Professional Development, free or not free

I had an interesting conversation with a young teacher a few days ago. She felt quite strongly that professional development for teachers ("PD") should be free, and as a result she refused to and would refuse to pay which she claimed is a common position amongst her peers. This of course raises several interesting questions.

Surprise Billing and Insurance Fraud

I just heard an NPR story on "surprise billing" which reminded me of an episode in my own medical journey. It was not only an unexpected bill, but I am confident it was also medical fraud.

Perhaps this is why the police are losing support

Another day, another coffee and this time we were talking about the police. My friend and I, highly-educated, professional, middle-class and middle-aged, were talking about something in the news this morning. Calls to "de-fund" the police. Neither of us supported removing police funding, Both of us supported re-directing police funds or re-prioritizing, for example to more visible policing and to less militarized weaponry. What was interesting was that we both distrust the police and that should be concerning.

Appropriate or controversial - what is a school to do?

This story about a teacher in Burlington, Wisconsin raises two important questions for schools and teachers. One is the old beauty - eye - beholder and the other is when is it appropriate to touch on certain topics. There is no simple answer to either; the best solution lies in having clear policies and a supportive school culture.

This is a tricky one

Grade inflation seems to be a recurring favorite among politicians, journalists and educational critics, specially when discussing colleges. Reportedly, the number of high grades goes up year after year and so the obvious inference is that courses are easier, standards are falling or both. Yet the only reports I recall reading are always about top schools like Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford. Perhaps the smart are getting smarter.

City parking court lost my respect

I went to court again, this time as a defendant. A few months ago, I went to a local pre-school's annual open door with student displays, parent barbecues, games and fun for the whole family. This preschool is located in an upmarket neighborhood with clearly posted parking limits and restrictions for blocks. I parked about four blocks away and went to the fair, and when I returned to my car two hours later within the three-hour limit was most surprised to find a ticket on the windshield. Not for parking too long, but for parking within 8 feet of a driveway. This $125 fine was entirely bogus so I decided to contest it.

Dual-enrolment is a great idea

I had breakfast with a former colleague this morning. I say breakfast, but it would have been more accurately described as lunch. She was telling me about the dual-enrolment program at her local school and I confessed to being a fan although my dual-enrolment experience was different. It was for elementary students.

NPR is not as objective as they claim

I am listening today to the election results, commentary and explanations on my local NPR station. To be fair, they are not NPR although they brand themselves as such. They are an entity provided by the local state university and they purchase programming from NPR amongst other public radio providers. Both the local station and the NPR feed are claiming seemingly every five minutes or so that they do not offer opinions, they bring the facts, they are objective. None of this is true.

I will never support a Council on Aging

 Some years ago I had an elderly neighbor who had no family apart from a disinherited son and was in some financila distress. He had no income no income but he owned his home, so I offered to buy the home at then market rates, with him to stay there until he died or had to go into care with free rent paying only taxes and insurance. There was also something about maintenance, although I do not remember the details. His attorney and my attorney were happy with the concept, the law and the contract. Then his son found out.

Wealthy private schools

Several articles in the last month or two have mentioned "wealthy" private schools, including eye-catching tables and charts. Possibly this is intended to invoke "shock horror" or "omigod, how they can be so wealthy and still charge fees (or such high fees". Other than coverage of US college endowments, in none of these pieces have I seen a breakdown of what comprises this wealth, and even in the case of the endowments, a simple number without explanation or context probably provides a false picture.

Something in this response's tone does not seem right

 "As a school we cover mental health and personal well-being in the curriculum in all year groups and have support available in school through a pastoral team that includes two trained counsellors." This is the school's response when one of its students committed suicide as a result of bullying.

Schools send parents to debt-collectors

I just read a story in a UK paper about private schools sending parents to debt-collectors for unpaid fees. I can 't find anything about this in the US so I don't know if it is happening here. Predictably several commentators are clutching their pearls but I must say that in general, I agree with the schools.

Another justification for standards-based education

Possibly the major challenge in education is that of people talking past one another, and by that I mean people using the same terms but meaning different things. The solution is of course to agree on terms and definitions before any discussion, but, well, you know ... My point today concerns standards-based education, ie defining a standard, preparing students to meet or to exceed that standard and then assessing whether they do, (ie pass / fail) or by how much (ie grades). This prompts the question, "what is a standard?".

When this happens at a school, the school itself is guilty of bullying

A UK newspaper reports that a student hid in a bathroom for three days to escape his tormentors, and that this was only discovered when the school reported him to his parents for truancy. That this happened, that it took the school three days to act and that the school's response was to text the parents makes the school the aggressor and more culpable than the victim's attackers.

When a Board member gets it wrong

Two reports from former colleagues at two different schools, both dealing with something similar : a Board member sharing confidential information. Both cases were intentional, and both led to highly effective principals leaving and to years of problems and declines for the schools.

Is for-profit education always bad?

This of course is a trick question. You see, it mixes up "for-profit" with education and to be able to answer the question, and in order even to discuss the question, you must first define your terms.

Public v private space

The US Justice Department has just ruled that New Mexico "pandemic-related limits on classroom capacity at private schools in New Mexico [are] more restrictive than public school guidelines". It is unclear what effect this will have, but I agree with the principle underlying the Department's decision.

A clash in values

"Christian secretary, 44, sues school ... after she was ... sacked for opposing compulsory sex education and the rise of 'transgender ideology' in schools" reads the first paragraph in a story out of the UK. Kristie Higgs was working in a grant-maintained school which is like a US charter school, except that it is religious in nature and so able to have a religious mission and to teach religion-themed classes up to a certain percentage of the program.

No such thing as dyslexia

I have just read this article in The Guardian which quotes British researcher Joe Elliott as saying that dyslexia does not exist, "there is essentially no difference between a person who struggles to read and write and a person with dyslexia ... Dyslexia is such a broad term, he argues, that it is effectively meaningless [and] we should stop using the word dyslexia."

A cheap way to school improvement

 A few years ago I was approached by a student at the local college of education who wanted a group of stufents to complete a survey of some type. I immediately agreed as I believe that we as teachers have a professional responsibility to help form the next generation(s) of teachers. But this gave me a great idea - how to improve my school's program and its teaching with targetted interventions, for free!

One size fits all does not

Regular readers will know that I believe in developmentally appropriate teaching and learning which has a direct effect on grade or class placement. I disagree with putting children in classes based on random dates of birth which are unrelated to what a child can do and/or for whcih s/he is ready, leads to gaming the system through red-shirting and is a recipe for disaffection and a lack of engagement when a child is placed too "low" or too "high". So what is better?

Take a course in safeguarding and everything will be fine

A few days ago I received several promos for safeguarding*. I don't know what occasioned such a flurry, but the message was consistent. Take a course (or put your faculty through a course) and your worries / problems / risks will go away. Don't take a course and you are a neglectful / negligent / terrible human being. The thing is, courses do not safeguarding make. Instead, schools need to look at culture, and at staff and student supervision.

Interviewing

In most cases, applying for a position as a teacher or school leader will involve one or more interviews, and this can be something of a minefield. While other fields also use interviews in their selection processes, three things in particular stand out in education, and in my experience both direct and vicarious, things do not turn out well when a focus is not placed on all three.

Play-based or experiential learning versus play

A few years ago I was at a meeting of the local NAEYC affiliate and listened to several of the attendees ramble on about "play" and play-based programs and play being a toddler's "work". All seemed smug and supercilious, and one sneered at what she called "academic" pre-schools. Needless to say, not one defined her terms.

Learning to read

You probably know that in Germany and Finland, formal reading instruction begins in G2 whereas in the UK and the US it begins in K. The fundamental consideration here is not student capability vis-a-vis reading per se, but philosophy re teaching and learning for children aged birth to 7. The important thing is that neither view of reading is right or wrong, nor is it the final answer. Both must be a part of an holistic view of education. In mine, reading starts in the first year of PK or around age three.

Black women with 'natural' hairstyles are perceived as less professional

I have not read the study which prompted this headline, just an article discussing it. Reportedly, black women who wear their hair in afros or braids are seen as less professional than those who straighten their hair. This of course affects how they are treated, what opportunities they might have, promotion and earnings. Other than the more general discussions of right, wrong and relevance, what interests me is how this might apply to a school setting,

Choosing a school based on its reputation

I wrote yesterday about a parent who chose a school based on price rather than value who later regretted his choice. On a related note, I wrote a week ago about the risks of changing schools each time a parent sees what s/he thinks is a better option. Both posts prompt the question of how does a parent compare schools so that s/he can make the best decision for his/her child(ren) and family.

The Walmart Effect

Full disclosure - I have not read Charles Fishman's book*, however I did listen to a lengthy interview he gave soon after its publication. One of the points he made was that Walmart's founder discovered that American consumers would drive a considerable distance to save a penny, engendering the constant mantra of savings, price rollbacks, sales and discounts. Every commercial transaction has two principal factors, price and service or in other words, price and quality. The Walmart Effect largely removed quality from consideration.

Who is a school's client?

Schools exist between a rock and a hard place, a scylla and charybdis of serving two often conflicting clients. I do not mean politicians, national, state and local government or teacher unions. I mean parents and students.

The worst form of government, except for all the others

I was reminded of Winston Churchill's famous musing while listening to a radio piece on bikers travelling to South Dakota. One of the riders emphasized his love for "freedom" and how it is his "freedom" which allows him to ride his motorcyle, to go to South Dakota and to not wear a mask. The journalist noted that 60% of the population supported a mask requirement and that local Native American tribes were blockading roads to prevent these bikers from entering their areas. Clearly this view of "freedom" does not align with one of the basic tenets of democracy.

Righting a wrong or doing one?

University selection, by the university, is more of an art than a science and it appears that every model has its flaws. The latest approach, from the University of Oxford, involves selecting students based to a large extent on the school they attended. The Universty of Oxford has announced that students from "struggling" schools will still be admitted, even if they do not gain the normally required grades.

Tax breaks for schools

Should schools receive tax breaks? It's an easy-enough question, until you look at what a tax break is, and of course dive into the recurring puzzle of defining a school. Let's look at some of these points.

Dollars and sense - financial literacy in schools

About a year ago, the US Federal Reserve reported that 40% of Americans did not have $400 available for an unexpected bill, while 12% would be unable to pay an unexpected $400 bill at all. Current projections are for this to become even worse. Clearly externalities are significant in this, however schools and the education system are not without fault. As well as Reading, Riting and Reck'ning, we should be teaching financial literacy.

Shopping for Schools

"School choice" is typically held up as a good thing. Allow parents to choose a school and they will leave bad schools which will pressure poor or average schools to improve while clearly identifying good schools since they will be full or oversubscribed. This market approach will solve one and all problems in education through simple evolution: only the strong survive. Adapt or perish.

Yes, bad teachers exist

"The Guardian" has just run a piece written by a doctor about about doctors containing the terrifying line, "All the while, they know in their hearts that there are one or two (possibly more) of these new doctors whom they would not allow to care for their family", ending with the exhortation, "We must challenge medical schools to ensure that every student they graduate must be someone they would allow to treat their own family. The same would apply to doctors responsible for supervising trainees." This too applies to teachers.

Bias in the media

I was half-listening to an NPR discussion on "bias in the media", "How to Repair the Public's Perception of the Press" and found myself increasingly irritated by the lack of precision in some of the key language used, especially by such senior and respected thinkers in the field. The two worst offences were "bias" and "news" or "news reporting".

Charter school profits

A former colleague has jumped into the charter school world and several of his comments caught my eye. (My ear?) Anyway, I found them interesting. His is a "traditional" or "classical" school meaning teach-to-the-test and he enjoys the 9am - 3pm, no evenings, no weekends lifestyle. The school has no special needs students, minor discipline problems and the parents are exceedinlgy supportive as they have convinced themselves that they are in a much better place than those remaining in district schools or silly enough to pay privately for education. His most interesting comment was that the non-profit charter school hires its founders through a private company to run the operation.

One swallow does not a summer make

From the "tarring all schools with the same brush" file. While working in a non-public school, a teacher claims s/he was instructed to ignore a student's special needs in the fear that acknowledging them might lead to the student's withdrawal and thus the loss of the tuition payment. His/her solution? Return to public-school teaching as such a thing would never happen there.

Give that student a gold star

Teachers routinely use rewards and punishments in class to guide students to desired behaviors and even to recognize high scores in an assessment. Schools and teachers should stop. The basic premise is simple. If a student receives something desirable for an action, s/he will do it more and if that something is undesirable, s/he will do it less. The problem is the other things which happen.

This old chestnut

I was catching up with my friend Joe the other day and he told me of a problem they had in their school last year. Parents had been very energized, with petitions, storming meetings, trying to involve media and state politicians, and taking a great deal of time and energy from administrators and teachers. The reason? The school was reviewing its sex education program.

School bars dad from kid's camp

This is a tough one from my "What is a school to do?" series. A loving father, which is good, wants to be involved in his son's school. which is good, and wants to volunteer at one of his son's school activities, a camp, which is good. However, Dad is in a gang.

Not an easy question to answer

I spoke to a former colleague today. I haven't seen him for months because of lockdown, so much of the conversation was "what happened to x?" and "what is y doing?". However, he floored me with a question about a teaching acquaintance of his, and as to whether he should act or not.

Return to school

The topic of students, teachers and other staff going back to school in these days of COVID-19 is front and center in the educational and parenting worlds. Yet there is a third party to these decisions who is neither. The decision-makers in this case are the politicians.

Board games

I came across an NPR story about a religious community who had no children in their local public school district and yet they took over that district's board. This reminded me of the trojan horse incident in England where another religious community took over that school's board. In both cases, this was democratic and lawful.  Neither was appropriate.

Do vouchers reduce spending on public education?

US National Education Secretary Betsy de Vos makes no secret of her desire to fund private education with public funds, and the recent COVID budget and stimulus bills are providing this opportunity. While fighting this, opponents inevitably raise school vouchers and education tax credits and paint them with the same brush.

To be or to become

It's the old nature v nurture argument again. Are you "born this way" or are you shaped by circumstance or even self-made?

Screentime, lockdown and COVID

Recent events have forced children to spend more time in front of a screen and the first results or studies should be coming out soon. I have a suspicion as to one of the things we will learn.

Why do teachers teach?

I saw an interesting study a few years ago about the average educational level of teachers 50 years ago compared to today. It was higher then.

How young is too young?

Education based on birthdays is just bizarre and I suggest is anti-child. Children should learn, do activities, join classes based on their appropriateness and not on some calendar square.

Apologies for the silence

You may notice a gap in time between my last post and this, and you may even be asking yourself, "why?".