Great Teachers Make Great Schools
I do not know how many of my readers read Jay Mathews, the education reporter from the Washington Post (a free online publication which requires registration) but you should.
In an article posted on September 1, 2008 Mr. Mathews wrote about schools in Alexandria, Virginia and Washington DC. He correctly pointed out that “It is not the building, but the teaching which makes schools great. Under a school-improvement plan in the 1980′s and 1990′s Kansas City, MO., built schools with such amenities as an Olympic-size swimming pool with an underwater viewing room, television and animation studios, a robotics lab, a 25-acre wildlife sanctuary, a zoo and a model United Nations with simultaneous translation capability. It didn’t work. Poor performance continued.”
When we look to improve our nation’s schools, the obvious isn’t always obvious. We look to improve our hardware – our buildings, while ignoring that the most precious commodity a school building should have a capable, highly qualified but more importantly, highly effective educators.
Now is the time to act — to vote
Every morning, Americans (and people around the world) wake up to falling stock prices, job layoffs and doom and gloom predictions of a world-wide recession (or worse).
At the same time, politicians are suggesting that school budgets maKe do with existing funds or in the-worst-case scenario, cut spending. States like California and Texas have been cutting school budgets and laying off classroom teachers and administrators. And I believe this is merely the beginning of the tsunami.
Do you remember when gasoline prices peaked at $4 per gallon? School districts started shortening bus routes making children walk longer distances. Some districts considered going to four day weeks, expecting educators to teach students the same material in a shorter time frame.
We have not yet begun, what is being predicted a severe winter, with increased fuel costs. School budgets need to be approved by an increasing aging population and by people who have been let go from their jobs. It’s time to do several things:
- Remind politicians runnig for office that you are an educator and you vote.
- VOTE on election day for people who will represent your values. This blog has posted the Republican and Democratic party platforms dealing with education.
- Start speaking at school board, Rotary, fraternal organizations, Chamber of Commerce and Senior Citizen homes about the value that schools provide communities.
- Those of you who work in districts represented by educational associations or unions, suggest that they become increasingly visible within the community with bumper stickers, information flyers to parents, business leaders and other community people.
Remember the job you save maybe yours!
VOTE
“Failing Public Schools Pose the Greatest National Security Concern”
Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice at a women’s conference, made the statement above. The statement is similar to the one made by Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Meet the Press.
“It makes me terrified because… if we cannot do better in educating all of our people, then we are not going to be competitive in a global economy…the United States is not going to lead. Kids who might be the next Nobel Prize winner are trapped in some public school that’s just basically warehousing them.”
America in the 1960′s was concerned about providing equal access to our schools. Today our schools need to provide equal opportunity to all of our students.
Ms. Rice acknowledged that education has not been one of the more pressing issues in the current presidential campaign.
Low Attendance Rates – Why don’t students come to school?
Low attendance rates, which affect school funding, can be caused by a variety of things:
1. An unhealthy climate characterized by poor relationships between teachers and students.
2. The lack of enforcement of truancy laws.
3. Students who fall behind do not come to school because they are afraid they cannot catch up.
4. Coursework may not be challenging enough and students have become bored.
5. Students who are excluded from school because of school infractions.
6. Illness.
7. The need to take care of a younger sibling so that a parent can go to work. The need to take care of a ill family member.
8. The need for a student to go to work to help support a family.
In Virginia, it was found that “less than 18% of punitive school exclusions” were in response to serious infractions such as those involving drugs and alcohol, fighting and assault, weapons, threats and theft. In New York City, 20% or one-fifth of all elementary school students are absent more than one month of the school year. The number in high schools is far worse; 40% of all students miss a month or more of school. In middle schools, the number is 24% missing a month or more of school.
It is ironic that in many schools, the punishment for not coming to school – truancy – is school suspension.
Before teachers, counselors and school administrators react to student absence, they need to identify the cause and then use appropriate remedies depending on the cause.
The 35 highest dropout cities — Is your city on this list?
According to a study conducted by Achieve, Inc. and the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University, the most severe dropout problem exists, where nearly half of the schools graduate less than 50% of their freshman class, is concentrated in 35 of our nation’s largest cities.
The cities are:
- Indianapolis
- Detroit
- Cleveland
- San Antonio
- Baltimore
- Fort Worth
- Dallas
- Houston
- Chicago
- Philadelphia
- New York City
- Austin
- Columbus, OH
- Milwaukee
- Denver
- Kansas City
- Nashville
- Memphis
- El Paso
- Oklahoma City
- Portland, OR
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Boston
- San Diego
- Washington, DC
- Long Beach, CA
- Phoenix
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle
- Tucson
- Virginia Beach
- New Orleans
- Jacksonville, FL
- Charlotte
Several critical questions I believe need to be asked:
What do these cities have in common other than the fact that there are many of the students living in poverty and many of these students are minorities?
Can anything be gained by studying the fact that 2 of these cities are in Ohio, 6 in Texas, 2 in Arizona, 2 in Tennessee and 5 in California?
Does the fact that many of these cities are in states which border Latin America play a part in their names being on the list?
How much does state spending on education contribute to the problem?
How much of a role does the fact that many of these states are agricultural play in their names being on the list?
Till next time,
Franklin
Kudos from South Dakota
I recently presented in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, South Dakota and received the following feedback:
“Franklin is awesome with a lot of energy He conducts his presentation the way teachers should set up their classes to engage and maintain student attention.” Julie Thompson, counselor
“Similar to a good classroom experience one doesn’t look at the learning as work because of Schargel’s method of delivering the material. Jocelyn Hafner, Assistant Principal
“Franklin was so interesting and motivational, he made me want to be one of his students in high school.” Lori T
“He made me excited about the whole process.” Jeanne, Assistant Principal
“Franklin’s animated, information-packed presentation reminded me to be inspired and to inspire all students to achieve their potential.” Mary Fouts, In school suspension tutor
“I enjoyed the stories and the relevance it has toward the job I do. It made me want to be better and do more for kids.” Jackie Talley, Principal
“Dynamic, humorous, poignant program sing interactive approach to learning.” Special Services Director
“A push in a positive direction for those who are willing to take a risk and go against the norm to make a positive difference in the life of a student.” Tacy Bressler, Lead Instructor
“Direct, passionate about subject matter. Has real life experience.” Mandy Audiss, Counselor
“Franklin openly shares his knowledge on how we can really make a difference in my student’s lives.” High School Counselor
“Very inspirational. Makes you think.” Cherise Lerew, School Psychologist
“Franklin talks to you and not at you!” SD Department of Education
“Franklin is passionate about a serious subject and uses his experience, examples, and humor to engage participants in learning ways to keep kids in school.” Diane Lowery, NCLB & Title I Director
“School dropout is a concern for all schools whether your dropout rate is high, low or 1%. Franklin’s suggestions would fit into research-based driven agendas everywhere.” Guyla Ness, Reading & Assessment Coordinator
“Informative, witty, team-oriented.” Homer White Lance, para-Educator
“Practical for all schools for all students.” Dr. Cherie Farlee, Education Line Officer
“Franklin’s presentation was practical and engaging.” Dr. Les Odeguard
“Informative and engaging. Made me really think how I was teaching and keeping studen’s interests.” Teresa Hogeland, Enrollment Specialist
Winfree Academy – Dallas, TX
| November 23, 2008 | ||
| 3:30 am |
I will be delivering an all-day presentation to staff, administrators and the corporate partners of this multiple Charter School. The Winfree Academy has 6 campuses in Texas.
The presentation will be “Helping Students Graduate: Tools and Strategies to Help Students Graduate” for the staff. The administrators will hear “From At-Risk to Academic Excellence: What Successful Leaders Do” & “School Cultures That Embrace Learning”.
GRANT ALERT -AT&T Dropout Prevention Grants
AT&T Inc. The AT&T Foundation grants is offering grants to support high school retention programs for at-risk students.
The grants are part of the company’s signature initiative, AT&T Aspire, which was announced earlier this year to help address high school success and workforce readiness. AT&T has committed $100 million in philanthropy through 2011 to schools and nonprofit organizations that are focused on high school retention and better preparing students for college and the workforce.
As part of the Aspire initiative, the AT&T Foundation has committed $29 million in High School success grants to more than 170 schools and nonprofit organizations. Statewide, AT&T is awarding 35 grants totaling more than $3.5 million.
America’s Promise Alliance, the nation’s largest multi-sector collaborative dedicated to the well-being of children and youth, has noted that nearly one-third of U.S. high school students drop out before graduating “” with about 7,000 students dropping out every school day, or one every 26 seconds.
“High school dropout rates are a serious issue affecting more than 1 million students in this country each year,” said Kathy McKim, vice president, AT&T External Affairs “We’re committed to supporting the great work our educators are already doing in our local communities to help kids succeed by preparing them for a global economy. We’re lending a hand to build and expand these programs, and we’re gratified by the response to the program and look forward to working with these groups to build a brighter future for our youth.”
When Economic Times are good It is bad for education; When times are bad it is bad for education
With the American economy, and most of the rest of the world, in free fall, people’s attention focuses on their jobs, their future and the future of their children. Unfortuanately, politicians and policy makers focus on today and not tomorrow.
When the economy is good, politicians say that taxpayers need a break and should receive a tax rebate. They rarely indicate that we should invest more money in our nation’s future, our children and our schools.
When the economy is on the decline, the concern (correctly) focuses on repairing the decline. Tax monies should be used to bail out stock brokers and stock exchanges, banks, mortgage holders, insurance companies, etc.
The reality is that no one speaks for the children, or the schools except for educators. Teacher unions speak for teachers. Parents organizations speak for parents. School board organizations speak for school boards. Administrator organizations speak for administrators.
Let’s face it. Whether times are good or times are bad it is bad for children.
Till next time.
Franklin
How to protect your home and school computers
Educators are aware that computers, both at home and in school are subjected to viruses as well as security invasions. There are number of “freeware” programs that can be used to protect Windows based computers. While they may not have as many whistles and bells as those which you can spend $50 to $100; they are free.
AntiVir Personal Edition Classic 7 (www.free-av.com) is a spy-ware and ad-ware detection program. Windows Defender (www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx) and a spam filter, SPAMfighter Standard (www.spamfighter.com) will provide decent protection.
