during morning announcements, probably to get the "bouncing urge" out of the way.  Elementary kids are not made to sit still on chairs for most of the day and this seems like a good alternative to the stiff-backed chairs that I grew up with.  http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2010/11/03/mct_gaballchairs.html?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss