Thursday, September 27, 2012

My question to "The Factor"


Do you think Romney lagging in the polls is a mainstream media plot? Is there any way to prosecute the radical left wing liberals that share video of him disrespecting nearly half the country or equating the emergency room to "health coverage" for poor people?

Dan McConnell

Monday, September 24, 2012

My Questions for Education Nation



     I am probably being naive. Or, at least, I was being naive. When I heard about Ed Nation's Town Hall I imagined something different than what it turned out to be. I imagined actual teachers finally having a forum to explain what our students and our schools really need. I submitted a question on Ed Nation's facebook page, never believing that it might be addressed-but hoping. Maybe the "man behind the curtain" of reform would be revealed-if only for a moment. Maybe this forum would reveal the silliness of being compared to countries that either don't push each and every student on to high school, don't test students into the ground, or DO provide the respect and pay commensurate for dedicated educators. I planned to get all set up with some papers to grade and some planning to do (yes, working on a Sunday. I suppose that makes me one of those godless teachers). Then I found out my DISH TV package doesn't include MSNBC. WHAT???

Well, I was disappointed, but we had a painting, mowing, cleaning list, so I figured I would "catch up".

I am almost caught up. I haven't seen a taping or a transcript, but I have heard about it and I find myself, once again, aggravated in a "Rhee does CNN and CNN does me" kind of way. Here are the questions I have sent  to Ed Nation. If you can answer any of them, please chime in.

1)  Is it true that suggestions for actual public school parents on the panel were  rejected?


2)  Why would you load a panel for education discussion with people so obviously united in undermining public education and dedicated, professional educators?


3)  What connections,if any, does Education Nation have with the "reform" industry (Rhee, Klein, TFA, Students First, Wireless Generation...)


4)  Is their fear of teaching professionals able to utilize and impart true critical thinking skills the reason  their involvement is avoided whenever possible? 

Sunday, September 23, 2012

The Dark Ages Return (Installment 2)

     In the first "Dark Ages Return" installment I generally describe the social climate during this age of education reform: some of the players, the practice, the intent... My belief is that it's a continuation of a policy attack being executed by a wealthy and powerful minority. The victims have always been  the less wealthy and powerful, and that's to be expected-even accepted to a degree. There is a reason they are wealthy and powerful, after all, and strong leadership often requires the ability to take advantage.

     That existing societal condition, and the recent progression toward more class division alone threatened to create a huge and dis-empowered underclass eventually. But it is education reform that poses the biggest threat: serving to water down the intellectual strength of the future citizens forced to comply with its "standards". The intellectual control of the lower classes, the standardizing of their education, while preserving the enriching choices of the wealthy minority already enriched...that is why I fear a return of The Dark Ages.

     This is how the current education reform movement, together with political policies of the recent decades, is serving to divide access to freedom, knowledge, and the political process. In education policy specifically, children are being subjected to a mechanized and controlled process of standardization that conflicts with their normal developmental process. We are essentially being moved towards a modern version of the "Dark Age". Neil Postman, in his book The Disappearance of Childhood says of this time in history:

                        Our textbooks cover the transformation well enough except for four points
                        that are often overlooked and that are particularly relevant to the story of
                        childhood. The first is that literacy disappears. The second is that education
                        disappears. The third is that shame disappears. And the fourth, as a
                        consequence of the other three, is that childhood disappears.      


     That was my closing of the first installment. It sounds a little melodramatic, I know. But when confronted with misguided education reform policy, blatant scapegoating of public schools (if not outright ignorance regarding them), and repeated unwillingness to address weaknesses in "school reform" arguments...to me this reveals intent. Coupled with an avoidance of honest debate with those equipped for the challenge-it reveals some intent reformers are ashamed of or can't defend.

     True defenders of education need to point out that enough time has gone by to categorize the ineffective, top-down practices in our education AND economic system as failures. It is THOSE practices that are the "status-quo" needing to be reformed. Inspired/inspiring educators, well versed and adept at guiding groups of varied ability learners need to be freed from those who benefit from that status quo, those spearheading the privatizing of America's public schools and the already weighty bureaucracy of the ever-swelling standardized testing industry. It is bogging us down and making true progress very difficult.The problem is that the reform industry has insinuated itself into the policy-making process, and pushed to the forefront the bad school myth.




This is not mine, but I'm cleaning up and cleaning out some resources, and I came across this. I think it came to me through twitter, and I saved it.


Evaluate Me, Please
24 Tuesday Apr 2012


     I’ve said it before; I’ve never taught a perfect lesson. After each one I step back and look to see what I can do to make it better. My lesson plans are full of notes. Things that don’t work get tossed. Things get tweaked. Resources get added. Information is growing too quickly to do the same thing over and over.
When I was working toward National Board Certification, I was a little hesitant to videotape my class, and even more hesitant to sit and watch myself in action. However, once I started watching, I saw things I did really well and things I needed to work on. It led me to tap the resources all around me; my colleagues. I even shared the videos with the class, using them as teaching tools to point out the group dynamics I wanted to foster and those that undermined learning.
I recently reread Drive by Daniel Pink, and the thing that jumped out at me this time was about how mastery is an asymptote (p. 124-125). Basically, mastery is really out of reach, but when you strive for mastery you are constantly getting closer, but never quite reaching it.  ”In the end, mastery attracts precisely because mastery eludes.”
I am not afraid to say I am a work in progress. 24 years into this profession, and I’m not perfect, but I keep getting better. I evaluate and critique myself all the time, and I seek out those who can help me. I remember my first year when a special ed. teacher saw me struggling with classroom management and reached out to say, “It looks like you could use some help. Do you want to talk about it?”  I have stood in the back of kindergarten classrooms to watch some amazing ladies in action; they taught me patience and to appreciate my fifth graders. I have spent long hours collaborating with some amazing teaching partners, bouncing around ideas to create great lessons. I have popped into a third grade room to watch amazing classroom management that allowed for multiple levels of learning to go on all the time. Who cared that she had taught ten years less than me. There were things there I could learn.
How often I have asked, “May I borrow that?” “Do you know where I might find?” “Can you help me find a book, a website, a resource?” “Can we work together?
I want to know what works and what doesn’t. Like my students, I thrive on feedback. So evaluate me, please. But let’s lay down a few ground rules.
  • I teach children, not targets or standards, so please don’t walk into my classroom expecting to see me teaching a specific skill at an exact moment in time. That’s not how it works here.
  • Don’t assume you know my kids as well as I do. That little boy with his back to me? Yeah, I know he’s off-task, but six months ago he would’ve thrown a desk when he was angry. Now he just turns his back. If I leave him alone, he’ll calm down and eventually apologize. If I say something to him now he’ll explode. Ask me about it later, but right now, trust that I know my kids.
  • If you want to know how far I’ve taken my students, then look at where they were when they came in my room and where they are when they leave. I do good work, but I can’t bring a child who is three years behind up to grade level in one year. If I could, believe me I would.
  • Understand that social and emotional growth can’t be measured on a test, but they are measured in real life. When we meet, let’s talk about how my kids have progressed in these areas as well.
  • Join in. Ask questions. Talk to my kids. You’ll learn a lot more by being part of the learning than you will sitting in judgment in the back of the room.
  • Talk to me. You bring a different perspective to my room. Ask questions, offer suggestions, but don’t forget to point out my strengths.
  • Remember that every year is different. What was an area of strength last year may be an area of struggle this year. Don’t assume it’s because I’ve slacked off or done something wrong. Make me feel safe enough to ask for support.
  • Build a climate of collaboration and trust. My students don’t learn in isolation, and neither do I.
  • By all means, hold me accountable for what I do within the classroom.
Evaluate me, please. Just remember my worth shouldn’t be determined by some arbitrary value added model based on subpar standardized tests. It should come from what I do with the students I have each year, from my professional growth, and from formative, ongoing conversations.

Saturday, September 22, 2012


FOR BRIAN WILLIAMS AND THE "TOWN HALL" HE IS MODERATING.

Mr. Williams, I enjoy watching you do actual news, and you have good on-camera feel. Please don't disrespect yourself, and knowing teaching professionals by being a patsy for that panel that appears to be loaded with public school attackers with little in terms of experience, balance, facts, or purity in their motives (unless I have it wrong)

"4 the record:despite repeated requests @ednation refused to put community based parents on panels opting instead 4 michelle rhee/joel klein" On twitter

Why do you think that is, Mr. Williams?  I am not a real tech kind of guy, but twitter is on fire with people who know teaching way better than Rhee or Klein, and it appears this is a promo, not a Town Hall.

Here are MY inquires:

My question, sent via FB message. I hope it  gets asked. I did get a response, so I know it was received.

For the town hall (I'm sorry I can't make it, but I will watch): When will "reform" progress start to direct our public schools toward domestic and foreign models often used to cast critical light-models that rely less on lobbyist and for-profit testing intrusion and more on a social support of students and educators?

After hearing who the panelists might be, I sent this:

Is this REALLY your panel? Rep. George Miller, Randi Weingarten, Doreen Diaz-Desert Trails
Parent Union (parent trigger takeover school in California), Michelle Rhee, Joel Klein,  Vanessa Bush Ford, (Black Star Project/The National PTA)?

 Is it wise or honest to load a Town Hall for teachers panel with people who are actively trying to undermine public schools and public school teachers (a short-term teacher to
cheater-chancellor to inexplicable reform wonder-woman; a private school to policy to lackey for foreign smut journalism kingpin; politicians and well funded astro-turf activists...)?

I guess you can put that to the panel too, if those are truly the folks on it and if you would like.

Also, is there a chance Brian Williams would host or moderate a forum with panelists critical of the reform movement/industry?


Thank you for your attention.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Dark Ages Return: (Installment 1) Why We Need to Worry About Education Reform

  Note:   When I write about reform, I usually put quotes around it ("reform"). This is because I believe the word is supposed to mean actively make improvements, or change something for the better. I do not believe that much of what is being called education reform really does that for public education. Using the quotes, though, puts me in the position of deciding whether to keep using quotes later on in the same piece when the word shows up. Do I NOT use quotes with later uses of the word and make the reader think I believe reform holds true to the meaning, or keep using quotes and have the reader think "Okay, okay-I GET IT. So... no quotes at all. Just know that I do not trust much of what is described as education reform.
-D.McConnell

   
     The United States, is seeing an ever-increasing economic class division between those with the most wealth and power, and those with the least- in effect pushing out the middle class that historically has been a cornerstone of the economy. Policies (foreign. domestic, economic...) have served to allocate wealth and political power so that "the masses" continually find themselves victims of the desires of "the few". As an effort, I believe to maintain and increase their power and position, the few have initiated a reform movement targeting public education. The motivation to target education as a means to their end is likely two-fold: economic and strategic. On the economic front there is a significant amount of money to capitalize on in both the public funding and private institutions that collaborate to provide schooling to the children of the country. That aspect of the motivation behind reform is quite easy to understand. If there is money to be had, someone will come along looking to have it-even the head of sensationalist infotainment style media sources. On the heels of the financial crisis, the current slow recovery means that corporations accustomed to hand-over-fist money-making need new sources of profit. The public funds going to public schools look good indeed to private corporations. In order to get their hands on that money they have to justify (politically) taking it away. This is why you see well funded reformers like Michele Rhee, travelling around the country-showing up on news programs and at speaking events to continually suggest that America's public schools (and their students) are performing poorly. According to Diane Ravitch This assertion does not stand up well to the data . Low test scores, in addition, are more closely tied to poverty than poor teacher quality. The motivation to avoiding examination of this correlation, choosing instead to misuse testing data and scapegoat schools, allows bad economic and social policy to continue-essentially passing the responsibility for poverty off onto public schools.

     The strategic basis of education reform is a more complicated issue, may be a speculative consideration, but must be considered because it implies more danger in terms of the future-for the majority of citizens and the state of our democracy. The growing trend of taking control of public schools in order to privatize and create price-layered options-selling it back to the people on a "you get what you can afford" basis is great for what may come to be the "business" of education, but will lead to a disparity in knowledge and service. Should this be the direction education in the United States takes, the easiest to teach (usually from the wealthier families) will receive even greater access to the benefits of education. Those families and students will grow into the positions of security, income and influence handed down to them. The most challenging students, requiring more time, effort and resources are likely to face an education that does not meet their needs or help them to maximize their true potential. Most often, the neediest students come from homes with fewer economic resources. While education is a key component to reducing poverty, poverty impacts the ability to succeed in school to begin with. These students will likely also inherit their position in society from their parents. It is very true that poverty is not destiny, but it is a significant hurdle that prevents more and more students from realizing their potential. For school reformers, weakening the public institutions of education would lessen the ability of public unions to influence policy collectively, and the straining of students into a caste-like system would help solidify the position of the groups already enjoying high caste placement.

     This is how the current education reform movement, together with political policies of the recent decades, is serving to divide access to freedom, knowledge, and the political process. In education policy specifically, children are being subjected to a mechanized and controlled process of standardization that conflicts with their normal developmental process. We are essentially being moved towards a modern version of the "Dark Age". Neil Postman, in his book The Disappearance of Childhood says of this time in history:

                        Our textbooks cover the transformation well enough except for four points
                        that are often overlooked and that are particularly relevant to the story of
                        childhood. The first is that literacy disappears. The second is that education
                        disappears. The third is that shame disappears. And the fourth, as a
                        consequence of the other three, is that childhood disappears.                                                                      
             
This was Postman about 20 years ago, writing about a time in ancient history (following the fall of the Roman empire), but the parallels to modern times are uncanny.

Next installment: The Dark Ages Return (2): The Impact of Education Reform on Childhood