tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post4447586095072325860..comments2024-03-18T16:51:10.406-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: UPDATE: Candidate Forum Tonight (Don't Bother)Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-76830518240679124412011-07-18T18:50:45.484-07:002011-07-18T18:50:45.484-07:00Anonymous (whose post may, alas, disappear for fai...Anonymous (whose post may, alas, disappear for failure to adhere to the "unsigned anonymous comments" rule) said:<br /><br />Question for candidates: will there be an evaluation of the District's "alignment" work and a renewed focus on grade by grade standards, rather than enforcement of what may be flawed materials (EDM, CMP, R/W Workshop)?<br /><br />Case in point: A pilot of content-rich curriculum (Core Knowledge) has produced reading gains in New York schools. <br /><br />The program derives from the research of E. D. Hirsch Jr., author of "Cultural Literacy" and other seminal books. Among Hirsch's insights is that disadvantaged kids quickly fall behind in reading because of inadequate background knowledge; therefore, imparting such knowledge in the early grades is even more important than conveying basic reading skills.<br /><br />...After the first year, Klein announced the early results: On a battery of reading tests, the kindergartners in the Core Knowledge program had achieved gains five times greater than those of students in the control group. The second-year study showed that the Core Knowledge kids made reading gains twice as great as those of students in the control group.<br /><br />Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2011/07/14/2011-07-14_a_brilliant_experiment_in_reading_but_will_new_schools<br /><br />End of anonymous's post.<br />I say -- thanks for a great link, anonymous. I am not a total lover of Hirsch, but I definitely think he is on to something with the idea that we have to pay more attention to the depth and richness of content in educational materials (I also think that most textbook companies are failing this test miserably, as they dumb down the curriculum, simplify language, and fill in with pictures). <br /><br />Along with dispensing with Discovery math, EDM, etc. -- schools need to do a better job of teaching deep and complex content. Kids need to spend more time with good poetry, and with literature that conveys complex content and meaning. I hope NYC schools will continue to support this pilot program. It is an interesting one.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-3353043853755344332011-07-18T15:46:39.954-07:002011-07-18T15:46:39.954-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-47558775212856545562011-07-18T15:08:47.639-07:002011-07-18T15:08:47.639-07:00LWV website says the candidate forum is August 4th...LWV website says the candidate forum is August 4th.trust, but verifynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-15222651232778669982011-07-18T14:39:13.882-07:002011-07-18T14:39:13.882-07:00Questions for candidates:
4. What is a higher pri...Questions for candidates:<br /><br />4. What is a higher priority or more urgent than providing support to struggling students? Apparently everything else the District is doing is a higher priority since we aren't funding interventions.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-36913081048797685122011-07-18T12:58:12.810-07:002011-07-18T12:58:12.810-07:00Horizon House at 900 University NOT Harmony House...Horizon House at 900 University NOT Harmony House ... certainly not Harmony tonight I suppose.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-29188935082991986072011-07-18T12:32:16.756-07:002011-07-18T12:32:16.756-07:00Harmony House ... Got it at google maps HERE.
Tha...Harmony House ... Got it at google maps <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&cp=20&gs_id=2k&xhr=t&q=900+university+street+seattle+wa&qe=OTAwIFVuaXZlcnNpdHkgc3RyZWU&qesig=muPpDpJvETFgsPbvQ_lL4Q&pkc=AFgZ2tmyRM1tVIwepp26Zy33YB5m2KrD2xf3oEEQPisKH53kuQI6B2zeN7rqkKMnfp2MyVPS2OpdlUhrh-vQvqj1MrsVNhW0yQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1547&bih=914&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x54906ab5eb30da9f:0xba77d58fd21f6ab5,900+University+St,+Seattle,+WA+98101&gl=us&ei=x4kkTryMFZH4sAO8vr1H&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBUQ8gEwAA" rel="nofollow">HERE</a>.<br /><br />Thanks.dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-53859829660650904352011-07-18T12:13:52.927-07:002011-07-18T12:13:52.927-07:00In case members of the audience get the opportunit...In case members of the audience get the opportunity...<br /><br />Questions for candidates<br /><br />1. How does the Board enforce Policy? Did no board do it before?<br /><br />2. How does the Board conduct oversight? Did no board do it before?<br /><br />3. How does the Board assure community engagement? What about the commitment to community engagement written into the strategic plan?Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-57781835284066985422011-07-18T11:41:06.120-07:002011-07-18T11:41:06.120-07:00Dan, it's in the post.Dan, it's in the post.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12588239576000641336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-6138582494825437042011-07-18T11:30:09.987-07:002011-07-18T11:30:09.987-07:00Where is Horizon House?Where is Horizon House?dan dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15536720661510933983noreply@blogger.com