Whatever It Takes - The Lottery

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Permalink Reply by Cris Reinhold on May 16, 2009 at 6:53pm

Can I get a copy of this book? I think those promises are profound! I like the idea. I think it is optimistic and surprising. I know that reality gets in the way of optimism. However, I WANT to jump on that train of thought. Is it realisitc to have ONE piece of the puzzle ( school, parent, child) to assume the full onus of a situation? Isn't it more realisitc to say, "We will do our part in helping each child succeed?" I do think that the effort needs to be joint. I also don't think teachers can dismiss a child's ability to learn based on economic status, etc....

Permalink Reply by Chris Ragan on May 18, 2009 at 8:29am

One possible reason why US schools could not make the same promise (in general, not overall) is because as a country we deal with a much more diverse population than Canada. Of course, some states are more overburdened than others, but it's very hard to educate everyone equally according to a set standard when 1) many students don't know how to speak/read/write the language, 2) special needs students are accorded right by law to be mainstreamed, 3) many urban areas are struggling to close the persistent and dramatic achievement gap between minority students and white students in America's public school system.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Luff on May 18, 2009 at 9:41am

Hey Chris - This is from a book our book club is reading. Canada is the last name of the person running the Harlem Children's Zone. Actually the quote refers to the charter schools they have created in Harlem. Probably one of the most challenging populations you can imagine. I will lend you the book if you want to read it.
Thanks for commenting, it is great that you are participating :)

Permalink Reply by Chris Ragan on May 18, 2009 at 12:00pm

Wow, I really misread that one. That's some promise, I guess it comes down to how they are measuring success. I'll borrow a copy if you have an extra.

Permalink Reply by Susan Dugan on May 18, 2009 at 2:14pm

As I read the first chapter, I was struck by how Geoffrey Canada has made this a personal mission for himself. These aren't other peoples children, these are his children and therefore their present and future lives are important to him. I think the idea of ownership is missing sometimes from our discussions. I, also, was struck by the picture that was painted about poor people. They understood the importance of a good education and how it affected a persons future. Although, I had heard the story before about how 3rd graders standardized test scores are used by the penal system to predict the number of prison cells needed in 20 years, it still is a chilling prospect. Harlem's Children Zone is offering these people hope.

Permalink Reply by Kimberly O'Brien on May 18, 2009 at 6:35pm

Great book! I agree with Susan's comment about ownership. As teachers, we have a lot of influence on the attitudes and choices of our students and their parents. Are we using it to its fullest potential? Is ownership what's missing?

A few things I noted were...
On p,. 4 Tough talks about the goals Canada has for this Harlem population; to be "...full functioning participants in mainstream American middle-class life."
Then he asks, "What did they need to do to accomplish this?" This made me think of backward design. Having a goal in mind and matching our efforts and actions to that goal.
On the same page, Tough talks about Canada's plan to get 60% of the "zone" participating. My husband teaches alternative high school and we often discuss how difficult it is for kids to leave their environments in exchange for a better life. Even though they know that attending community college will lead to a better life than their current lifestyle of drugs, teen pregnancy, etc. they segregate themselves from their families and friends to do so. It's a leap of faith to leave a life you know for one that you've only been told about. For Canada to work on changing the entire neighborhood so that there is no feeling like an oddball or having to make new friends, is revolutionary.

Finally, on page 39, Tough describes Canada's emphasis on creating a program that can be "replicated nationwide." In education we are guilty to reinventing the wheel. Again and again. Good ideas are out there and if we're smart, we'll look for improvement ideas that we can copy instead of brainstorming by ourselves.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Baltz on May 21, 2009 at 9:55pm

That is exactly what I was thinking Kim...Wiggins, Hayes...Backwards Design!

I also agree with the 60% idea. It is very hard for a child to become successful in an area that does not value education as a key to success. If you can get buy in from a majority of the community and begin building strong community ties, you have a shot. It reminded me of the movie "Finding Forrester." In the movie a black high school student does just enough to get by in school, but scores very high on the state test. He is given a free scholorship to a private school as a result. His brother tells him not to mention the scores to anyone...
This is a movie, but it is also reality. There are plenty of students who are setting the bar low to fly under the radar, to be excepted by their peers.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Litz-Neavear on May 19, 2009 at 3:53pm

I heard this author on NPR last summer, and he is inspiring to listen to. I was particularly impressed with his involving parents via a Baby University (not sure if that's the name). The point is, obviously, to engage that most important part of the success puzzle (i.e. parents) as early as possible. For example, the parenting classes teach about locus of control -- that just because a two-year-old child can be forced via physical threat to sit quietly doesn't mean he has learned to behave -- nor that this behavior should be expected from a toddler in the first place. I'm feeling somewhat frustrated with some of our parents after preparing for and attending 10 IEP meetings for 2nd and 3rd graders, when only 3 parents showed up at their scheduled time.

I'm also wondering about Canada's definition of success. Is the success of our students measured by scoring Proficient on the ASK Test? After sitting with six third-graders for what amounted to 12 hours of testing, I could tell their parents that I think they have achieved a measure of success. Probably none of them will score as Proficient, but to me it is HUGE that these kids were able to persevere through very difficult tasks without melting down or giving up. We can't measure that kind of success on a test, but they are definitely progressing. I'm proud of them all -- and all of their teachers.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Baltz on May 21, 2009 at 10:21pm

I am always moved by people who spend their lives trying to better society, so of course I think this was a great choice for the book club. After crying through parts of the first chapter I can see that I will need to read this late at night when the house is sleeping and I have a box of tissues handy.

I want to add more to the quote that Jen published...Canada continued to say to the parents, "If you work with us as parents, we are going to do everything-and I mean everything-to see that your child gets a good education." I do believe that when educators are determined to make a difference in the lives of the children in their schools, they can surmount many obstacles. It is also important to hear what Canada is saying. He knows that the school alone cannot solve every problem in the lives of these children. The school can be the catalyst to solve all of the problems however. With community outreach and parenting classes (As Lisa noted), and adult education..., children can reach their full potential.

I was struck by the third paragraph on page 18. Canada says, "There's just no way that in good conscience we can allow poverty to remain the dividing line between success and failure in this country..." We all know that this is the case in many parts of the country, not just NYC. I took my 2nd graders to see a play at the Arden theatre one year for a school trip and a student made an observation that haunts me to this day. As we exited the theatre, another school was lined up in the entry way. The students from the school were all black and a child from my class said, "Mrs. Baltz, I thought you said we don't have segregation in America anymore." My heart hit the floor. Here I am preaching all year about racial equality. What about social equality. We are teaching in a district with over 40% of the population receiving free or reduced lunch. When you are teaching in a district like ours, you do have challenges that other districts don't. What works for one school may not work for another 100% of the time, but I think it is worth while learning about others' successes and trying to replicate or create programs and incentives that have been proven to succeed in similar or needier districts. Will this book be the answer to all of our woes-NO. Might we find some pieces to the puzzle-I am interested to keep reading to find out.

Permalink Reply by Jeff MIller on May 25, 2009 at 1:20pm

I was struck by the studies of the Head Start program discussed on pg 3... "studies have determined conclusively that graduates of Head Start entered kindergarten ahead of their inner-city peers. And plenty of studies had shown that a few years later, those same graduates had slipped back to the anemic achievement level of neighborhood kids who hadn't attended Head Start. A few years of bad school and bad surroundings were powerful enough to wipe out all of the program's gains."
I immediately thought of Robert Marzano's work on the impact of effective schools and effective teachers on student achievement. In his book, Classroom Instruction That Works, Marzano writes (pg 2), ..."the results of this study will document that the most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher. In addition, the results show wide variety in effectiveness among teachers. The immediate and clear implication of this finding is that seemingly more can be done to improve education by improving the effectiveness of teachers than by any other single factor...."
Could there be any stronger argument for participating in professional development opportunities to continue to improve ourselves as teachers and have an impact on our students' learning? As educators we should have the burning desire to improve ourselves with the most effective research based instructional strategies available. Instructional Strategies such as those in Marzano's book can guide classroom practice in such a way as to maximize student achievement. The power of professional development is so evident....

Permalink Reply by Mike on May 28, 2009 at 2:52pm

Hi All.... hope this finds everyone well and great to see a dialog like this.

I find Canada a passionate advocate for kids at-risk and all our schools have many that fall into this category.....

He creates ways to interfer with the....

SEEDS OF DISCOURAGEMENT

1. DESTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

2. CLIMATES OF FUTILITY

3. LEARNED IRRESPONSIBILITY

4. LOSS OF PURPOSE

For me.... particularily with our "hardest kids".... it has been helpful to remind myself that....

“Education is always a vocation rooted in hopefulness.” ( B. Hooks )

Jeff.... i like your reference to Marzano's work.... in addition i would add these thoughts....

Research: School Leadership

Leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school.
Leadership effects are usually largest where and when they are needed the most.
(Leithwood, Louis, Anderson,& Wahlstrom, 2004)

Marzano(2003 & 2004)- Leadership

Leadership could be considered the single most important aspect of effective school reform.

Leadership is a necessary condition for effective reform relative to the school level, the teacher level, and the student level factors.

This combination of effective leadership with-in the school community leads toward the creation of

TURNAROUND SCHOOLS.

“ A school can create a coherent environment,” a climate more potent than any single influence- teachers, class, family, neighborhood- “ so potent that for at least six hours a day it can override almost everything else in the lives of children” ( Edmonds, 1986 )
Young people describe “turnaround” schools and classrooms as being like:
“a family” ; “a community” ; “ a sanctuary” ; “ a safe haven”….


Turning Points 2000 (Jackson & Davis )

“ Among youth at risk from health or behavioral problems, family dysfunction, poverty, or other stresses, the most important school factor fostering resilience-
defined as “successful adaptation despite risk and adversity” (Masten, 1994)- may be the availability of at least one caring adult who can function as a mentor or a role model.” ( Miller, 1998 )
“research has shown that the degree to which students are engaged and motivated at school depends to a great extent on the quality of the relationships they experience there.”
( Eccles & Midgley, 1998. Lee & Smith, 1993 )

Wondering:
As you reflect on the students that struggle the most with-in your school community...
how would you describe the quality of relationships those students experience at school?

be well.... mike