tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post7361158451327064468..comments2024-03-29T02:41:52.718-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: It's the Student, StupidMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-55545345710230395422011-03-27T18:40:23.431-07:002011-03-27T18:40:23.431-07:00KPRugman, can you let us know which school is so ...KPRugman, can you let us know which school is so blessed to have your teachings?<br /><br />-Inquiring MindAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-10970270028174230352011-03-27T00:06:16.909-07:002011-03-27T00:06:16.909-07:00Everett (most of Washington State) has been part o...Everett (most of Washington State) has been part of the national school reform coalition (Gordon/Metcalf/Nelson), since I was in high school. There is a significant correlation between real estate boom/bust cycles, school achievement gaps, and federal funding.kprugmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02126184111625382040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-17527249890461481702011-03-26T23:55:55.862-07:002011-03-26T23:55:55.862-07:00The danger with putting ourselves above others is ...The danger with putting ourselves above others is that we look for differences rather than similarities - we presume that Americans are more unique than other people, our problems are different and therefore we deserve more than what most schools can afford to provide. As more capital is drained from the US to expand new markets in Asia, my fears are there will be less focus in providing really important jobs for younger generations of Americans.kprugmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02126184111625382040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78495308777526435292011-03-26T23:42:35.335-07:002011-03-26T23:42:35.335-07:00Most countries don't create standards the way ...Most countries don't create standards the way we do in the US. The American process is flawed as are the textbooks we produce for children. Standards are a non-issue - because textbooks include their own standards and when you adopt a textbook, you are adopting those standards. Also, the Ministry of Education tests curriculum. Not the publisher... Behind every major problem in education there is a publisher or his consultant that is meddling or influence peddling.<br /><br />Why do students use drugs stupid? Because its a cheap escape from a callous institution that we educators dare to call school.kprugmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02126184111625382040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33904801254667037532011-03-26T22:37:27.569-07:002011-03-26T22:37:27.569-07:00And frankly, Michael and Charlie-- in some cases t...And frankly, Michael and Charlie-- in some cases the parents haven't failed.<br /><br />One of my children was not reading at grade level by 9 (this after 5 years of speech/reading therapy, a reading tutor, a year at Hamlin Robinson, 2 other private schools, intensive one-on-one work with me EVERY night (this child may need ANOTHER kind of therapy for that in the future!!:>)). My child was also not talking (much, or fluently) at 3 -- so we weren't particularly surprised by, and had in fact been warned to watch out for, reading problems.<br /><br />No one (least of all my child) failed -- though there were a few notably weak adult performances along the way, where one might least have expected them). We just hadn't succeeded -- yet.<br /><br />By seventh grade, my child was at a 4th grade level, by the beginning of 9th grade (the first year we entrusted this enigma to public school), we were at a 7th grade level, and now, this kid is pretty much at grade level -- though it will NEVER be easy, and it will ALWAYS be slow -- <br /><br />Given who my child is, and what we (teachers, SPED folks, tutors, etc.) did, I firmly believe this kid could not possibly have been reading at grade level by age 9. But, the approach suggested by Dick Lilly and Melissa is exactly right. It is exactly, perfectly right. It took intense focus on the child -- the student. Not a magic curriculum, not the aligned materials, not having, or moving to, a non-failing school, and certainly not extra "coaching" of, or "incentive pay" to, my child's teachers.<br /><br />And, there are thousands more out there who are in similar circumstances. And their chances for an education burn while Ed Reform fiddles.SPED Mom Who Has Reached the Other Sidenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89786665508218292682011-03-26T20:55:39.234-07:002011-03-26T20:55:39.234-07:00Yes, Michael H, the parents have failed as well. A...Yes, Michael H, the parents have failed as well. And I'm sure the student also has a share in the failure. But since the parents and the students are not public institutions, we cannot do anything about them.<br /><br />The school and the district and the state need to be strong enough at teaching children that they can do it without the parents. They have to be that strong because there are a lot of kids who aren't getting parental support, and that's not the kids' fault.Charlie Mashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17173903762962067277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-82469402244263875522011-03-26T20:50:42.494-07:002011-03-26T20:50:42.494-07:00This has interesting parallels to what Everett was...This has interesting parallels to what Everett was doing in terms of graduation. Instead of looking at the "group" of at risk seniors, they hired people to focus on each child, that child's specific needs for dropping out, failing classes, being absent, losing interest. Just as a specific child's reasons for not being able to read are specific to that child, so are a child's reasons for failing to graduate. <br /><br />The individual successes WILL ultimately move the averages, but you don't address the averages -- you address each child.<br /><br />That has long been one (not the only, but one) of the problems with NCLB's (and MGJ's) penchant for evaluating (and treating) at the school level. It boots you up to the wrong place for actually making changes.Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923777229601243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-33210298781664230552011-03-26T20:20:09.114-07:002011-03-26T20:20:09.114-07:00"...For EACH child, a school or district shou..."...For EACH child, a school or district should have to answer the question, “Can s/he read?” If for some the answer remains “no,” then the school and district and state have failed..."<br /><br />A Y or N would be useful...but, no one has failed if the answer is N. This is an opportunity to ask some more questions: learn more about that child and, penultimately, learn an effective way to overcome this.<br /><br />ken berryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78033887774536909682011-03-26T17:26:09.616-07:002011-03-26T17:26:09.616-07:00" If for some the answer remains “no,” then t..." If for some the answer remains “no,” then the school and district and state have failed."<br /><br />You forgot to mention parents.Michael Hnoreply@blogger.com