Where's the Rigor?

The Educator's newspaper, "Education Week" is one of my favorite periodicals. It opens the door to what is going on in education across the nation and even in other countries. As I read, it seems there is one common theme in all the essays, be it a topic on Writing, Science or Charter Schools, etc. The bottom line seems to really be, "Where's the rigor"?

For instance, a few months ago, there was a wonderful article about how students do not understand the writing process anymore. I was so excited about that article, because I agreed wholeheartedly, I had to post it in the teacher's lounge so others could read it. Our school had very poor standardized writing test scores last year in third grade and in fifth grade, where the students are assessed. As a result, teachers are having to attend workshops, and re-learn how to teach the writing process. It seems that how we were taught to teach writing was wrong, and we, as teachers have been doing it wrong for so long. We were told to forget about the 5 paragraph essay. We no longer are teaching paragraph writing that way anymore. I guess all I can say to that is "I not only learned how to write an essay, but I also learned as a child, parts of speech, diagramming sentence structures, creative writing, and even how to spell words, and cursive writing as well.

To go a step further, what is wrong with rote learning? There are times children need to just memorize because eventually it will make sense. I liken this to a child and a parent, "Just do as your told." The child will understand the wisdom behind the request later. Rigor is when a child's processing skills are challenged. Are we challenging them or are we spoon feeding them in order to attain annual yearly progress? Some say we don't have time to challenge kids, because we need to teach to the test. For example, as a social studies teacher, I would love to move deeper into the people, places and events I am required to teach. However, the SS curriculum chart tells me, two weeks, then move on! Again, where is the rigor an d do we even have time for rigor? Why do we need rigor when each state achievement test is a "basic" test? Our standardized tests aren't even asking students for rigor. All we want is the basic....Kind of like, a new car without any frills...It works and will get you where you want to go, but for how long? On the other hand, if the tests were challenging and students had to think deeply, critically and even had to keep a portfolio of some sort...Now, that would be the kind of "car" I'd buy.....the one with the rigorous horsepower. the one that gets better with time, and even more valuable....Yeah, That's where the rigor is....So, what do you think about all this?

Renni Wooden

Leadership Qualities

Some of you may feel that leadership qualities may not actually be a critical issue in education. However, as a teacher whose taught at 5 different schools, I've experienced several different leadership styles in the principals I've worked for.

Some principals I've worked for were past coaches, and dealt with the leadership as managers. Other principals were instructional leaders, where they incorporated professional development opportunities for teachers whenever possible. In my blogging opinion, there seems to be a need for transformational leadership in most schools these days. Why? Because most schools are going through transformations from smaller learning academies in High Schools to Special Education collaboration with regular education teachers.

Leadership is not what it used to be in education. Principals cannot isolate themselves from students, teachers or parents these days. They must work side by side their assistants and finding ways for teachers to be more effective and be a part of the data disaggregation.

Teachers who are dynamic and "on-fire" about what they do with students need to be supported by their administrators, rather than squelched. Strong leaders encourage innovations rather than feel threatened by them. What do you think? What is your take on effective leadership? Have any stories to tell out there?

Renni Wooden

Why are so many Black Boys not Succeeding?

It seems even before a black boy completes kindergarten, he has laready been labled: slow learner, disruptive, behavior problem, behind in most subject areas, and negative social interactions. Do you see this happening in your school system? The irony (in my blogging opionion) is that it seems to me, that so many female black educators write many of these boys off and want them sent out of their classrooms. Several years ago, an educator was writing her dissertation on a similar topic, and she noticed that more black teachers wrote black boys up with behavior referals than write teachers? Many of the reasons were minor incidences. While white boys who exhibited similar behaviors were treated diffeently. Furthermore, when comparing this information, the white boys were given more ISS, while the black boys were suspended. The administrator was a black woman as well.

Our local community has begun a symposium on this issue. We are failing our black boys. There was a time when I was a teenager, and many years before that, that in the 1930's this county was seen as extremely progress. The founder of Sears and Roebuck and C. established many schools in the rurla south, this county being one of them. These schools were called the "Rosenwald" schools. It was set up for black children, who otherwise may not get an education. As a result, this county, in rural southeast Georgia, had a very high percentage of African Americans not only graduating high school, but entering college, and becoming doctors, lawyers and successful business men

It seems that time period has gone. By the late 1980's, there has been a steady decline in black boys graduating high school, let alone, entering college. They are now entering prisons. What has happened? Your thoughts and opinions on this subject is needed to help correct this problem. Until these boys begin a new chapter in their futures, our schools, and communities will suffer.

Thank you and I look forward to your comments.

Renni Wooden.

Sports vs. Academics

Do you ever feel that your school system cares more about the money that the football team brings in than the academic achievements of the high level learners? I believe all schools need to provide students with extra curricular activities, however not at the expense of others. Our local newspaper has a whole section on the school sports of the county. Nothing is written about the scholars we have at our school. What message are we sending to others?

For example, one year when our football team were contenders for the state 5A championship, school was shut down for a half a day so community members could travel to the came. It is also public record the support salary our Head Coach makes...His supplement is $25,000 and of course a new truck! WOW! It's good to be the Head Coach! We had a reading teacher achieve the 5th highest reading scores in the state, and I don't see her receiving $25,000 or a new truck???? I must be missing something. I guess my priorities are mixed up. I thought we valued student achievement? I thought we valued teachers who work long hours and with students who may not have accomplished much without a teacher's guidance....

What is going on here?
comments?

Renni Wooden

Serving Special Needs Children

This is the first year my school system is using a different way of identifying students who may need special services for a specific learning need. It is "Pyramids of Interventions", and it consists of "Tiers". Basically it seems that it was desigend to prevent an influx of students being labled into Special Education. I am all for students being mainstreamed and working in a collaborative environment. On the other hand, what I am currently observing is that the teacher has little input when the Response to Intervetion team comes together to evaluate a student's progress. Our school system tests students using a "dibel's assessment on their fluency. If a student has a high fluency rate, then they should be able to attend a regular education classroom. However, these students may know how to read the words to be fluent, but their comprehension is very low.

Educators,
What is your take on the Pyramid of Interventions? How are your Special Education students taught? (co-lab, mainstreamed? )

It seemsto me we spend so much time working on students with IEP's due to all these federal mandates, that our best and brightest are sitting on the wayside. Why do gifted students NOT have IEPs? The gifted program in my county has not been regulated and may of the students in this program do not have a set of standards to learn by...It is basically wahtever the teacher wants to do with them...What is your take on this as well?

Renni Wooden

public funding for private schools

My husband and I were discussing Georgia Senate Bill 10 today. This bill allows parents to use taxpayer dollars to send children to private schools. The bill states that the parent knows what is best for their child's education, therefore public funding should be used for this purpose.

As an educator it seems that this new law minimizes the professional judgment of teachers and school administrators.
Not only does it minimize pubic education opportunities, this law allows children to attend private schools where teachers may not have credentials that the NCLB act deems "Highly Qualified".

What does this say to educators? Parents need to be part of the public school process, not work against it. As public school educators, we really want parental support and parental involvement. How can we work toward this end if the state senate does not support us either?

Renni Wooden