What is coming next?!?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Luff on June 2, 2009 at 5:38am

I think it is about time something like this has happened. A clear, viable curriculum has been shown to have a major impact on student achievement. Why not have the greatest minds in education work together to craft a common set of educational goals? Then it is our responsibility as a school district to foster a discussion around how to best meet these goals. It certainly won't do any good if administrators, teachers, and students can not articulate them. These are interesting times in education - don't you love our job!

Permalink Reply by Mike on June 3, 2009 at 3:04pm

Hi Jennifer... hope this finds you well and thank you for your responce.

I would agree that these are extremely interesting times in education... and i do certainly enjoy my work.

What concerns me is where this very positve sounding rhetoric seems to go. The standards movement has been traveling down this road for a long time now..... we have coupled high-stakes tests and public reporting to the mixture and yet i am wondering about the over-all end result of what it is we are doing....and to whom.

Here are some thoughts that i also ponder: from and article by Kohn titled:
Feel-Bad Education
The Cult of Rigor and the Loss of Joy


"Why are our schools not places of joy?" This question, posed by John Goodlad exactly 20 years ago, was both a summary of his landmark study of American classrooms and a plea for his readers to realize that a place called school didn’t have to be as bleak as it was.
Today things are different, of course. Today we rarely even ask the question.

As i travel to many schools i often think of this little statement by Goodlad.

The irony is, appropriately enough, painful: Academic excellence, the usual rationale for such decisions, is actually far more likely to flourish when students enjoy what they’re doing. "Children (and adults, too) learn best when they are happy," as Nel Noddings observes in her book Happiness and Education. How they feel—about themselves, about their teachers, about the curriculum and the whole experience of school—is crucially related to the quality of their learning. Richer thinking is more likely to occur in an atmosphere of exuberant discovery, in the kind of place where kids plunge into their projects and can’t wait to pick up where they left off yesterday.

As i read the press release above.... i focus in on the words we use to describe how the vision and mission is framed and articulated.

Yet, America’s children still remain behind other nations in terms of academic achievement and preparedness to succeed.

‘We have to educate our way to a better economy,’” said Governor Corzine. “Common standards will give us the opportunity to focus our efforts on ensuring that our students are learning the skills that will be required for success as 21st century global citizens and workers.”


the global economy requires that they be prepared to meet the international standards to which students around the world are being taught,” said Commissioner Davy.

nationally and internationally recognized and trusted education experts

and of course........

The second phase of this initiative is to ultimately develop common assessments aligned to the core standards developed through the process.


For me there is really nothing new and exciting in this language. Seems as if most of the work already may be done.....see Achieve Inc. ( another inspiring name )

And yet the essence of learning.... the magic if you will that happens in classrooms between teachers and kids..... the art of teaching.... where are the teachers in this vision?

Is your school a place of joy for kids and adults???

be well.... mike

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Luff on June 3, 2009 at 3:35pm

I think teachers are squarely in the center of this. As in our district it is the teachers that revise the curriculum and create their lessons. Of course it is aligned to the NJCCCS - but I do not think this takes the art out of teaching. Instead, I believe that part of the art of teaching is teachers working together to achieve common goals for our students.
We certainly do not want an organization full of independent contractors. There can be balance between clear, common goals and creativity. Balance is possible. I think that we all need not be reactionary, but look at these changes for the benefits they can bring.

Permalink Reply by Mike on June 3, 2009 at 4:33pm

Hi Jennifer...
glad to hear that your teachers are in the center of the transformation movement....

and i am also glad to hear that there can be a balance of creativity and common goals.

My experience is a bit different..... most classrooms i get to visit are still mostly teacher directed and lead. This seems to increase as one travels up the grade levels.... and although it is a huge generalization....at the high-school level i rarely see differentiation with in classrooms.

I have also noticed that many middle schools are moving toward ability level grouping...particularily in language arts and math. Wondering what you have noticed concerning this?

I also wonder about what data we are using to raise questions concerning our practices.... i am not suggesting a return to the independent contractors that you mention...but a deep look with in the school culture.....

This is one model, of many available, that expands what i think with as i think data. First, let me be clear...data does not provide answers........data provides questions to pursue by a school and its staff!

As you look at Burnheart's diagram above....the majority of schools seem stuck in one or two circles....

Student Learning or Achievement Data They are testing ( particularily our most troubled schools) like tests alone do anything!!! What we see is more and more tests of all kinds that really do not help us much at all.

If you look at the top circle- Demographics- schools do a little bit on this circle but could do tons more! We could for instance take a look at student mobility rate to see if those kids that actually stay in our programs meet any success vs those kids that are contiually moving in and out of schools and districts.

We can look at all kinds of things in this circle; from gender issues ( do our girls do better than boys), to special education programs and classification rates. ... do our boys have more discipline problems than are girls.... what sub-groups of our boys.... endless questions to look at..... and in just one circle.

The area's that get very little attention in most schools are;

PERCEPTUAL DATA AND PROCESS DATA.

EXAMPLES OF PERCEPTUAL DATA:
Schools rarely ask the community,the teachers, the kids, and parents for input on how the "see" their school. This is a critical circle and one we rarely explore. It can also tell us if different groups of kids are experiencing school differently....who they are...and what environmental changes might influence their connection to this place we call school. This is an area where schools can look at BELONGING needs as well as get a sense if there is any joy with--in the culture.

EXAMPLES OF PROCESS DATA:
This cirlce can tell us alot if we look. For instance it could tell us which of our progams work, for which groups of kids do they work for and which kids do they not work for.
For example- does inclusion work better than self-contained classrooms for special education students? All of them or which ones?
Does physical education programs keep kids fit? Which ones?
Do our tilte 1 programs work and with who?
Does are school discipline process work.... with who.... what kids give us the most problems?


Procees data is critical.... it is where reform can happen.

My question..... how many of our schools are playing with data that expands past Student Achievement/Learning and Demographics?

As you look at the diagram above... what questions might you want to explore at your school?

Data as questions to explore vs Data as test scores to line up schools by socio-ecconomic status.... just seems to be a better use of our time and energy.

Wondering what it is you are playing with in your schools.....

be well... mike