Turning Seniors into Freshmen

Article Author name(s): Donna Rodrigues and Cecilia Le Title of article: Turning Seniors into Freshmen Title of journal: Educational Leadership Date of publication: April 2011 Volume of the journal: 68 Issue number of the journal: 7 Article Page numbers: pp. 79-83 Intended audience: high school students, parents, educators http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr11/vol68/num07/Turning-Seniors-into-Freshmen.aspx

Key Points: A “college success course” was created for seniors as a small 7-12 school is Massachusetts. In a deliberate effort to better prepare students for college, students meet twice weekly for the second half of senior year. The program was specifically targeted towards students who are first generation college students; many who speak English as the second language and whose families fall below the poverty level. The four main areas of focus are cognitive strategies, content knowledge, academic behaviors, and contextual skills and awareness. Colleges were finding that new freshman were unaccustomed to the expectation of college level work, and were often hesitant to meet with professors for additional help outside of class time. They also found that students would get lost in a lecture and the huge class size they were enrolled in. Classes within the success course are modeled after typical structures found within college classrooms, and are presented to students in different teaching styles that may be found in a college class. This is to accustom students to bigger class sizes, more writing assignments, better note taking skills and how to recognize the most pertinent information being taught. Students are given an opportunity to fail in this nurtured setting so that students become aware of the expectations of college before they actually get there and end up learning the hard way. Students are encouraged to set small goals along the way and pace themselves when working on larger research projects, and not neglecting the daily assignment either. The first round of participants were surveyed in a long term study, and 88 percent of students who participated in the program had either successfully graduated or were still on track to graduate within six years of college enrollment. Statistics of the college bound students who graduated high school before the program started in 2004 showed only 50 percent were experiencing the same successes.  

Relevance: As I was reading this article, I acknowledged two things. The first is that this is a small school, and the senior class is very manageable in size. The second thing to consider is that this class takes place over the second semester, when students are already aware that they have been accepted into college and may know which school they are attending. It’s nice that the resources of this program are specifically geared towards those students who know they will need better organization/ prioritization skills to get by in college. In a college setting, students must create a support group for themselves, because as we all know, college is not the protected nurturing place we are used to at home and in most high school settings. It’s a new dance that requires preparation and practice.

Race to self-destruction: A history lesson for ed reformers

Yong Zhao
"Race to self-destruction: A history lesson for ed reformers"
The Washington Post
April 7, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/race_to_self_destruction_a_history_lesson_for_ed_reformers/2011/04/06/AF68CfrC_blog.html?wprss=rss_education
Topic: Education Reform
This article highlights compares the history of Easter Island to educational reforms.
Key Points: The author foreshadows the parallel to building bigger statues on Easter Island and how that eventually ended up with the destruction and collapse of the society there.
Although interesting, I would liken the situation to ever growing entitlement programs of which, society is unable to afford. Eventually, someone will have to pay for everything or, the system collapses. It’s an interesting take and discussion.
Relevance: The argument will likely rage on about what reforms are needed and what are effective. It behooves us all to be aware of the discussion which will eventually turn from words to action..

Obama bashes his own education policies

Valerie Strauss
"Obama bashes his own education policies"
Washington Post
March 30, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/obama_bashes_his_own_education_policies/2011/03/29/AFKbDlyB_blog.html?wprss=rss_education

Topic: Ideas for improving education

This article points out differences which exist within the President’s administration and apparently, in his perception of what he thinks is good vs. what his secretary of education believes in. How this all gets finally resolved with the re-write of “no child left behind” will be interesting to see.

Key Points: The reason and use of standardized testing is one area of contention where I hope to see resolution.

Relevance: This new “no child left behind” policy will be key to defining the future of education, watching how this debate plays out in the coming months will be very enlightening.

Notes From an Accidental Teacher

Article Author name(s): Carol Ann Tomlinson
Title of article: Notes From an Accidental Teacher
Title of journal: Educational Leadership
Date of publication: December 2010/ January 2011
Volume of the journal: 68
Issue number of the journal: 4
Article Page numbers: pp. 22-26

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec10/vol68/num04/Notes-from-an-Accidental-Teacher.aspx

Summary: Forty year veteran teacher never had an itch to teach until she stumbled on a rural teaching job by chance. Over the years, this “accidental teacher” considers five beliefs to be useful in the positive structure of an educational system. Find a place that fits you: Find an environment that nurtures fearless practice and discovery. Work in schools that mirror your own development and value your goals and creativity. The place you teach at will have large influence over the type of teacher you become. Understand teaching as a calling: callings challenge us to be more than we think we can be and to draw on capacities we didn't quite know we had. Effective educators connect content and kids; they dignify whom and what they teach by making the act of learning dynamic and compelling. Know that you don’t know: The best teachers I have known are humbled by how much more they need to learn and seek professional development opportunities. Associate yourself with quality: Develop friendships with colleagues who set high standards and value those who constantly remind you of what excellence in the classroom looks like. Develop a keen sense of what quality looks like and expect quality from students and finally, Generate your own energy: All teachers feel they work hard, what makes the difference in the work ethic of high-quality teachers is that their work is regenerative; they draw energy from what they do. Finding this energetic balance of finding task is in itself what Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi (1990) calls “flow”. Passions outside of the classroom will help to fuel a teacher’s sense of balance, and will re-energize the teacher.

Relevance: I loved these main points because they are insightful and not often voiced among the educational community. As new teachers it’s helpful for us to examine the most commonly passed advice, but it’s also useful to utilize the advice that may be “outside of the box” but especially effective.

Spend Money Like it Matters

Article Author name(s): Frederick M. Hess
Title of article: Spend Money Like it Matters
Title of journal: Educational Leadership
Date of publication: December 2010/January 2011
Volume of the journal: 68
Issue number of the journal: 4
Article Page numbers: pp. 51-54

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec10/vol68/num04/Spend-Money-Like-It-Matters.aspx

Intended audience: Policy makers, administrators and teachers

Key Points: Instead of being used as a threat to measure good performance, merit based pay can be used in a smart way to attract, retain and reward great teachers. Just as dentists, engineers and babysitters are able to command higher pay according to results, teachers should also be able to make such commands. Using seniority and how many academic credits have been taken is not an accurate way to gauge a teacher’s value, nor is it effective to simply offer up bonuses for teachers whose students pass standardized tests. Rethinking pay can help make employees feel valued, make the teaching profession more attractive to potential entrants, and signal that teachers are being held in a professional regard.
“One-size-fits-all” pay scales are not good either, because they either mean we pay the most effective teachers too little, or the less effective teachers too much, as it’s a certainty that some teachers will and are more effective than others in any given area.
In order to better determine which teachers may qualify for extra merit pay schools must make comprehensive lists as to what skills, behaviors and results will earn a person increased pay. Aspects that may occur on the list could be scarcity of individuals in the labor market, annual evaluation by peers, professional observations, supervisor judgment, and so forth. The obsession with student test scores interest has been an unfortunate distraction.
In order to be successful in teaching students and making determinations as to the value of teachers, administrators need to look forward in how changes can be made, not backward. The test-based merit-pay scale moves backward in rewarding past performance (or at least their students’ performance) whereas offering up merit-based pay based off of knowledge, skill, and ongoing education is more a productive way to evaluate teachers and promote student learning and understanding.

Taming the To-Do List

Article Author name(s): Joann Rooney
Title of article: Taming the To-Do List
Title of journal: Educational Leadership
Date of publication: February 2011
Volume of the journal: 68
Issue number of the journal: 5
Article Page numbers: pp. 86-87

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/feb11/vol68/num05/Taming_the_To-Do_List.aspx

Key Points: Pervasive Busyness is a big problem for principles at schools across the nation. Multiple agendas from central and state offices place conflicting demands on principals. Too many non-essential meetings take time away from direct communication with teachers, students and parents. Principles must juggle multiple new initiatives instead of taking time for in-depth focus on any one area of emphasis. Administrators place much focus on paperwork and due dates that have little to no relationship to student learning, and are rather political necessities. Random or unexpected interruptions often take large chunks of time from a principles schedule, leading them to work excessively long weekly hours. This applies when there is a crisis situation or major student concern, which often can take up entire days to deal with.
The cure for this “pervasive busyness” is to set priorities and stick to them. This means that administrators need to learn to say “no” when necessary, be efficient at delegating tasks and must self-reflect on how their time is spent and how it can be better allotted. Stay connected to students my making effort to visit classrooms and connect with students. Delegate tasks to those trusted employees by sending them to non-essential meetings, for example. Also, make policy very clear so that teachers will be able to enforce rules among students without needing administrator assistance.
While the goal is to streamline efficiency, there are some essentials that should not be left by the wayside. Continue to learn by building a learning community with other administrators and always staying ahead of the learning. Slow down- running faster that necessary leads to poor decisions, mistakes, and forgetfulness—and ultimately wastes time. Build relationships that bring success and meaning to your work.

Relevance: This is interesting because it provides some insight as to the struggles administrator’s face, as opposed to only focusing on all of the requirements placed on teachers. It’s important to reflect that the entire system is burdened, and the current state of education is likely the result of the “trickle down effect”.