News Round-Up
In the ever-continuing line of "is there nothing Michelle Rhee won't say to get her way", comes this latest video from her group, Students First. It's a play on the Olympics (by the way, Michelle, you might want to watch that usage because the REAL Olympics is highly territorial about the use of the word). It's a cheap shot video that has earned her a lot of criticism.
There are rumblings coming out of Chicago, which may have a teachers strike, that TFA is going to roll in with 5,000 TFAers. There is a word for people who cross picket lines and if that happens, it will not be pretty. It will be ugly and it may mark a very dark day for TFA. We have many, many teachers in this country and if you are in a union, as hired TFAers are, you NEVER cross a picket line against others in your union. Quit the union and then try it - you'd be better off. I have to shake my head at the idea.
On the upside for TFA, a story of bravery and one young woman's willingness to stand with her city and not TFA.
From the Huffington Post, we have the story of a very brave former TFAer who was not going to play the TFA party line. Camika Royal, a former TFAer, asked to give a speech at the opening ceremonies for TFA's summer institute for new teachers in Philadelphia. Now, what is interesting is that Dr. Royal had given a closing speech at TFA's 20th Anniversary summit last year and here's what she said happened:
...after having that speech unexpectedly reviewed and edited, after having my tone and demeanor critiqued as "angry" or "sound[ing] like a preacher" only to receive a standing ovation from the room and tears from my critics when the speech was over, I was hesitant to endure this process, again. Fortunately, I've earned some credibility that allowed me to give the Philadelphia speech without having it reviewed by anyone on Teach For America's staff. That also made me nervous. It's hard to be a responsible critical friend. But I gave this speech anyhow. I did it afraid.
Wow, TFA makes everyone who gives speech at their events give them the text AND do a preview?
She explains that she wanted friends and family to see her latest speech so she put it on YouTube. After several days, she got a lot of angry messages that TFA critics were using it as fodder.
My speech was characterized as 'anti-education reform,' which is inaccurate and inflammatory. By no means do I suggest that the public education system in Philadelphia, as it exists right now, works for the majority of the students who attend them or the educators who work in them. However, I do not think the solution to this multi-faceted, multi-layered behemoth conundrum is the plan to dismantle the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), to release the education of its students to charter management organizations as is being currently touted by the mayor, the School reform commission, and the former Philadelphia gas works leader turn chief recovery officer of SDP. I realize this view is contrary to those espoused by many neo-liberal education reformers, some of whom are also TFA alumni. And perhaps earlier in my career, I would have agreed with them. But I've done too much research on charter schools in Philadelphia and the history and sociopolitical context of schools in Philly to think that this plan will be effective in the long-run for students, families, educators, or communities. This current plan to dismantle the District is not reform. It is refuse. It places financial concerns and constraints over the educational needs of people who need education the most, and it is, therefore, political and unacceptable.
Again, Friday I'm in love.
Honesty borne of life experience - this is what this young woman brings to the discussion.
She goes on to say:
Teach For America recruits its new teachers under the notion of closing the so-called "achievement gap." Though I resist the inherent anglo-normativity of the so-called "achievement gap," I know that TFA's recruitment model has led to some its teachers approaching the communities they've been assigned to serve with missionary zeal and notions of martyrdom in efforts to close this gap. Addressing that mindset was the point of my speech. wanted our new teachers to know that respect and humility matter; that good things are already happening in Philadelphia's schools; that our city and its schools existed before they got here and will when they're gone.
From her speech:
Our schools are more than the lie of successful charters and failing district. Our educators are more than the false dichotomy of good versus bad, of us and them. By and large, educators here are not bad. Educators here are tired. Educators here are reform weary. Our students are more than test scores, graduation rates, and disciplinary issues. They are the babies that parents prayed for and over and read to and work for and dream about. They are people who want the best for themselves whether or not they know how to articulate it or how to seek it out. Our education is more than the failure rhetoric and the achievement gap misnomer. Our problems are systemic, and endemic, but THEY WILL BE SOLVED BY PEOPLE: resilient people, unrelenting people with an edge.
A teacher is a servant. And you are not here to save. You are here to serve. Whether you've been here for all your life or you will be here for the rest of it, whether your commitment is two years or five weeks, thank you for bringing your energy and excitement. Thank you for bringing your humility and your questions. Thank you for being flexible and gracious. Thank you for being hopeful and persistent. Thank you for being friendly and joyful. Thank you for your desire to learn much so you may teach well and be more. Thank you for leaving our city, our schools, our colleagues, and our student better for having spent time with you. While here, your job is to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Swift to hear and slow to speak.
I wish I had been there to hear this in person.
There are rumblings coming out of Chicago, which may have a teachers strike, that TFA is going to roll in with 5,000 TFAers. There is a word for people who cross picket lines and if that happens, it will not be pretty. It will be ugly and it may mark a very dark day for TFA. We have many, many teachers in this country and if you are in a union, as hired TFAers are, you NEVER cross a picket line against others in your union. Quit the union and then try it - you'd be better off. I have to shake my head at the idea.
On the upside for TFA, a story of bravery and one young woman's willingness to stand with her city and not TFA.
From the Huffington Post, we have the story of a very brave former TFAer who was not going to play the TFA party line. Camika Royal, a former TFAer, asked to give a speech at the opening ceremonies for TFA's summer institute for new teachers in Philadelphia. Now, what is interesting is that Dr. Royal had given a closing speech at TFA's 20th Anniversary summit last year and here's what she said happened:
...after having that speech unexpectedly reviewed and edited, after having my tone and demeanor critiqued as "angry" or "sound[ing] like a preacher" only to receive a standing ovation from the room and tears from my critics when the speech was over, I was hesitant to endure this process, again. Fortunately, I've earned some credibility that allowed me to give the Philadelphia speech without having it reviewed by anyone on Teach For America's staff. That also made me nervous. It's hard to be a responsible critical friend. But I gave this speech anyhow. I did it afraid.
Wow, TFA makes everyone who gives speech at their events give them the text AND do a preview?
She explains that she wanted friends and family to see her latest speech so she put it on YouTube. After several days, she got a lot of angry messages that TFA critics were using it as fodder.
My speech was characterized as 'anti-education reform,' which is inaccurate and inflammatory. By no means do I suggest that the public education system in Philadelphia, as it exists right now, works for the majority of the students who attend them or the educators who work in them. However, I do not think the solution to this multi-faceted, multi-layered behemoth conundrum is the plan to dismantle the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), to release the education of its students to charter management organizations as is being currently touted by the mayor, the School reform commission, and the former Philadelphia gas works leader turn chief recovery officer of SDP. I realize this view is contrary to those espoused by many neo-liberal education reformers, some of whom are also TFA alumni. And perhaps earlier in my career, I would have agreed with them. But I've done too much research on charter schools in Philadelphia and the history and sociopolitical context of schools in Philly to think that this plan will be effective in the long-run for students, families, educators, or communities. This current plan to dismantle the District is not reform. It is refuse. It places financial concerns and constraints over the educational needs of people who need education the most, and it is, therefore, political and unacceptable.
Again, Friday I'm in love.
Honesty borne of life experience - this is what this young woman brings to the discussion.
She goes on to say:
Teach For America recruits its new teachers under the notion of closing the so-called "achievement gap." Though I resist the inherent anglo-normativity of the so-called "achievement gap," I know that TFA's recruitment model has led to some its teachers approaching the communities they've been assigned to serve with missionary zeal and notions of martyrdom in efforts to close this gap. Addressing that mindset was the point of my speech. wanted our new teachers to know that respect and humility matter; that good things are already happening in Philadelphia's schools; that our city and its schools existed before they got here and will when they're gone.
From her speech:
Our schools are more than the lie of successful charters and failing district. Our educators are more than the false dichotomy of good versus bad, of us and them. By and large, educators here are not bad. Educators here are tired. Educators here are reform weary. Our students are more than test scores, graduation rates, and disciplinary issues. They are the babies that parents prayed for and over and read to and work for and dream about. They are people who want the best for themselves whether or not they know how to articulate it or how to seek it out. Our education is more than the failure rhetoric and the achievement gap misnomer. Our problems are systemic, and endemic, but THEY WILL BE SOLVED BY PEOPLE: resilient people, unrelenting people with an edge.
A teacher is a servant. And you are not here to save. You are here to serve. Whether you've been here for all your life or you will be here for the rest of it, whether your commitment is two years or five weeks, thank you for bringing your energy and excitement. Thank you for bringing your humility and your questions. Thank you for being flexible and gracious. Thank you for being hopeful and persistent. Thank you for being friendly and joyful. Thank you for your desire to learn much so you may teach well and be more. Thank you for leaving our city, our schools, our colleagues, and our student better for having spent time with you. While here, your job is to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Swift to hear and slow to speak.
I wish I had been there to hear this in person.
Comments
Seattle School Board to rewrite agreement governing Creative Approach Schools
Do you think some on the board will rethink whether to listen to their colleague Peaslee's advice, or that of Burgess and Sara Morris?
The naif is is the idealist who gets involved with such organizations for the right reasons, but who is open to having her views changed by facts and good arguments. I plead guilty to being on many occasions such a naif--not to ed reform, but to other things.
So I'll reserve the term 'fool' for 'naifs' who are exposed to facts and good arguments but refuse to be changed by them. Dr. Royal is no fool, and clearly the purpose of her speech was to confront new recruits, the best of them naifs, with truths born of her experience and research.
So while it's clear that Dr. Royal has been made to feel uncomfortable with much of the TFA hackery, she still feels positively enough about it to be its spokesperson. But I wonder if she'll be asked again. Her evolving relationship with TFA will be interesting to observe.
I think it works better out here in the Pacified Northwest, state of Wishy Warshy.
Lots of people from the Northeast, the competitive Chicago midwest, on the edge of the cut throats of Northern or Southern CA - they recognize sharks and wolves and bears as top of the food chain predators, and some of those top of the food chain predators and also tops in their niche. Out here, almost no one sees those predators for what they are. Out here, it is little bunny world (with NO caps!).
Some little bunnies are a little faster, some little bunnies are a little bigger, some little bunnies are little bigger and a little faster - but - we're all LITTLE BUNNIES!
(and, sometimes, sniff sniff, little bunnies are mislead!)
Adjust your thinking Jack, you're a
littlebunnytoo!
California parents set to take over failing school
"Mendoza pointed out that nearly 100 parents who had signed the original trigger petition later signed a second petition asking that their names be removed. Many said they had not fully understood the campaign and didn't want to convert Desert Trails into a charter.
The judge, however, ruled that they could not rescind their names."
Amanda, I cannot speak for everyone but I have done my research on TFA. I have read their website, looked at pro-TFA blogs/webpages, interviewed former TFAers (I couldn't talk to current TFA without a handler and so I declined to do so.)
We are not demonizing TFAers. They are young and idealistic and good for them for wanting to do good. But the organization has evolved into something that is less than appealing and a lot about power than change.
I have only met four former TFAers and only one was a critical thinker when it came to TFA. The others were true believers who absolutely believed everything TFA did and how they did was great.
TFA did not come by its cult-like feeling in a vaccum. It is something that is obvious to many especially those of us who did our research.
We are looking for common ground but when you deal with a group that largely refuses to listen to the other side (and who is demonizing who if you read some of the e-mails sent by some local TFA staff), then that becomes more difficult.
That Dr. Royal sees that TFA has a blind side is to her credit. I wish others would as well.
I did work with a former TFA-er once who was more like Dr Royal. She quit TFA partway through and went to Western to get her teaching degree when she realized there was more to teaching than test prep and that her piddly amount of "training" was not going to allow her to truly help her students. When she came back for her student teaching, she was very candid about how little TFA prepared her, and how much better equipped she was to help kids learn once she started a true teacher ed program. She was also very candid about her own hubris that originally made her feel like she could just step into a classroom and do a better job than veteran teachers - something she felt was encouraged by TFA Corp - because she was among the "best and the brightest".
-CT
Sorry, I'm well-informed on local and national education matters. I would say anyone who takes what Wendy Kopp says as fact, IS deluded.
Amanda is correct:
"You hear about the people giving speeches, running districts, running for office, because those types of people are who the news covers. The news doesn't typically cover what great teachers are doing all across the country - teaching."
And this news outlet is little different from the others. We don't write much about the corps members - or the former corps members or the traditionally trained teachers or the other teachers who came to it through an alternative route - who are teaching in schools and making real changes in students' lives.
Amanda writes: "Let's all find some common ground". I, too, have sought common ground, but Amanda has a funny way of doing it: by saying that we are not reality-based and accusing us of demonizing people. Hope that works for you, Amanda. Generally speaking, however, it makes it difficult to come to agreement with people when you only mention how they are wrong and you are right.
When you say that you want to find common ground, do you mean that you want us abandon our position and join you where you stand? That's not how it is done. The way to find common ground is to talk about how we are actually standing very close to each other right now.
You and your clique are not alone in working towards a better future for all kids. We are not outside that circle. And when you recognize that, then you will have figured out how to find common ground.
You exhibit the same arrogance as most Education Reformers: you presume that you have the one right set of answers and that anyone who disagrees with you is just plain wrong or is advocating for the status quo. We will find common ground when Education Reformers open their minds to the idea that there are other reforms that can and should be implemented and that these other reforms have been proven more effective than the set of reforms they are pushing.
No one is advocating for the status quo.
Take this bit of advice from Camika Royal: "be swift to hear and slow to speak"
They say "Can't we work more cooperatively?" or "Can't we find common ground?" or "Can't we work together towards our shared goals?"
But their idea of cooperation is for me to fall in line with what they want and I oppose. That's not cooperation; that's submission.
They talk about compromise, but they want me to make all of the compromises. They are never willing to budge an inch.
It is particularly galling when the District officials say it because, more often than not, my complaint is that they won't let me work with them. If they were listening to my complaint they would know that the complaint is that they won't let me cooperate with them. So, more often than not, the cooperation they seek is for me to go away. That's their idea of cooperation - I butt out.