tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post305003564110977746..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Teachers and ProcessMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13147543472671965922011-11-22T09:08:21.571-08:002011-11-22T09:08:21.571-08:00Thank you for your response Northender. I apprecia...Thank you for your response Northender. I appreciate your honesty. For our family, we struggle to provide supplemental and have been everywhere with it. Some of our friends used EPGY for math and writing and have recommended the program highly. We are considering EPGY writing as supplement for this school year. We've used Khan Academy and Singapore Math in the past. I've pullled out my old grammar book (my retired teacher mom sent me) just to review some basics. But I must admit I am not sure if all of this work is necessary or just add more work for my kids or it helps supplement the work teachers do in the classrooms. So when I made the suggestions for on-line access to classroom textbooks and if non available on-line, some supplements referral, it wasn't meant for teachers to create them, just some referral websites or names of books so we parents can look them up ourselves. I just thought as teachers you would be the better judge as to what resources would complement the work you do in the classrooms. <br /><br />Seattle momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-9338436378623605332011-11-22T08:29:13.163-08:002011-11-22T08:29:13.163-08:00But, to expect the teacher to provide what a paren...<i>But, to expect the teacher to provide what a parent should be providing for their child is a little exploitative.</i><br /><br />When I was young, my parents made sure I got to school and did my homework. We learned the basics at school without my parents needing to supplement. Report cards with actual grades helped my parents know how we were doing. <br /><br />So, as a parent, that's what I expect from the schools. If my child is struggling (and I'm made aware of it), well of course I'd try to the provide help at home. <br /><br />One of the key differences, however, is that my childhood school had a solid and sequential grade-by-grade curriculum, unlike SPS. For us, supplementation isn't meant to extend their learning, it's to ensure they learn basic skills. <br /><br />northender also said: <i>We can't expect teachers and the education industry to do everything for everybody. It is not possible.</i><br /> <br />Okay, but you have them for their best 6 hours of the day, 180 days of the year. What should we expect from that?<br /><br />confused and irritatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52506496451128844912011-11-22T08:08:26.741-08:002011-11-22T08:08:26.741-08:00northender said: I agree tests should be returned ...northender said: <i>I agree tests should be returned although the tests we give in elementary are not returned in all cases because they, too, are proprietary and will be reused later.</i><br /><br />Can someone explain this? Are you referencing EDM tests specifically? How does this comply with FERPA? Do parents have to request a "viewing" of each test? <br /><br />confused parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-7737199130123551412011-11-21T20:24:48.602-08:002011-11-21T20:24:48.602-08:00Seattle Mom,
You fail to respond to the points I m...Seattle Mom,<br />You fail to respond to the points I made about teachers and their already full plate and instead ask for more: <br /><br />I put homework on the source. It takes time to do. Much of the homework comes out of copyrighted programs that cannot be put on-line. So, it was the teacher-made parts of the homework guidlines that I put up and you might say a skeletal package.<br /><br />I agree tests should be returned although the tests we give in elementary are not returned in all cases because they, too, are proprietary and will be reused later. Teacher-made quizes should be returned in a timely manner. I can't think of many except spelling tests, however. <br /><br />Finally, online access to copyrighted material is not allowable. Providing supplemental work can be done by you. I have twenty-eight kids. Middle school and high school teachers many more students. I spend all the time I can muster preparing for each day of teaching. I use enrichment and supplemental work as best I can. But, to expect the teacher to provide what a parent should be providing for their child is a little exploitative. Not everything has to come from school. There are workbooks, recreational books, math books, writing ideas, brain teasers, plexors, crossword puzzles and the dictionary and encyclopedia - on-line as well as in hard document - and everyone has access to them. The "provided by teacher" label does not make them better. <br /><br />We can't expect teachers and the education industry to do everything for everybody. It is not possible. Look to yourself for some of the educational needs of your child. Take that responsibility. You will do a better job than we will becuase you have a superior understanding of your child and their needs. Really. You do.<br /><br />northenderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40426298368212706912011-11-21T10:20:31.077-08:002011-11-21T10:20:31.077-08:00I am reposting this as it appears there are teache...I am reposting this as it appears there are teachers reading/posting on this thread. For those teachers that do this alredy, thank you, thank you! We find it so helpful.<br /><br />A couple of suggestions to help this parent support the learning:<br /><br />1. put HW assignments on the source<br />2. return tests, quizzes, assignments timely (with in 2-3 weeks of turning them in) so I can go over them with the kids. This lets me know what they know and don't know.<br />3. on-line access to textbooks being used in classrooms. If cannnot provide on-line access, provide alternatives to help supplement at home.<br /><br />Thank you,<br />Seattle momAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-90740744409369205262011-11-20T19:20:34.827-08:002011-11-20T19:20:34.827-08:00Why do people expect that employees in education w...Why do people expect that employees in education will be any different than the collective in any other field? Have you all liked every doctor you've seen? They get paid more than I do for much less time and one client at a time. Lawyers? Billable hours anyone? Even architects - 5 minute emails = $60.<br /><br />Honestly, I'm not saying we should endure poor teachers but the person who said what about the average ones? The mediocre ones? Get real. I think teaching is an art. Start with appretices; move to journeyman; and hopefully some will become craftsmen after years of training and experience. We have the opposite model: we recently passed a contract to pay beginning teachers a very good salary considering most of them won't stick with it. Older teachers - the craftsmen - are not honored for their mastery of craft.<br /><br />Of course, in education, the craft constantly changes: skills . . . process . . . skills . . . process. At my school, even though we are weighed down with more and more curriculum, the word "process" is eaking back in with Charlotte Danielson.<br /><br />We all want good teachers. But teachers are just one leg of the stool: parents, you have a responsibility to send kids ready to learn. In addition, society has a responsibility to provide materials, time and an agreed-upon curriculum not dependent on the whims of school boards and parents who think they have all the answer - which is what happened to TERC in Seattle. That's why we have EDM. The math department wanted TERC.<br /><br />I'm in elementary. I understand the need for a good curriculum. But the world has progressed since I was in elementary school and all the teacher needed to do was follow the math book, the spelling book, and the reading manual. I don't even remember doing science. The world has changed.<br /><br />No, I'm not suggesting that really bad teachers should be kept. But, a mediocre teacher isn't going to ruin your kid and will have a substantially less harmful effect than the medioce doc, attorney or any other very expensive service person. Hopefully, children will find excellent teachers as well in their journey through childhood. But parents matter most. And a civil society which cares about all children matters most.<br /><br />There are schools with principals who do dot every i and cross every t and their teachers are on the ropes with weariness.<br /><br />One more thing: I've always believed every new teacher should run the substitute circuit before being permanently placed. That's where I got my training and it gave me the best start possible. It would demand that principals get involved with observations of substitutes but why not? Who knows, that might be the best way to find out just who is a good classroom manager and a learned, articulate teacher. Knowing those things at the beginning seems like a better way to go.<br /><br />northenderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82833732605067415372011-11-20T12:35:27.743-08:002011-11-20T12:35:27.743-08:00I'm another Bryant parent who is supplementing...I'm another Bryant parent who is supplementing math instruction. I'd like us to start the process to get a waiver to replace EDM. I know other schools have tried this and been denied, but I still think we should try.<br /><br />~not a fan of EDMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39482580997014827512011-11-20T09:44:05.651-08:002011-11-20T09:44:05.651-08:00A math survey was proposed by a parent at my child...A math survey was proposed by a parent at my child's school and a teacher dismissed the idea. There was concern that it would be an evaluation of the teachers rather than the math program.<br /><br />Very unfortunate. It would have been a good opportunity to strengthen the math program by seeing its weaknesses. <br /><br />Perhaps the proposal should be put forth to the new Math and Science Program Manager.<br /><br />We supplement at home. With EDM, it involved learning standard algorithms for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. We tried to teach these so they became the "preferred method" before learning the um, interesting EDM methods. With CMP, we straight out taught the concepts of each book or unit as well as supplemented with more challenging problems for some concepts. CMP's coverage of fractions seems weak and it is one of the key skills for manipulating algebraic expressions. <br /><br />math parentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39007874203158540512011-11-20T08:52:43.562-08:002011-11-20T08:52:43.562-08:00Bryant Parent -
The principal did admit that her ...Bryant Parent -<br /><br />The principal did admit that her daughter did Kumon, however, it was so much work to correct that she stopped after a month. <br /><br />A survey to see what parents do to supplement the math would be really insightful. Who has the ability to put out such a thing? The PTSA? It would be a really interesting addition to the SPS survey that comes out in the spring. <br /><br />Wanting Better MathAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28426927681887094782011-11-20T07:06:38.829-08:002011-11-20T07:06:38.829-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29655929702548601032011-11-19T22:32:14.580-08:002011-11-19T22:32:14.580-08:00A Tale of Two Teachers.
I was very disappointed w...A Tale of Two Teachers.<br /><br />I was very disappointed when my child was assigned to the class of the mediocre 2nd grade teacher Mrs C. I had heard from friends that she just didn’t challenge kids, they learned little in her class. For 3rd grade my child got the excellent teacher, Mrs. A. She really had the kids working hard & accomplishing a lot. But, as it turned out, my child learned more in the 2nd grade classroom with Mrs C. My child was an eager learner. She wanted to read more, write more, & race on to new math concepts. In Mrs C’s class she was given time & encouragement to do these things. When she wanted to go further into a topic, Mrs C would provide materials or arrange for another adult to help her. When my daughter moved into Mrs A’s class she found so much ‘hoop jumping’ with constant little demands & very specific assignments. All of her effort & time went into fulfilling the expectations of her teacher, often worrying that she might miss one. She never had time to fulfill her own expectations. I loved both of these women. They both did what they thought was best for the children in their classrooms. My daughter learned the most with Mrs C. Many other children learned more with Mrs. A. Who was the better teacher?<br /><br />My children have had a whole range of teachers. I don’t mind the mediocre ones. Sometimes they reach my kids in a way other teachers don’t. And I always expect there will be academic holes that I have to fill at home, so I am not too surprised about that. In 6 hours a day there is no way that my kids can be taught everything I want them to learn.<br /><br /> We had one middle school teacher who used humiliation as a classroom management tool. I did go to the principal with examples of what my child reported to me. There was an administrator in the class the next day & the teacher was gone by the end of the year.<br /><br />-Rose MAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-92191330867970572222011-11-19T22:29:19.894-08:002011-11-19T22:29:19.894-08:00Wanting Better Math,
Well if your principal is th...Wanting Better Math,<br /><br />Well if your principal is the Bryant principal she shouldn't be surprised. Her daughter did Kumon.<br /><br />It would be interesting to survey the school to see. Because many parents also hire private tutors or just do extra math at home.<br /><br />-Bryant ParentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69003011505971913222011-11-19T22:08:05.205-08:002011-11-19T22:08:05.205-08:00During the candidate forum at Bryant, one of the c...During the candidate forum at Bryant, one of the candidates, I think Kate Martin, gave a number for the amount of dollars spent by SPS families on extra-curricular math, I think specifically Kumon type programs, but maybe others. Does anyone have that number or any significant data along those lines? We spoke with our principal about the number of parents supplementing the math curriculum at home because of it's weaknesses, and she didn't seem to believe it. I would love to see those numbers.<br /><br />Wanting Better MathAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-40428072246372139022011-11-19T16:39:47.478-08:002011-11-19T16:39:47.478-08:00And Jack, that is exactly what one person wrote to...And Jack, that is exactly what one person wrote to the Times right after Obama was elected. I had saved the letter (but now can't find it) because it was the call to parents.<br /><br />Education has to matter to your family. You have to model it by having your children see you reading (however you do it), by having discussions at dinner, by going to cultural institutions and events and by just going to the library regularly.<br /><br />The letter writer said that he was pretty sure that no one opened up Obama's head and poured knowledge in. He said he laughed when Obama said he complained about his mother getting him up early to study and she said, "Well, it's no fun for me either, Buster." <br /><br />Learning takes effort. If it's too easy, then that child is not being challenged. We gain discipline from learning. We gain resiliency from learning. We gain confidence from learning. <br /><br />It starts at home and a teacher is just a guide and, as Jack said, hopefully an inspiration.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50652014171343360232011-11-19T16:32:14.969-08:002011-11-19T16:32:14.969-08:00Maybe I'm off base on this, but I wonder some ...Maybe I'm off base on this, but I wonder some times if people have unrealistic expectations of teachers. I'm thinking of a point that Ravitch made the other night that ultimately each kid is responsible to learn the material. The teacher is an enabler of success, not someone who can effect success in every student, and to have that expectation of teachers is unfair. <br /><br />In high school I was a lousy math student, but It wasn't my teachers' fault that I tuned them out. The kids who liked math thought they were good teachers, but I didn't like math because I was more of a history and literature type. <br /><br />So I got barely passing grades throughout the year, and then took the book home, usually about a month before the NY State EoC exam--the Regents--was scheduled, figured stuff out on my own, and managed to do well enough on them that my math teachers were shocked. <br /><br />So for me, the teachers were almost irrelevant for my learning, but I had another resource--the curriculum materials. For me, the most trenchant criticism of the current Discovering Math curriculum is that it makes it almost impossible for kids, or kids with the help of their parents, to figure the stuff out on their own. This makes the curriculum too dependent on talented math teachers, which we know are in short supply. <br /><br />The curriculum ultimately is what carries the learning standard, and a "good enough" math teacher is one who knows the curriculum and is competent to help kids who are having trouble mastering it, but you have to have a high-quality curriculum. The teacher is there to support, inspire, and encourage kids who come to school ready to learn. If they are not ready to learn, as I was not, that's not their teacher's fault.Jack Whelannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-74011872963429051012011-11-19T15:49:55.826-08:002011-11-19T15:49:55.826-08:00HIMS report card.
Maybe the leadership concerns...HIMS report card. <br /><br />Maybe the leadership concerns are not contained to APP families. <br /><br />Maybe staff has some concerns. <br /><br />APP FamilyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-50447497491984276112011-11-19T15:25:54.282-08:002011-11-19T15:25:54.282-08:00High teacher turnover could be an indication of po...High teacher turnover could be an indication of poor management.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-77509524220600719182011-11-19T15:16:46.732-08:002011-11-19T15:16:46.732-08:00The great majority of almost any group is close to...<i>The great majority of almost any group is close to the average.</i><br /><br />No Charlie you clearly do not understand the principle elements of grade inflation ... <br />......... the new B+ is the old C-.<br /><br />Damn near everyone can be way above average. ... This is a fundamental element of Edu-speak USA.<br /><br />Well, except those crazy collegiate kids majoring in STEM fields .. their grades are lower.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44617622799753372342011-11-19T15:15:08.870-08:002011-11-19T15:15:08.870-08:00Hamilton's score card shows "Professional...Hamilton's score card shows "Professional Culture" at just 25% (down from 42%, district avg of 55%), and "School Leadership" at 30% (down from 51%, district average of 58%). <br /><br />You have to wonder what's going on at some of these schools.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-447173751867319082011-11-19T15:09:57.402-08:002011-11-19T15:09:57.402-08:00Compare and contrast:
Seattle Public Schools=>...Compare and contrast:<br /><br />Seattle Public Schools=><br /><br />Academic Vision<br />We are focused on improving academic achievement for all students and committed to <b>ensuring that all students graduate from high school </b> prepared for college, careers, and life. We strive to provide excellent teachers in every classroom, set high expectations for every student, meet the needs of our diverse learners, and prepare our students to excel.<br /><br />Nye County Schools, Nevada =><br /><br />Our mission is <b>to provide <i>each student </i>the necessary educational tools to reach his or her full academic potential</b> for the workplace and college. <br /><br />This responsibility is the top priority of the Nye County School Board, District Administrators, Principals and Teachers.<br /><br />Which is realistic and achievable?<br />Which is centered on the individual needs of each student?<br /><br />Seems those in rural Nevada have an ability to get to the point in a lot less words than the ramblings of urban Seattle educators.<br /><br />=====<br />Anyway Seattle has a "Vision" and Nye County only a mission statement with a 'Top Priority' responsibility attached.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29178064574968770962011-11-19T14:56:53.070-08:002011-11-19T14:56:53.070-08:00Depressed objected to schools full of "C- tea...Depressed objected to schools full of "C- teachers". I would really like to explore this idea.<br /><br />Let's, for the moment, accept the Education Reform myth that "teacher quality" (whatever that is) is quantifiable. We could, according to the myth, give each teacher a single number "effectiveness score" and then rate and rank them all.<br /><br />We should <b>not</b> expect a normal distribution of teacher effectiveness scores - a bell curve. Instead, it would be a sort of modified bell curve due to survivorship bias. Low scoring teachers leave the system - voluntarily or otherwise - high scoring teachers choose to stay and are retained, and all teachers should be steadily improving.<br /><br />Still, most of them would be near the average with a long, high tail leading up and a shorter, steeply dropping tail leading down.<br /><br />We could not, of course, get rid of "mediocre" teachers because the large number of them are mediocre. This is not a slam on teachers. The great majority of almost any group is close to the average.<br /><br />I remember going to ball games with my kids and they would ask if this player or that player is good. Good? Of course they're good! They're in the major leagues! The least among them has skills we can barely imagine. Now, is that player <i>especially</i> good? among major leaguers? That's a different question.<br /><br />With teachers - as with any group of employees - we need to set a benchmark of performance which represents adequacy. A Mendoza line. Anyone who is above that line is good enough.<br /><br /><b>We need to accept the idea that good enough is good enough.</b> We cannot demand that every teacher be in the top third among teachers. It is an obvious absurdity.<br /><br />If we could determine an effectiveness score for each teacher, then we could set a benchmark. We could, for example, determine that any teacher with an effectiveness score below 30 (on a geometric scale from 17 to 61) is incompetent and gets fired. We could determine that any teacher with a score from 30 to 35 needs improvement. Those teachers could get support and two years to raise their score above 35 - otherwise they are dismissed. Any teacher with a score of 36 or better, however, is regarded as good enough and is eligible for contract renewal. We could, of course, offer additional benefits to teachers with scores in excess of 56 or even 52.<br /><br />I suppose that once we got all of the teachers over the 35 point line we could ratchet up the definition of incompetence to 34, but let's learn to crawl before we try out for the Olympics. <br /><br />All of that, however, is completely meaningless because, despite the Education Reform myth, we have no measure - let alone a single measure - of teacher effectiveness.<br /><br />My point, which I should circle back to emphasize, is that good enough is good enough. A lot of "C- teachers" is normal, it's fine, and it cannot be corrected with the current funding.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22717347221138329192011-11-19T14:38:12.906-08:002011-11-19T14:38:12.906-08:00Dr. F,
Education decision-making is increasing...Dr. F, <br /><br />Education decision-making is increasingly becoming politics and little else.<br /><br />Many Central Office administrators are excellent at climbing the political totem pole. They like the pole just the way it is.<br /><br />Document, document, document.<br /><br />======================<br /><br />On my STEM thoughts and teaching k-12 to get students College ready in STEM degrees .... Remember in the original CHS STEM plan there was going to be an extensive summer program at Cleveland and lots of remedial interventions outside of the school day ... Budget doomed all that.<br /><br />Two selected quotes from NYT linked article:<br /><br /><i><b>“Most students are already not prepared in math and science to undertake the rigor of STEM degrees, especially engineering.”</b></i><br /><br /><i>“Latest research suggests that grade inflation in the humanities and social sciences provides an incentive for students to leave STEM majors. <b>STEM students are both “pulled away” by high grades in their courses in other fields and “pushed out” by lower grades in their majors.</b></i><br /><br />What is the result in the real world? <br /><br />According to the National Academies of Sciences, <b>the U. S. has fallen to 27th out of 29 wealthy countries in the proportion of college students with STEM degrees.</b>”<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nas.org/polArticles.cfm?Doc_Id=2286" rel="nofollow">http://www.nas.org/polArticles.cfm?Doc_Id=2286</a><br /><br /> Looks like Cliff Mass knows what he is talking about.<br /><br />So how is $500,000 on MAP going to improve this situation?dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-19048328692963380492011-11-19T14:07:53.828-08:002011-11-19T14:07:53.828-08:00Well the real question I have is what do you do if...Well the real question I have is what do you do if you have an excellent teacher who is being run off by administrative rift. In the situation at our school more then one teacher has left and more are on support plans or even possibly probation because of a ruthless retaliatory principal. This is at Bryant Elementary. Kim Fox is very manipulative and she seems to have Phil Brockman in her pocket …or somewhere else that he is comfortable….lol…. High level staff and teachers with the highest regard by the community and years of teaching excellence in some cases decades of excellence are all trying leave Bryant. Fox posted some of the lowest approval ratings in the district. Easily dismissed by Fox as she is a shrewd manipulator of circumstance. Blame it on Gale Everly…. After all it was Kim Fox who constantly told parents and staff.."write to Phil Brockman"…. I'm under the impression that Phil Brockman runs Bryant Elementary. From canvassing parents who have questioned Fox on any variety of situations, the response is always the same. Fox is condescending and manipulative and very retaliatory. She regularly bullies parents and staff to get what she wants. Fox is great at taking credit for that which she has no responsibility and even better at placing blame and passing off responsibility that is hers. Its quite ironic that Dan Golosman assistant principal is now following in Fox's role and telling parents to write Brockman about Fox. I say we all write to Enfield, Treat, and Thompson, and Martin-Morris. Bryant is lost to a few heavy supporters of Fox. So if our community is content with letting parents and Phil Brockman run Bryant then so be it!Dr. Fnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-56086503583325610992011-11-19T12:47:49.183-08:002011-11-19T12:47:49.183-08:00Homework is such a mud pit.
From The Economist ar...Homework is such a mud pit.<br /><br />From The Economist article linked above:<br /><br /><i>"American parents have led grass-root protests against attempts to extend the school year into August or July, or to increase the amount of homework their little darlings have to do. They still find it hard to believe that all those Chinese students, beavering away at their books, will steal their children’s jobs. But Huckleberry Finn was published in 1884. And brain work is going the way of manual work, to whoever will provide the best value for money. "</i><br /><br />Think of the vicious cycle around homework:<br /><br />1. <b>Most kids</b> don't want to do it.<br /><br />2. <b>Many parents</b> don't want to supervise it or don't want it to interfere with kids sports or dancing or video games or ...<br /><br />3. <b>Some teachers</b> don't want to grade it so they don't assign it. Some just give it a zero feedback glance check so students are less Iikely to care about it.<br /><br />4. And of course there are educators happy to bang on about the evils of homework. (consultants selling what sells)<br /><br />It's no surprise that you learn less if you don't show up for work. Talk about a race to the bottom.<br /><br />=====<br />Bring on the 175 day school year ... so we can reach the bottom sooner.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-44764123510028783202011-11-19T12:26:02.089-08:002011-11-19T12:26:02.089-08:00Bad math teacher (or math books)? Get a tutor. Wat...<b><i>Bad math teacher (or math books)? Get a tutor. Watch the child's scores increase (thanks to the tutor) and the teacher is further enabled because MAP scores aren't a true reflection of content learned in class.</i></b><br /><br />So MAP can be used as a measure of family effectiveness in providing remediation .... now we need a parents collective bargaining agreement to spell out those parent duties -- and use MAP to measure them.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.com